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ANGOLA
. CAMEROON
. COTE
D'IVOIRE
. ETHIOPIA
. GABON
. GHANA
. GUINEA
. KENYA
.
MOROCCO
. NIGERIA
. SOUTH
AFRICA.
TUNISIA
. TANZANIA
. TOGO
. UGANDA
Rising
Popularity of Cruising in Africa
by
Jerry W. Bird
 "Imagine
a cruise around Africa, via the Suez Canal,
stopping at exotic ports on the Mediterranean,
Atlantic and Indian Ocean. Or if that's not enough,
Africa's rivers and lakes offer an abundance of
opportunity for everything from soft adventure to
luxury. From what we've heard at this year's travel
show circuit, travel agents can expect some new
cruise programs involving Africa. Stay tuned for an
update and progress on our
Africa
Cruise Supplement.
Living three blocks from one of the world's top
cruise ship terminals, we have a definite interest
in this mode of travel. Editor.
The number of
cruise passengers has been growing almost twice as
fast as International Tourist arrivals in the last
decade, according to a new WTO study on the cruise
industry which states the following. "Since 1990,
the number of cruise passengers has increased by
7.7 per cent annually to reach 8.7 million in 1999.
Although it represents only 1.3 percent of all
international arrivals, the importance of the
cruise industry has do with the amount of revenues
generated and its potential for growth.
A direct
competitor to sun and sand holidays, the cruise
industry has an enormous momentum and it is
believed that North American and European demand
will surpass 12 million passengers by the end of
2010. The North American outbound market still
offers medium term growth but analysts agree that
Europe represents the largest potential short term
growth rates. The main trends identified in the
report are:
• Faster
growth in European demand than North American
demand, decreasing average age of passengers,
increasing demand for short cruises and a boom in
Mediterranean cruise.
• An increase in the size of the cruise ships
- impeding some cruise ships from crossing the
Panama Canal and increasing the investment required
in port facilities. This trend towards larger
cruise ships will also create more competition with
resorts on land -some of these vessels will include
mini-golf, aquariums and even ice rinks.
• Consolidation of the cruise industry, which
will cause the disappearance of medium sized
independent shipping companies, therefore
strengthening the position of the larger cruise
operators."
Dar
es Salaam and Zanzibar Exotic Indian Ocean Ports of
Call
Flashback:
Delegates to Seatrade Conventionin Miami saw the
Tanzania Tourist Board raise its profile and
presence with its first-time Coffee Break
Sponsorship on Tuesday, March 4, prior to the
State-of-the-Industry Address. Tanzania will
highlight Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar as its exotic
Indian Ocean ports of call, as well as shore
excursions to some of Africa's most famous national
parks and game reserves.
Showcasing
the diversity of Tanzania and Zanzibar's tourist
attractions at booth # 1261, the six-person
Tanzania delegation to Seatrade includes Tanzania
Tourist Board (TTB) of Directors, Mrs. Vicky Swai
and Mrs. Scolastica Ponera; Koz Gamba, Chairman of
the Tanzania Cruise Tourism Committee, Mr. James
Lembeli, Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA); Mrs.
Sabaah Ali, Zanzibar Tourist Corporation; Mr. Ali
Haji, Zanzibar Port Corporation, and a
representative from the Ngorongoro Conservation
Area Authority.
As
the cruise
ship companies look for new ports of call in
different parts of the world to add value to their
packages, Tanzania, the largest country in East
Africa, is attracting more attention. Famous as the
home of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Serengeti, Ngorongoro
Crater, Tanzania promotes itself as "Authentic
Africa." frica, is attracting more attention.
Famous as the home of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Serengeti,
Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania promotes itself as
"Authentic Africa."
Silversea
Cruises features Dar es Salaam
Brad Ball, spokesperson for Silversea Cruises,
describes the attraction of this Indian Ocean Port.
"The city started out as a fishing village and is
today considered the commercial capital of
Tanzania. Its picturesque harbor lies along some of
the world's most important sea routes.
In
this intriguing city, visitors find themselves
surrounded by an impressive display of cultural and
architectural influences dating back to the
Sultanates. However, it may be the friendliness and
relaxed manner of the city's inhabitants that make
it a truly appealing port of call.
Dar
es Salaam's sites of historical interest lie both
in the city and the surrounding area. An organized
city sightseeing tour provides a good overview for
the first-time visitor. Of main interest are the
game reserves and national parks, which are a good
distance from Dar es Salaam and can be reached by
full-day or overnight excursions."
