First local signs of cruise ships’ rebirth
AS I DID last week, I will steer clear of the catastrophe in Ukraine, smashed asunder by Russian guns, missiles and bombs that killed or maimed thousands of people, and drove millions from their homes and livelihoods. I will also give a wide berth to those who criticised the leader of the opposition for visiting Ukraine to acquaint himself first-hand with the Russian-induced calamity that has had global and local economic repercussions. That no one in those comfortable government parliamentary benches has bothered to go there beggars belief.
I will steam past the fact that, allegedly, two tankers are heading to Saldanha Bay to discharge crude oil that may or may not be Russian-owned. If they have Russian origins, the shipments should be turned away. In the current situation, it is unethical to buy or store anything tainted by Russian deals.
With those reefs astern, readers can continue their ship-spotting. Conspicuous in Dockland recently was MSC Orchestra, the cruise ship operated along the southern African coast by
MSC who have been involved in the local cruise sector since 1994.
Although large cruise ships are not my scene, friends really enjoyed their time aboard MSC Orchestra on her recent cruise to Walvis Bay. “Best holiday ever!” texted one on his return. Other friends enjoyed the voyage to Durban via Port Elizabeth (the official international name for the port in the city of Gqebera). The ship is in Mozambican waters.
Indeed, the cruise sector has emerged from its Covid-enforced hibernation. MSC’s cruise programme is back to schedule and other prominent operators such as Carnival and its subsidiaries, including Cunard, have
announced schedules for the next two years.
Once the epitome of point-to-point ocean travel, Cunard’s trans-Atlantic liners offered various standards of berths, from low-cost steerage dormitory accommodation to luxurious first class suites. During the Northern Hemisphere’s winter when the North Atlantic passenger services had reduced clientele, several vessels that were normally used on that route went to sunnier climes as cruise ships. In the pre-World War II period, Cunard sent Samaria, Carinthia, Franconia (twice), and Laconia to Cape Town as part of extended cruises.
As travellers switched increasingly
to aircraft from the 1950s, those magnificent ships were phased out, and, following the success of some of its vessels in cruising, Cunard began to focus on the cruise market. During their prolonged cruises, some of which took passengers across the world, several Cunard ships called at Cape Town in more recent times.
Older Docklanders will remember the lime-coloured Cunarder Caronia that, during her first world cruise, called at Cape Town in 1950, a visit that drew huge crowds to Dockland. While her passengers enjoyed the delights of the Cape, locals strolled past her, marvelling at this unusual caller, although few realised that the largest Union-Castle mailships of the time – Pretoria Castle and Edinburgh Castle - were several metres longer. Perhaps her green livery and huge funnel – said to be the largest funnel at the time – exaggerated her size. She called at Cape Town on three later occasions before she was withdrawn from service in 1968.
Perhaps the most famous passenger ship, and among the longest-serving, the 294m Queen Elizabeth 2 (aka QE2) called at Cape Town several times during some of her cruising schedules from 1969 to 2008. On her first call here, a south-easterly gale forced her to anchor off Sea Point for two days. When she entered port, the pilot wisely ordered all four harbour tugs to manoeuvre her to go alongside H Berth. The wind, however, took charge, driving her towards A Berth, but fortuitously, skilful piloting and the four tugs with experienced tugmasters got her alongside, despite the wind.
Sadly, in her later years, hawkish port security prevented ordinary people from seeing that magnificent ship from close quarters. I boarded her only once, carrying a violin for a member of a school’s orchestra that was to perform aboard. The orchestra played very well, had a fleeting tour of the ship, and the young musicians were given orange juice in tiny disposable cups!
In 1998, Cunard was acquired by the US-based Carnival Corporation, and, in 2003, QE2 was withdrawn. Her successor, Queen Mary 2, has become equally legendary for the range and elegance of facilities aboard and the excellent service aboard. Joining Queen Mary 2 on extensive cruise programmes, some of which include calls at Cape Town are her consorts Queen Victoria and the third Queen Elizabeth, while Queen Anne will be commissioned early in 2024.
Although other ships will also call at Cape Town, MSC Orchestra will continue her local cruise programme, operating mainly out of Durban. Attention though will need to be given to the congestion when large numbers of passengers disembark and similar numbers embark on the same day in Cape Town.
We shall have to wait until 2024 to see the larger MSC Poesia in Cape Town during her world cruise.