MSC Musica cruise hits the spot

If you’ve wondered what it’s like on an MSC Indian Ocean cruise, here’s a first-hand experience. he had a point of time.

Friday afternoon as MSC Musica’s horns blaring over Durban and the sun slipping from its high summer arc to the west, we make a pale blue line across the harbour.

Passengers are already in high spirits when they board.

A rousing mix of music takes us through Nelson Mandela’s yacht terminal to the dock where those of us lucky enough to be on a deep sea luxury cruise join the lines snaking along the ship’s hull.

Before long, everyone fits into one Music 1 275 cabins that will pleasantly surprise you with the spacious comfort offered.

The view from my balcony has a great view of the Bluff and Anstey Beach and for a moment it all felt a little unreal and somewhat imperfect.

The missing piece, of course, was the minibar.

I hesitated a bit (dollar prices are not kind to South African pockets), but a somewhat queasy, pleasure-now-pain-later feeling kicked in and I was soon back on the balcony with an ice-cold Heineken in hand.

There wasn’t much time for quiet reflection, however, as the jubilant clamor of Deck 13, aptly named Lively (Italian for lively), drew the hordes from the lower decks to the splendor Music pool and party area.

As the shoreline thins to a patch of land and the sun’s golden touch settles on the horizon, Graham Couldry and his team hit the decks spinning tune after tune, amping up the atmosphere.

While the pools fill up with children, teenagers and adults head to the entertainment zone, spontaneously dancing to tracks like Mafikizolo. I’m going to How! and Mandoza Nkalakatra – it’s a sunset dance second to none.

Elsewhere, people are perfectly content lounging in one of the many Jacuzzis on Deck 13, while others flock to the deck’s two bars, Laguna and Blue Marley.

couldry, Music The Cruise and Activities Manager is a good hand to put the jive in the jowl.

While I’m waiting for a cocktail in Laguna, he stops by for a quick chat.

He has been with MSC for nearly 12 years and is grateful for his fortunate position in life.

“I never thought I’d end up in a job like this, and I don’t get tired of it. I love what I do and I love seeing people have fun. Most of all, I love going back to South Africa and its people. We are unique.”

A native of Kempton Park, Coldrey has sailed the proverbial seven seas, up and down the East Coast of North America, across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and down the West Coast of Africa when the sailing season comes to South Africa.

“You have to read the crowd and adapt to the people on board. Not all people are the same, but most of all you have to keep the pace,” he says.

Back on stage behind the microphone, he continues to turn up the volume as the cheering crowd feeds on his energy and enthusiasm.

One of the passengers Kim Ogle from Alberton, takes a break and says it’s his second cruise to the Portuguese island of Mozambique.

“I really liked it the first time, and this time I decided to bring my brother. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

Cindy Lawrence Pretoria doesn’t spend as much time on the dance floor as her mother does, Andrea Jansen van Nieuwenhuysento support people moving through the crowd.

More than 1,900 passengers are on board this season’s opening cruise along South Africa’s east coast, but the ship can accommodate up to 2,550 people.

Now 83, Ms van Nieuwenhuysen says it’s her first trip, a dream come true.

Like most of the passengers, they have a friendly T-shirt of sorts, in their case a pink one.Others have added personalized designs with fun slogans.

Well clean from any soil, Music Bending gently north towards our destination at the eastern end of Maputo Bay.

The 92,409-ton nearly kilometer-long yacht glides smoothly through the sea.

Apparently, several passengers began to feel wobbly due to the motion of the ocean, but perhaps not due to seasickness.

Later, as darkness falls and cloud cover obscures the crescent moon, I head up to Deck 14 with Rafala “Raps” Mogase, director of public relations for The Riverbed, the marketing and communications agency that made this trip possible.

With a top speed of 23 knots (over 42 km/h). Music an engineering marvel.” Surrounded by such open water, Raps notes how humbling it is to think that here we are on such a large boat, but tossing about like a toy in the mighty Indian Ocean.

After the first day of a three-day trip, it’s a nice feeling to fall asleep.

Back in my cabin, I open the patio door to listen to the sea as the welcome breeze plays with the curtains Musicalmost imperceptibly, I drift like a baby in its cradle. Pure happiness.