Zanzibar:
An Archipelago of Spice Islands
Zanzibar,
both as a port of call and as a day excursion from
Dar es Salaam, offers the visitor a taste of the
exotic Swahili culture and history. A former spice
sultanate and later, a major port for the Slave
trade, the island has many sites that are part of
the Slave Route. The mosaic of architectural styles
in Stone Town, the main city of Zanzibar Island and
a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reflects the rich
history and influences of all the traders that
flourished on these islands. The Island also boasts
beautiful beaches, marine sports, diving and
snorkeling.
DUBAI:
WORLD'S MOST- PROMISING CRUISE DESTINATION
Long
established as an excellent maritime city with
geographical advantages, excellent infrastructural
facilities, ports and logistics, Dubai started
looking at developing cruise tourism
very lately compared with
other destinations. However, the emirate utilized
its relatively late entry into cruise tourism
sector to its advantage by creating better
facilities and services than others in the near and
farr. The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce
Marketing (DTCM) see Dubai benefiting immensely
from the cruise industry in the coming years.
Operated by the DTCM, the Dubai Cruise Terminal was
officially inaugurated by His Highness General
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince
of Dubai, UAE Defense Minister and Chairman of the
DTCM on 26th March 2001 at the state-of-the-art
Port Rashid complex.
Earlier, the department operated
a temporary cruise terminal since October 1999.
Dubai began to tap the potential of this dynamic
sector in the mid-1990s. It set up a division in
the DTCM in 1997 to spearhead the growth in cruise
tourism. The only obstacle, however, was the lack
of a dedicated cruise terminal. The ship-shaped
building is located on a 335-metre quay offering
the capacity to berth two ships simultaneously,
while the terminal itself is around 3,300 square
meters in size. The Dubai Cruise Terminal is the
world's first to receive ISO-9002 certification and
also the world's only cruise facility run by the
government tourism body. More->
Just
Imagine
"Imagine a
cruise around Africa, via the Suez Canal, stopping
at exotic ports on the Mediterranean, Atlantic and
Indian Ocean. Or if that's not enough, Africa's
rivers and lakes offer an abundance of opportunity
for everything from soft adventure to luxury. From
what we've heard at this year's travel show
circuit, travel agents can expect some new cruise
programs involving Africa. Stay tuned for an update
and progress on our Africa Cruise Supplement.
Living three blocks from one of the world's top
cruise ship terminals, we have a definite interest
in this mode of travel. Editor.
• Africa
(North) and Canary Islands
Canary
Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal,
Tunisia
Port details to be provided
later.
• Africa (South) and Seychelles Islands
Comoros
Islands, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, Seychelle
Islands, South Africa, Tanzania
Port details to be provided later.
Some
helpful Cruise Web Sites
Africa
Red Sea Cruises
http://www.orientlines.com/Africa/redsea01.html
Major cruise
ship companies site
http://www.leaderships.com
...
Small Ship
Cruise Lines
http://www.smallshipcruises.com
River
Cruises, ec.
http://www.prowsedge.com/
Visit
Africa's Exotic Ports on a Floating Resort
During her
career as a Travel Agent in Tahiti, Muguette
Goufrani, our Associate Editor, worked for Matson
Lines. Later, visiting West Africa on a cruise from
Europe along the Gold Coast and Ivory Coast, she
ended up working there for several years. Ms.
Goufrani's views on Cruising Africa will appear in
this section and in print. She lives in Vancouver,
BC, Canada, one of the world's finest ports and
center of the famous Love Boat Cruises to Alaska.
Her Editor Jerry Bird, worked aboard the
paddlewheeler SS Keno on the fabled Yukon River
system. Together they can give you some sound
advice based on experience. If you have news of a
cruise experience e-mail: africa@dowco.com.
Exotic
Adventures await
These storied
waterways have been followed by merchants, soldiers
and sages for millennia. Emperors and Kings built
rich cultures here while nature created treasures
of her own. The familiar and surprising, the old
and the new-together , they blend in a thrill of
adventure that lingers long in the imagination.
Unable to resist the powers of the Sphinx and the
Great Pyramids, you are lured to the shores of
Egypt as you pass through the Suez Canal.
Alexandria, built by Alexander the Great, was once
the greatest city of the ancient world.
Your gateway to
the Nile River and the ancient wonders of Luxor and
the Valley of the Kings is Safaga which offers
world-class snorkeling and spa experiences. The
shores of the Red Sea are home to other alluring
destinations such as Jiddah, Saudi Arabia. Shore
excursions will take you deeper into these historic
cities and beyond, revealing exotic bazaars full of
traditional music, colorful arts and crafts, and
delicious markets full of the flavors of each
region..
