Indulge your taste for refinement on this once-in-a-lifetime world cruise from Cape Town to Southampton via the Americas, Caribbean and Europe. It’s one of our best-selling cruise holidays offered exclusively to Daily Mail readers.
Following a three-night stay in Cape Town, this 28-night cruise offers some amazing experiences. Whether you’re basking on the flawless beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema in Rio de Janiero, window-shopping in New York’s countless boutiques, gauging on the Creole cuisine of Barbados or marveling at views of Table Mountain whilst sipping local chardonnay in Cape Town, this is a world adventure simply not to be missed.
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 is a vessel steeped in contemporary luxury. With specialty dining to satisfy every taste, an ultra-modern royal spa and fitness centre, world class evening entertainment and even a dramatic grand lobby spanning three tiers, the Queen Victoria offers the perfect atmosphere to cruise the world in style.
Book now to secure your cabin as this will sell out quickly!
Itinerary: 32 nights fly/cruise/stay – 21 March 2010*
Fly UK (overnight) > Cape Town (South Africa, transfer to 4-star hotel for 3-night stay and excursions, embark QM2) – St Helena (South Atlantic Islands) – Rio de Janiero (Brazil) – Barbados (Caribbean) – Fort Lauderdale (USA) – New York (USA) – Southampton (UK).
This fantastic TravelMail offer includes:
* Outbound flights from the UK (regional flights available from just £55pp)
* Three nights’ four-star hotel in Cape Town
* Free excursion to Table Mountain
* Free Cape Town City Tour
* Free Winelands tour including tastings
* En suite stateroom onboard
* All meals onboard (including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks)
* Daily activities and classes, transfers throughout, evening entertainment and port taxes
Inside Stateroom from
£2495*
Outside Stateroom from
£3695
Balcony Stateroom from
£3695
Suite from
£6295
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/offertypeshub/article-1209135/Cruise-Cape-Town-QM2.html#ixzz0PCXlS4JP
The Easy Africa Site www.africatravelnetwork.net
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
2010 Visitor Information Center Opening
South African Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk will on Friday launch a 2010 Visitor Information Center (VIC) in Polokwane of Limpopo Province that will ensure tourists arriving in the city for the 2010 FIFA World Cup get the best advice and information.
"The primary objective of the VIC project is to effectively address the tourism needs of visitors expected to converge in the five host cities in 2010 and beyond," said the department in a statement.
In July this year, the first three VICs were launched in the Eastern Cape. The three centers are based at the Port Elizabeth Airport, the lighthouse facility at the Donkin Reserve and the Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World.
The one-stop shops will supply tourists with information on a wide range of services, including reservations, accommodation, tours, vehicle hire, entertainment, adventure and travel tips.
Visitors to the center will be able to make use of user-friendly touch screens linked to central database of tourism products on offer and the advertisements of local businesses. They can also access free internet and an online booking system at the centers.
More than 450,000 visitors were expected to arrive in the country and these centers would play a pivotal role in addressing tourism and information services.
The national 2010 VIC's project, funded by the department will see VIC's developed in five of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa host cities. The five identified cities are Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, Polokwane in Limpopo, Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, Rustenburg in the North West and Bloemfontein in the Free State.
These less visited provinces were earmarked for the VIC's in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, but also to grow tourism arrivals both locally and internationally.
"The primary objective of the VIC project is to effectively address the tourism needs of visitors expected to converge in the five host cities in 2010 and beyond," said the department in a statement.
In July this year, the first three VICs were launched in the Eastern Cape. The three centers are based at the Port Elizabeth Airport, the lighthouse facility at the Donkin Reserve and the Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World.
The one-stop shops will supply tourists with information on a wide range of services, including reservations, accommodation, tours, vehicle hire, entertainment, adventure and travel tips.
Visitors to the center will be able to make use of user-friendly touch screens linked to central database of tourism products on offer and the advertisements of local businesses. They can also access free internet and an online booking system at the centers.
