You’ve got mail: Walvis now on St Helena route

THE port of Walvis Bay is set to benefit from the new route introduced by the Royal Mail Ship St Helena.

The RMS, with a capacity of 128 passengers and 1 500 tons of cargo, will sail into Walvis Bay every 10 days. Walvis Bay and Luederitz have been included in the ship’s new 21-day route between Cape Town, St Helena and Ascension islands and back.”Tourism will grow as a result, as the ship offers many different package options,” said Captain Bill Langworthy, General Manager of the RMS St Helena Service.He attended a reception held on board the RMS when it called at Walvis Bay this week on its very first journey on the new route.Michael Clancy, Governor-designate of St Helena, said at the same occasion that there were many opportunities for co-operation between Namibia and St Helena.”We can complement each other on the tourism front by offering very different packages and scenery.”Almuth Styles of the Namib-i tourism office at Swakopmund agreed that the new arrangement would provide several benefits for Walvis Bay.Apart from ship passengers arriving every 10 days for a one day stopover, Namibia will be introduced to many British tourists who could choose from a number of packages to further explore the country.She added that it was not only tourism that would benefit, but businesses too.Her office has started a close working relationship with the tourism office on St Helena.She said many Saints, as residents of the island are referred to, planned to come to Walvis Bay for their shopping as it was closer than Cape Town and would work out cheaper for them.St Helena is only reachable by boat and everything has to be shipped to the island.Styles said her office was handling several queries that ranged from the supply of furniture to fresh fruit and vegetables.”We are trying to involve local businesses as far as possible,” she said.The new route also offers a golden opportunity to Namibians to experience ocean travel – a luxury many have not been able to afford previously, according to Styles.The ship’s 48 cabins vary in price.According to Styles the cheapest fare for a cabin with two beds and ablution facilities shared with two other cabins is N$7 500.This includes full board for the 21 days, plus accommodation for the six-day stopover on St Helena.Carolyn Enzlin, Manager of Andrew Weir Shipping (AWS), said there was huge interest in the new route.Her company will open an office at Walvis Bay soon to handle all the bookings and enquiries.AWS has been operating the ship for the last three years on behalf of St Helena Line.She expected that the Cape Town to Walvis Bay leg of the route could become very popular as an alternative means of travel between the two countries.All the passengers and crew members The Namibian spoke to at the reception only had words of praise for the the ship, the good food and friendly atmosphere on board.Chris Smith, who claimed to be the first Namibian on board the RMS, described it as brilliant.Walvis Bay and Luederitz have been included in the ship’s new 21-day route between Cape Town, St Helena and Ascension islands and back.”Tourism will grow as a result, as the ship offers many different package options,” said Captain Bill Langworthy, General Manager of the RMS St Helena Service.He attended a reception held on board the RMS when it called at Walvis Bay this week on its very first journey on the new route.Michael Clancy, Governor-designate of St Helena, said at the same occasion that there were many opportunities for co-operation between Namibia and St Helena.”We can complement each other on the tourism front by offering very different packages and scenery.”Almuth Styles of the Namib-i tourism office at Swakopmund agreed that the new arrangement would provide several benefits for Walvis Bay.Apart from ship passengers arriving every 10 days for a one day stopover, Namibia will be introduced to many British tourists who could choose from a number of packages to further explore the country.She added that it was not only tourism that would benefit, but businesses too.Her office has started a close working relationship with the tourism office on St Helena.She said many Saints, as residents of the island are referred to, planned to come to Walvis Bay for their shopping as it was closer than Cape Town and would work out cheaper for them.St Helena is only reachable by boat and everything has to be shipped to the island.Styles said her office was handling several queries that ranged from the supply of furniture to fresh fruit and vegetables.”We are trying to involve local businesses as far as possible,” she said.The new route also offers a golden opportunity to Namibians to experience ocean travel – a luxury many have not been able to afford previously, according to Styles.The ship’s 48 cabins vary in price.According to Styles the cheapest fare for a cabin with two beds and ablution facilities shared with two other cabins is N$7 500.This includes full board for the 21 days, plus accommodation for the six-day stopover on St Helena.Carolyn Enzlin, Manager of Andrew Weir Shipping (AWS), said there was huge interest in the new route.Her company will open an office at Walvis Bay soon to handle all the bookings and enquiries.AWS has been operating the ship for the last three years on behalf of St Helena Line.She expected that the Cape Town to Walvis Bay leg of the route could become very popular as an alternative means of travel between the two countries.All the passengers and crew members The Namibian spoke to at the reception only had words of praise for the the ship, the good food and friendly atmosphere on board.Chris Smith, who claimed to be the first Namibian on board the RMS, described it as brilliant.