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Q. Are there parking facilities at Durban
harbour?
Car Parking is available upon request. The charge of
R 65 per night will be converted into US$ at the
actual exchange rate and collected directly on
board. Please note that all vehicles are parked at
the owner’s risk. Starlight Cruises and MSC will not
be liable for any loss or damage to any vehicles or
articles in it, whatsoever, or through any cause
whatsoever. Drivers are required to sign an
indemnity at the Port.
Q. Is there a transfer service to and from
Durban Airport and the harbour?
There is a continuous shuttle bus, which operates
between Durban Airport and the Port when the Ship is
in the harbour. The cost is R70 per person each way.
This service can be pre-booked with our reservation
offices. Call us to make the necessary arrangements.
Q. Can we visit uShaka on the way to the
harbour?
In view of the lack of resources at the passenger
terminal, we strongly urge against proceeding
directly to the Port if you arrive in Durban on an
early flight. For those who would prefer to avoid
too long a wait at the Port, we are able to offer
you entrance tickets to uShaka Sea World (not Wet ‘n
Wild). Provided your flight arrives in Durban before
10:00am, the airport shuttle bus will stop at uShaka
on the way to the harbour and drop you off along
with your hand luggage. Your main or checked luggage
will continue with the shuttle bus to the harbour,
and will be taken to your cabin. We strongly
advise against sending any valuable items or
your hand luggage to the Port for loading with the
main luggage. This will almost certainly result in
bags going missing.
To avoid the possibility of lost or misplaced
luggage, it is essential that your luggage is well
labelled with your name and cabin number before
boarding the shuttle bus. Special luggage labels for
this purpose will form part of your final cruise
documentation. Make sure to keep your passports and
cruise tickets with you, and not put them in
your main luggage. Return shuttle buses from uShaka
to the Port will operate from 11am, with the final
bus leaving uShaka at no later than 13h00. Once at
the Port you will need to proceed through the normal
embarkation procedure. Should you miss the last
shuttle, please make your own way to the Port as
soon as possible.
We have negotiated a special entrance rate for
uShaka Sea World (not Wet ‘n Wild) of R50.00
per person. This amount is over and above the R70.00
cost of the shuttle itself. The combined cost of the
shuttle and uShaka will therefore be R120.00 per
person.
Q. Can we visit uShaka after our cruise?
Yes, we are able to offer entrance tickets to uShaka
Sea World (not Wet ‘n Wild). The cost is R 50.00 per
person. These tickets are only valid for the days
that the Ship is in the harbour.
The shuttle bus will stop at uShaka on the way to
the airport from the Port. There is a storage room
for your luggage at uShaka, we strongly recommend
that you do not leave any valuable items in the
storage area. The shuttle bus then returns to
collect passengers for the airport at 13h00 (there
is only one transfer from uShaka to the airport).
This transfer only occurs on the day that the ship
is in Port. Should you require a transfer to the
airport at a later time or date, you will need to
make your own way to the airport.
Q. What is the embarkation procedure?
Embarkation will take place at N-Shed Passenger
Terminal, Durban harbour.
Included in your documentation you will find luggage
labels, which must be affixed to all “checked
luggage”. Prior to the handing over of your “checked
luggage” to the check-in staff at the harbour,
please ensure that all bags are securely locked.
In the interest of safety and security, please do
not keep any valuable or fragile items in your main
luggage. Items such as cameras, video cameras,
jewellery, medication, documentation and money
should be carried in your hand luggage and kept with
you at ALL times. Your luggage will be screened and
delivered to your cabin during the course of the
afternoon. Due to high volume, please allow 2 – 3
hours after boarding for your luggage to arrive at
your cabin. While you are likely to find various
willing ‘helpers’ in and around the parking area at
the Port – both uniformed and not - we nevertheless
strongly recommended that you personally
deliver your suitcases to the luggage bay located at
the rear of the passenger terminal.
Upon arrival at the Port guests will approach the
Hospitality Desk where their documentation will be
checked and they will receive a sticker with a
number on it. (This replaces the coloured stickers
used in previous years). When embarkation starts the
numbers will be called and displayed, and passengers
will proceed to embarkation.
Facilities at the Port are fairly limited, and a
lengthy wait at the Port is not necessarily the
ideal start to a good holiday. As all cabins have
been assigned prior to the day of departure, no real
purpose is served in arriving at the Port prior to
the advertised embarkation times as per your
ticket. We like to remind our guests that the Port
facility is maintained and operated by the National
Ports Authority (NPA) and not by Starlight
Cruises.