More than 450,000 visitors were expected to arrive in the country and these centers would play a pivotal role in addressing tourism and information services.
The national 2010 VIC's project, funded by the department will see VIC's developed in five of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa host cities. The five identified cities are Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, Polokwane in Limpopo, Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, Rustenburg in the North West and Bloemfontein in the Free State.
These less visited provinces were earmarked for the VIC's in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, but also to grow tourism arrivals both locally and internationally.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Former Bafana Bafana captain Lucas Radebe has been named the South African Department of Tourism’s 2010 World Cup Ambassador.
Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk made the announcement at an event in Sandton, where he also launched a Brand Messaging Book for Tourism for South Africans.
“We are truly privileged that a footballer of Lucas’ stature and a human being of his calibre has agreed to partner with us to grow excitement about our destination," he enthused.
“We look forward to working with him as 2010 approaches to spread the message of the anticipation and optimism sweeping our country."
The former Leeds United skipper will work with South African Tourism between now and the end of the tournament to help deliver destination messages and to help grow interest in South Africa globally, not only as host of the FIFA spectacular, but also as an awesome and amazing holiday destination.
Radebe says he is honoured, proud and excited to play this role. “Africa has waited a long, long time for the honour of hosting the world’s biggest sporting spectacular," he said. "I am excited at the impending reality of welcoming the world’s greatest footballers to my homeland. I am proud that South Africa will host hundreds of thousands of fans.
“I am honoured to be associated with South African Tourism and to be given an opportunity to work with them to raise the profile of my country, not only as host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but also as the greatest holiday destination in the world.”
Radebe, who was born in Diepkloof, Soweto on April 12, 1969, is one of a family of ten children.
He made his international debut playing for South Africa against Cameroon on July 7, 1992, and went on to earn 70 caps for South Africa before moving from Kaizer Chiefs to Leeds United in 1994.
‘The Chief’, as he was nicknamed by Leeds fans’, captained Leeds United from 1998 to 2002, before retiring from football in 2005.
In December 2000, he received the FIFA Fair Play Award for his efforts to rid soccer of racism, as well as for his work with children in South Africa.
“We are truly privileged that a footballer of Lucas’ stature and a human being of his calibre has agreed to partner with us to grow excitement about our destination," he enthused.
“We look forward to working with him as 2010 approaches to spread the message of the anticipation and optimism sweeping our country."
The former Leeds United skipper will work with South African Tourism between now and the end of the tournament to help deliver destination messages and to help grow interest in South Africa globally, not only as host of the FIFA spectacular, but also as an awesome and amazing holiday destination.
Radebe says he is honoured, proud and excited to play this role. “Africa has waited a long, long time for the honour of hosting the world’s biggest sporting spectacular," he said. "I am excited at the impending reality of welcoming the world’s greatest footballers to my homeland. I am proud that South Africa will host hundreds of thousands of fans.
“I am honoured to be associated with South African Tourism and to be given an opportunity to work with them to raise the profile of my country, not only as host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but also as the greatest holiday destination in the world.”
Radebe, who was born in Diepkloof, Soweto on April 12, 1969, is one of a family of ten children.
He made his international debut playing for South Africa against Cameroon on July 7, 1992, and went on to earn 70 caps for South Africa before moving from Kaizer Chiefs to Leeds United in 1994.
‘The Chief’, as he was nicknamed by Leeds fans’, captained Leeds United from 1998 to 2002, before retiring from football in 2005.
In December 2000, he received the FIFA Fair Play Award for his efforts to rid soccer of racism, as well as for his work with children in South Africa.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Cape Town Winter Warmers
Cape Town, a sprawling metropolis full of life, with a laidback heart, offers you a culinary extravaganza - a true smorgasbord of choice in food, wine, vibe and location awaits you. Cape Town restaurants have put together a number of Winter Specials, geared towards warming you up whilst you explore the gorgeous city.
