Just off the Ocean Princess 30-day Cape Town to Dover

[westcoaster]

I just got off the 30-day Cape Town to Dover cruise on the Ocean Princess. It was a great adventure.

 

I’ve been wanting to go on a West Africa cruise since Princess first started them in 2009, but the timing has never seemed to work. Fortunately, the May 2015 cruise happened to coincide with an extended period off work, which allowed for a long vacation. Prior to my booking this cruise, Princess changed the itinerary due to fears of Ebola – even though there was a total of just one Ebola case in the four countries where ports were cancelled! Stops in Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Senegal were replaced with Angola, Madeira, Malaga, and Lisbon and the cruise was rebranded as the Two Continents Adventure. While I was disappointed to miss the cancelled ports, I had never been to any of the added European ports, so it still seemed like a great itinerary.

 

Ebola and the subsequent itinerary changes really seemed to have an impact on bookings for this cruise. On the roll call, it seemed like most of the people who had originally booked this cruise a year ago or earlier ended up cancelling. The result was some really good last minute pricing. In March, balcony cabins for this 30-day cruise were going for as low as $1800 pp. Since the cabin is not very important to us, we booked an inside guarantee for $1300 pp, but we were upgraded to a full oceanview cabin on Deck 4.

 

We spent about ten days in South Africa prior to the cruise. We flew into Johannesburg and went on a four-day safari to Kruger National Park. We stayed in very comfortable National Park rondavels (essentially cabins). We had our own private vehicle and guide, so we could really tailor it to our interests. We saw lots of animals and really enjoyed it.

 

After the safari, we flew down to Cape Town for a couple of nights before boarding the ship. What a great city! We stayed in the Waterkant area near downtown, a very safe area with lots of restaurants and shops nearby. We had a beautifully furnished two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with full kitchen and a huge patio. Being the low season in Cape Town, this only cost $70 per night.

 

Ocean Princess

 

Prior to this cruise, I had only been on one small ship cruise with Princess, and that was only a one day cruise. We really enjoyed the small ship experience.

 

Considering there are only 620 passengers (and I believe about 180 were continuing on from the previous cruise), embarkation was surprisingly slow. We had to be out of our hotel and it was raining out, so we decided to head to the ship early, arriving at 11 am. On past Princess cruises, embarkation has often started quite early, but this time it didn’t start until noon. It seemed a bit disorganized – perhaps because Cape Town isn’t a regular embarkation point for Princess. There were only 4 couples ahead of us in line, but it took a full hour, until 1 pm, before we had been processed and were on board.

 

The cabin was comfortable and in good shape. It’s nice to have the small sofa in the cabin, which most other ships don’t have. On the down side, the extra space for the sofa seems to have come at the expense of storage space, which seemed less than on other Princess ships. I usually book inside cabins, and I must say that getting upgraded to an oceanview didn’t entice me to consider booking oceanview cabins in the future. I actually prefer the quiet and darkness of an inside cabin – I always sleep so well!

 

One thing I missed on the Ocean Princess was not having a full wrap-around Promenade deck. There are only two sections – one on each side of the ship. While some passengers (including myself) did walk back and forth along this short deck, it’s not the same as being able to do laps. However, the promenade deck was very wide and they had nice teak loungers, so a nice spot for reading. Unlike on some ships, we never had a problem finding free loungers (there were 18 on each side of the deck). There is a walking track on the top deck, although it is very short and fully exposed to the sun and wind.

 

The demographics were fairly typical for a longer cruise, with most passengers in their 60s, 70s, or 80s. I’m in my mid-forties and I was definitely one of the younger passengers. Nearly half of the passengers (275) were elite. In terms of nationality, the largest group was from the U.S. (295), followed by Australia (103) and Canada (86), U.K. (29) and New Zealand (19). The remaining 60 or so passengers were from more than 20 other countries. I believe about one third of the passengers were on the ship for 81 days from Sydney.

