Cunard and Cape Verde.

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

We are thinking about booking Soton to Cape Town on QM2 in January next year. 

 

There are many sea days between Tenerife and Walvis Bay. We love sea days (especially on the Queens), but does anyone know why doesn't Cunard ever include Cape Verde in such itineraries?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Lanky Lad]

I went there on QE2 in 2000 so they have included them in the past, but it was not much of a tourist place so maybe that's why, but I expect is has changed in the last 23 years. 

[Winifred 22]

Strange P &O call there. I may have to swop my QV South American grand voyage in 2025 to Aurora in 2026 which is actually a better itinerary and there is a stop at Cape Verde on the way out. 

[D&N]

Relatives took a holiday there last year. They didn't think it was a very interesting place.

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

16 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

I went there on QE2 in 2000 so they have included them in the past, but it was not much of a tourist place so maybe that's why, but I expect is has changed in the last 23 years. 

 

We too remember QE2 calling at Cape Verde, although we did not ever go. But it seems QM2 or the Vistas have never called there (?).

 

I remember QE2 calling also at Dacar, Senegal, in 2006 or -7 for example. That, or Banjul, Gambia, could be potential stops - if the situation in those countries allows of course.
 

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

16 hours ago, D&N said:

Relatives took a holiday there last year. They didn't think it was a very interesting place.

 

We have the same impression, but it has some historical significance, so it would deserve a call.

 

 So it could justifiably split a rather long sea voyage between the Canaries and Namibia.

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

16 hours ago, Winifred 22 said:

Strange P &O call there. I may have to swop my QV South American grand voyage in 2025 to Aurora in 2026 which is actually a better itinerary and there is a stop at Cape Verde on the way out. 

 

Doing a quick search, many companies call there, from mainstream to ultra-luxury. So, it does not appear a 'remote' and neglected place for cruise lines.

[Host Hattie]

Queen Elizabeth was due to call in 2017. Usually @bluemarble would be able to confirm visits !

[bluemarble]

2 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Queen Elizabeth was due to call in 2017. Usually @bluemarble would be able to confirm visits !

 

I can confirm the schedules. There was indeed a call to Saint Vincent, Cape Verde Islands scheduled for QE on April 30, 2017 during the last segment from Cape Town to Southampton on the 2017 QE world voyage.

 

I also have a call there listed for QV on May 3, 2016. That was also during the last segment of the 2016 QV world voyage from Cape Town to Southampton. Those calls by QE and QV are the only scheduled calls to Cape Verde I have documented for the current Cunard fleet. Both are listed as maiden calls in the brochures.

 

I have a couple calls to Cape Verde documented for QE2 during 2000 and 2001 and one call documented for Caronia during 2003. We've seen Cape Verde on our "Where in the World?" thread thanks to @Lanky Lad contributing this photo from his call there on QE2.

 

[rolfecms]

The UK to South Africa (or vice versa) would be a great itinerary to more people if Cunard could add one or two more port calls. Too bad the political situation and limited port facilities keep this from happening. But Cape Verde seems like a no brainer.

[rog747]

Not much to see on a Cape Verde stop TBH, folk go now on TUI package holidays for sun & beach, flop and drop at the big RIU hotels.

Personally I would love to see St Helena - >> Budding Tourism but a difficult anchorage but a 'sail by' would be nice.

I think Cunard have done visits there in the past.
The remote British island hoping to see more visitors

Casablanca (or Dakar) would be a nice call too but guess the security situations are mammoth and change all the time, so an ''Operational nightmare'' for Cunard Line as was booked calls at say Istanbul, Haifa and Alexandria in the past.


St Helena, a BOT.
 

Edited November 8, 2023 by rog747

[carlmm]

I certainly would like to see a Cunard cruise with more African ports.

It is possible as the example of other lines show. 

German Phoenix cruis line's Amera for example stops this winter in Dakar, Banjul and Jamestown. The stop in St. Helena is even overnight.

[Poole Boy]

1 hour ago, rog747 said:

Not much to see on a Cape Verde stop TBH, folk go now on TUI package holidays for sun & beach, flop and drop at the big RIU hotels.

Personally I would love to see St Helena - >> Budding Tourism but a difficult anchorage but a 'sail by' would be nice.

