Excursion Recommendations on Oceania Capetown

[Rainbow3fe]

6 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

I have come close to that situation on an O ship quite a few years ago in Central America. I cannot remember the specific port. But, there were both significant tide and traffic issues ticking the buffer clock down while a small bus load of one O tour was caught on the other side of a major fire crossing the main (only) passable road back to the port.

As we watched the not-too-distant blaze, an announcement was finally made that the ship could wait no longer than another approx. half hour and we were reassured that the port agent was already working on arrangements for the folks who might get stuck ashore.
Fortunately, the fire was finally brought under control and the “pier runner” bus did make it back.

 

    I appreciate your input. I know the ship has to move at a certain point even if an excursion group is late getting back. I really didn't think it through. 

     Now I'll research private group game drives from the ports in Durban and Richard's Bay.

    Any suggestions??

Thanks  

Felice 

 

Edited January 4, 2022 by Rainbow3fe

[Queen of DaNile]

We did Hluhluwe Imfolzi from Richard's Bay and Tala from Durban. Not bad for day trips. Lots of white Rhino which was my objective.

[Rainbow3fe]

1 hour ago, Queen of DaNile said:

We did Hluhluwe Imfolzi from Richard's Bay and Tala from Durban. Not bad for day trips. Lots of white Rhino which was my objective.

Thanks for letting me know.  Glad you saw white rhinos. 

We can book them but I do have a few questions if you don't mind. 

     When you arrived at the preserve were you in transferred to jeeps/ open air off road vehicles? Ivan doesn't want to remain in a coach or van for animal viewing.

     Were the game drives in early mornings or kind of midday? I know best animal viewing is early morning or dusk.

 

Thanks again  

Felice 

[Queen of DaNile]

The game drives from the pier are definitely late AM because it takes a while to get to them. Don't remember the exact type at Tala but thinking it was an enclosed smaller vehicle. Hluhluwe Imfolzi was an open vehicle and def not like any of my visits to any zoo. Certainly not like a dedicated safari but not bad for a day trip.

[Harters]

3 hours ago, Queen of DaNile said:

We did Hluhluwe Imfolzi from Richard's Bay and Tala from Durban.

On our last trip, we stayed for 3 nights at Rhino Ridge  safari lodge in Hluhluwe. It's about a 3 hour drive from Durban.  Thought the game viewing was OK, if not spectacular (it didnt help that it rained a lot). I think we were spoilt by a stay at Mala Mala in Mpumalanga Province on the previous holiday.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Don't let the 'excellent' destroy your chance to experience the 'good.'  We cancelled a Great Migration safari that would have been wonderful – because we felt our backs couldn't take the continuous pounding over rutted roads and outback.  We ended up with a smooth river safari that was very good (and very good to our backs) and one day in a jeep that confirmed our fear of the longer trip.  Figure out the best that you can do, and enjoy!

[Rainbow3fe]

1 hour ago, Queen of DaNile said:

The game drives from the pier are definitely late AM because it takes a while to get to them. Don't remember the exact type at Tala but thinking it was an enclosed smaller vehicle. Hluhluwe Imfolzi was an open vehicle and def not like any of my visits to any zoo. Certainly not like a dedicated safari but not bad for a day trip.

Hu,

Happy New Year 

.    I appreciate your letting me know about the "game drives". Hopefully we'll meet in the future on another cruise. The Dec 3 Riviera cruise was relaxing but not exciting.  We loved listening to Tony at the piano every night. He's a gem. A delightful person and excellent entertainer. Made it to one show and it was awful.

Please let me know you think of anything else that's important. 

Stay safe 

Felice 

[Rainbow3fe]

56 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Don't let the 'excellent' destroy your chance to experience the 'good.'  We cancelled a Great Migration safari that would have been wonderful – because we felt our backs couldn't take the continuous pounding over rutted roads and outback.  We ended up with a smooth river safari that was very good (and very good to our backs) and one day in a jeep that confirmed our fear of the longer trip.  Figure out the best that you can do, and enjoy!

    That's wonderful advice. I know that although every experience may not be perfect, we'll still have a great time. The river safari must have been wonderful. 

     Same reason that we canceled our Ugandan Gorilla Treking safaris. We booked private tours and purchased our Ugandan Govt permits for 2020. Moved them to 2021and then totally canceled.  We don't think at our age that we have the stamina to climb uphill in the hot jungles for 3 hours. We still are hoping to go on a safari in 2024. Hopefully we will be strong enough to go.

    Enjoy 😎

Felice 

[Host Jazzbeau]

21 minutes ago, Rainbow3fe said:

    That's wonderful advice. I know that although every experience may not be perfect, we'll still have a great time. The river safari must have been wonderful. 

     Same reason that we canceled our Ugandan Gorilla Treking safaris. We booked private tours and purchased our Ugandan Govt permits for 2020. Moved them to 2021and then totally canceled.  We don't think at our age that we have the stamina to climb uphill in the hot jungles for 3 hours. We still are hoping to go on a safari in 2024. Hopefully we will be strong enough to go.

    Enjoy 😎

Felice 

 

https://www.amawaterways.com/destination/africa-river-cruises/2023/discover-africa

[Rainbow3fe]

On 1/3/2022 at 1:12 PM, susiesan said:

Why not fly to Windhoek after the cruise and do a safari in Namibia? I was there this past June 2021 for a 10 day private safari. It was wonderful. Namibia's landscapes are so different than the other African countries, a very unique and special place. Namibia safaris are very reasonably priced compared to kenya or Tanzania.

