Hi, I am Charles Robbie, the manager at Cruising South Africa.

It was on my eighth birthday that I was introduced to cruising by my parents on the MV City of Exeter, a combined cargo and passenger vessel, en-route from East London, via Durban to Mauritius.
It was on this cruise that I met my 'first love' - a wee lassie called Susan Rochester! The joy of playing pirates, hide and seek, not forgetting 'doctor doctor', and other lovely games, trying out all the lovely delicacies on the Buffet Table, watching the crew catch fish, and so much more has never left me. Perhaps today, some 50 years later, I can be considered a simple cruise 'fanatic'!
That said though, the one thing I can assure you of is this: Once you have enjoyed a cruise, at any age, you will not find any other type of holiday as enjoyable, and as affordable - even in these tough economic times!

Do you dream of deserted tropical islands, a place to escape to and being waitered on hand and foot? If your answer is 'yes', then look no further! Cruising South Africa, in association with Starlight Cruises, Thomson Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises and MSC Cruises, offer you just that - A chance to experience luxury cruising at an affordable price.
For more than 30 years, Starlight Cruises and MSC Cruises have been offering cruises to South Africans with an unique flair of service excellence.

For the first time ever, the 2009 / 2010 South African cruise season sees the arrival of the MSC Sinfonia. A total of 38 cruise dates departing from Durban, and the ports of call include Barra Lodge, Maputo, Bazaruto, Portuguese Islands, Mauritius and Seychelles. Even better news is that the MSC Sinfonia will be with us again for the 2010 / 2011 cruise season.
Cruising for South Africans with Starlight Cruises and MSC Cruises, is not only affordable, but you are entertained and looked after in typical South African Style by the best crew around - The Starlight Team.


1 September 2009 - An announcement from Starlight Cruises:

A bumper summer cruise season is forecast for Southern Africa as passenger bookings for the largest and most modern ship ever to operate out of a local port have already soared to over 46 000 even though the ship’s arrival is still a month away.

The nine story, 58600 ton MSC Sinfonia with capacity for 2100 passengers, docks in Durban for the first time on 13 November after a maiden southbound cruise from the Mediterranean and a one day stop-over in Cape Town.

Described as the finest floating hotel ever to visit South Africa, MSC Sinfonia opens the season with a two day cruise out of Durban on 14 November. A full schedule of long and short cruises to Mozambique and the Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar, Comores, Mauritius and Reunion continue through to April 2010.

“Over 46 000 passengers have already booked cruises on MSC Sinfonia which makes it quite obvious that the ship has proved a major hit with the South African travelling public,” said Allan Foggit, director of Starlight Cruises, the general sales agents for MSC Crociere in South Africa.

MSC Sinfonia is one of MSC Crociere’s illustrious stable of 10 ships. As leaders in the Mediterranean cruise market, the MSC cruise ships - with their distinctive Italian design, style and service - represent the most modern cruise fleet in the world and operate in top destinations around the globe

Mr Foggit said sales for MSC Sinfonia are currently 20% ahead of the combined sales at the same time last year for the two cruise ships, MSC Melody and MSC Rhapsody, operated out of Durban last year. This is in spite of the current trying financial times.

“We attribute this phenomenal response to the fact that MSC Sinfonia represents exceptional value especially with the option of up to two children under the age of 18 being able to cruise free if accompanied by two adults. It is certainly the most affordable, exotic, romantic and exciting local holiday option,” he said.

Taking over the helm of MSC Sinfonia on 16 October for the upcoming season will be the well known and highly respected Captain Ciro Pinto who has come to think of South Africa as a second home after some 30 years of regular sailing off her shores.

“’I’m honoured to be captaining MSC Sinfonia during her maiden cruise season in Southern Africa. For me it will be like a proud home-coming to bring such a beautiful ship to a country that I’ve got to know so well as captain of MSC Melody and before that on MSC Container vessels.

“South Africans can look forward to an entirely new floating resort experience on MSC Sinfonia. She is a newer and bigger ship and without doubt the best local hotel afloat. I am very excited about it and can’t wait to show her off.”

MSC Sinfonia sets a new standard in South African cruising by offering an extensive range of onboard facilities in an elegant, contemporary environment. It features 777 cabins, of which 132 are suites with private balconies, 3 restaurants and a buffet, 7 bars, a cigar lounge, disco, casino, business and conference centre. There is also a Spa and beauty centre, 2 swimming pools, a sports centre, golf simulator, library, card room, children’s playroom, teenagers club, a shopping area with duty free shops and boutiques, an internet cafe and a medical centre.

MSC Crociere currently has the most modern fleet in the world, comprising ten ships: MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia (the largest ships ever built for a European ship owner), MSC Poesia, MSC Orchestra, MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia, MSC Opera, MSC Lirica and MSC Melody. MSC Magnifica will be launched in 2010. The fleet cruises year round in the Mediterranean and seasonally in Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, North America and Canada, South America, the Indian Ocean, South and West Africa. MSC Crociere is the only company in the world to have received the “6 Golden Pearls” award from the Bureau Veritas in recognition of its high level of quality management and environmental protection. MSC Crociere cares about the welfare of children, and as a responsible market leader, it believes in making a positive impact in the regions where it operates. To this end, the company recently forged a partnership with UNICEF to fund a community project aimed at providing disadvantaged children in Brazil with a high quality education.