The-Inside-Cabin

We are back in Cape Town - We enjoy some Bunny Chow and a Gatsby Sandwich in downtown Cape Town and the Gatsby Palace. There sandwiches are HUGE!!!

I suspect that people who get complimentary casino cruises aren't eligible to use those days for PC

You can find safari accommodations ranging from tents to a motel 6 quality all the way to six stars and beyond.

The invitation requirement weeds out people with many sea days but not as full-fare guests, e.g., lecturers, travel hosts, agents, etc. Unlike the Mariner Star Level Program, the Medallion Program only recognizes and rewards actual cruising days – there isn’t any bonus credit for suites or spending as there is in the Mariner Star Program. Here are the Medallion Award levels 100 days – Bronze 300 days – Silver 500 days – Gold 700 days – Platinum 1400 days – Presidents Club While achieving greater Star status offers definite perks, achieving a higher Medallion Station offers nothing more than the commemorative medal itself and local recognition, including invitations to special parties. The perks for Presidents Club Membership, include, but are not limited to: • Annual Holiday Gift e.g. Waterford Crystal Vases • Invitations to special onboard parties • “Head of the line” tender service equal to Neptune Suite Guests • Your choice of flowers/beverages/wine, etc. every 2 weeks • Recognition at onboard events Plus more – there isn’t a specific list publicly available, but these are the highlights I have discovered based on my research. Any updated information is appreciated.

Here are a few highlights from our second safari day. Tomorrow, we fly to Cape Town to rejoin the Zuiderdam. The main entrance to the Ukhozi Lodge This morning we tracked and found a couple of Cheetahs The Cheetahs don't stay put very long- We had about 10 seconds to observe before he took off. Lodge staff meet every returning game drive with interesting drinks (orange juice and grenadine here) and hot towels. We had the same Ranger, Forrest, for all three days. On the afternoon drive, our guide, Forrest, dug into a termite mound and offered us a chance to sample a live termite. It tasted like a blade of grass. Forrest offered us live termites - about half of us took him up on the opportunity/ They look like ants We came across a small herd of Wildebeest One of three White Rhinos we observed this afternoon. We came across the same two lions we saw yesterday - they sleep a lot. At our "Sundowner" drink stop, we observed two male Giraffles - necking - which is how they fight it out to see who gets the desirable female. My Picture above = More below from YouTube Our Game drive group at the Sundowner stop/

Thanks. I am trying to not take pictures of animal's butts! They always seem to be facing away.

Their location is on the eastern cape much further west than our previous safaris. The reservation grounds are huge (44 square miles) but enclosed by fencing so the animals can't migrate to other parts of South Africa. Thus all the animals are "here" but sometimes hard to find nevertheless. No jaguars here at all. Maybe a few cheetahs. The facilities are about the same. All crazy good. Our room is smaller that last year which was over the top huge. This suite is a nice size.

Highlights from this afternoon's Game Drive - All about Elephants! (plus a few giraffes_ We came across about 25 elephants at sunset. Nice

You can find safari rooms that are a Motel 6 up through the Four Seasons..... We return to Cape Town on the 18th

Flight from Durban to Port Elizabeth was on time - nice flight. Warning!! Arrived too late for the evening safari drive Here is our room Highlights from this morning's drive After reading about elephants in the news in Zambia - this encounter got our hearts pumping. He passed close enough to touch - but left us alone And finally a Lion - more later

We arrived in Durban very early this morning (15 April) We are moored at the new Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal Last year we were at the Ocean Terminal Building The ship has a shuttle going to uShaka Marine World. Walking out of the port is allowed but not recommended as apparently we are in a bad neighborhood. All the passengers had to walk into the terminal for a face to face immigration. It started at 7 AM and finished at 10 AM We are leaving the ship today and heading to the Kariega Game Reserve - we retund on the 18th in Cape Town. More HERE

We enjoyed one of the many Pop-Up dinners in the Pinnacle Grill the evening we left Maputo. Here is tonight's Rijsttafel dinner menu, which means Rice Table. It is a Dutch adaptation of traditional Indonesian dishes. More HERE Pinnacle Grill Manager Tina selected the dishes for tonight's menu from those her mother used to make in her home country of Indonesia. The food was fantastic, and the service was exemplary. The surcharge was $69, which included your wine. The three dishes of the Kroepoek (Sambal Matah, Sambal Badjak and Atjar Mentah Bakwan Udang - Vegetable and Shrimp Fritters Pecel Solo - Mixed Vegetable Salad & sliced omlette Soto BetawI - Coconut Milk Soup Main Dishes - Sumatran Beef Stew, Balinese Chicken Skewer, mixed vegetables and eggs, steamed fish wrapped in a banana leaf. Vanilla Ice cream and Coconut Dyah, Tina and Pete

Yes, This was in the MDR

Zero formal nights. probably 5-7 dressy or gala nights formal nights are only on Grand Voyages

Here are a few highlights from our recent sea days: I tried the $25 Morimoto Fresh Halibut XO - NIce! We enjoyed our 3rd For Cakes' Sake Event in the Lido - lots of great cake. We had our fourth and final Meet and Greet in the Crow's Nest - ABout 50 people turned out - good times! If you provide the ship with a list of names and cabin numbers in an Excel Spreadsheet, the ship will send out Meet and Greet invitations, which helps the turnout.