Situated on the corner of Long and Church Streets, Addis in Cape provides you with an inviting ambience and a unique dining experience right in the heart of the city. Genuine Ethiopian furnishings and a flamboyant flair for service sets Addis in Cape apart from other restaurants. Addis in Cape is running a Winter Special, every Saturday, were you can get a whole 50% discount off your meals or a set menu for just R140. Visit their website on www.addisincape.co.za for more information.
The trendy and ultra-chic Gallery Café, situated on the mezzanine level of the Urban Chic Hotel, on the corner of Long and Pepper Streets, comes complete with a classy, passionate culinary approach. The Gallery Café’s lunch specials make sharing a breeze - 2 Chic Beef Burgers or 2 Chic “n Vegal Forno plus two glasses of House Wine for just R100! Take a peek of the rest of what the Gallery Café has to offer on www.urbanchic.co.za.
Doppio Zero, in Mandela Rhodes Place, on the corner of Church Street and St George’s Mall offers more than just an Italian dining experience. The restaurant’s extensive and flexible Mediterranean menu is limitless and inexpensive. The restaurant also easily transforms from a daytime café to a fine dining evening venue. Doppio Zero’s current special caters for the pizza and pasta lover within all of us. On purchasing any large pizza or pasta, you will receive a free glass of Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanch or Boland Merlot. Visit their website on www.doppio.co.za for more.
Five Flies, found in Rembrandt House on Keerom Street, is a sassy upmarket dining venue. It is comprised of an 80-seater restaurant, together with exclusive private dining rooms, a bar opening out onto an enclosed courtyard which serves light lunches, and a sophisticated cigar lounge. Five Flies’ Winter Specials mean that on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, you can choose any Two Course Menu and get a free glass of wine, for just R125. For more on Five Flies, visit their website on www.fiveflies.co.za
Sinn’s Restaurant, in Wembley Square, takes the elegance of fine dining and makes it more approachable by offering affordable delights in a modern yet comfortable environment encapsulated in the ambience of an upmarket inner city hot spot. Sinn’s caters for all mealtimes and the cocktail lounge offers tapas style snacks and a wide range of classic cocktails and boutique style wines. Sinn’s Restaurant has given in to popular demand and is serving its most popular specials again. For just R99, you can enjoy two courses (a starter and main, or main and dessert) specially created by world renowned and award winning Chef Proprietor, Thomas Sinn. The three-course gourmet menu costs just R125 and both specials are paired with a glass of Bellingham wine. To find out more, visit www.sinns.co.za
Gold Restaurant found in the Gold of Africa Museum on Strand Street, prides itself on serving Opulent African Cuisine. Welcoming local and international guests every day for lunch and a full African food journey through Southern and Central Africa for dinner, Gold Restaurant also throws in a dose of Cape Malay cuisine. The Winter Specials at Gold Restaurant mean that, for a rate of R180 per person, you will get a Set Menu, interactive drumming and live entertainment. Visit www.goldrestaurant.co.za for more information.
Savoy Cabbage Restaurant and Champagne Bar, found in Hout Street, uses the freshest local produce to create a menu that changes daily. Gracious and elegant dining can be found at the Savoy Cabbage, without the stuffiness and putrid music. Instead, you can watch the open plan kitchen create your meal and enjoy the hum of good conversation. During August, patrons can from a set three course menu for just R195, from Mondays to Thursdays. As the menu is finalized and created each day, you can ask to have the menu emailed to you on the day, and of course, the normal daily menu is always available. For more on this quaint and quirky restaurant, visit www.savoycabbage.co.za
Balducci’s situated at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, is the place to see and be seen. Balducci’s started life as a classy coffee bar nine years ago, but has successfully transformed itself into one of the mother city’s top fine dining haunts. Until the end of October, Balducci’s is offering its customers flame grilled burgers, accompanied by thick cut fries, relish, pickles and coleslaw for just R55. Click on www.balduccis.co.za to find out more.
