MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Queen Mary 2 Glides back into Friendly City

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Queen Mary 2
Queen Mary 2 in the Port of Port Elizabeth 15 April 2015

Today, 15 April 2015, Nelson Mandela Bay was ready to welcome back RMS Queen Mary 2 into the Port of Port Elizabeth for the second time since her maiden call on 8 April 2013. After two years the large cruise liner carrying 2 620 passengers and 1 200 crew members has made her way back to the friendly city where Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMBT) provided the beat of the African Drum and dancers as visitors stepped on to the shores of Nelson Mandela Bay.

Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism CEO, Ms Mandlakazi Skefile confirmed, “To welcome RMS Queen Mary 2 is a great honour and we are privileged to have a port which facilitates stops for cruise liner tourism enabling passengers from around the globe to disembark and discover the destinations attractions adding to the tourism spin off for the local economy.”

NMBT provided a hospitality desk on board to assist passengers who were disembarking with any destination queries and to market attractions for passengers to visit. Alongside this there were a number of tour guides and vehicles to transport passengers to attractions and activities of their choice.

NMBT staff confirmed queries ranged from Shopping malls, Boardwalk Entertainment Complex, Arts and Crafts, wildlife experiences at nearby game farms as well as Addo Elephant National Park. In addition City orientation tours are very popular alongside visits to the Donkin Reserve where Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism officers shared information about Route 67 and the essence of Nelson Mandela Bay being known as the “Home of Freedom”.

“NMBT ensured that the engagement with the passengers and cruise liner crew was a positive and warm experience in order for them to rate Nelson Mandela Bay as an ideal destination for the hopes they return to Algoa Bay in the future in addition to attracting more world class cruise liners to Nelson Mandela Bay.”, confirmed Ms Skefile.

The Queen Mary 2 is scheduled to leave the Port of Port Elizabeth at 18h30 (as scheduled) but this may occur later at 19h00 – a good viewing spot to see this huge liner leave the port is from the deck of the Algoa Bay Yacht Club which, before the 60th SAP 5O5 World Championships was fully enclosed and offers shelter from the wind.

View From ABYC Deck
View From Algoa Bay Yacht Club Deck
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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.