MIND THE STEP: Passengers disembark yesterday from Quest for Adventure, set for an outing in East London and surrounds. Picture: MARK ANDREWS
THE East London port was abuzz with excitement yesterday morning when an international luxury liner docked.
About 300 passengers from various parts of the world on board Quest for Adventure were eager to see what Buffalo City had to offer.
The ship left Cape Town on February 16 and sailed for Maputo, Mozambique, later yesterday.
Speaking for the ports authority, Jacqueline Brown said they welcomed the visit by the ship as it was a good opportunity to market the city to hundreds of international visitors.
“Tourists can go back home and share positive stories.
“This means they might return for longer vacations or it might spark interest among friends and family back home,” she said, adding that tourism always generated handsome revenue for the city.
The trip has been organised by Akorn destination management, a group of experienced tour guides, with over 25 offices worldwide.
Working alongside local tour guides, they organised for the tourists to visit Inkwekwezi Game Reserve, Mpongo Park and the Khaya la bantu Xhosa cultural village. Akorn tour manager Claudia Utech said trips like this were planned a year in advance and that excursions are often part of the packages offered. Docking for the first time in East London, Quest for Adventure measures just over 164m in length and weighs some 18 500 tons.
She was built about 28 years ago and was known as the Saga Pearl II but was renamed in May last year.
Her facilities include a well- equipped gym, a spa, two swimming pools, a cinema and a library. The ship has three restaurants, which cater for all preferences.
Brown said the port had welcomed “a few cruise ships” this year but would be handing over a special plaque to Quest for Adventure.
“We are handing over a plaque as a token of appreciation for their maiden call to East London,” he said.
Tronn
February 19, 2013
It is just as well that the ship sailed so soon, because we have nothing to show tourists that would take longer than a day!!
SESHMAN
February 19, 2013
Tronn i challenge you to ask a local guide to give you just a week long tour of Buffalo city i assure you, you will enjoy. there’s more we can offer here at E.L. City tour -full day, township tour full day,nature walks/hiking half day, Cultural tour -full day, Amathole escape -full day.. like i said there’s more just ask
Tronn
February 28, 2013
Seshman
I have been in East London since 1972.
The City Centre around Oxford Street had shops that diplayed their wares behind glass windows so that people could walk up and down Oxford Street at night and windowshop . it was perfectly safe . Now the shops have steel shutters to prevent thieves stealing their wares and it is no longer safe to walk in Oxf ord Street during the day, never mind at night.!
East London was also known to be one of the cleanest cities in the country. Now the city centre resembles a garbage dump!
So why on earth would tourists want to go on a City tour for??
WE always bragged about being the only coastal town left with a Zoo. Now the Zoo is now in a shocking state and unsafe to visit.
Our aquarium is a joke compared to the Aquriums in Cape Town and Durban.
Buffalo Pass Forests used to be a wonderful place to hike, but again it is no longer safe to park there, nevermind to hike there.
It is not safe to go to Leaches Bay , West Bank beaches, Eastern Beach or the Bat’s Cave area near Nahoon point.
So forgive me if I do not share your enthusiam to encourage tourists to our once wonderful, but now dirty and unsafe city.
Martin
February 19, 2013
If golfing is of interest, then why not consider East London gold club, hosts of the Africa Open? I’m sure that visitors to the club will enjoy the superb facilities and be assured of a warm welcome.
Terry Stone
March 5, 2013
I read your article on the cruise liner calling at East London.
I notice the comments from readers and they say the city centre looks like a rubbish dump.
Who is too blame for this ? The ANC of course as they are party in power there.
Same goes for Pretoria Durban Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.
It is very sad what is happening to our major cities.
Terry Stone Cape Town
Wheza
March 5, 2013
Shame.. it had to come down to race and politics didnt it? Terry, which parts of CPT are clean and safe? mostly the tourist spots and the suburbs.. have you seen the state of the townships? You only see the parts of CPT that are relevant to your argument, and ignore the ones that arent.. racism is so ingrained in some people that they even know when they are being racist…
lungi
March 5, 2013
come on wheza this is his opinion, and he is telling the truth this is not about being racist this is about what we see in south Africa, and we are going down the drain, I am supporting terry 100% our city is very dirty and the ruling party is to be blamed