SMALLER CRUISE SHIPS FIND NICHE MARKETS
“WHERE are you from?” I asked the smiling, friendly and efficient steward. “Honduras,” came the warm, enthusiastic reply. “You know where that is?” he gently inquired as he served the tea. I confirmed that I did know the location of that small country that stretches across Central America from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean.
With two coasts on sheltered, warm seas, and a rich cultural heritage dating back to ancient times, Honduras has vast tourist potential, and here was one of its citizens at sea aboard the Marco Polo. I was not among those fortunate enough to be sailing on the ship, but a visitor during an open day for folks like me, and the tourism sector. But I was impressed with what I saw.
Her call at Cape Town last week was part of her cruise from Europe via Walvis Bay that is on the itineraries of many cruise ships these days, as folks enjoy the starkness of the port’s desert surrounds. After her South African coastal passage, the Marco Polo will head to various Indian Ocean islands before her return to Europe via Suez.
The 176m Marco Polo is interesting; built in East Germany in 1965 as Aleksandr Pushkin for the Russians, and designed to carry troops in the Cold War. Ice-strengthened for service in the Russian Arctic, she was classed to move tourists into the northern polar regions. That classification enabled her to be among the first cruise ships to venture into Antarctic waters.
Scheduled to undertake voyages for passengers to see the Northern Lights, she will not go into the deep polar areas as the Marco Polo is now an elderly lady. Wandering around her last week, I found splendid – but gladly not glitzy – public rooms and comfortable cabins.
That she was fully booked when passing through Cape Town indicates her popularity in her niche market, a hallmark of several smaller cruise ships with passenger complements of around 800 people. Many larger vessels – some simply floating blocks of flats with malls, curious entertainment and sporting activities and thronging with thousands of people – are not my cup of tea.
Meeting that young Honduran steward while he poured the tea, and encountering some of his shipmates from a variety of countries set in motion several trains of thought.
Although the coronavirus has caused a serious disruption in the booming Asian cruise network, the global cruise market is growing. The local summer cruise sector is also on an upwards trajectory, as indicated by the operation of two ships out of Durban and Cape Town this season.
I am told that Cape Town will have 56 visits by cruise ships during this season, and folks are preparing for 110 calls next season.
Numerous young South Africans are earning good money as stewards, bartenders, fitness trainers, beauticians, cruise directors, and in other roles aboard cruise ships – including serving as navigating or engineering officers and doctors.
As some established shipping lines have dumped the employment of South African officers and ratings – yet those companies are happy to carry our cargoes – it is pleasing that reputable local agencies are assisting in recruiting suitably qualified, energetic South Africans.
Should an emergency occur, I would prefer to be aboard such a ship than one of those huge vessels with a passenger and crew complement of more than 4 000.
How would all those people be evacuated? That brings me to an important point. Can the minister of defence tell the public how many serviceable helicopters the Air Force can scramble immediately should a major evacuation from a cruise ship be necessary? Perhaps she can also inform us how long it would take to mobilise those helicopters to a cruise ship casualty off Hondeklip Bay or off Mbashe River Mouth?
I think South Africans – and the International Maritime Organisation – would be shocked at her answer.