CRUISE NEWS

APRIL 2, 2025

Dear Traveler,

Since I'm working on several safari trips to South and East Africa for clients, I have Africa very top of mind these days. While most clients who contact me about traveling to Africa are looking for a luxury safari experience (and maybe mixing in a few popular cities like Cape Town or Johannesburg) I thought I'd dedicate this Cruise News Newsletter to another way to see Africa, on a luxury cruise. 

While some African sights can only be seen on an overland trip, for example I have yet to see a cruise excursion to see the Great Migration or a trip to Victoria Falls, a cruise along the coast will provide guests with many opportunities to explore Africa. Day excursions inland can visit many national parks and private reserves, where cruise guests can go on game drives to see the local wildlife. Or guests can take a day long excursion with a short flight to get even further inland and enjoy views of Mount Kilimanjaro from Amboseli National Park. While sailing along the western coast of Africa, guests can see where the Namib desert meets the ocean both from land (on an excursion) and from the sea (as they sail past). The wonders of Madagascar are easily seen on a cruise, from the uniquely shaped Baobab trees to the playful lemurs. And many cruises end at either Mauritius or the Seychelles, giving cruise guests the option for a post-cruise extension to relax and soak up the warm weather before returning home.

A cruise can also be a great addition to a safari trip, allowing travelers to first explore a targeted area of East or South Africa for a safari, and then board their floating resort to explore Africa more broadly.

Best,

David

Owner, Barclay & Company Travel

CRUISE NEWS

USEFUL INSIGHTS ON THE LUXURY CRUISE SEGMENT

There are many options for cruising the coasts of Africa and the nearby islands. Cape Town is the most frequently used port for either embarkation or disembarkation. Common itineraries include sailing either the western or eastern coastline with the cruise either starting or ending in Cape Town. It is also common to include a few of the countries/island nations off the coast of Africa, either as part of a coastal itinerary or a circular cruise that departs and returns to the mainland.

Regent Seven Seas (Seven Seas Voyager)

16-night SHORES OF MADAGASCAR Cape Town to Port Louis

Jan 27 - Feb 12, 2026

A typical eastern shore cruise itinerary, that provides a combination of port stops in the African nations of South Africa and Mozambique, before venturing out to visit Madagascar and end on the lively island of Mauritius.

The Seven Seas Voyage accommodates up to 680 passengers and offers guests seven different dining venues. Cruise fares include shore excursions in each port and guests can add economy or business class airfare. When adding airfare, Regent includes transfers both between the guests' home and home airport and between the destination airport and the ship.

Silversea (Silver Cloud)

20-night Cape Town to Mahe

Mar 27 - Apr 16, 2026

Another example of an eastern shore itinerary, this one dedicates most of the cruise to port visits along the eastern shoreline before heading east towards the Seychelles. The cruise disembarks at Mahe, where guests can easily add an extra few nights at the Four Seasons Seychelles or another luxury resort.

The Silver Cloud is one of the polar expedition ships in the Silversea fleet. While normally dedicated to Antarctic exploration during the southern hemisphere's summer, at the end of the season she offers sailings like this one as she repositions for Arctic voyages in the northern hemisphere's summer. As an expedition ship, she's smaller than Silversea's classic cruise ships, carrying a maximum of 254 guests. But she still offers all the expected Silversea service, including butler service for every suite onboard.

Crystal Cruises (Crystal Symphony)

12-night Tema (Accra) to Cape Town

Dec 11-23, 2025

An example of a western coast itinerary, this sailing lets guests visit a number of Africa nations including Ghana, Benin, São Tomé and Príncipe, Angola, Namibia, and South Africa.

The Crystal Symphony is one of two ships bought out of bankruptcy along with the Crystal brand by Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) which breathed new life into this well-respected luxury line. Over 80% of the former Crystal employees have returned and the service is as good if not better than before the bankruptcy. As part of the refurbishment of the Symphony, A&K combined many of the suites, increasing the average suite size to be more in line with suites on more modern luxury cruise ships. This reduced the guest capacity of the Symphony from 848 to 606, greatly increasing the space-to-guest and crew-to-guest ratios.

Azamara (Azamara Journey)

16-night Africa Cruise: Mauritius, Seychelles & Madagascar

Jan 4 - 20, 2026

While many Africa cruises explore the coastline of the mainland, this voyage ventures to the islands nations to the east. It would make a great addition to an East Africa safari trip, allowing guests to first experience the interior of Africa before venturing out to explore the famous islands off the coast.

The Azamara Journey is one of four sister ships comprising the Azamara fleet. While of a slightly older design, she still offers a large number of suites with veranda so guests can have their own personal space. Azamara is also famous for its AzAmazing Evenings, private events planned for one night of each cruise, intended to bring guests closer to the destination, its culture, and people.

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If you are ready to plan a trip, I would love to discuss your trip vision and how Barclay & Company Travel can help bring your vision to reality.  

David Barclay

david@barclayandcotravel.com

www.barclayandcotravel.com

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