‘What is there given by the gods more desirable than a happy hour?’
Catullus; Carmina, c. 50 BCE
The Waterfront Charters cruises tick many boxes for our guests. They are recreational, educational, inspirational – in fact, a whole lot of -als. With our seven vessels available and a smorgasbord of cruise options, there is something for everyone ay Waterfront Charters, and we are continually on the lookout for innovative ways to make people happy. One of our core values is to ensure that all visitors to the V&A Waterfront are afforded opportunities to enjoy a cruise, so we continually offer specials that enable people from all walks of life to experience a Waterfront Charters adventure.
To this end we have made our already affordable (and extremely popular) half-hour Harbour Tours even more attractive. How’s this for a special: for every adult ticket booked, three kids get to go along free. Got six kids to entertain? No problem! Mom and Dad each buy a ticket, and the entire troop can board, on the house. (Or on the boat, to be pedantic.) We don’t check ID documents, so the kids don’t have to share your DNA – just be there with you, with happy smiles on their faces. We have often highlighted the joys of a Harbour Tour, but it’s worth focussing on just how much fun they can be for adult and (free) kids alike.
Your tour is aboard the Southern Cross, one of the V&A Waterfront’s more iconic vessels. Based on a trawler’s hull shape, you can bet she is sturdy and seaworthy. With double-decker viewing you can choose to recline in the shade or take a sunny viewpoint on the upper deck. Both have easy access to our well-stocked refreshment area, so Mom and Dad can sip whatever chilled delight they choose, while the junior members are treated to cool drinks. You get to see the sights of the V&A from a harbour perspective, and are treated to close views of the ever-popular seal colony. These denizens of the harbour have their own paddock next to the Robben Island ferries, and can be seen lazing in the sun or cavorting in the water.
We’ll give you views of the working harbour, and as a special treat we take a turn out of the mouth of the harbour to the port entrance buoy. (That’s port as in ‘left’, not ‘harbour’. It’s distinctive red colour is a dead giveaway.) Here there usually are more seals; the more adventurous of the species, and usually accompanied by young pups. When you’ve finished photographing these happy critters it’s time to focus on the panorama that is Table Mountain and her side-kicks, Devil’s Peak, Lion’s Head and Signal Hill; with the harbour and the city, spread out in front of you. If we had a dollar for every selfie taken here we’d buy the QE2. Magic is an overused descriptive, but it works perfectly to describe a Waterfront Charters Harbour Tour.
Want a little more sea spray in your hair? To feel the surge of a hull pushing through an Atlantic swell as the spindrift rises from the bow of a sleek yacht? We’ve got you covered. Our sleek schooner, Esperance, is your boat for our Cruising in the Bay experience, and this is sailing, pure and simple. Her twin masts support a full set of fore-and-aft sails, and her bowsprit serves both as a cleat for the jib sail and a thrilling place to stand as you heel gently under wind power. For those wanting to be nearer the refreshment station, there are two seating wells, fore and aft, and all in all, this is a Table Bay adventure we recommend to anybody who loves the sea. And guess what? We have halved the price of a ticket. Yup; you’ll get a full 50% discount if you book an hour’s Sailing in the Bay experience. That means a very affordable cost of only R130 per adult! Bring the family, bring like-minded friends. It’s an hour of thrilling delight.
Stop the presses! Here’s another unbeatable special! About to be launched in time for Spring, from the 1st September Waterfront Charters are offering a full 30% discount on all Private Charters booked during the month of September. This means that planning ahead for a special occasion just became much, much easier and much, much cheaper: you can book ahead for any time that you want. A party in November; a product launch in January; a wedding in February? We’ve got you covered: all our luxurious catamarans are available for your private event, and you have plenty of time to plan the details knowing that your perfect venue is sorted. We repeat: 30% off all Private Charters booked in September – it’s the special of the decade, so take full advantage.
We say it regularly, and we’ll say it again: at Waterfront Charters we love what we do, and we love sharing the adventures we offer. We are constantly offering specials, so it’s a good idea to keep a weather-eye on our website, and to subscribe to our updates. Cape Town, Table Bay, the V&A Waterfront and Cape Town harbour are all places filled with wonder, and we show them off to perfection. See you soon!
