Trip to Cape town

Southampton to Cape town on the Queen Mary 2 Ocean Liner

 (leaves January 2024)

OM2 at night

It`s a 21 day voyage from Southampton to Cape Town by Cunard Queen Mary 2 to visit my son Duncan and family who lives near Cape Town.

It was quite difficult to find a cruise ship sailing to Cape Town. The Queen Mary 2 was doing a world voyage and sailing as far as Australia before returning to the UK
Danielle and I booked as far as Cape Town and in April will be returning to Southampton on the Cunard ship Victoria over 16 days.
We caught the IW ferry to Southampton and walked to the Ocean Terminal where the Queen Mary2 was berthed. It only took 15 minutes. After getting aboard very quickly we found our cabin on deck10 (10071) We met our cabin Steward Jerry. After unpacking our luggage in the cabin I wandered around the Ship trying to find places then we went to the buffet for some food, later retiring to our cabin.

Beautiful Flowers

On Saturday I was still finding my away around the ship and found the gym and it`s opening times, then went to the theatre and heard the second talk by Monty Halls. A more positive man I have never heard talk before. I think it all started in the military as a Royal Marine. I think a life in the military opens up many possibilities as you are encouraged to self-develop which you don`t find in civi street where there is no self-development.

On the 12th of January it was the Twentieth Anniversary of the Queen Mary's 2`s first voyage and we were all given a bottle of Champagne. I also had half an hour in the whirlpool (jacuzzi) which was refreshing.

QM2 from the front

At 6 am this morning I went to the gym but had difficulty finding it. Once there I managed to burn about 400 calories. The rest of the day was a mixture of eating and going to talks and shows. The ship was opposite southern Spain, so it was getting warmer, and the sun was shining, and passengers were sitting on deck. I think tomorrow the ship gets to the Canary Islands.

Queen Mary 2 in Santa Cruise, Tenerife

Monday 15^th we had been sailing for 4 days and when I woke up we were docked in Tenerife at Santa Cruise.

Santa Cruise in the Canary Islands which belong to Spain

We had breakfast and then went ashore after showing our ID cards. We walked along the sea front and took a photograph of the Queen Mary 2, then walked up the main street where there were lots of shops. We saw many Pharmacies and shoe shops, but nobody was selling food and drink. There were many people. We found a cafe which had Wi-Fi and were able to reply to any messages. It`s surprising how addicted we are to our phones. Eventually we found a Spar shop and bought some wine, milk and chocolate. On returning to the ship our bags were scanned, but no mention of the two bottles of wine was made. We had afternoon tea. Then I went to the gym and whirlpool, then we had dinner and watched a juggler in the theatre.

They must have heard the British talking about sandwiches

The days at sea are roughly the same, except it`s getting warmer every day, the sea temperature is now high, and people are sitting on deck and using the deck whirlpools. It looks like we are on a southerly course fairly close to the African coast with the Cape Verde Islands on the other side.

Danielle decided to have her hair cut shampooed and blow dried. She was charged 156 dollars. The most expensive hair treatment she had ever had. I had negotiated 90 dollars for the treatment, so I complained about the price, and it was reduced. You have to be careful.

We had 250 dollars each to spend on the ship which we have to use before the end of the voyage or lose.

The loungers on number 7 deck

Sat outside on the loungers for the first time in the sunshine and played in the paddle tennis tournament on deck 13 which was a little silly as the rules were so complicated and changed from game to game. Most of the passengers were elderly and there were many frames and buggies around. There was plenty of food. If you didn`t eat in the restaurant you could obtain food and tea or coffee from the buffet.

Danielle in Whirlpool on board ship

The swimming pool on deck 7

Today it was exactly a week since we left Southampton, and we were nearly at the equator. In fact we were in the Doldrums or Horse latitudes. There is very little wind and rain. They lie between about 5 degrees either side of the equator. They are called the Horse latitudes because when there were just sailing vessels sometimes the ships were stuck there for weeks waiting for wind and were running short of water. Because the horses drank a lot of water they were dumped overboard, and the doldrums became known as the Horse latitudes. Tomorrow there is a special ceremony which all ships do when crossing the equator.

Danielle`s legs got sunburnt

We pass the equator today and there was a special celebration when we all had to ask King Neptune to allow us to cross the imaginary line. It was the door from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere. Soon the sun will be completely overhead and probably at it`s hottest. Danielle got really sunburnt on her legs. What with the gentle wind and sun it was very hot today. We all got a certificate to say we had crossed over and it was the first time we had crossed by sea. I knew bicycles were allowed if they were put in a bag and kept in your cabin but asked if electric bikes were allowed. The answer was no because of the batteries being unstable (media) So I asked why buggies with batteries were allowed, but the officer couldn`t answer that as he didn`t know what batteries they had installed, but I suspect they are the same as an electric bike, but they cast a blind eye because the people are invalids and need them.

