Getting to the ship
I’m sorry about the lack of photos here. I thought I could make it work with just my iPad, not my laptop, but so far that has not worked out.
Friday night we landed in Cape Town South Africa. We stayed at the airport hotel and noon the next day had a flight over to Durban South Africa on the east coast.
I’d had trouble finding a hotel in Durban. The airport is well away from the city and doesn’t have hotels near it.
Down town Durban does not have a safe reputation.
But, just north of the city is a big beach with lots of high quality hotels.
So, I picked the one of those that was closest to where I thought our ship would be, and booked it.
I should also point out the nebulous nature of the location of our ship.
“It’s in the Port of Durban,” our cruise agent told me.
“It’s the biggest African port on the Indian Ocean,” I replied. “I need more details than that.”
“We’re going to pick you up at the airport anyhow,” he said. “So, it won’t matter.”
“No. This cruise we got for a good price because it does NOT include airfare. So, you don’t know when we’re arriving at the airport and won’t be able to get us.”
“Oh yeah… That’s right…”
“Do some research and get back to me.”
Two days later I got this in the email:
“Please see the address for your embarkation point below: Off Quayside Road, Port of Durban”
Quayside Road is several kilometers long with at least 2 different cruise terminals. I could tell that on google.
I asked for more information, but didn’t get any.
When we were leaving Cape Town, I emailed the hotel and asked about their airport shuttle.
“We have a van that goes to all the hotels and charges 100 Rand, or a private service that charges 600 Rand.”
I checked the conversion rate. 600 Rand is about 33 US dollars. For two folks for a 45 minute ride.
We took that option.
The driver was very nice. He got us to the hotel quickly with no issues.
We asked him about the ship the next day.
“We don’t go there,” he said. “I’d have to ask the office.”
I gave him enough of a tip he tried to give some of it back. I took it back and then handed it back to him and thanked him for his honesty.
The hotel was across the street from the beach and there were folks singing, dancing, swimming, selling things and all manner of things.
We were very tired so went up to our room on the 9th floor and fell asleep fairly quickly.
(My wife says in the middle of the night there was a strange man playing a kazoo and jumping in and out of traffic in front of our hotel. I am convinced this is some sort of local deity.)
We had breakfast at the hotel. I had the Shisa Nyama breakfast that the manager assured me was “a good breakfast for a man”. It was very protein rich…
Checkout time was 10. The ship didn’t allow check in until 2.
The hotel was nice enough to let us wait in their 5th floor lounge for the 4 hours.
I did go to the bar and try and get some diet soda.
“Oh sir, don’t buy it from us, it is too expensive,” the restaurant manager said. “Just one block north is a market where you can buy much more of it for the same money.”
I got four bottles for $3.33 US. Not bad.
Then, it came time to get to the ship.
The car service would not go “all the way there”. (It’s about 1km from the hotel.)
So, the hotel got us an Uber. 60 Rand. Same as four sodas.
I gave him the address above.
“Oh no, sir, that is not where they load the cruise ships,” he told me.
“It is where I was told to go.”
“They told you wrong.”
So, trusting in him, we set off.
It was strange when we got pulled over by the police. Several vans and taxis got pulled over at the same time. Cars with only one person in them went through fine.
I don’t think it was something he was in on as he seemed quite upset about it and spoke a bit abruptly to the police woman giving him the ticket. Her manager came over to our car.
“Shit,” he said, and took the paper.
Then, off again. We got to the cruise ship terminal. It was totally empty. No ship. No people. No signs.
“I think we need to go to the other place,” I said.
“No, this is the place.”
We stopped by a security guard near the fence. I showed him the name of the company we were looking for.
“That’s on Quayside road,” he said, pointing the other direction.
I thanked him.
We set off again.
We found Quayside road and turned onto it. There was a security gate with some well equipped guards.
Our driver said “they’re here for the cruise” and we were waved through.
It was a very industrial area. Lots of trucks. Lots of cargo ships.
But, finally, we saw our fairly distinctive ship.
“There it is! Go over there!”
We went to the upper level of the very large pier area. We pulled up in front of a very large building.
“This is it!” He assured me.
“Let me go check before you leave,” I said and hopped out.
The door was open to the building, but the lights were off.
It was very large inside, the size of a gymnasium, and only one older man was there.
“Is this where you get on the cruise ship?” I asked him.
“No.”
“Do you know where I get on the cruise ship?”
“Go down.”
“Down where?”
“Down to the end. Then down again.”
“Down to the end of what?”
He got up and pointed to the end of the dock where we had seen our ship.
“Down there. Then take the ramp to the lower level. There you get on the ship.”
I thanked him and we followed his directions.
When we got to the bottom of the ramp, there was a long building between us and the ship. No entrance on it.
“Go around,” I said.
We drove to the end and there was another entrance with another older man.
“Is this where I get on the ship?” I asked.
“No.”
“Where do I get on?”
He only shrugged.
The ship was only 5 meters away now, so I walked to the end of the dock and saw and open door with a gangplank.
I walked over to it and there was a man with a name tag there.
“Is this where I get on the ship?” I asked.
“What ship?”
“The one you’re sitting next to.”
“How would I know? I don’t work here. I’m waiting for a tour.”
I looked into the doorway of the ship. The man there shook his head no.
I went back to the Uber which was waiting by three tour busses.
“Do you know?” The driver asked me.
“I do not.”
“That woman works for your cruise company,” he said, pointing at a woman with a clipboard standing near a bus.
I went over to her and asked.
“Just go to the door and walk in,” she said.
“I got the impression from the man in the door that was not the way to do it.”
“Go to the door and go in, they’ll take care of you after that.”
“I will drive you there,” the driver said. (You know, the 20 meters left…)
I got in the car. We drove the 20 meters.
We got out and they welcomed us onto the ship.
I guess you have to arrive by car…
Anyhow, we checked in, met our stewards, had dinner and now are going to get some rest.
I did give the driver much more than we agreed to for all that. I’m glad the exchange rate is very much in my favor…