Embarkation times do occasionally vary and are set
and regulated by immigration officials and custom
control authorities.
Please take note that special embarkation procedures
may apply to large groups travelling together.
Q. What else should I know about
embarkation?
Regretfully no visitors are allowed past security
control in the passenger terminal. The ship security
staff will always be present during boarding and
disembarkation and follow international security
regulations in the monitoring of passengers and
baggage. Our security is your security
Q. What Travel Documents do we need?
We issue your cruise tickets along with any tickets
for additional services approximately 2 - 3 weeks
prior to your departure. The cruise tickets are
available for collection from our offices. Should
you reside outside the city limits, we are able to
send tickets to you via “registered mail”. Should
you prefer that the tickets be mailed to you via
“priority mail” then there is a charge of R100
within South Africa. R200 is charged for all cross
border mailing.
Every passenger (adult and child) will need a
valid passport to clear immigration at the Port.
The only exceptions are cruises that do not leave
South African waters (e.g. Nowhere Cruises) in which
case official photo ID is required (ID Book,
Passport, Driver’s License or in the case of
children, an original birth certificate is
required).
Q. Do I need Visas and Vaccinations?
South African passport holders do not require visas
or vaccinations for Mozambique. Please see the
attachment with regards to passport, visa and health
regulations for non-South African passport holders
and other destinations.
Q. Do I need to take precautions for
Malaria?
Mozambique is a Malaria area, but your visit takes
place during the day when mosquitoes are least
active. It is best to speak to your doctor or
pharmacist.
Q. What if I am pregnant?
We are able to accept passengers up until their 28th
week of pregnancy. Boarding will be declined to
passengers beyond 28 weeks in accordance with the
ship owner’s terms and conditions.
Q. What if I am over 70 years of age?
Passengers over 70 years of age require a doctor’s
certificate verifying their fitness to travel.
Please forward the doctors certificate document
along with the booking form in order for documents
to be released.
Q. What if I have an infant sharing the
cabin?
Infants are able to share the cabin when utilising
the existing bedding in the cabin. A release will
need to be signed agreeing to these conditions of
travel. There are no baby cots on board the Ship.
Should your infant require a cot, we suggest you
bring your own camp-cot with you.
Q. How do dinner sittings work?
On most cruises, there are two sittings for dinner.
Both the Il Galeone and the Il Covo Restaurants are
used for both dinner sittings. The first sitting is
at approximately 18h30 and the second at 20h45.
Dinner reservations are made during the embarkation
process. Should you wish to sit with friends and
family, please embark together. Lunches and
breakfasts are generally open sitting and guests can
choose between a casual buffet or the more formal
dining room for their meal.
Q. Do you cater for special dietary
requirements?
A vegetarian choice is served at each meal time.
Halaal meat is available on board. We regret that we
cannot cater for Kosher meals.
Q. Can we take liquor on board?
Please be aware that due to International liquor and
duty-free regulations, guests are prohibited from
bringing alcoholic beverages of any kind on board
the vessel. Security checks do take place and liquor
may be confiscated. Liquor purchased on board at the
duty free will be held until disembarkation.
Q. Can we take food on board?
Company regulations and safety requirements do not
permit passengers are ship personnel to take any
beverage or food items onboard.
Q. Can I take my fire arm on board?
Durban harbour is a gun-free Port. Firearms,
weapons and sharp objects are not permitted into the
Port area or on board. Any passenger failing to
comply with security regulations will be offloaded
from the cruise.
Q. Is there a cell phone signal on board and
how can we stay in touch with back home?
Mobile phones rely on signal received from cell
phone towers, thus cell phones have no signal at
sea. Occasional signal is picked up while cruising
along the coast of SA. Many foreign Ports do have
signal, but your phone will need to be enabled for
International Roaming. Consult with your service
provider. At a cost, there is a satellite telephone
and fax facility to keep in touch if necessary.
Internet facilities are available onboard at a
charge.
Q. How much luggage can we take?
There is no weight restriction for cruising, but
only luggage which can be carried over gangways and
kept in a cabin will be allowed on board. We
recommend you take smaller bags so as not to clutter
your cabin area.
Q. What about electrical appliances?
The Sinfonia runs on both 110v and 220v but the
current in the 220v sockets make it suitable only
for cell phones, laptops, camera chargers and is NOT
SUITABLE for hairdryers or any other equipment which
draws a high current. The plug sockets are American
(110v) and European round 2 pin (220v). The South
African 3 pin plug will require a suitable
adapter.
