The world’s longest cruise, which departed from Miami in December 2023 and is taking nine months aboard Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas to visit over 60 countries around the globe, has added new African stops to its itinerary.
Vote for a new itinerary
Amid tensions in the Red Sea region, earlier this year the cruise line said it had “made the decision to adjust plans for Serenade of the Seas’ transit through the Suez Canal this May”. Passengers were offered compensation and given the option to vote on two new proposed legs of the cruise, either “Immersive Africa” which Royal Caribbean referred to as the “scenic route”, or “Africa & Greece,” called “the highway” due to the need to make fewer stops and have more days at sea.
The customers, who have paid between $60,000 and $100,000 dollars for their trip, chose Immersive Africa, adding nine ports from the Seychelles in the east to Senegal on the west coast of the continent. But some have questioned why the sailing, billed as “the ultimate world cruise” only included two stops (Egypt and Morocco) in the world’s second largest continent in the first place.
@iambrandeelake Day 80 – It's time for #Africa 🌍! I was so excited when I heard Kjell make the official announcement that we are indeed heading on an immersive African journey. Less than 5 minutes after the announcement, I changed into my African outfit and danced my way through the ship ALL DAY LONG with my African brothers and sisters who work on the ship. I also had a dance lesson with a fellow passenger, Auntie, and learned a few moves from Jamaicans on board as well. What an AMAZING way to close out #blackhistorymonth ! Music: Paradise Musician: @iksonmusic 🇲🇬🇬🇲🇲🇺🇰🇪🇿🇼🇿🇦🇳🇦🇸🇨🇮🇨🇸🇳🇬🇭#ultimateworldcruise #FYP #foryoupage #royalcaribbean #serenadeoftheseas #worldcruise #cruiseship #cruisetok #Africa #vlog #viral ♬ My Africa – Sabrina
Why only two original stops in Africa?
The answer may be that Africa is not perceived as being popular as other destinations with Americans for whom the offer was originally tailored, and who comprise the majority of passengers on board the cruise.
US visitors on average make up just 6% of international arrivals to the new countries on the itinerary, but now the passenger vote has been taken and Africa has come out on top. As a result commentators are celebrating the opportunity for the continent to gain exposure and status in the American marketplace.
Where is the cruise now?
The new nearly month-and-a-half long itinerary, celebrated on board with dancing by crew members and passengers, has already started with two stops in the Seychelles, and is at the time of writing cruising toward Madasgascar.
Other port call highlights from there include Mauritius and Réunion Island, three stops in South Africa, and Luderitz in Namibia, whose art nouveau German architecture and desert location have a ghostly charm. The Serenade of the Seas will head on north up Africa’s west coast taking in Luanda, Angola, as well as stops in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Senegal.
The sailing is scheduled to end as per the original itinerary, in Barcelona, Spain on 10 July 2024.