 

Food: I have to admit that I’m easy to please when it comes to food. I’ve found the food to be very good on all the Princess cruises I’ve been on and the Ocean Princess was no exception. One thing I liked about the smaller ship was the convenience of having the pizza place right in the buffet area. They also had two types of homemade ice cream at lunch every day in the buffet, which was great (there’s no separate ice cream place as on the larger ships). The food in the dining room was very good – the usual Princess standard. One thing that surprised me was that they repeated most of the menus during this cruise. I’ve been on 28 day cruises before and they had a different menu each day, so I wasn’t expecting the repeats. Not a big deal though – it allows you to try things you didn’t have the first time around!

 

Entertainment: I was really impressed by the singers and dancers on the Ocean Princess. Being a small ship, there are 2 singers and 6 dancers and the dancers all do double duty as cruise director staff, leading various activities. Although the production shows are scaled down, they were probably the best I’ve seen on Princess – the singing and dancing was excellent. They did 7 production shows during this cruise (Do You Wanna Dance, What a Swell Party, Stardust, Shake Rattle & Roll, Tribute, Cinematastic, and Motor City). I also liked that they still do the longer 45 minute shows on the Ocean Princess, as opposed to the shortened 30 minute shows on the larger ships. I also thought the CD, Simon Heath, was really good – I liked his dry sense of humor.

 

For a small ship, the Ocean Princess has a great, well-stocked library – larger than on many of the bigger ships – and it seemed to be very popular

 

I’ll post information on the ports shortly.

[partybarbie]

Sounds like you had a great trip! Can't wait to hear about your port stops. :)

[westcoaster]

Here are some of the port highlights:

 

I’m not a big fan of cruise line shore excursions – I’m more of an independent traveller. We had never been to any of the ports before, so we were generally happy to wander around and explore the towns where we docked.

 

Luderitz, Namibia – This is a nice little town with many older German style buildings. We spent the morning walking around the town.

 

Walvis Bay, Namibia – We rented a car and drove to Dune 7 – it’s hard work getting up, but fun going down. From there, we drove through the desert to Swakopmund, which has more German buildings similar to Luderitz. We drove back to Walvis Bay along the coast road, which is beautiful with the desert sand dunes on one side and the ocean on the other. We also went to the Walvis Bay Lagoon where we saw thousands of flamingoes.

 

Luanda, Angola – This was one of the replacement ports when the itinerary was changed. We were the first Princess ship to visit Luanda, so none of the crew or the port lecturer seemed to know what to expect. We were given a lot of dire warnings about crime, horrendous traffic, etc. I wonder if this was just a ploy to encourage passengers to book the shore excursions at highly inflated prices (ranging from $149 for a two-hour city tour to $699 for an eight-hour 4WD city and beach tour). That’s about what we paid, per person, for our 4 day safari in South Africa, including accommodation, meals, and a private guide and vehicle for the two of us! We just explored the city on our own. We walked for about 4 hours and walked through many of the back streets and up to the fort for great views over the city. Despite all the warnings, we never felt unsafe. It was a great opportunity to experience a big sub-Saharan African city and we really enjoyed it.

 

Sao Tome – As in Luanda, we were the first Princess ship to ever visit this port. This is a small town (70,000 people) and very laid back. It was a nice town to wander around and explore. We went to the local market, which was very busy and very interesting. We also took a taxi out to one of the local beaches for a nice swim – the ocean was like bathwater.

 

Cape Verde – The ship docked in Mindelo, which is a very nice town. We went to the fish market, which was very interesting. The fishermen were bringing in the fish right outside. We also took a taxi up to Monte Verde. The road is a little scary and we wondered at times whether the very old taxi we were in would make it to the top of the mountain - we seemed to be the only vehicle on the road. We did make it and there were great views all the way up.