The warm breezes
across the Indian Ocean open to dhows and baggalas
crisscrossing the Old Port of Mombasa as they have
for centuries. Sailing the Mozambique Channel to
the fabled island of Zanzibar and on to Durban,
beauty awaits in graceful mosques and aromatic
bazaars offering native crafts. The majestic
profile of Table Mountain signals the entrance to
Cape Town, one of the world's most breathtaking
capitals. Inland from these cities, herds of
elephant, giraffe and countless other animals are
found in spectacular game reserves. Choose from
one-day photo safaris or overnight tours, and
discover the grandeur of Africa's
wildlife.
Rounding the Cape
of Good Hope, you discover the romantic extremes of
West Africa. Sands sparkle like diamonds under a
sultry sun on the dunes of Walvis Bay, named for
the whales once hunted here. A turquoise surf leads
to the secluded luxury of Bom Bom Island Resort in
the Gulf of New Guinea, where monkeys and parrots
play in the tall jungle canopy. But once again, the
jungles of the equator give way to the desert dune
scapes of the Sahara approaching genteel
Dakar.
The influences of
European explorers are present along these shores,
mingling with the energy of modern-day Africa. A
French colonial luster adorns the intriguing
capitals Lome, Takoradi and Abidjan. Banjul, a
maiden call, which was founded by the British in
1807 to block the slave trade, today highlights the
remarkable artistic skills and tribal diversity of
Gambia. Another unique maiden call is Porto Grande,
Cape Verde. And there is the exuberance of the
Spanish-flavored Canary Islands.
Each port along
these exotic shores has hidden secrets and beauty
to share. Using hot-air balloons, helicopters,
riverboats, land rovers and other creative
transport, knowledgeable local guides, together
with our shore excursion professionals, will bring
the history and myth of this region to life and you
will agree: It's a wonderful world.
For more
information see your Travel Agent or:
http:www.crystalcruises.com
River
Cruises, ec.
http://www.prowsedge.com/
We
are currently compiling our editorial selection for
the Africa Cruise Supplement. In the meantime, here
are some popular cruise web
sites:
The
CLIA Web site at
http://www.cruising.org/
lists
several groups of cruise destinations as follows:
•
Africa (North) and Canary Islands
Canary Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Morocco, Senegal,
Tunisia
Port details to be provided
later.
• Africa (South) and Seychelles
Islands
Comoros Islands, Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia,
Seychelles Islands,
South Africa, Tanzania
Port details to be provided later.
Some
helpful Cruise Web Sites
Africa Red Sea Cruises
http://www.orientlines.com/Africa/redsea01.html
Major
cruise ship companies
site
http://www.leaderships.com
...
Small
Ship Cruise Lines
http://www.smallshipcruises.com
River
Cruises, ec.
http://www.prowsedge.com/
Website
Visit the following
site and check out the offers below. Watch for 2007
dates to be announced.
Africa Cruises &
Safari Cruise Vacations
Princess
Cruises: $50 per person onboard credit plus bottle
of wine!*
Pacific Princess:
28-day Indian Ocean and Australia cruise from Cape
Town, South Africa to Sydney, Australia.
- Sail date:
October 13, 2006. Free Quote
Silversea:
Free shore excursion in Salalah, Oman!*
Silver Whisper:
15-day African Cruise from Port Said, Egypt to
Dubai, UAE.
Sail date: October
18, 2006. Free Quote
~ Destination
Overview: "Safari" is the Swahili word for
adventure and that's just what these Africa cruises
and cruisetours have in store for you: in south
Africa and Kenya amidst the teeming wildlife,
blazing sunsets, and endless plains. Comnbine your
cruise with an African safari package featuring the
most renowned game reserves in the world for an
Africa cruise vacation you'll never
forget.
Venture to the
Pyramids of Giza and Jordan's hidden city of Petra.
Explore the lair of the lion in Africa. Meander
through the island paradises of the Seychelles and
Maldives. And admire the perfection of India's Taj
Mahal.
Africa with Cunard Line
- Cunard
Line is a traditional luxury line that began in
1840; its flagship, Queen Elizabeth 2, is the
worlds most famous ship and the greatest liner of
her time.
Africa with Holland
America -
Holland America is a premium, elegant, classic
cruise line with a semi- formal and yet relaxed
atmosphere.
Africa with Princess
Cruises -
Princess Cruises is a premium cruise line focusing
on passenger choice in dining, entertainment,
activities, and accommodations.
Africa with Seabourn
Cruise Line
- Seabourn is a luxury line with six-star quality
service, yet with all the amenities and choice of
modern cruise ships.
Africa with Silversea
Cruises -
Silversea Cruises is an award winning six-star
luxury cruise line with unmatched, all- inclusive
value; voted "Best of the Best Cruise Line" by the
Robb Report in 1999.
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