There was a paddle tennis court on deck 13

On Sunday 21^st January we were about 7 degrees south. Looking across to the African coast on the map it looked like we were off Angola. We were about 2 or 3 days away from Walvis Bay in Namibia which has a natural harbour for berthing. Since we had been in this area we had never seen another ship or bird. The sea was warm with air temperature of about 27 degrees. We were on a course of 136 degrees and were due to stop in Walvis bay,

We continued our course towards Walvis Bay and were in the Angolan Basin. Danielle was unwell and had to seek medical Attention when she passed out in the illumination's cinema. She was still unwell the next day and stayed in bed. When we are home we are not used to a medical bill but of course on Cunard we had to pay for the doctor and treatment. Hopefully we will get it back on our insurance. Today the captain told us where the expression `In a pickle` came from. It comes from where the body of Nelson was put after he was shot and killed at the battle of Trafalgar to get him back to the UK. He was pickled in a barrel of rum. Sailors today get a shot of rum if they do something well. It`s like a tip.

At Walvis Bay in Namibia. It was very misty and from the deck
of the ship the town was surrounded by desert

Early in the morning we entered Walvis Bay one of the few natural harbours on the west coast of Africa. There was another cruise ship there. The rules for going ashore were strict and we had to fill in two forms. There was a shuttle bus that took us to the shops and town. The shops were modern. We wanted Wi-Fi but too many people were using it and we couldn`t connect. We bought a few items then returned to the ship and spent the afternoon aboard. The ship was under way heading south towards South Africa fairly close to the coast on the port side, but it was too far away to see. We ordered two photographs from the photographer using some of our `On board Credit`. I went to the reception deck to see our account and discovered the medical costs when Danielle was ill was separate from our spending on board, so we had plenty on board spending money left. We will have to make an insurance claim once home.

Me at one of the Gala Evenings

I used some of my on-board credit to get a day pass for the sauna, steam room and jacuzzi. I went back twice during the day and there weren`t that many people using the spa or having massages, Went to afternoon tea in the Queens Room with Danielle and after dinner to the theatre. The ship is now very close to Cape Town but will call at Port Elizabeth first where we can go ashore.

The beach at Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Reached Port Elizabeth early in the morning but had to go though immigration to go ashore for a few hours. Went on the shuttle bus to the main part of town. Got some shopping and went into a cafe for the internet where for the first time since Tenerife was able to send some WhatsApp texts. The people in the shops were helpful and knew their jobs. Later we took the Shuttle bus back to Queen Mary 2 and had afternoon tea and a rest. I believe the ship stays tomorrow so will do the same thing.

The jucuzzi in the spa which is extra money to use

Went to the gym early then had some breakfast, later went into town on the shuttle bus. Waked around the shops then used the Wi-Fi in a cafe to check for messages. Found out I had some onboard spending money of 300$ which I lose if I don`t spend. Both Danielle and I had a petti cure which was 160$. Cunard are expensive but nobody complains. I heard a story whilst in the whirlpool, but I don`t know if it was true, We are allowed to use the laundry free of charge. Most people put their washing in a machine then go away for an hour. A lady did this and once back discovered her dress had disappeared. That evening she was in the Queen`s Room on Queen Mary 2 and saw a lady wearing an identical dress. She didn`t know what to do. Was it a coincidence? She kept looking at it and, in the end, told one of the bar staff her dilemma. One of the officers questioned the lady wearing the dress and eventually the lady admitted it wasn`t hers. Her and her husband were put ashore at the next port of call. The story could be hearsay, but it could also be true, strange things happen on cruise ships and in hotels.

CapeTown

This morning Danielle didn`t feel too good. She had a bad night. I didn`t feel that good either. I had been doing something impossible in my dream and I didn`t feel very good. Danielle stayed in bed until about 2pm. Eventually Danielle felt better, and we both had some food before going to the theatre. We were all packed ready to leave on the 1^st February.

The ferrous wheel in Cape Town

31 th of January 2024

Poor Danielle still didn`t feel well when we reached Cape Town and were tied up. I left her to sleep in the cabin called a stateroom by Cunard. I went into Cape Town on the shuttle bus. It was sunny and hot. 30 degrees. Everyone looked happy but all jobs were done by Black Africans. I found them very helpful and polite but had to keep saying `Please Say Again` as difficult to understand. I went into KFC and used their internet then went back to the ship. Danielle had a headache, so I went back into Cape town and bought her some headache pills, I then went to the Sauna. When I got back, she was much better and we went to dinner, theatre and watched a film.

Cunard was originally British but was bought by an American company called `Carnival` It felt totally British on board, although the crew were international but there were pictures of royalty everywhere. Queen Mary 2 is an ocean liner not a cruise ship and it`s normal journey is to New York from Southampton over six days. I think this journey is its first World Cruise, but I may be wrong. We are only going to Cape Town. And the ship goes to Australia and returns via the Red Sea and The Suez Canal. The captain has now said `Carnival` has told him to return via the Cape of Good Hope because of the trouble in Aden where ships are being attacked because the west support Israel and not Gaza, so there are a lot of disappointed guests on board.

We disembarked today from the ship and waited for Duncan to pick us up after passing their border control. They didn`t view or stamp our passport. We eventually met Duncan and he drove us to African Overlanders where we were staying.

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