 

Tenerife, Canary Islands – The ship docked in Santa Cruz, which is a fairly large city (about 200,000). In the morning, we took the tram (about 40 minutes) up the hill to La Laguna, the beautiful former capital which is packed with wonderful colonial buildings. We spent the afternoon back in Santa Cruz, which although more modern, also has many beautiful buildings.

 

Madeira – This is a beautiful island. The ship docked in the capital, Funchal. In the morning, we took the gondola up the hill to the suburb of Monte – the gondola goes right over the old town and there are great views the whole way up. The traditional way of getting downhill is on a carro de cesto, essentially a big wicker basket/sled that is guided by two people who run along the side as you slide downhill – it was a lot of fun! The carro de cesto only takes you about 2 km down the hill, so we walked the remaining 6 kms back to town along the old road (Camino do Monte) which is very narrow and picturesque with very little traffic, so ideal for a walk. There were quite a few people doing the same. In the afternoon, we just walked around Funchal, which is a really beautiful town – this was one of our favorite stops.

 

Casablanca – It’s an easy walk from the port to Place Mohammed V, Casablanca’s main square. From there, we did an architectural walking tour that was in my Lonely Planet guide book. Casablanca has some really beautiful old French colonial buildings. We also went to the public market, then we walked over to the Habous Quarter or New Medina, which is a more touristy shopping area. The Mahakma Law Courts are nearby. They were closed when we arrived, but the guards let us go in, so we were the only tourists wandering around the intricately carved inner courtyards – wonderful! After that we went to the Hassan II Mosque, which is the second largest in the world – it is amazing.

 

Ceuta, Spanish Morocco – We had thought about arranging a taxi to go to Tetouan, Morocco from here, but in the end we decided there was enough to see in Ceuta to keep us occupied for the day. Ceuta is on a narrow isthmus, with a hilltop fort at the end of the peninsula. The ship docked right beside the main town square, and from there a pedestrianized road led through town. We wandered through town, then went up to the fort and the lookout with a great view over the entire peninsula and across to Gibraltar. We walked down from the hill and back along the water to the ship. In the afternoon, we went swimming at one of the town beaches. The water was really nice, but unfortunately there were lots of jellyfish so I didn’t stay in too long.

 

Malaga, Spain – We walked from the ship into town and up to the hilltop Castillo Gibralfaro. There is a great walkway leading up to the castle with amazing views over town. From there we walked down to the Alcazaba Palace, with its beautiful gardens and courtyards. The rest of the day we spent wandering around the town. I just love all the pedestrianized streets in European cities! The cathedral was also amazing! In the late afternoon, we went to the beach ( just a 10 minute walk from the ship). The beach has great facilities and the water was really nice – a perfect end to the day.

 

Lisbon – We were docked at Alcantara, about 3 km from central Lisbon, so we took the #15 tram into town (the tram stop is a short walk from the ship). If you’re planning on taking more than 3 trams, then the best thing to do is get a day pass for €6. Once in town, we headed straight for the #28 tram, since we knew that it gets very busy later in the day. This tram takes a very scenic route through Alfama the old medieval part of Lisbon. The streets are very hilly and narrow – it’s a bit like taking a cable car in San Francisco, but with more curves and turns. We got off the tram in the middle of Alfama and walked up to the castle and around the neighborhood. There are some amazing miradours (viewpoints), and the narrow streets and alleyways are very atmospheric.

 

Rouen – The ship docked about a 30 minute walk from center of Rouen. Princess also offered a shuttle bus. We rented a car and drove out to Honfleur, a beautiful Normandy fishing village about an hour away. There is a pretty little harbor and many narrow medieval streets. We dropped the car off in the early afternoon and spent the rest of the day exploring Rouen. There is a large medieval area, a beautiful cathedral, and the square where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.

 

The ship was originally scheduled to leave at 10 pm, but the itinerary was changed to instead leave Rouen at 6 am the following morning. This allowed for a 6-7 hour daytime cruise down the Seine, past the French countryside. There were some great little villages and beautiful chateaux along the way – a great way to end the cruise!

