17-night Africa cruise: Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles to Cape Town on MS EUROPA
The The rhythm of Africa - Mahe (Seychelles) to Cape Town is a 17-night Africa cruise aboard MS EUROPA, operated by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Departing Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles on May 7, 2028 and arriving in Cape Town on May 24, 2028, the voyage visits 8 ports including Praslin Islands, Antsiranana, Nosey Be. Fares start from $8,556 per person.
Discover exotic Nosy Be with its rich air fragrant from native spices and flowers and, neighboring Nosy Komba with its lemur population found only in this part of the world. Beginwith a stroll around the city center of Hellville in Nosy Be, visiting the open marketplace. Then hire a driver to take you on an island tour to see the bright blue volcanic lakes, or hire a boat to take you to Nosy Komba to visit the lemurs. Back in Nosy Be, shop for locally made perfume, distilled rum, finelinens and hand carved wooden art. Enjoy some of the fresh local seafood prepared with the local spices in this colorful and aromatic destination.
Maputo
Located in the South African country of Mozambique, Maputo is one of Africa’s most beautiful and fashionable cities. A large, lively port town, Maputo’s former Portuguese colonial heritage is married with vibrant African culture, creating an exciting cosmopolitan mix. Portuguese colonial rule only ended in 1975 when the city’s name was changed from Lourenco Marques to Maputo. A wonderful stop-over point along your South African cruise vacation, in this pretty city elegant Portuguese villas jostle with modern urban architecture. The impressive towering skyline is one of the first sights passengers will see from aboard the luxury MSC cruise liner. Choose from a range of great excursion packages for your day away from ship and be sure to take advantage of our best deals on outings. These include a fun city tour and a visit to Maputo’s bustling lively markets, afternoon tea at the glamorous 5-star Polano hotel or, for the more adventurous, a jeep excursion to secluded beaches outside the city where you can soak up the sun and experience a slower pace. Why not experience local life and take a stroll round the colourful ‘Mercado’ or covered market, with stalls piled high with exotic fruit and vegetables, carvings and traditional leather goods and shop for a holiday souvenir. Take a well-earned break for lunch and sample the Maputo speciality of ‘peri-peri’ prawns – a local dish of spicy, fresh Mozambique shrimp.
Durban
When you alight from your MSC cruise in Durban – South Africa’s third-largest city and the continent’s largest port – you will be captured by its tropical colours and holidaying people.
A shore excursion on your MSC South Africa cruise can be the opportunity to discover Durban’s second-largest ethnic group, its Indian population, whose mosques, bazaars and temples are juxtaposed with the Victorian buildings of the colonial centre.
The pulsing warren of bazaars, alleyways and mosques that makes up the Indian area around Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street is ripe for exploration, and there are some excellent restaurants around Durban’s photogenic harbour area. Durban’s city centre grew around the arrival point of the first white settlers, and the remains of the historical heart are concentrated around Francis Farewell Square.
Durban’s expansive beachfront on the eastern edge of the centre has one of the city’s busiest concentrations of restaurants, a surfeit of tacky family entertainment. Durban’s beachfront, a high-energy holiday strip just east of the centre, is South Africa’s most developed seaside. MSC South Africa cruises also offer excursions to the 6km-stretch of the beach from the Umgeni River in the north to the Point in the south, traditionally called the Golden Mile.
The big draw of Addington Beach – and the only really worthwhile attraction along the beachfront – is instead uShaka Marine World. This impressive water adventure wonderland is a tropical African theme park, complete with palm trees, fake rock formations and thatched bomas. The most appealing section is uShaka Sea World, designed in and around a superb mock-up of a wrecked 1920s cargo ship. The complex also includes a dolphin stadium and a seal pool, where daily shows (three a day) feature these creatures, as well as uShaka Wet ’n Wild, a series of pools and water slides, including The Drop Zone, the highest water slide in Africa.
The Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean about 1,000 miles off the east coast of Africa, impresses visitors with its pristine natural beauty and indigenous…
Welcome to a ship that sets the global benchmarks for luxury cruises. It may be smaller than other cruise ships, but the EUROPA is miles ahead of the crowd. Enjoy the unrivalled freedom for personal relaxation on a cruise with no more than 400 guests – with plenty of scope for fresh ideas, indulgence and inspiring perspectives.
However you define it, enjoy your own personal luxury throughout your time on the EUROPA. Come aboard and experience an exceptional cruise as you travel to the world’s most beautiful destinations.
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