Queen Mary sails into Durban after three-year break

The Durban port terminal was abuzz on Monday as state of the art Queen Mary 2 docked with 2,000 passengers aboard.

eThekwini municipality mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said the docking of the cruise ship came at a time when the municipality was looking to change its fortunes ahead of the Easter holidays.

The city’s tourism experienced a torrid festive season after the breakdown of infrastructure and resulting sewage spill in the ocean owing to the April floods.

“The Easter holidays are almost here, and we are busy with our winter season destination promotion campaign. City tours for passengers have been organised to showcase the many tourism offerings of the city. We want the ship’s passengers to return to our beautiful city,” he said.

Tour operators had their hands full as the port teemed with tourists, some headed for the province’s popular destinations.

Kaunda said this will dovetail with the city’s ambitious overhaul plans for the port of Durban, which are expected to breathe new life into the city.

“This development is expected to be a major drawcard for cruise liners and will include  five-star hotels, retail mall, apartments and an African cultural village,” said Kaunda.

He hoped the influx of tourists would have positive spin-offs for local tourism players and bring much-needed employment in the leisure sector.

Drakensberg couple David and Les Goldsworthy, who boarded the vessel in Sydney after visiting their son in Queensland, said their sojourn had been delightful.

“The service was brilliant,” said Goldsworthy.

She said they had mingled with more than 2,100 passengers, including staff, during their 21-days trip that included pit stops in Mauritius and Reunion Islands.

She had also taken it upon herself to woo some of the tourists to visit South African shores despite the scepticism from global travellers.  

“But during our trip people often stressed that people ought to be aware of their surroundings,” said Goldsworthy.

Crew members from Sydney who swapped their traditional wear for casual wear said they were now ready to bask in the sun and glory of South African shores.

The vessel is set to depart for Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and then Cape Town.

The ship’s captain, Andrew Hall, expressed his optimism about sailing back to Durban after a three-year break. 

He said the company had over the years enjoyed close ties with Durban.

“The absence has been too long. It’s so nice to be back in Durban. It’s also heartening that Durban was making an investment [in the tourism sector],” said Hall.

He said they looked forward to working with the metro in future.

Built in 2003, the vessel sails under the flag of Bermuda. The vessel is the seventh largest ship in the world and managed by Cunard Cruise Liner.

It has 1,310 staterooms, 944 have private balconies and 66 have ocean views. The veranda cabins stretch over four and a half decks, and there are 300 cabins.

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