Ben Bruce launches 7-day sea voyage to promote tourism, family ties in Africa

Ben Murray-Bruce, former senator representing Bayelsa east, has introduced ‘Getting Africans back on a Cruise‘ to promote tourism and deepen family ties on the continent.

In a statement, the politician said the initiative is aimed at offering African families an alternative to pleasure and relaxation through sea voyage.

According to him, the sea voyage is a collaborative effort involving Silverbird Entertainment Group, the Democratic Republic of Congo/Rwanda based TheXperts as well as Royal Caribbean Nigeria.

He said the sea voyage will involve world’s most expensive and sophisticated Oasis cruise ship — Wonder of the Seas — which carries a maximum of 6,988 passengers.

The ex-lawmaker also said the seven-day sea voyage scheduled to commence on July 24, will start from the coast of Barcelona in Spain across three countries within six cities in Europe.

He said the cruise ship will return to Barcelona on July 31.

“If you have never been on a cruise, you are the one I am talking to, it is an experience. Africans how do we relax? We do not; we work until we die whether as Africans or Nigerians,” he said.

“It is like you have concerts on steroids. You have entertainment for children; it is out of this world. You have a combination of everything you can imagine, water park, theme park, the best food, the best drinks; there are doctors and a clinic, everything you can imagine.

“You are close to the port; you are going around the ocean stopping at different ports and countries every day. The takeoff date is July 24 in Barcelona; it is for the world. However, the next one would be solely African in the sense that all the entertainment in the ship would be solely African music. This one would be a mix.”

The former senator called on those interested in the cruise to start processing their visas early and buy their tickets.

He also said he plans to host an all-African cruise after the first edition if enough people from the continent indicate interest in the concept.

“We will not be sailing from Nigeria until we have a critical mass in terms of patronage or participation. This ship cost a few billion dollars to build. We are not going to bring a multibillion-dollar ship here and you cannot guarantee three to five thousand passengers,” he said. 

“You are not going to bring the most expensive ship in the world, and you cannot guarantee a deal whose economics makes sense. So, we are conducting a test from the Barcelona cruise to get as many Africans as possible.”