Paulaner Bräuhaus & Restaurant, also located at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, is a relaxed and family friendly brewery and restaurant, complete with traditional brass brewing kettles to create a rustic German experience for patrons. During Winter, Paulaner Bräuhaus offers its customers a free beer when ordering the meal of the day. Mondays means it’s Crispy Pork Knuckle night, for just R75 and on Wednesdays, you can treat yourself to either a Pork (R79) or Chicken (R69) Schnitzel, served with a side salad and chips or sautéed potatoes. Read more about the Paulaner Bräuhaus on www.paulaner.co.za
Go ahead and book your table at any of these establishments and begin a true gastronomic adventure!
Situated on the corner of Long and Church Streets, Addis in Cape provides you with an inviting ambience and a unique dining experience right in the heart of the city. Genuine Ethiopian furnishings and a flamboyant flair for service sets Addis in Cape apart from other restaurants. Addis in Cape is running a Winter Special, every Saturday, were you can get a whole 50% discount off your meals or a set menu for just R140. Visit their website on www.addisincape.co.za for more information.
The trendy and ultra-chic Gallery Café, situated on the mezzanine level of the Urban Chic Hotel, on the corner of Long and Pepper Streets, comes complete with a classy, passionate culinary approach. The Gallery Café’s lunch specials make sharing a breeze - 2 Chic Beef Burgers or 2 Chic “n Vegal Forno plus two glasses of House Wine for just R100! Take a peek of the rest of what the Gallery Café has to offer on www.urbanchic.co.za.
Doppio Zero, in Mandela Rhodes Place, on the corner of Church Street and St George’s Mall offers more than just an Italian dining experience. The restaurant’s extensive and flexible Mediterranean menu is limitless and inexpensive. The restaurant also easily transforms from a daytime café to a fine dining evening venue. Doppio Zero’s current special caters for the pizza and pasta lover within all of us. On purchasing any large pizza or pasta, you will receive a free glass of Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanch or Boland Merlot. Visit their website on www.doppio.co.za for more.
Five Flies, found in Rembrandt House on Keerom Street, is a sassy upmarket dining venue. It is comprised of an 80-seater restaurant, together with exclusive private dining rooms, a bar opening out onto an enclosed courtyard which serves light lunches, and a sophisticated cigar lounge. Five Flies’ Winter Specials mean that on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, you can choose any Two Course Menu and get a free glass of wine, for just R125. For more on Five Flies, visit their website on www.fiveflies.co.za
Sinn’s Restaurant, in Wembley Square, takes the elegance of fine dining and makes it more approachable by offering affordable delights in a modern yet comfortable environment encapsulated in the ambience of an upmarket inner city hot spot. Sinn’s caters for all mealtimes and the cocktail lounge offers tapas style snacks and a wide range of classic cocktails and boutique style wines. Sinn’s Restaurant has given in to popular demand and is serving its most popular specials again. For just R99, you can enjoy two courses (a starter and main, or main and dessert) specially created by world renowned and award winning Chef Proprietor, Thomas Sinn. The three-course gourmet menu costs just R125 and both specials are paired with a glass of Bellingham wine. To find out more, visit www.sinns.co.za
Gold Restaurant found in the Gold of Africa Museum on Strand Street, prides itself on serving Opulent African Cuisine. Welcoming local and international guests every day for lunch and a full African food journey through Southern and Central Africa for dinner, Gold Restaurant also throws in a dose of Cape Malay cuisine. The Winter Specials at Gold Restaurant mean that, for a rate of R180 per person, you will get a Set Menu, interactive drumming and live entertainment. Visit www.goldrestaurant.co.za for more information.
