Western Africa

My husband and I are considering doing the Voyager but not until November, 2020, for a western Africa tour. We have never been to most of these countries and are looking forward to doing it. Has anyone ever done this cruise before? It starts in Lisbon and ends in Capetown with a 2 night extension at the end in the wine country.

Although I am not much help on this subject - we have only been to Walvis Bay and Cape Town (twice) and the Eastern side of Africa but do know that you are in for a real treat in Cape Town - one of our top 3 places in the world. We also enjoyed Walvis Bay although Regent no longer does the dinner under the stars (actually, I don't think that the place where cruise ship passengers went is still there - it was by huge sand dunes and may be another sand dune). We did the Seal and Dolphin boat ride and loved it (good food on the boat including freshly caught oysters --- the only place that I eat oysters).

We plan on booking this cruise in 2020 within the next two months and are looking forward to reading everything that people on your cruise post from the ship. I suspect that after our third cruise to the area we will still be longing for more. I wondered why so many people love Africa ......... now we know and love it as well.

I did a similar itinerary as part of the 2010 World Cruise on the Voyager. That segment started in Cape Town and ended in Rio with stops in Walvis Bay, Togo, Benin, Ghana, The Gambia and Cape Verde island before the T/A to Brazil.

In my opinion those 4 countries in West Africa were some of the least interesting places I have ever been to. On my top 100 they would rate 101, 102, 103, 104. And the stop in Cape Verde would probably be 100. These's would be the absolute last places I would recommend to anyone to visit. Cape Town is great and the stop in Namibia is interesting also, but the rest. Blah......... Sorry.

J

I did a similar itinerary as part of the 2010 World Cruise on the Voyager. That segment started in Cape Town and ended in Rio with stops in Walvis Bay, Togo, Benin, Ghana, The Gambia and Cape Verde island before the T/A to Brazil.

 

 

 

In my opinion those 4 countries in West Africa were some of the least interesting places I have ever been to. On my top 100 they would rate 101, 102, 103, 104. And the stop in Cape Verde would probably be 100. These's would be the absolute last places I would recommend to anyone to visit. Cape Town is great and the stop in Namibia is interesting also, but the rest. Blah......... Sorry.

 

 

 

J

Just read your post to my DH and he was happy to hear it and we will be looking for another cruise.

My husband and I are considering doing the Voyager but not until November, 2020, for a western Africa tour. We have never been to most of these countries and are looking forward to doing it. Has anyone ever done this cruise before? It starts in Lisbon and ends in Capetown with a 2 night extension at the end in the wine country.

We did this cruise a few years ago and it was up there as being one of our favourites. ( we are titanium with Regent and have many days with other luxury lines, so have seen a lot of the world) . We had a few days in Lisbon to start then 3 days safari at the end. I couldn’t recommend it more highly.

It’s a cruise that is all about the people. Fantastically interesting and wonderful for photography of life in countries you may never visit as an independent traveller. It’s a cruise for people who are genuinely interested in seeing something a bit different, that aren’t too worried about being a bit outside of your comfort zone. Everyone I have known who has done this cruise loved it.

Do it, you won’t be disappointed. Africa is an amazing country.

We're on this Explorer cruise in November - pretty much what poster Sanne has outlined. Interesting to see such differing opinions; I guess we'll find out for ourselves in a couple of months.:cool:

Sanne and Catpow, this itinerary is on our list too for the same reasons as you give. Sadly, Regent only offer it at a time of the year when we cannot get away, so it remains on the list and hasn't been realised yet :(

How dull life would be if we only travelled to tourist honeypots and places that felt like home.

OK, we just got off the Explorer and booked this cruise for 2020. It looks great to us and we plan on taking the Overland Package to Sossusvlei Desert Lodge. The pictures look very interesting :). Love to read more comments from those that have made the trip and will be looking for a thread when the Explorer makes this cruise this Nov.

We are doing this cruise in November and are really looking forward to it. My plan is to do a thread on the cruise. I will try and figure out how to post pictures between now and then but if nothing else i will attempt to write regularly.

We are spending a couple extra days in Lisbon and then the safari at the end.

Can't wait.

My son worked for a NGO in Ghana for 4 months a few years ago and loves the country, but it is about the people, not the sites, food, or wildlife--though there was a whole troupe of monkeys that lived by his house and drove him crazy. As far as food, he lost 40 lbs in 4 months.

I would do this cruise with him, but not with my husband, as I would like it, and my husband would hate it.

Ports will be more interesting in South Africa and Namibia. Sekondi/Takoradi is quite interesting IF you can go to Cape Coast and visit the Cape Coast castle. That is very moving. For the rest in West Africa - I would stay on the ship.

It’s a cruise that is all about the people. Fantastically interesting and wonderful for photography of life in countries you may never visit as an independent traveller. It’s a cruise for people who are genuinely interested in seeing something a bit different, that aren’t too worried about being a bit outside of your comfort zone. Everyone I have known who has done this cruise loved it.

 

Do it, you won’t be disappointed. Africa is an amazing country.