Q. Is there a Doctor on board?
The ship has a fully equipped medical facility
staffed by a doctor and nursing personnel. This is a
private service and all consultations are charged
for. Please note that the medical facility does not
operate as a pharmacy and a consultation with the
doctor is required prior to any medicine being
dispensed. We highly recommend that you take all
necessary medications on board with you.
Q. What if I get sea-sick?
Movement of the ship is reduced with stabilisers,
which are extended when called for. There is so much
to do that most passengers don’t even think about
getting seasick. However, a very small percentage of
people are susceptible to motion sickness, which is
caused by the confusion of the senses, mainly sight
and balance. If you are predisposed to motion
sickness, several excellent non-prescription drugs (eg:
Stugeron) and various homeopathic remedies (eg:
Horizon) are on the market to assist with prevention
of motion sickness. It is suggested you start to
take this medication 24 hours prior to
cruising. Fresh air and being on deck are excellent
natural remedies. You are also at liberty to consult
your local physician for other remedies.
Q. If I need assistance on board, to whom
can I speak?
There are several heads of department that can
assist you with queries depending what assistance
you need. The information / reception desk is open
24 hours.
Q. What do I do if I am celebrating a
special occasion?
Congratulations! If you are celebrating something
special; a birthday or anniversary perhaps, we will
try and make it extra special. In order for the ship
to prepare that ‘special cake’ at a charge, you will
need to advise reception as soon after embarkation
as possible.
Q. Is there an activity programme for
youngsters?
The youth programme includes activities for children
from 4 years to 12 years of age and takes place
every full day at sea from 09h00 – 12h00 & 14h00 –
17h00. An evening activity programme is also
available from 20h00 until 23h00. There is also an
orientation meeting for all parents and children on
the first afternoon after departure. See the daily
programme for details. Youth activities may include
treasure hunts, fun sports, creative activities and
games. The children’s play area is available to
children aged 2 - 4 years of age, however a
supervising parent must be present at all time.
Q. Is there babysitting on board?
Babysitting is not permitted in any of the ship’s
childcare rooms, as there are no sleeping facilities
separated from playing areas.
Babysitting is therefore an “authorized private
arrangement” in the cabin of the guests concerned.
In these cases the babysitter may be a hostess or
even cabin stewardess, who must know where to find
the parents in case of illness or emergency.
Babysitting can be arranged through the Hotel
Manager on board – and only where there are
Personnel available. Babysitting is not available
for infants less than 12 months old. Infants aged
from 12-24months old are not permitted in the child
care centre.
Q. What kind of things can we do on board?
The great thing about cruising is you can choose to
do as much or as little as you like. For outdoor
enthusiasts there are a variety of sports to choose
from. For those that enjoy being active, there are
various exercise & dance programmes on offer every
sea day. Day activities may include lecture
presentations, creativity classes, fun activities on
the deck and indoor game shows. Daily crosswords,
Sudoku, brainteasers and word search puzzles are
also available. Other facilities include swimming
pools, jacuzzis, gymnasium, jogging track, casino,
duty free shops and movies. In the evenings, more
exciting entertainment options include live bands,
the disco and don’t forget our famous Deck Party! In
addition, every night we host cabaret shows
featuring local and international artists.
A comprehensive programme is delivered to your cabin
every day. This programme includes information on
all activities, shows, services, meals and dress
codes to help plan your day.
Q. How much money do we need to take and how
do we pay for goods & services?
Please note that DEBIT CARDS and
CHEQUE CARDS are NOT
accepted onboard.
Credit cards are accepted, however we would highly
recommend that you activate your cruise card
utilising CASH, either US Dollars
or Rand.
Meals and entertainment are included in your cruise
fare (with the exception of meals taken in the
Speciality Restaurants which serve an A La Carte
menu for which there is a supplement of €18 per
person per meal.) You will need spending money for
drinks, duty free shopping, photos, gambling –
including Bingo, gratuities, laundry, beauty salon
and any optional shore excursions you would like to
book. All prices on board are in US Dollars.
For the convenience of all guests, the ship uses a
cashless system (the casino only accepts cash).
Every passenger (including children) will receive a
personalised ID cruise card. This card may be used
for all your purchases on board. On request, any
cards (for a family for example) can be linked to a
master account.
To activate your card/s (only 1 member per family
need do this), a deposit must be lodged at the
cruise card office. SA Rands or US Dollars are
acceptable. You may then spend up to the amount of
deposit paid. You can top up this amount during the
cruise if needed. At the end of the cruise, when you
close your account, you will receive any change
owing to you in US Dollars.