Savoy Cabbage Restaurant and Champagne Bar, found in Hout Street, uses the freshest local produce to create a menu that changes daily. Gracious and elegant dining can be found at the Savoy Cabbage, without the stuffiness and putrid music. Instead, you can watch the open plan kitchen create your meal and enjoy the hum of good conversation. During August, patrons can from a set three course menu for just R195, from Mondays to Thursdays. As the menu is finalized and created each day, you can ask to have the menu emailed to you on the day, and of course, the normal daily menu is always available. For more on this quaint and quirky restaurant, visit www.savoycabbage.co.za
Balducci’s situated at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, is the place to see and be seen. Balducci’s started life as a classy coffee bar nine years ago, but has successfully transformed itself into one of the mother city’s top fine dining haunts. Until the end of October, Balducci’s is offering its customers flame grilled burgers, accompanied by thick cut fries, relish, pickles and coleslaw for just R55. Click on www.balduccis.co.za to find out more.
Paulaner Bräuhaus & Restaurant, also located at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, is a relaxed and family friendly brewery and restaurant, complete with traditional brass brewing kettles to create a rustic German experience for patrons. During Winter, Paulaner Bräuhaus offers its customers a free beer when ordering the meal of the day. Mondays means it’s Crispy Pork Knuckle night, for just R75 and on Wednesdays, you can treat yourself to either a Pork (R79) or Chicken (R69) Schnitzel, served with a side salad and chips or sautéed potatoes. Read more about the Paulaner Bräuhaus on www.paulaner.co.za
Go ahead and book your table at any of these establishments and begin a true gastronomic adventure!
120,000 free tickets will be given away for next year's soccer World Cup
SOWETO, South Africa (Reuters) - Some 120,000 free tickets will be given away for next year's soccer World Cup to ensure that poor South Africans, the biggest local fans of the game, can attend, organizers said Friday.
Officials are concerned that despite a special category of some of the cheapest tickets in World Cup history, poor blacks will not come to matches, robbing the event of the noisy and colorful atmosphere that is one of the biggest draws of holding the tournament in Africa for the first time.
Danny Jordaan, head of the local organizing committee, said 40,000 of the free tickets would be given to workers who built or updated the 10 stadiums. The rest will go to social projects funded by the game's six major sponsors.
"We have done everything possible to bring ticket prices lower but still a large segment of the population will not be able to buy tickets. Therefore, this is something I am very proud of," he said.
FIFA said in a statement: "The Ticket Fund aims to use the excitement and passion for the game in the country as a tool to motivate and engage people, particularly young South Africans on topics such as education, health and environment."
Despite a recent wave of strikes, which included construction workers, Jordaan said stadiums were on schedule.
About 450,000 foreign fans are expected for the World Cup and 28 of the 64 matches are already sold out.
(Additional reporting by Alison Raymond; Editing by Barry Moody)
Officials are concerned that despite a special category of some of the cheapest tickets in World Cup history, poor blacks will not come to matches, robbing the event of the noisy and colorful atmosphere that is one of the biggest draws of holding the tournament in Africa for the first time.
Danny Jordaan, head of the local organizing committee, said 40,000 of the free tickets would be given to workers who built or updated the 10 stadiums. The rest will go to social projects funded by the game's six major sponsors.
"We have done everything possible to bring ticket prices lower but still a large segment of the population will not be able to buy tickets. Therefore, this is something I am very proud of," he said.
FIFA said in a statement: "The Ticket Fund aims to use the excitement and passion for the game in the country as a tool to motivate and engage people, particularly young South Africans on topics such as education, health and environment."
Despite a recent wave of strikes, which included construction workers, Jordaan said stadiums were on schedule.
About 450,000 foreign fans are expected for the World Cup and 28 of the 64 matches are already sold out.
(Additional reporting by Alison Raymond; Editing by Barry Moody)
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Football Safari
Some visitors to South Africa for the World Cup will be spending a great deal of time lounging peacefully on a terrace, watching the elephants, leopards and antelopes gather at the watering hole.