[Colo Cruiser]

Great review! Thanks for posting.

[paul929207]

Thanks for the review. We did this cruise in 2010 and it was wonderful

[Stevesan]

Didn't you visit Rick's place at Casablanca?

It could have been the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Stevesan

[partybarbie]

We will be Malaga and Lisbon this October. We normally book about a couple of Princess excursions, then do the rest on our own. Malaga is one that we had planned on doing ourselves. Thanks for the great information. We have never been to Malaga, but it seemed like a fairly easy place for us to explore.

[travelers07]

Thanks so much for the review. We board the Ocean August 1 for 8 days and then again in Rome December 2 for the TA. We have sailed her once before and love the small size.

 

Just wondering if you heard of any changes as she is soon leaving Princess? How is the condition? And also curious about the coffee bar- last time we only tried it once and we usually use it much more on the larger Princess.

 

Glad you enjoyed South Africa. We have been to Joburg and Capetown a couple of times and love it there.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Thanks for the very interesting review and port info. I almost felt like I was there with you. I hope to do this cruise one day.

[westcoaster]

We will be Malaga and Lisbon this October. We normally book about a couple of Princess excursions, then do the rest on our own. Malaga is one that we had planned on doing ourselves. Thanks for the great information. We have never been to Malaga, but it seemed like a fairly easy place for us to explore.

 

Yes, we definitely found lots to explore in Malaga to easily fill our day there. It's a beautiful city.

[westcoaster]

Thanks so much for the review. We board the Ocean August 1 for 8 days and then again in Rome December 2 for the TA. We have sailed her once before and love the small size.

 

Just wondering if you heard of any changes as she is soon leaving Princess? How is the condition? And also curious about the coffee bar- last time we only tried it once and we usually use it much more on the larger Princess.

 

Glad you enjoyed South Africa. We have been to Joburg and Capetown a couple of times and love it there.

 

No, I didn't hear about any changes. She seemed to be in good condition to me and they are definitely continuing to do the usual on-going maintenance.

 

Sorry, I'm not a coffee drinker, so I can't answer your question about the coffee bar. As you know it's next to the buffet and it seemed to be very popular.

 

South Africa is great. We had perfect weather for our sailaway from Cape Town. It was one of the most beautiful sailaways I've ever done - definitely up there with Rio, Venice, and Vancouver!

[7leagueboots]

We wanted to take this cruise, but couldn't work out the timing, so your review was the next best thing. Thanks for posting it.

[never2home]

westcoaster, thank you for sharing information about your cruise. We booked this long ago and then canceled before the ebola scare. I have been following the pre-cruise thread and was glad to see you posted about the actual trip. Sounds like we missed a good itinerary. Maybe we will rebook another time!

[yukongold]

I enjoyed the highlights of the ports in your review...very informative. Thanks.

[westcoaster]

westcoaster, thank you for sharing information about your cruise. We booked this long ago and then canceled before the ebola scare. I have been following the pre-cruise thread and was glad to see you posted about the actual trip. Sounds like we missed a good itinerary. Maybe we will rebook another time!

 

I would definitely recommend it! I wouldn't mind doing this trip again when they reinstate the West Africa ports that were cancelled.

[housusan]

Thanks so much for the review. We board the Ocean August 1 for 8 days and then again in Rome December 2 for the TA. We have sailed her once before and love the small size.

 

Just wondering if you heard of any changes as she is soon leaving Princess? How is the condition? And also curious about the coffee bar- last time we only tried it once and we usually use it much more on the larger Princess.

 

Glad you enjoyed South Africa. We have been to Joburg and Capetown a couple of times and love it there.

 

Hi .we will be on the Ocean Princess British isles on August 1. Have you joined the roll call. Only 12 have joined so please join.

[travelers07]

Yes- I will join the roll call tomorrow. I have been following just hadn't signed up yet.