I think Cunard have done visits there in the past.
The remote British island hoping to see more visitors

Casablanca (or Dakar) would be a nice call too but guess the security situations are mammoth and change all the time, so an ''Operational nightmare'' for Cunard Line as was booked calls at say Istanbul, Haifa and Alexandria in the past.


St Helena, a BOT.
 

We did a sail by on QE as part of the 2016 World cruise on the way down to Cape Town 

 

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

All suggestions above would be great: Casablanca, Dakar, Banjul, St. Helena (old and beloved QE2 also got there) are all very interesting ports of call. 

 

Certainly security issues arise there from time to time, and Cunard is right to stick with safety - after all it was Samuel Cunard's first concern 🙂 (I remember we have lost Copenhagen on QV and Tunis on QE in the past, and we couldn't complain). But cruise lines do return to these African places as long as circumstances improve there.

 

And St. Helena and Cape Verde, for example, seem to be fairly secure for a cruise line to visit. More than two dozens of cruise ships are scheduled to call at Cape Verde in the near future. Some ot them, like MSC Magnifica or Island Princess, are approximately as big as QV or QE, so the port can accommodate the Cunard Vistas.

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Ocean_Liner_Traveller said:

All suggestions above would be great: Casablanca, Dakar, Banjul, St. Helena (old and beloved QE2 also got there) are all very interesting ports of call. 

 

Certainly security issues arise there from time to time, and Cunard is right to stick with safety - after all it was Samuel Cunard's first concern 🙂 (I remember we have lost Copenhagen on QV and Tunis on QE in the past, and we couldn't complain). But cruise lines do return to these African places as long as circumstances improve there.

 

And St. Helena and Cape Verde, for example, seem to be fairly secure for a cruise line to visit. More than two dozens of cruise ships are scheduled to call at Cape Verde in the near future. Some ot them, like MSC Magnifica or Island Princess, are approximately as big as QV or QE, so the port can accommodate the Cunard Vistas.

Surely Morocco is as safe as anywhere?

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

Surely Morocco is as safe as anywhere?

 

As much as I know, it seems to be... And it's very appealing.

[rog747]

2 minutes ago, Ocean_Liner_Traveller said:

 

As much as I know, it seems to be... And it's very appealing.

IT is, 
however the security caveat for shipping lines is always a ''flag'' 

Marrakech had a major bomb attack and as has Ankara not long ago too...

[exlondoner]

Just now, rog747 said:

IT is, 
however the security caveat for shipping lines is always a ''flag'' 

Marrakech had a major bomb attack and as has Ankara not long ago too...

And Paris, and Stockholm, and London (not so recently, but many near misses) and everywhere else practically. 

[rog747]

3 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

And Paris, and Stockholm, and London (not so recently, but many near misses) and everywhere else practically. 

with respect you are not getting the point v.v Cruise Lines and planning 'difficult' destinations 

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

7 minutes ago, rog747 said:

IT is, 
however the security caveat for shipping lines is always a ''flag'' 

Marrakech had a major bomb attack and as has Ankara not long ago too...

 

Cruise lines taking security so seriously is one of the best aspects of a cruise holiday.

 

I know about Ankara bombing, but did not know about Marrakech. Have cruise lines stopped calling in Morocco or Turkey? I hope not.

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Ocean_Liner_Traveller

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, rog747 said:

with respect you are not getting the point v.v Cruise Lines and planning 'difficult' destinations 

What does v.v mean?

[exlondoner]

Actually, now I think about it, Cunard has calls at Tangiers this year and 2025.

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

3 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Actually, now I think about it, Cunard has calls at Tangiers this year and 2025.

 

Actually, Queen Anne's cruise there in November next year comes with a great price. 🙂 

[exlondoner]

11 minutes ago, Ocean_Liner_Traveller said:

 

Actually, Queen Anne's cruise there in November next year comes with a great price. 🙂 

Yes, sorry, on reflection, I meant next year and 2025. It is indeed a most attractive cruise, except for being in, I think, November.

[Winifred 22]

8 hours ago, Ocean_Liner_Traveller said:

 

Actually, Queen Anne's cruise there in November next year comes with a great price. 🙂 

And QV I am calling there on QV