Cruise holidays to tap into
The Joburg-based boutique cruise agency, Cruise Vacations was recently awarded as the “Best Luxury & Expedition Cruise Travel Experts – Gauteng” by the Middle East and Africa Business Awards. Managing Director, Gaynor Galbraith Neill says they are absolutely delighted. “This is a great acknowledgement for our small team who faced what seemed like impossible odds a few years ago and have come back more determined and stronger than ever,” she says.
Cruise Vacations are the officially appointed General Sales Agents in Africa for some of the world’s most prestigious cruise lines. According to Gaynor, they’ve seen a 75% increase in business, which means people are keen on exploring the globe now more than ever. She says people are embracing travel again and they want to do it now, rather than in five years’ time.
Gaynor shared some options worth looking into when it comes to cruise holidays with us. Be warned: This might let your wanderlust soar!
The cruise companies that Cruise Vacations represent cover destinations across the globe, offering South Africans the opportunity to book an international expedition through a local expert. “We send South Africans abroad,” says Gaynor.
According to her, cruise holidays have become a rather popular option for travellers wanting to see the world. “These days there is an integration between onboard and on-land experiences,” she says, explaining that the experiential aspect of travel is very well integrated in today’s cruise vacations. Your base is a floating vessel, from which you get to explore. In addition, the onboard experience is also designed to ensure that you get the best of the destination you travel to.
Silversea Cruises
This cruise company offers two types of cruises: Expedition Cruises and Classic Cruises. Silversea is currently Cruise Vacations’ top product for South Africans keen on cruising and we can see why. Their SALT concept (sea and land taste) allows you to learn to cook with local produce from the destinations you visit and indulge in the area’s local cuisine. There is also a SALT restaurant onboard, which offers cuisine themed around the destinations you visit. Gaynor shares how she learned to make true Greek dishes while cruising to Greece in 2021 – a dream cruise, if you ask us.
Silversea Cruises is also known for its unique spa experiences, OTIVM. It creates a luxurious world of leisure and pleasure combined. Ultimately it allows you to experience what it must have been like to lead a life of the elite in Ancient Rome.
You’re bound to spot some experts on these cruises too, depending on where you travel to. According to Gaynor, you can expect to bump into historians, astronomers, photography experts, marine biologists, geologists and guest lecturers who are more than happy to share their knowledge with guests onboard. Since Silversea’s largest vessel carries only about 600 passengers, it’s certainly a boutique experience worth looking into.
One of the questions often asked, is whether these experiential types of cruises are for all fitness levels. The answer: Yes. They offer various experiences for different fitness levels and if you’re able to walk up a flight of stairs, you’re fit enough for an expedition cruise. Whether you’re keen on easy trails that take you to see penguins, or more intense hikes in the arctic snow, there’s something for everyone.
Scenic Cruises and Emerald Cruises
Both these cruises offer luxury river cruises on the waterways of Europe. Think multi-award winning river cruises in Portugal, Amsterdam, Vienna, and Budapest, as well as Vietnam and even Cambodia.
Scenic Cruises offer a luxurious, five-star cruising experience, where Emerald Cruises offer upper-four-star experiences. Both are known for its modern and contemporary design and unforgettable river cruise experiences.
Star Clippers
Another one of Gaynor’s favourites is Star Clippers’ clipper ship experiences. Travelling the Caribbean and Central America, as well as the Mediterannean, these three ships offer a romantic and traditional sailing experience you definitely want to look into.
Cruise Vacations offers a boutique-style service. They work with travel agents and handle the cruise side of things. Remember, by booking your cruise locally, you get a local agent, while also supporting the local economy.
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