 

But back to the Ocean- any comments on the wifi? Has anyone used it recently? Nothing urgent but I do need it for a couple of things- and we have free minutes! So much better than paying on HAL on our last cruises.

 

Any updates on laundry either the do it yourself or having it done? We will be traveling for a week before so we will need some clean clothes.

 

Thanks!

[westcoaster]

But back to the Ocean- any comments on the wifi? Has anyone used it recently? Nothing urgent but I do need it for a couple of things- and we have free minutes! So much better than paying on HAL on our last cruises.

 

Any updates on laundry either the do it yourself or having it done? We will be traveling for a week before so we will need some clean clothes.

 

Thanks!

 

The wifi seemed pretty good - not super fast, but about average for Princess and no major problems. I noticed a few people around the ship Skyping, which I sometimes haven't been able to do on Princess.

 

As for laundry, there is one small self service laundromat on Deck 7 (as opposed to about 5 on the larger ships). We're elite so we didn't use the self service laundry. Because nearly half the passengers were elite, it was generally taking 2-3 days for the laundry (as opposed to next day service). They did send out the note (which we've received on other cruises) saying that elite laundry service would require 72 hours. I assume it would be a bit faster if your paying for it.

[travelers07]

Thanks so much! That wifi sounds a little better than usual!

 

Concerning the self serve laundry on that model of ship- I have seen nasty behavior because of such few machines. We will

probably bite the bullet and pay. Still need a few more days for Elite!

[Colo Cruiser]

We have not had any issues with the smaller laundry facilities. :)

[goofy559]

Hi - can someone advise whether the Ocean still takes quarters for laundry or has it been converted?

[rjs412]

A few years ago we were on the Sea Princess from Sydney to San Francisco there was a punch up in the laundry room between a couple of men defending their wive"s honor. According to the buzz on the ship, they were thrown off the ship at the next port!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[AE_Collector]

Last year we did 3 B2B cruises on Pacific Princess from Tahiti to Vancouver totalling 32 days. The same singers and dancers were on Pacific as are now on Ocean Princess. We couldn't agree more with the OP's review of them and the Pacific & Ocean Princesses in general.

 

We loved the ships, crew, entertainers and Cruise Directors so much that before the year was over we did three more small ship cruises bringing our Princess small ship total for the year to 6.

 

We boarded Ocean Princess on the 70th anniversary of D day, June 6, 2014 at Dover immediately after she arrived from the Africa cruise and we headed for Norway which Ocean Princess is doing again right now and we stayed on for the Baltic cruise as well before flying home. Then in September we saw a deal that we couldn't refuse on Pacific Princess from Vancouver to Hawaii so off we went again and guess what, the same dance crew was still on board! Becky, Helene & Naomi were the "welcome aboard" ambassadors at the end of the gangway on the promenade deck and I am not certain who was more surprised, us to see them still there (they do about 7 months straight) or them to see us back yet again!

 

2014 was a great year of cruising on Princess for us and the staff and crew were a large part of our enjoyment on these trips. I have forwarded the OP's comments re entertainment to Helene & Becky on board who I am certain will appreciate the comments and spread it amongst the rest of the entertainers.

 

One final comment about crew and boarding Pacific Princess in Vancouver in September bound for Hawaii. (Sorry, I know I am straying from the original topic but to me all related to the Princess small ship experience) We had been on board Pacific for 32 days in April but that was 4 1/2 months earlier. We dropped our stuff in our cabin and headed for the bar outside the club restaurant to get an iced coffee. As we walked in and were fumbling for our coffee cards I hear someone literally shout "You're Back" from the coffee bar. Idewa from Indonesia instantly remembered us from back in April, months prior. I don't think I will ever forget that. He single handedly made up for anything that Princess could ever inadvertently do wrong in the future which is why we have now done 11 cruises in a row on Princess for a total of 24 and counting.

 

Terry