Transferring from the airline to the MS Royal Star, the staff contrast could not be greater. The staff on this ship are quite superb; friendly, efficient and instantly welcoming. Unfortunately, the ship is a little tired and illustrates poor marketing appreciation by those responsible for the presentation side of the business. The cabins particularly, although adequate in size, could do with upgrading. Similarly, linen and bathroom appointments show signs of age. Inexpensive matters to put right, but expensive in marketing terms if you ignore them.

The itinerary for this trip includes Zanzibar, Mozambique (Maputo), Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Mossel Bay and Cape Town. At each port of call there are a variety of tours organised by the cruise company. Poor marketing again raises its head in this area. For some inexplicable reason, full details of these excursions are not available until one arrives on the ship; forward planning is out. If you are a traveller as opposed to a tourist, you make the most of each destination by planning ahead. Lack of opportunity to do this could be a deterrent to some potential customers. If you do want to make a good trip-plan, it is possible to do so with local operators via the internet.

Zanzibar is an excellent choice of stop. Known as the Spice Island, Zanzibar has a very interesting history and is small enough for the visitor to get a flavour during a single day. Populated by friendly people and alive with reminders of the many nations that have influenced its development, this beautiful island has the opportunity to grow as a tourist attraction in the coming years. This potential has been recognised by Rose & Fritz, an enterprising German couple who have opened the splendid Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge, amid the ruins of Chuini, offering lovely accommodation, splendid views and access to wonderful beaches, all at a very competitive rate. This is an unusual travel destination, but could excite those who love something different. Look at their web site at http://www.hakuna-matata-beach-lodge.com and prepare to be amazed.

Next stop on the itinerary is Maputo, the capital and principal port of Mozambique. Formerly called Laurenço Marquez,   Maputo spent many years under communist rule and was the centre of the well publicised   Frelimo guerrilla activity. Reminders of USSR influence abound alongside a wealth of evidence of modernisation. The 'city tour' organised by Royal Star is seriously overpriced, but although there is little in the way of attractions for tourists in this city, the traveller will find great interest in this enigmatic environment.

First South African port of call is Durban, largest sea port on the African continent, where a number of excursions are available. Aside from the helicopter trip to Drakensburg (US$700) the Durban City Tour and the visit to the Valley of 1,000 Hills are priced at US$75 and $80 respectively. Given the worrying security problems in Durban, an organised tour is really the safe option. However, getting together with a couple of other passengers and hiring a local taxi for the day can give much greater flexibility, a similar guarantee of security, and save a lot of dollars.

East London offers the opportunity to visit the Khaya La Bantu Xhosa village and meet the remarkable village matriarch, Mama Tofu.   Royal Star passengers will be told that the venture was started by the cruise line - not true - it was a private Canadian business investment in 1995 when the Guest Farm and Xhosa Cultural Village was set up to offer country folk a venue for displaying their rich heritage in music, crafts and the arts as a visitor package. For a full description of this project, please follow this link.

Port Elizabeth and Mossel Bay both offer excellent opportunities to explore the coastal areas, including some excellent game reserves, but at this stage of the voyage most attention is focused on arrival at the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Town.

Arrival in Cape Town is itself a spectacle.   Once known as the 'Cape of Storms', the sea area is renowned for being a rough passage. On our arrival it was flat calm and passengers were greeted by brilliant sunshine, high temperatures and the comparative rarity of Table Mountain without a covering of cloud.   A number of excursions are available in Cape Town but, unlike some cruise companies, Royal Star staff do not use subterfuge or underhanded practice to sell them. They appreciate that in a city like Cape Town there will be a lot of passengers quite capable of managing their own itineraries. Indeed, most passengers could. Two 'hop-on' - 'hop-off' tour bus routes are operated and, at the equivalent of US$14 per passenger per day, they give access to most of the places in Cape Town that travellers would wish to visit, including Table Mountain. On the Blue route there is the opportunity to arrange a tour of the township at Hout Bay where a guide can meet the bus and shows visitors around part of the settlement where 19,000 inhabitants suffer facilities intended for just 10% of that number.

For travellers, this is a superb trip but, if for you a holiday must include flawless facilities and guaranteed immunity from the realities of third world countries, choose a luxury liner out of Fort Lauderdale.