MS EUROPA 2 Opens Port of East London’s 2018/19 Cruise Season
The Port of East London’s 2018/19 cruise season kicked off on the morning of Tuesday, 7 November with the arrival of the MS EUROPA 2 cruise liner, operated by German-based Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.
Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) Port Manager for the East London, Sharon Sijako, said:
“We were delighted to welcome MS EUROPA 2 to East London as the first of seven cruise liners anticipated to call at the port between now and mid-April 2019. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has alternated this vessel with the MS EUROPA on the South African cruise itinerary over the past few years with calls to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Richards Bay, reflecting the company’s confidence in our country as a promising cruise destination.”
At 225 metres long MS EUROPA 2 became the longest cruise vessel to sail into South Africa’s only river port. She was built in 2012 and caters for up to 500 guests.
In East London she arrived with 377 crew and around 300 passengers who embarked on half-day tours in and around the city arranged by tour operator Akorn. These included a natural history tour, a trip to Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve, a visit to the Khaya La Bantu Xhosa Cultural Village in Cintsa, the Mercedes-Benz factory, an East London art tour, a kayak adventure and a trip to Hemingways and Nahoon beach.
MS EUROPA 2’s first local calls this season included Port Elizabeth on Tuesday, East London on Wednesday, Durban on Thursday and Richards Bay on Friday. She will then be sailing to the islands of Madagascar, Reunion, Mauritius and Seychelles, with Sri Lanka scheduled to be her final destination.
The Port of East London’s seven passenger liners calling this season are:
MS EUROPA (Hapag-Lloyd Cruises) on 07 November, MV AMADEA (Phoenix Reisen) on 19 November, SILVER SPIRIT (Silversea Cruises) on 19 and 24 December, SEVEN SEAS EXPLORER (Regent Seven Seas Cruises) on 30 December, NAUTICA (Oceania Cruises) on 24 January, PACIFIC PRINCESS (Princess Cruises) on 31 March, VIKING SUN (Viking Cruises) on 15 April.
Press Release & Photographs: Logico