Our cruise does an overnight in Walvis Bay Namibia. Looking forward to going there.

[Rainbow3fe]

It turns out that our  Oceana Capetown cruise does not have a 25% discount for X number of cruises. They are offering $779 per person unlimited and there's an upcharge when an OS excursion is booked.

  We decided to book this way because for good game viewing experiences, we need to be in a 4x4 open Jeep as opposed to a coach or van.

Edited January 6, 2022 by Rainbow3fe

[boerneDQ]

We did this cruise in 2017, so things may have changed.  We did the Overland excursion to Phinda Game Preserve and it was excellent!  We left the ship in Richards Bay and returned in Durban.  If it is offered, I highly recommend it!

[Tranquility Base]

3 hours ago, Rainbow3fe said:

It turns out that our  Oceana Capetown cruise does not have a 25% discount for X number of cruises.

Hopefully someone ( Flatbush ? ) can explain why.

I just had a quick check  and other 12 day cruises have YWYW / YWC, as does the cruise immediately following yours.

[Flatbush Flyer]

16 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Hopefully someone ( Flatbush ? ) can explain why.

I just had a quick check  and other 12 day cruises have YWYW / YWC, as does the cruise immediately following yours.

It does happen. We’ve had one cruise where there was no YWYW option. Of course, it could by a mistake on the tours PDF. But, if the reservation system isn’t showing a YWYW price quote next to tours, you are SOL.

[Rainbow3fe]

35 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

It does happen. We’ve had one cruise where there was no YWYW option. Of course, it could by a mistake on the tours PDF. But, if the reservation system isn’t showing a YWYW price quote next to tours, you are SOL.

       I spoke to Oceania and they said options were full price or Unlimited plus $$ for OS. 5 of the 6 excursions chose were OS .

      We'll only go on game drives that offer 4x4 open air vehicles.  We are taking this cruise in order to see the animals. 😎  If we have to pay extra, it's worth it for the experience.  I have no idea if we'll ever be able to return to Africa. 

[Rainbow3fe]

3 hours ago, boerneDQ said:

We did this cruise in 2017, so things may have changed.  We did the Overland excursion to Phinda Game Preserve and it was excellent!  We left the ship in Richards Bay and returned in Durban.  If it is offered, I highly recommend it!

Sounds wonderful. 

[Lucas Mom]

My husband and I took this cruise in January 2019.  We stayed in Cape Town for 4 nights before the cruise and stayed at the Cape Town Hollow Boutique hotel.  We used PG Tops Tours and had a private guide each day - who also met us at the airport and brought us to the ship.  Our tours included a full day city tour which included Table Mountain and Kirstenbosch, a Cape Penisula tour including Simonstown, a Cape Winelands tour including 4 wineries and morning high tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel.  We did all private tours except in one port.  Most tours we organized with others from our roll call board.  In Mossel Bay we did the Point of Human Origins tour, in Richards Bay we used Heritage Tours and went to the Umfolozi Park for safari and lunch.  In Durban we did a Tours by Locals to the Zulu Valley with safari at the Tala Game Reserve.  In East London we had a tour (not sure of tour name) to the Mpongo Private Game Reserve.  In Port Elizabeth we had a private tour to the Addo Elephant Park.  In Walvis Bay we booked through Namibia Tours and did a full day Sandwich Tour which included the salt flats and sand dunes, the next day we toured more of the country with the same guide.  Then after the cruise we spent one night at the Cape Verde Hotel right at the airport because we flew out early the next morning to Victoria Falls for 2 nights before heading to Chobe for 4 nights for safari.  Please let me know if you'd like any other detailed information or have any other questions.  Be ready for rough seas around the Cape of Good Hope.  We were gone a total of 28 days and it was a wonderful trip.  Michelle

[Rainbow3fe]

1 hour ago, Lucas Mom said:

My husband and I took this cruise in January 2019.  We stayed in Cape Town for 4 nights before the cruise and stayed at the Cape Town Hollow Boutique hotel.  We used PG Tops Tours and had a private guide each day - who also met us at the airport and brought us to the ship.  Our tours included a full day city tour which included Table Mountain and Kirstenbosch, a Cape Penisula tour including Simonstown, a Cape Winelands tour including 4 wineries and morning high tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel.  We did all private tours except in one port.  Most tours we organized with others from our roll call board.  In Mossel Bay we did the Point of Human Origins tour, in Richards Bay we used Heritage Tours and went to the Umfolozi Park for safari and lunch.  In Durban we did a Tours by Locals to the Zulu Valley with safari at the Tala Game Reserve.  In East London we had a tour (not sure of tour name) to the Mpongo Private Game Reserve.  In Port Elizabeth we had a private tour to the Addo Elephant Park.  In Walvis Bay we booked through Namibia Tours and did a full day Sandwich Tour which included the salt flats and sand dunes, the next day we toured more of the country with the same guide.  Then after the cruise we spent one night at the Cape Verde Hotel right at the airport because we flew out early the next morning to Victoria Falls for 2 nights before heading to Chobe for 4 nights for safari.  Please let me know if you'd like any other detailed information or have any other questions.  Be ready for rough seas around the Cape of Good Hope.  We were gone a total of 28 days and it was a wonderful trip.  Michelle

Thank you Michelle.  This is so helpful.

     We booked ship excursions for every port. Many of them go to places you went to. We will revisit our decisions when the time comes closer and people start to organize private tours. 

    I definitely will bother you again when we need advice. 

 

Stay safe 

Felice