I really agree with what you posted. Having been in South Africa twice and on the west coast of Africa once, I understand how important it is to be able to embrace being outside of your comfort zone. It was clear to me that some passengers on these cruises had not done their homework and therefore did not know what to expect.

At one point (in Namibia), I was embarrassed by Regent passengers. They went on an excursion that had a description that included the fact that fried worms would be served along with other local dishes. At the first stop, some people refused to get off of the bus because of how the place "looked" (it was perfectly safe and very interesting - an open market with different veggies, fruits, nuts and grains.) When we arrived at the place where we were sampling local food, some passengers made faces and went to the back of the room to avoid tasting anything.

Actually, this is a good example of what might be encountered - depending upon the port and excursion that you choose. The table was set up beautifully (local - not fancy) with lots of things to taste. The tour guide started us off by putting his fingertips into the porridge (misspelled?) and tasted it. No one else appeared to want to try it so I put my fingers in and did the same and then tasted most other dishes - they were quite good. In my opinion, it was an insult to the people in the village to act as if the food was poison. It was really not a comfortable situation. Fortunately, the next time we did the same excursion, the food was displayed differently - rather like a buffet with a line and it wasn't as noticeable if you decided not to try some items. Yes - tried the worm - not my thing -- fried ants are much better (served in the Amazon - not Africa).

Since we have done Africa twice (and would do it again in a heartbeat), after looking at the excursions and a post (above) as well as receiving an email from a friend that sailed there, we decided that if/when we return to Africa, it will be South Africa rather than the east coast of Africa. We do look forward to posts from the late November sailing.

Reminds me of Regent px visiting Papua New Guinea who feigned illness to return to the ship before they had spent more than half an hour in the country. Their loss. We had a terrific day.

Three years ago I went on the Silver Cloud from Accra to Cape Town. Some of you reading this thread might like to read my (almost) daily blog of the trip - some of it is about the Silversea ship but most of it is about the ports of call. This is not your regular sort of schmooze cruise but a rather challenging experience . . .

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2286614

OK, we just got off the Explorer and booked this cruise for 2020. It looks great to us and we plan on taking the Overland Package to Sossusvlei Desert Lodge. The pictures look very interesting :). Love to read more comments from those that have made the trip and will be looking for a thread when the Explorer makes this cruise this Nov.

Sossusvlei Desert Lodge is run by &Beyond (used to be call CC Africa). IMO it is one of the most amazing spots in the world. We did it on our own in 2010. We jumped ship (Voyager-World Cruise) in Cape Town and flew to Windhoek on Air Namibia then on a charter Cessna 172 out over the Namib desert to Sossusvlei. Stayed there 3 nights and then flew to Swakopmund and drove to Walvis bay to meet up with the ship.

The lodge is small with only private 10 Villas. Each has a view out to the dunes. They have set up a watering hole about 300 feet out in the desert to attract animals, mostly Ostriches and small antelope but there were a few oryx too. No cats, elephants or giraffes. Above the bed is a 6-foot square skylight to view the stars. The altitude is fairly high about 3,000 and there is no light pollution so the night sky is one of the clearest/brightest I have ever seen. You can lay in the at night bed and watch the stars go by.

It gets better. They have a large Meade LX200R 12-inch telescope on the hill behind the lodge that you can walk to in 5 minutes. The telescope is usually maned by a doctoral student astronomer form Oxford who will set the telescope to interesting object. Some of the views rivaled those you see on the internet by the Hubble.

Day time actives include the usual game drives and "Sundowner." They also have ATV's that you can drive up in the dunes. There is a guided hike off into the hills to see ancient cave painting. We also took an optional drive to see the giant red sand dunes that Sossusvlei is famous for (About 50km). One of the dunes is over 1,000 feet high.

I don't know what Regent is charging you, but I would suggest you contact &Beyond directly and get a price to do it on your own. &Beyond is a very reputable Company. They will handle everything inclining flights and transfer. I have booked with them directly at 7 different camps in Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and South Africa. You can email me if you have questions.

J

Sossusvlei Desert Lodge is run by &Beyond (used to be call CC Africa). IMO it is one of the most amazing spots in the world. We did it on our own in 2010. We jumped ship (Voyager-World Cruise) in Cape Town and flew to Windhoek on Air Namibia then on a charter Cessna 172 out over the Namib desert to Sossusvlei. Stayed there 3 nights and then flew to Swakopmund and drove to Walvis bay to meet up with the ship.

 

The lodge is small with only private 10 Villas. Each has a view out to the dunes. They have set up a watering hole about 300 feet out in the desert to attract animals, mostly Ostriches and small antelope but there were a few oryx too. No cats, elephants or giraffes. Above the bed is a 6-foot square skylight to view the stars. The altitude is fairly high about 3,000 and there is no light pollution so the night sky is one of the clearest/brightest I have ever seen. You can lay in the at night bed and watch the stars go by.

 

It gets better. They have a large Meade LX200R 12-inch telescope on the hill behind the lodge that you can walk to in 5 minutes. The telescope is usually maned by a doctoral student astronomer form Oxford who will set the telescope to interesting object. Some of the views rivaled those you see on the internet by the Hubble.

