2023 Grand World Voyage with The Inside Cabin

[Ellencruise]

Fabulous

[aliaschief]

Great pictures. Thanks.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Final game drive this AM.   
 

Amazing rainbow!   You know it's good when the guide stops to take a selfie!  
 

We enjoy safari pictures that show the animals in context.   
 

 

we have a mid afternoon flight to CPT.

 

[oakridger]

I love that people are able to get off the ship and go on these safaris and the world cruise bloggers/posters are sharing with us. 

 

Thanks,

~Nancy

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We are back in  Cape Town -- smooth trip - everything went as expected.

 

Leaving for final game drive at 5:30 AM

 

Table Mountain from our 737-800 on final approach to CPT

 

We ran into HAL excursion trip leader, Adeline, at baggage claim - she is escorting a HAL overland..

[IslandThyme]

I have a safari question. Pretty much every itinerary I see has something on the order of a 2 hour game drive in the morning, another in the evening, and free time for most of the day. What is there to do in the free time hours?

[The-Inside-Cabin]

8 hours ago, IslandThyme said:

I have a safari question. Pretty much every itinerary I see has something on the order of a 2 hour game drive in the morning, another in the evening, and free time for most of the day. What is there to do in the free time hours?

You can go on Bush Walks, exploring nearby areas on foot.  During these, the guide will typically carry a rifle.   They don't have weapons during the game drives, as driving away is more straightforward and faster if an animal gets aggressive.  

 

Most resorts will have a spa with massages and other typical spa services.  Most lodges have a small gift shop with local curios.

 

A common house usually has a library, TV, and a bar and lounge if you want to relax in a public area.  A larger pool is available here.   Some luxury villas will have small pools for each suite.

 

Our daily routine:

 

Game Drive 5:30 to 8:30

Breakfast 8:30 to 9:30

Lunch 1:00 to 2:00

Tea or snacks from 3:00 p to 4 p

Afternoon Game Drive from 4:00 p to 7:00 p

Dinner 7:30 to 8:30

 

Attached is a list of additional activities.   We usually nap or spend time deleting pictures.    Most pictures tend to be similar, and we only want to save the very best.   It's more fun to look at them a year from now when you have 50 a day vice 500..

 

 

 

 

Thanda Safari Activities 2022.pdf

[IslandThyme]

Thanks! I had never considered deleting pictures to be an actual activity, even though I do a lot of it myself. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Day 1 Cape Town - snapshot -  more on the blog later

 

Check out of Hotel at 11:30 and walk to the ship - easy to get back on - no more complicated than if we were returning from a normal daytime excursion.

 

Table Mountain Looks Clear - we decide to head to the top.

 

Here is the view of Table Mountain at 11:30 AM

Clear

 

We left the ship at 1:15 PM using Uber - fare 83 Rand about $5 - taxis were asking $16 for the same five-mile trip.   Twenty minutes later, we arrived.   

 

We don't check any weather forecasts - not a cloud in the sky!

 

We bought the $19 round-trip tickets online - but there wasn't much of a line today.   

 

It takes 15 minutes to walk from the Uber drop-off and wait for a few minutes before we are in the cable car heading up - We are on top at 2:07 - Less than one hour from our cabin until we are on top of Table Mountain.   

 

View from the top of Table Mountain.

 

Everything is fine for about 10 minutes - then the clouds start rolling in - 

 

Looking good

 

10 SECONDS LATER - not so good.

 

But wait for a bit, and it's OK again for 30 seconds...in and out for an hour - then they close the mountain, and we all have to go down - 1-hour wait.

 

Cold and very windy on top - beautiful day below...

 

My advice - go earlier in the day

 

Before the clouds rolled in

 

 

 

 

[oakridger]

You sure got some great views for a while at least!  Sometimes it's clouded over all day.   

 

~Nancy

[The-Inside-Cabin]

4 hours ago, oakridger said:

You sure got some great views for a while at least!  Sometimes it's clouded over all day.   

 

~Nancy

We thought we were in the clear when there was no clouds at 11:30.  They say the conditions can change quickly.   They were correct as expected.  

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We are leaving Cape Town. 

