Algeria visa charge

[wren2]

On the Cloud and a first visit to Algeria. Passengers have been informed they will be charged 50 euros for the two port visits of Algiers and Oran. Reception told me that if visas are required, , Silversea usually buys a package for the ship, but not in this case.still, it should be interesting to visit two new ports.

 

lovely to be back on the Cloud with friendly, helpful crew.  One big surprise, no lobster available! This is a first for me. I have always enjoyed lobster at least once during a cruise.

[Mr Luxury]

Never been on a ship that doesn't have lobster available.

I'll avoid the Cloud.

[sherylc]

Wow, that would be very disappointing  - I love lobster and plan on being on the Cloud for 18 days in December. Hopefully it is a short term stocking problem. 

[cruiseej]

3 hours ago, sherylc said:

Wow, that would be very disappointing  - I love lobster and plan on being on the Cloud for 18 days in December.

 

We're on the same cruise as you — and we will join you in staging a mutiny if there's no lobster aboard by then! 😉  Of course, that would provide futile, as I don't think there would be much opportunity to resupply after leaving Chile headed for South Georgia and Antarctica! Too bad the Cloud is crossing the southern Atlantic en route to the Antarctica season; if she was doing a north-Atlantic crossing, she could stop in Bar Harbor and fill up on the best lobsters!

 

@wren2 Apologies for the lobster digression. Please let us know how things are aboard the Cloud, and how your trip progresses (as time allows). 🙂

[dawntrdr]

I am currently on this cruise, presently heading into Oran, Algeria.   Except for one 95F day in Sicily, the weather has been ideal.  Haven't noticed the lack of lobster.

 

The Cloud is the first cruise ship to visit Algeria since covid.  Her first visit was last week and we are on the return visit.  Everyone is charged for a visa regardless of whether you get off the ship.  There is no free roaming; you can only debark if you are on a tour.  Tours are accompanied by police before and after the busses and numerous polite security men also walk about with us.  The police escort gets us through the traffic!

 

You cannot use any money in Algeria except the local dinar and we have been warned not even to tip the guides.  So, no shopping allowed.  The Algerian authorities refused even to set up an exchange desk.  There is a lot of interest in us -  the television station filmed one of the tour groups and the museum asked to take our picture!  We are getting lots of thumbs-up and waves from the children.

[dawntrdr]

Just returned from an interesting tour of Oran focused on the early career of local native Yves St Laurent.  Lots of waves from the vendors as the bus passed and the children continue to be excited to see us.  An older lady passing us in the city Square said "Welcome to Oran!"

 

Our beautiful guide Nelly was wonderful, we hated not being able to show our appreciation with a little something extra.  Algeria is just catching on to the tourism industry, it surely has much to offer.

[Fletcher]

On 9/22/2022 at 4:47 PM, dawntrdr said:

Algeria is just catching on to the tourism industry, it surely has much to offer.

It most certainly does. We did a land-based tour back in the 1980s, specifically to see the extensive Roman ruins at Djemila, Timgad etc.  Further south, fantastic desert scenery.  It was all very dirty, however, and rundown, like an Eastern Europe state, with little tourist infrastructure and I'm sure that still applies today after years of political unrest.  Good to see the country emerging again.

 

Can I ask, overall what was your experience of the Cloud?  Recent reviews have described it as looking rather old etc.  Would appreciate your opinion as we are seriously considering a Cloud trip next April which visits Djibouti and many ports in Saudi Arabia. @wren2 might care to chip in also.

Edited November 13, 2022 by Fletcher

[dawntrdr]

We thought the ship was in excellent physical condition and operated well.  On two occasions while in port, we noticed a slight sewage smell in the suite, but it wasn't clear if it was inside or from outside.  At one point we noticed a wet spot on the floor outside of bathroom but it was promptly fixed (plumbing issue from the sink).

 

We were last on the Cloud in 2018 and felt there was no difference in the look and feel of the ship.

 

Service was good to excellent in all restaurants.  Food quality varied; the pool grill seems to have a very limited and unrefreshed menu and there were only a few items I would order.