Oriana Melbourne to Southampton 2006

[Brittie]

A friend and I are taking this 46 day cruise. We are wondering if anyone has been to these ports involved (Port Victoria, Richards Bay, Durban, Cape Town, Walvis Bay as well as Columbo, St Vincents, and Teneriffe) could you comment on the practicality of going ashore and looking around by ourselves - i.e. not on the expensive P&O organisated tours.

 

Also, if you have been on Oriana, are there quite places to sit and read, do they play social and competition birdge and whist? Is there a tennis court and do they organise competitions?

 

That enought for hte moment - we are really looking forward to 3 march 2006.:)

 

Brittie

[cands]

What a wonderful trip.

We were on Oriana in 2002 from Sydney to San Francisco. She is a beautiful ship.

There are lots of places to 'get away' on board, both inside and out. It never feels crowded. There is a dedicated cards/games room. On our voyage there seemed to be a lot of bridge being played. (Not sure about the whist).

I think they had a bridge hostess!

 

The only port you mention that we have been to is Cape Town. The ship will dock very close to the city - only a short taxi ride to the city, or the V&A Waterfront complex (shops, restaurants etc) (some ships dock at V&A, but I would guess Oriana is too large for that).

If the weather's good, a trip to the top of Table Mountain is well worthwhile.

We took a locally organised half day trip to Cape Point.

This took the Atlantic coast to the tip of Africa at Cape Point national park, and then came back up the Indian Ocean coast through Simonstown back to Cape Town. We stopped at a colony of African ***** penguins on the way back.

It was an excellent tour. (we were 5 people in a mini-van with a driver/guide)

[Phillip Toddy]

It is only 10 weeks to sailing and the cruise is booked out, I understand.

 

A freind of mine is sailing and wonders if there is anybody else out there who will be aboard Oriana in March/April 2006?

 

This brings the Thread back to the top - we hope.