 

Sea Day tomorrow

 

Local show tonight with the South African Youth Choir- they received a standing O!  

 

Final Picture with Table Mountain

 

 

The amazing artist Ben Sack is onboard thru FLL - He will be teaching his popular drawing class.

More about Ben HERE

 

Rich Sack (Ben's Father), Judy, and Ben Sack

 

[REOVA]

6 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

 

 

The amazing artist Ben Sack is onboard thru FLL - He will be teaching his popular drawing class.

More about Ben HERE

 

Rich Sack (Ben's Father), Judy, and Ben Sack

 

Yes. Got an email from Ben that he was going to board. Also he is willing to send a "postcard" if you email him back. (Of course you won't have to). A talented (and patient) young man. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We had our third meet and greet yesterday as we sailed from Cape Town.

 

We welcomed a couple of people who joined us in Cape Town.    One person coming from the USA took orders for Girl Scout cookies and delivered them today!   Nice!

 

 

 

[oakridger]

That's funny about the cookies!  Reminds me of when my brother lived overseas for many years, there were a couple of times I flew to visit with a half a suitcase full of Cheeze-Its crackers!  Now that he lives back in the USA, he rarely even buys them.  🙄

 

Continue on with the next phase of the big floating party!  I'm enjoying it from my chair!

 

~Nancy

[The-Inside-Cabin]

The silent auction was yesterday in the Ocean Bar.    The money raised will benefit the children of Namibia and the Bernhard Nordkamp Centre.

 

Here are some pictures.

 

 

Crowded at first - then only a handful for the last hour

Lot's of charts from the Voyage of the VIkings and other old cruises

 

A few guests donated their water color paintings

 

 

[Oak Hill Cruisers]

We are greatly enjoying your GWV blog.  It brings back memories of our 2018 GWV on the Ms Amsterdam.

 

Question for you: If you are not in a suite and your stateroom is an inside, outside view or veranda, can you tell us if your shower is a standup shower (not a tub shower) with a safety handrail and if the shower head is fixed or is the shower head a removable wand on a hose?

 

The reason we ask is that, after booking the Voyage of the Vikings and the 2024 GWV on the Ms Zuiderdam, my wife underwent brain surgery and she has some vision & mobility issues.  There are no handicapped staterooms available on our upcoming Voyage of the Vikings cruise.  So we need to know if I can stand outside the shower with a removable shower head and wet down & rinse my wife.

 

Thanks in advance for your reply and comments.

 

Ron

[The-Inside-Cabin]

23 minutes ago, Oak Hill Cruisers said:

We are greatly enjoying your GWV blog.  It brings back memories of our 2018 GWV on the Ms Amsterdam.

 

Question for you: If you are not in a suite and your stateroom is an inside, outside view or veranda, can you tell us if your shower is a standup shower (not a tub shower) with a safety handrail and if the shower head is fixed or is the shower head a removable wand on a hose?

 

The reason we ask is that, after booking the Voyage of the Vikings and the 2024 GWV on the Ms Zuiderdam, my wife underwent brain surgery and she has some vision & mobility issues.  There are no handicapped staterooms available on our upcoming Voyage of the Vikings cruise.  So we need to know if I can stand outside the shower with a removable shower head and wet down & rinse my wife.

 

Thanks in advance for your reply and comments.

 

Ron

I think you are getting some good answers on this thread - I think all the showers have removable heads.   The only issue is whether or not there is a tub or a shower only.

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Great day in Luderitz - went to the Ghost town

 

Big Saint Patty's day sailway - bar crawl and party tonight

 

 

Here are a few sailaway pics

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Nice visit to Luderitz yesterday.   

 

Narrow Tender pier

 

Took a tour of the abandoned diamond mining town:  Kolmanskop   

 

Found a tour tent ashore selling tours for $20 - Good Deal - A few picks - more later

 

Old Bowling alley in the main building

 

Bought the tour here

 

A few shots of the abandoned buildings

 

There is a small museum and gift shop in this larger building

 

St Patty's day back on the ship - bar hop!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Walvis Bay was our second and final stop in Namibia. 