Although we do not recommend it, you are
able to activate your cruise card with your bank
credit card. Should you opt to pay by credit card,
your credit card will be “swiped” and pre-authorised
for the amount of approximately USD$250.00. This
pre-authorisation is only an estimate of the amount
that could be utilised during your time on board.
This pre-authorisation is not a n actual debit and
the amount is “blocked” on your credit card for the
period of 7-15 working days after your
disembarkation. After this period has lapsed your
bank automatically releases the pre-authorised
amount. The only amount debited to your credit card
will be the amount that corresponds with the invoice
signed prior to disembarkation.
Should you have any concerns about this,
we highly recommend you use CASH to activate your
account.
Small amounts of European currencies and Travellers
Cheques can be changed on board at the Purser’s
Office – commission charges apply.
Q. What about tipping?
Tipping is a globally accepted way of thanking
personnel who have taken care of you during your
cruise. For your convenience a recommended daily
gratuity of USD $ 5 per adult and USD$ 2.50 per
child per day will be added to your cruise account
covering all service staff. Of course, this
practice is optional and for this reason you can
decide at any time to alter this charge by
contacting hotel reception.
Q. What happens when we get to our
destination?
Landings are always weather dependent and the
decision to proceed lies solely with the Captain.
Safety is always our primary concern. Some of our
destinations have no harbour facilities and to
transport passengers ashore, we use inflatable
rubber zodiacs. To maintain our excellent safety
record we require the co-operation of all
passengers. A short briefing hosted by the Cruise
Director will inform passengers about the
destination, the landing procedure and any optional
excursions available. This briefing will be
advertised in your daily programme.
Q. Tell me more about the Zodiac transfer.
To get to our beach destinations, passengers will be
escorted in small groups to the gangway and then be
assisted into Zodiacs, known as “rubber ducks”.
These ducks will then transfer the passengers to the
beach. Beach sand can get very hot so shoes are
always recommended. Depending on the condition of
the sea and wind, sea spray can sometimes enter the
boat. We suggest you wrap any electronic equipment
in plastic to prevent damage. A travel bag is
essential for your day trip items. Starlight Cruises
travel bags are available for purchase from our
offices or at the harbour on day of embarkation.
Q. Can we snorkel at the destinations?
Yes, but please take note that there is no gear
available on board to hire, and if you intend to
snorkel, it is advisable to bring your own. Barra
Lodge and Portuguese Island do offer a snorkel
excursion with gear hire included from a local
source although fin sizes and condition of equipment
are not guaranteed. A limited range of snorkelling
equipment will be available for purchase at Durban
harbour prior to boarding the ship.
Q. What else can we do on the Islands and
Beaches?
That depends on you. Our destinations are so diverse
and consequently offer completely different
activities and facilities. A dedicated landing team
will assist you once ashore. They will provide all
relevant information including swimming areas,
children’s facilities and any local attractions.
Please take special note of the relevant boarding
times so as not to miss the last transfers back to
the ship.
Q. What about bath and beach towels?
There are both bath towels and pool / beach towels
available on board.
Q. What are the Dress Codes?
During the day casual wear is encouraged although no
bathing suits are permitted in the main restaurant.
A buffet breakfast and lunch are available on deck
should you prefer casual dining. Evenings are
generally smart casual (from 18h00) with a formal
night on any cruise 4 nights or longer. Every cruise
has a PARTY NIGHT where guests are encouraged to
dress up bright & bold and anything goes. Although
the summer evenings are generally warm, it is
advisable to bring a light jumper in case of a sea
breeze or to wear indoors as most venues are fully
air-conditioned.
Q. What are the Ship’s contact details?
Should you need to be contacted while onboard the
Sinfonia, the ship has a Satellite telephone. Please
note that this service is VERY expensive but in the
case of an emergency the contact numbers are as
follows:
Tel: Int. 00 +870 335671611 / 621
Fax: Int. 00 +870 335671614 / 1623
** DO NOT include items of value in your
‘checked luggage’. Keep valuable items with you at
all times or under lock and key. This applies
particularly when suitcases are not in your care. **
** Don’t forget your spending money, sun
cream, camera, passport and … your ticket **
** Bring any essential medications with you
and carry them on your person or in your hand
luggage. **
** All information was correct at time of
going to press. Starlight Cruises will not be held
responsible for any change and/or errors in the
above information **
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