This is a review of our MSC Melody cruise to nowhere (more or less Mossel Bay), which left Cape Town on the 14th Jan and returned on the 17th Jan 2011. We're happy to report that embarkation procedures at the Port of Cape Town have improved substantially since the review was written.
Here's a photo of the Melody at the Eastern Mole in Table Bay Harbour.
I like the fact that you can feel the roll of the MSC Melody in the waves of the ocean, and the hum of its engines. Some of the larger cruise ships are just too stable, to the extent that you don't develop sea legs (i. e. that feeling when you first get ashore that you still need to compensate for the roll with your legs).
Embarking at Cape Town harbour
We were initially meant to embark at 12h00, but due to the late arrival of the Melody we got an sms the night before the cruise, telling us that embarkation was being moved to 15h00. Embarkation took place at the Eastern Mole of Table Bay Harbour (turn-off near the Royal Cape Yacht Club), which contrasted starkly with the previous embarkation point at the V&A Waterfront part of Cape Town harbour, in front of the Table Bay Hotel (see photos of MSC Rhapsody cruising into Cape Town ). (Ed: The Eastern Mole is now longer used as a passenger ship embarkation point).
The Port Authorities in Cape Town would do well to improve the facilities - there were 2 tents which could not fit even a quarter of the passengers, and the rest of us made do outside with a strong wind blowing dust onto us. eventually at 18h30 we got on board the ship. And if you wanted to breastfeed your baby, you got directed to a dirty portaloo. C'mon Cape Town, we can do better than this.
Here's a photo of the tent on Table Bay Harbour's Eastern Mole, where the luggage is stacked (literally), before being moved aboard the MSC Melody cruise ship.