Fred's Previous Ports

Does anyone know if Fred has called at Reunion or Toamasina (Tamatave), in Madagascar Previously?

I know the Indian Ocean cruises are new, but am also aware that Fred has done itineraries around Africa in recent years when those ports may just have been on the itinerary. I would also be interested if people think they have not been used as ports previously.

In a round Africa cruise on the "Black Watch" some years ago we called at Madagascar but not at Tamatave we visited Nosy Be (?) in the North of the island. We also called at Reunion. I have visited there more than once on FOCL ships. Indian Ocean cruises are certainly not new.

Thank you for the reply, I suspected Fred could have called at a number of the ports previously.

We will be sailing out from Liverpool on Boudicca and spending some time in Mauritius before our return. We are not going to Nosy Be, but will also be calling at Zanzibar and Mozambique Island en route to Port Louis in Mauritius. I have been able to get quite a bit of info on Zanzibar and Mozambique Island, (which is so small it is just a walk ashore), and we will just stroll through the town in Mauritius since we are staying on in the island, but it is not so easy to find information about the other two ports. Fred's trips will not come out until about 6 weeks before the cruise of course, so we cannot make any final decisions until then, but It is nice to find out a bit about ports before then.

A trip seems to be recommended on Reunion as the island is very expensive, so a taxi tour is just not viable and the roads sound a bit hairy (to say the least), so car hire is not something we fancy. Both those options are always risky, regards getting back to the port anyway, so we would likely look at Fred's options in that region.

Have you done a Fred Trip in Reunion? It probably sounds the way to go but we did four Fred trips on Black Watch from Liverpool to Montreal and back a couple of years ago and two of them were really badly run and there were lots of complaints, which were certainly warranted! The other two trips were still not as had been advertised and had their bad points. The only other Fred trips we have done were in Norway and Greenland, where he goes fairly regularly of course, but they were fine.

Did you do a Fred Trip in Reunion? If so did you feel the organisation of the trip was OK and the trip followed the stated itinerary? We are also thinking that there will be a long time on a coach with little else, if we take a trip to the scenic interior of Reunion, whereas we prefer to be out and about on foot most of the time. Did Fred offer a shuttle bus or a 'St Denis on your own' trip to St Denis as an alternative to a full trip?

I regret that I cannot remember the details of shore excursions on Reunion. It is very French (it pays to speak some french) and I seem to remember that one tour I went on included a delicious lunch. It is a pretty island and I don't think it is as full of tourists as ,say, the Seychelles or Mauritius. All Fred. Olsen shore tours are sub-contracted to local companies. On the many cruises I have taken with the company they have been very good if a trifle pricey. Sorry, can't be more helpful.

I regret that I cannot remember the details of shore excursions on Reunion. It is very French (it pays to speak some french) and I seem to remember that one tour I went on included a delicious lunch. It is a pretty island and I don't think it is as full of tourists as ,say, the Seychelles or Mauritius. All Fred. Olsen shore tours are sub-contracted to local companies. On the many cruises I have taken with the company they have been very good if a trifle pricey. Sorry, can't be more helpful.

Thank you, that reply was very useful. I know from your postings that you have done a lot cruises with Fred, many in far away places, so not surprising you do not remember all trips, but that in itself means that there cannot have been any bad problems with the trips or you are more likely to remember them.

French and good food is one reason why we are thinking we may just go into St Denis (my husband speaks very good French so no probs there and I can manage simple conversation). Prices are high in Reunion, so we will see what Fred has to offer before making a final decision. It is quite a while off yet, but curiosity is making me impatient to get the excursion details

Thanks again,

Barbara