 

Walvis Bay is a larger, very industrial port where the ship moors.  On my earlier visit, the ship moored alongside the wharf,  but this time we moored on a long, narrow pier that connected to the wharf. 

You can see the long narrow pier here

 

We already cleared immigration in Lüderitz, so clearing the ship was much faster today, and people were allowed to go ashore soon after 8 am.  A shuttle bus was available to go to the Dunes Mall, a few miles away.  Walking out of the port was allowed, and the nearby street was lined with street vendors selling various local crafts.    The shuttle bus availability wasn't announced in advance in the Daily Program.  There are a few restaurants along the waterfront, about a 1/2 mile walk.

 

We decided to take the HAL tour to Swakopmund, a small town about 22 miles north of Walvis Bay, as described below: 

 

"Swakopmund

Departs: 10:30 AM Approximately 5 Hours Adult $179.95; Child $139.95

Depart from the pier and enjoy a short orientation tour of the fishing port of Walvis Bay, including a brief visit to the lagoon and tidal flood plains where magnificent flocks of flamingos (seasonally), pelicans and other water birds abound. From here, continue via a gravel road, stopping for photos at Dune 7 -- the highest sand dune in the Walvis Bay area. You're headed to Swakopmund, founded in 1892 and located at the mouth of the Swakop River. This is a slice of Germany on the edge of the desert -- a charming seaside resort resembling a Bavarian village. Many buildings here date back to the turn of the 20th century. Enjoy a drive through the town, which is built in Art Nouveau style. Visit the Swakopmund Museum, which depicts the local history of the town and features an interesting exhibit about the various people inhabiting Namibia. Make your way to the Kristall Galerie center, displaying crystals weighing up to 14 tons, and is considered the largest gallery of its kind in the world. Use your free time to browse at the Brauhaus Gallery shopping arcade in the center of town. Return to Walvis Bay via the coastal road, passing sand dunes on one side and the sea on the other". 

 

We left the ship around 10 am and headed to the tour buses in a large parking lot at the end of the pier.   The pier was covered with seagull guano, which many people tried to avoid, unsuccessfully.

 

Seagull guano covered the pier

 

Numerous vendors approached us as we left the pier selling tours in small vans and taxis.  We learned we could probably buy the same tour on the spot for about $40 per person.  But while many of these local tours are fine, we would not be sure about the quality of the vehicle and tour until after we paid.  Many people do these last-minute tours as a matter of routine, and they work out fine. 

Vendors selling tours at the main gate 

 

There were three forty-passenger buses on our tour, all very modern and relatively new.  The temperature was mild, low 70s - so we didn't need air-conditioning. 

 

Our first stop was the nearby Flamingo Lagoon, where we had 15 minutes to observe and photograph the hundreds of flamingos. 

 

 

Continuing on, we made our next stop at Dare Devil Adventures, about halfway to Swakopmund, for a chance to photograph one of the sand dunes.  Dare Devil Adventures offers a variety of tours where you can ride quad bikes on the dunes themselves.  They will pick you up from the ship, and riding the bikes looked like a lot of fun. 

 

We arrived in Swakopmund around noon and walked a few minutes to Kristall Galerie, the home of the World's Largest Quartz crystal cluster on display.  There is a small museum with two adjacent gift shops selling a wide variety of very nice gemstones.  One shop sold high-end jewelry and the other shop sold the more relatively reasonably priced pieces.  If these stones interest you, you will probably find something you like.  We had about 30 minutes here with an option to walk back later. 

 

 

For the next 25 minutes, we enjoyed a windshield tour of the city with excellent commentary from our guide Ndeshi.  NOTE:  The HAL excursion brochure offers its usual disclaimer when visiting developing countries that the guides may not be very good and the equipment is in poor condition.  This was not the case here, as the guides, drivers, and buses were all top-notch. 

 

We were dropped off at 1 pm in a parking lot near the Swakopmund Museum and would have one hour and 45 minutes to explore the museum and/or more of the town.  Kristall Galerie was about 1/3 of a mile away for those who wanted to head back there for more shopping. 