That's how hundreds of football fans will relax in South Africa's Kruger National Park on 'soccer safaris', after taking in World Cup matches in the nearby city of Nelspruit. With 100,000 people, Nelspruit is among the smaller of the host cities and doesn't have enough accommodation for the fans expected to arrive here in June 2010.
So organisers are tapping resources in the tourist magnet of the Kruger National game park, just a two-hour drive away. "Any person who comes so close to Kruger would definitely come to see the game. You cannot miss it if you're that close to it, especially coming from Europe or Asia," said Stephen Nel, a manager at the Berg-en-Dal rest camp.
About 1.3 million tourists each year visit the park, which is about half the size of the Netherlands and the area has a highly developed network to accommodate guests. During the World Cup, the camps of Skukuza, Berg-en-Dal and Pretoriuskop will host nearly 2,000 fans in search of South Africa's "Big Five" - elephants, buffalo, leopard, lions and rhinos.
FIFA partner responsible for accommodation, Match, is offering packages that include lodging, transport and safaris, which could mean pre-dawn drives to catch the animals at sun-up, twilight hikes, or dinner in the bush.
To allow the guests to see the football matches, the Kruger Park is reworking its rules. The park currently closes at 6:00 pm, and some games at Nelspruit's Mbombela stadium will only kick off two hours later, so allowances will be made to accommodate visitors during the World Cup period.
Closer to Rustenburg’s Royal Bafokeng Stadium, getaway hotspot Hartebeespoort Dam offers a secluded peaceful African surrounding with a fantastic conservation park nearby, called the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife park.
This reserve is a truly amazing place, with visitors able to caress tame cheetah’s known as ambassadors, and experience the wonder of some of the world’s most incredible wildlife.
World Cup visitors looking for an interesting way to spend the day should consider the De Wildt Park, as it is an unforgettable experience that one finds in only a few places in the world. A day visit is a must, but for those hoping to secure lodging at the park, there is limited space and early bookings are essential.
Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com
That's how hundreds of football fans will relax in South Africa's Kruger National Park on 'soccer safaris', after taking in World Cup matches in the nearby city of Nelspruit. With 100,000 people, Nelspruit is among the smaller of the host cities and doesn't have enough accommodation for the fans expected to arrive here in June 2010.
So organisers are tapping resources in the tourist magnet of the Kruger National game park, just a two-hour drive away. "Any person who comes so close to Kruger would definitely come to see the game. You cannot miss it if you're that close to it, especially coming from Europe or Asia," said Stephen Nel, a manager at the Berg-en-Dal rest camp.
About 1.3 million tourists each year visit the park, which is about half the size of the Netherlands and the area has a highly developed network to accommodate guests. During the World Cup, the camps of Skukuza, Berg-en-Dal and Pretoriuskop will host nearly 2,000 fans in search of South Africa's "Big Five" - elephants, buffalo, leopard, lions and rhinos.
FIFA partner responsible for accommodation, Match, is offering packages that include lodging, transport and safaris, which could mean pre-dawn drives to catch the animals at sun-up, twilight hikes, or dinner in the bush.
To allow the guests to see the football matches, the Kruger Park is reworking its rules. The park currently closes at 6:00 pm, and some games at Nelspruit's Mbombela stadium will only kick off two hours later, so allowances will be made to accommodate visitors during the World Cup period.
Closer to Rustenburg’s Royal Bafokeng Stadium, getaway hotspot Hartebeespoort Dam offers a secluded peaceful African surrounding with a fantastic conservation park nearby, called the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife park.
This reserve is a truly amazing place, with visitors able to caress tame cheetah’s known as ambassadors, and experience the wonder of some of the world’s most incredible wildlife.
World Cup visitors looking for an interesting way to spend the day should consider the De Wildt Park, as it is an unforgettable experience that one finds in only a few places in the world. A day visit is a must, but for those hoping to secure lodging at the park, there is limited space and early bookings are essential.
Peter Pedroncelli, Goal.com
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