 

Day time actives include the usual game drives and "Sundowner." They also have ATV's that you can drive up in the dunes. There is a guided hike off into the hills to see ancient cave painting. We also took an optional drive to see the giant red sand dunes that Sossusvlei is famous for (About 50km). One of the dunes is over 1,000 feet high.

 

 

I don't know what Regent is charging you, but I would suggest you contact &Beyond directly and get a price to do it on your own. &Beyond is a very reputable Company. They will handle everything inclining flights and transfer. I have booked with them directly at 7 different camps in Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and South Africa. You can email me if you have questions.

 

J

WoW- thank you for all the info ! Regent does not have it published yet but looked at the Explorer 2018 cruise for the description, then called Regent for a price. They want $ 3000. pp. This is all inclusive, air, meals, wine,etc. We are Titanium so get 25% off. Would you take a look at it and let me know what you think-know you don't have anything better to do:)

John& Christina

WoW- thank you for all the info ! Regent does not have it published yet but looked at the Explorer 2018 cruise for the description, then called Regent for a price. They want $ 3000. pp. This is all inclusive, air, meals, wine,etc. We are Titanium so get 25% off. Would you take a look at it and let me know what you think-know you don't have anything better to do:)

 

John& Christina

I don't know the Regent itinerary. Just call &Beyond (or your Agent) and ask them to price something similar. I think that Desert Lodge is about $500 in low season and $700 in high season. So, you should be able to do it on your own for about half that.

J

Three years ago I went on the Silver Cloud from Accra to Cape Town. Some of you reading this thread might like to read my (almost) daily blog of the trip - some of it is about the Silversea ship but most of it is about the ports of call. This is not your regular sort of schmooze cruise but a rather challenging experience . . .

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2286614

Really enjoyed reading about your experiences in Africa. While we love Cape Town, we are also aware of what goes on behind the scenes (not quite as bad as what goes on in Dubai but that is a story for another thread). §

Our experiences in Walvis Bay were better than yours. The long drive that you described in the desert with little to see was likely the route that everyone on the Voyager was invited to for the Dinner under the Stars. There were multiple buses that bounced up and down on the dirt roads for several miles. The set-up for that dinner was quite amazing - tents to protect us from the weather - tables with tablecloths - great food (but we didn't eat springbok) - wine and great entertainment. It is a shame that it no longer exists (this trip was approximately 6 years ago).

As mentioned above, we did the Seal and Dolphin boat trip twice -- it was fun - saw some beautiful scenery and what seems like millions of seals (probably hundreds) - sea birds that land on the boat for food - walking around for people to photograph. A seal (likely "trained" by having people on the boat feeding them fish on a regular basis) hopped onto the boat for photos. The food on the boat was great - really a great experience.

I still highly recommend Cape Town, Walvis Bay, Port Elizabeth and a few other stops that people on the November cruise will not be visiting.

Thank you again for linking your thread on the Silver Cloud - one of Silversea's ships that we toured but would not consider sailing on.

P.S. I found an old thread that has photos of the Dinner under the Stars. If you look closely you'll see a table with the Regent logo. Apparently the person that wrote this was not as impressed as we were. http://jetsetway.com/entries/dinner-under-the-stars-namibia

That's Barry Shulman's blog! He's a famous poker player who also founded Card Player magazine. His wife and eldest son have some noteworthy poker results as well.

We are sailing on the Explorer Lisbon to Capetown Our second time to West Africa..We just loved it if you could only get out of your comfort zone and be grateful to be able To see this part of the world.We love seeing how people live all over the world it is embarrassing to be in groups where fellow passengers walk around with looks of disdain as they are being shown around local villages.

We are sailing on the Explorer Lisbon to Capetown Our second time to West Africa..We just loved it if you could only get out of your comfort zone and be grateful to be able To see this part of the world.We love seeing how people live all over the world it is embarrassing to be in groups where fellow passengers walk around with looks of disdain as they are being shown around local villages.

While I agree with you 100%, isn't your cruise going to East Africa rather than West Africa (or do I have my directions mixed up)?

While I agree with you 100%, isn't your cruise going to East Africa rather than West Africa (or do I have my directions mixed up)?

Actually you have them mixed up, we are travelling down the west coast of Africa including places like Ghana, Togo, Gambia etc.

The East Coast of Africa includes Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania etc.

Actually you have them mixed up, we are travelling down the west coast of Africa including places like Ghana, Togo, Gambia etc.

The East Coast of Africa includes Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania etc.

Thank you for correcting my directions. I was just reading an interesting article of how the world doesn't really have a north, south, east and west because of its rotation. Trying to figure out what they were talking about turned my world around:halo:

Thank you for correcting my directions. I was just reading an interesting article of how the world doesn't really have a north, south, east and west because of its rotation. Trying to figure out what they were talking about turned my world around:halo:

Do not fell bad. Some folks still believe the world is flat.

Go figure:rolleyes: