Where are the historians and fact-checkers? I think my name should go into the history books as the first Ghanaian to explore West Africa on a luxury cruise ship. One, I don’t think there are many cruises like this along the West African coast; and two, Ghanaians usually don’t go on such cruises!
In April, I joined the elegant SH Vega cruise for the Cultural Crucibles of West Africa: From Accra to Dakar. The 13-Day Expedition Cruise was a delightful 5-star voyage of dining, relaxation, music, and a lot of adventure.
SH Vega is a 5-star elegant Scandi-design boutique ship that offers an intimate setting for guests to fully be immersed in all the sights and sounds of their voyage.
SH Vega’s Sophisticated Elegance is accentuated by spacious, relaxing public spaces which provide wide open, unobstructed views throughout the ship. The destination is always in view.
Suites have a separate living room and bedroom. All staterooms are equipped with spacious wardrobes and bathrooms. My Balcony stateroom featured a 6-square meter panoramic balcony.
SH Vega has everything to make the stay of guests memorable and enjoyable. Deck 3 has a clinic, library, beauty salon, and expedition lab. Deck 4 has the reception, launderette, and the amazing Swan restaurant where we had dinner and breakfast regularly. Deck 7 has a shop, swimming pool, pool bar and grill, club lounge, and an observation lounge. There is a gym, sauna, jacuzzi, spa, and a bridge on deck 8, while deck 9 offers a stargazing experience like no other for guests!
The Swan Dining Room serves international and regional cuisine focused on quality, creativity, and flavours. With an open seating policy, guests can dine at their leisure, from breakfast through to dinner. Breakfast and Lunch are served on the buffet, while dinner is a sit-down affair complete with white tablecloths and linen napkins.
On the final day in Bijagos, we visited the stunning Kere island. A private island with hotel and restaurant facilities, games, and more.
My final country on the expedition for me was the Gambia. Here we had a tour of Banjul, the capital. We visited the Gambia National Museum, home to historical documents and displays concerning the History of the Gambia. We experienced the iconic Kankurang dance by Mandinka masquerades.
We also passed by the local market briefly before making our way to Kunta Kinteh Island. As an important historical site in the West African slave trade, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kunta Kinte, a character described in Alex Haley’s book and TV series Roots, has become associated with this Island. The book states that Kunta Kinte was among 98 slaves that the slave ship Lord Ligonier brought to Annapolis, Maryland in 1767.
source:AMEYAWDEBRAH.COM