 

The museum is very nice and has a wide variety of exhibits, in excellent condition and with well-marked signs in English and a few other languages.  A variety of stuffed wild animals are displayed along with rocks, industrial equipment, and photographs explaining the history of the area.  We were here for 30 minutes, but we could easily have spent an hour or more. 

 

 

Inside Museum

Afterward, we walked down a very nice waterfront concrete boardwalk lined with a variety of restaurants overlooking Swakopmund Beach and the South Atlantic Ocean.  We had a nice lunch at the Brewer & Butcher restaurant toward the end of the boardwalk, before heading back to our bus.  We left Swakopmund at about 2:50 pm and returned to the ship around 3:30 pm. 

Boardwalk leads from the Museum down the beach

 

Our lunch spot

Swakopmund Beach

 

About 20 Children from the Bernhard Nordkamp Center, (BNC) located in Windhoek, Namibia, about 250 miles east of Walvis Bay, visited the ship today and performed on the World Stage at 4:15 pm.  The BNC was transformed from a soup kitchen to an educational facility in 2005 by MaryBeth Gallagher from New York.  Back in 2013, the ms Amsterdam called on Walvis Bay and some passengers who were in contact with MaryBeth, decided it would be easier for the children from BNC to visit the ship instead of passengers traveling 5 hours each way to visit the BNC.  Henk Mensink, who was and remains the Hotel GM, helped facilitate the visit then and today.  Today marked the 10-year anniversary of that 2013 visit and about ten young men and women in the group returned to visit a Holland America ship once again. 

 

The BNC Children arrived on the ship around 10 AM and enjoyed the day swimming in the pool, eating ice cream, and enjoying many of the beautiful cruise ship amenities.

BNC Children arriving on the Zuiderdam - off to the Lido!

The performance was excellent, and afterward, the Captain presented a large check to MaryBeth for over $8,000 that was raised from the silent auction and cash donations. 

The BNC children's performance was excellent

Mary Beth Gallagher

The Capt presents the Big Check

 

Unlike most countries, we had to visit the Hudson room for a face-to-face immigration departure inspection.  We had over 3 hours to complete this requirement, so the lines were never long. 

 

Tonight in the Lido, they had a Biergarten Festival.  See the special menu below.  The dance band played three sets by the Lido Pool.  Attendance was light, and we missed hearing the Chicken Dance song or other Beer Hall Polkas usually heard at such festivals. 

 

The Dance Band

 

LIDO GERMAN DINNER BUFFET

• Potato Salad

• Cabbage Salad

• Tomato Onion Salad

• Cold Cuts and Cheese Selection

• Blood Sausage, Smoked Ring Sausage, Knockwurst, Bratwurst, Boerewors

• Suckling Pig

• Sauerbraten and Dumpling

• Smoked Pork Loin or Smoked Ham

• Beer can Roasted Chicken

• Kaiser Roll, Pretzel Stick

• Sauerkraut

• Spaetzle

• Red Cabbage

• Boiled Potato

• Broccoli

• Mustard, German Mustard, Ketchup, Mayonnaise

• Berliner

• Spiced Apple Cake (apfelkuchen)

• Bavarian Crème (Bayerische Crème)

• Kaiserschmarrn (Emperor’s mess Pancake)

• Jell-O in Beer Glass for Decoration

[LouChamp]

Aloha. The buffet menu sounds great. Always enjoy your posts, pictures and the smile on your face. Enjoy!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Today's big event was at 7:00 PM when the Cruise and Travel Director, Ian, introduced the new Captain:  Frank van der Hoeven, on the World Stage.   Capt Frank spoke for about twenty minutes before offering a toast.   He paid respects to his predecessor, Capt Friso, and acknowledged Capt Mercer as the finest Capt to sail the Grand World Cruises.    

 

Here is a short video clip

 

 

[bennybear]

Thanks so much, really enjoying this blog, and the safari photos! 

[REOVA]

What a nice gesture of Capt Frank to acknowledge Capt Jonathan. I'm sure everyone appreciated that. 👏👏 We did the same tour in 2018 (don't remember what you did then, i believe there were also 4wheel dune tours as well as "safari" that year) and met locals fishing in town. Was a pleasantly surprising tour. Thanks for the post.