Interestedcruisefan

Here's my attempt to load the video my wife shot VID-20240120-WA0007.mp4

Anyone who's followed one of my live threads will know it's my wife's photos and not mine! Mine would be upside down!!

My wife was able to shoot a video after we all recovered from the shock of our vehicle unexpectedly coming face to face with the white rhino There was just my wife and I and the guide on the vehicle It was spine tingling for sure I will try and load it later We never found lions or leopards but this will live in the memory forever It was such a shock to just drive into where the white rhino was We did 2 game drives. One yesterday early evening and one early this morning. Both absolutely magical. Yesterday we stumbled into a herd of over 200 elephants!! Which was incredible but also quite scary as we literally ended up surrounded by them. The noises they were making was like Jurassic Park!! My wife was too scared to even try to video that. Especially after the guide had said elephants are the most dangerous animals as they can tip the vehicle and we try not to let them get behind us! Soon after we were literally surrounded by them !! They just appeared from nowhere. Luckily they weren't bothered by us at all and moved on The guide said on many days they never see a single elephant And somehow yesterday - 200 arrived at once!!

Here's some more pictures in no particular order: (And for once I paid for a room with a balcony!!) It was some balcony and some view!!

White Rhino There were less than 100 left in the world and very close to extinction not long ago Most that are left today have had to have their horns removed sadly to deter poachers trying to kill them But there's one place (at least) they still exist with their horns intact. And we were there today. Never imagining we would actually find one of them. This morning we turned a corner following some tracks looking for lions and all of a sudden from nowhere we looked up and we were literally head on facing a white rhino Spine tingling coming face to face with this magnificent creature My new favourite animal. I actually felt honored to be in its presence We've just had the most amazing 24 hrs we will never ever forget at the most incredible Safari Lodge in South Africa. Absolutely magical from start to finish.

So excited today We are being collected from azamara in Richards Bay to go to an amazing Safari lodge for an overnight stay The pictures look stunning. Take a look! https://www.instagram.com/mfulawozi_wilderness?igsh=MXZhNDh3YWZnbGtuZw== Our first proper safari experience

The double bed is huge. Cabin is great. We have our normal inside. Big TV perfectly positioned on the wall opposite the bed Very international passenger mix. I've heard plenty of US guests, UK and German already. Seems to 'be a group on a golfing type escape as well Embarkation took less than 10 mins Waiters walking round offering cocktails everywhere Seafood buffet welcome dinner tonight Very hot on hygiene and washing hands at the moment Captain said an unknown virus being tested at the laboratory still is in South Africa currently - pool will be closed for first few days at least And buffet all the food will be served I can't believe how little walking we have to do to get anywhere. Hardly any stairs to climb and hardly anywhere to have to walk far to at all I've pre-booked 4 speciality meals plus just added an Italian Opera speciality meal Also I've booked some spin classes which are FOC. We pay for those on P and O. But of course this cruise is significantly more expensive than P and O. However drinks are included and seem very good quality and gratuities are included Very impressed so far though Entertainment will be limited but everything else will be high quality it seems Even the buffet seems very refined

Agreed that the Quays is a really great addition to the P and O ships that offer it

Think in the last 40 years of going on holiday I've seen one bad experience on a 5 star all inclusive holiday in Turkey (involving millionaire Russian guests). I've fallen out with a German guest (pushing in front of a restaurant queue in the Canaries). And I've overhead some rows on a couple of flights that could have got out of hand Cant remember anything bad on a cruise other than on our first gulet cruise to Turkey when one of the married ladies on the cruise left her husband halfway through the cruise to move in with the captain!! Lol That really happened. Wasn't any violence etc. Just the weirdest thing to see happen. There were only about 16 of us on the cruise. The husband stayed on board and finished the cruise. Just without his wife! Who swapped cabins to be with the captain after 3 nights. The husband took it quite well to be honest!!

I've also seen complaints about passenger behaviour on some of the older P and O ships recently. These aren't the ones you go to for the cheapest prices with P and O? So what's the explanation for those incidents? I honestly don't think pricing strategy will have been influenced in any way whatsoever by the very very rare "poor incidents" reported on board all the ships at various times

Spot on

You honestly think price changes of a few hundred pounds either way would make any difference to type of guests or behavior on board? Funny enough - having a business heavily involved in the hospitality industry I've noticed it's almost always the guests paying for the most expensive tables that tend to be the most obnoxious and rude to my staff and/or other guests or venue staff around them (and even then it's a tiny minority) Thinking they are above them or entitled etc. Celebrities the worst for it. (Again some not all!)

Now that would explain everything!!

Cape Town this morning Today we join Azamara Pursuit for a 12 night South Africa Cruise The ship only holds 900 guests so will be the smallest ship we have cruised on. Apparently it's often only half full this time of year as well. The food gets great reviews and drinks are included Can't wait. Boarding appears from what I can see to be very laid back. No online check in required prior. No luggage tags needed prior. We just have to turn up with passports and baggage and credit card to swipe. And they take a photo. Apparently. Hopefully it's as easy as that. I guess on smaller ship cruises with less passengers they dont need to have done much in advance.

Totally believe it's happened Just can't think P and O would do this themselves without at least telling you why Perhaps its just an error on their part? But that's not your problem. I guess all you can do is enjoy it and wait to see if you ever find out why you were given it Similarly we received a lovely hamper delivered this Christmas (but with no name tag). We had to contact quite a few people before realising who had sent it and being able to thank them. The lady who sent it was slightly miffed her name hadn't been added to the delivery tag Mistakes happen like that quite a lot.

The free drinks package?? That's amazing?? Surely someone who really likes you has purchased it as a gift?? And for some reason their names were missed off the card you received? So you can't even say "thank you" It's a strange one for sure. I don't believe P and O would give that as a gift. Instead they would give more OBC credit surely? If they felt they wanted to reward you?

I suspect he will be amazingly fun

Well a day that started with a wine tram tour in Franschoek at 11.30am finished with me singing "Daydream Believer" by The Monkees at 11pm in a Cape Town Karaoke Bar - 80kms away That's what a wine tram tour can do to you I guess!! Lol

https://youtu.be/WF_WBpuEE38?si=djlZ_TxsnkphWaAC

So we are in Franschoek (near Cape Town) waiting to board our wine tram. There are upto 9 vineyards on our tour we could choose to stop at for tastings!!! I think 3 or 4 max in reality for us All sorts of tastings to have alongside the wines Cheese, meats and chocolate!! We will be trying all of them!! Lol It's going to be a fun day

That looks awful

I had pre booked a transfer with our Airbnb provider and we paid cash as it's cheap But the same taxi company does take payment by card as I've just pre-paid them for a longer trip we are doing tomorrow To enjoy a wine tram experience which looks to much fun By the way entry into Cape Town for us was the quickest immigration queue I've ever seen anywhere and the cases were already on the machine as well. There are some amazing places to choose for a meal/and or cocktails at the waterfront You will be spoilt for choice Tonight after the rugby I just bought 4 sharing platters of food for 6 people and three rounds of drinks for 6 people Came to 79 pounds approx

Over 4 hrs delay means big money claims In the meantime enjoy the extra time on the ship (assuming you weren't waiting in the airport?)

Go for it. Just avoid the school holidays

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront Complex is incredible. 100 eateries to choose from. Some real high quality options at a fraction of the price of UK food and drink We didn't know where to start or stop!!! Lol I can see why so many people say Cape Town is their favourite holiday destination I think I want to live here!!