African Dream Review

By Jeannine Williamson, Cruise Critic Contributor

The 16-passenger African Dream is run by CroisiAfrica, the southern African arm of the French-based company CroisiEurope which is the largest European-based river cruise operator.

Launched in 2018 and branded as one of the CroisiEurope’s “premium” ships, African Dream marked the line’s first venture in Africa. An identical sister ship, Zimbabwean Dream, joined the vessel in spring 2020.

It is a very comfortable vessel with a bright, airy and contemporary African-themed decor enriched with colorful locally made artifacts. All cabins on the three-deck ship face outside and are located on the lower Main Deck. They are all the same size – 183 square feet -- and there are no suites; the only difference is that two have small balconies.

The ship has one restaurant and one lounge bar, and amenities include a sun deck and a very smallpool.Althoughthemainonboardlanguages are French and English, all menus and printed information are available in English only. An English-speaking guide stays on the ship for the entire cruise, accompanies passengers on shore excursions and is always available to help and answer any questions.

From February through December, African Dream sails on three-night itineraries on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe. These voyages are part of a fully escorted eight-night cruise–safari itinerary, whichincludesthreenightsatCroisiEurope’slodge near Chobe National Park, the second largest gameparkinBotswana,andaone-nightpre-and post-trip stay in a hotel. An optional helicopter flight over Victoria Falls can be prebooked and pre-cruiseextensionsinCapeTownareavailable.

The sailing element is very different from traditional river cruises, where ships move daily to different towns and destinations. The African Dream experience is geared towardprovidingpassengers with the best water- and land-based sightseeing and wildlife experiences on and around the world’s largest artificial lake. At 136 miles longand25mileswide,Lake Kariba defines a portion of the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and is dotted with more than 100 islands. It is also a very relaxing experience, as it is a “silent” vessel with no onboard announcements.

Dining on Board

Breakfast is a self-serve buffet, with eggs available to order, and lunch and dinner are waiter-served. Memorably, lunchtimes and dinnertimes are heralded by crew members beating African drums.

Despite the fixed menu set up, anydietaryrequirements,suchasvegetarian, gluten-free and other food intolerances, can be catered for. However, passengers should advise of any restrictions at the time of booking rather than when on the ship. Due to the nature of the destination and cruise, African Dream stocks up with supplies at the beginning of the sailing and cannot pick up anything additional once the voyage is underway. Passengers can expect a tasty range of regional and international dishes, often with a French influence. Sometimes the vegetarian option comprises the dish served to other passengers with the meat or fish element missing!

The team of wait staff were always smiling, cheerful and helpful. One day we asked if we could break with the norm and eat lunch at one of the alfresco tables beside the dining room and they were happy to oblige and moved the table settings outside.

There is no self-serve tea and coffee station; however,passengerscanorderbeveragesatany time during the day. Although the bar opens before breakfast for tea, coffee and juices, any crew members who are upandaboutwillhappilygetpassengers a drink before this time.

Restaurant (Upper Deck): African Dream’s one restaurant is located aft on the Upper Deck. Depending on the number of passengers, the dining room is configured with two tables to seat the maximum capacity of 16 or one long communal table, if the ship is not completely full. It is a very light venue, with large panoramic windows on three sides so you don’t miss any passing views -- or wildlife -during mealtimes. There is one buffet station for breakfast and the table -- or tables -- are laid out with crisp linen and sparkling glassware.

Breakfasttimesvarydependingontheexcursion schedule and will typically last from 45 minutes to one hour. The earliest breakfast begins at 6 a.m.and the latest 7 a.m.It includes pastriesand to page 66

Cruise Africa

African Dream from page 65 breads -- all freshly cooked onboard -- along with fresh fruit, juices, yogurt, cereals, cheeses and coldcuts.Sometimesthereareadditionalspecialty items, such as African-style beef sausages. Anystyle eggs are made to order and tea and coffee is served to the table.

Lunch is usually around 12:30 p.m., again with times varying slightly to accommodate the tour program. Reflecting the line’s French heritage, this is often the largest meal of the day with four courses, including a cheese plate, and is a leisurely affair with passengers lingering to chat overcoffeeandtea,servedtothetableafterward.

Lunchmightbeanappetizerofvegetablequiche with yogurt sauce, an entree of tilapia fish served with a salsa sauce, rice with chopped vegetables and ratatouille, followed by cheese and then chocolate mousse.

Dinner usuallybeginsat7:30p.m.,andatypical three-course menu is Greek salad, beef filet with masala butter, sweet potatoes and green beans, with date and caramel cake served with custard for dessert, followed by coffee and tea. The meal onthefinaleveningincludesanadditionalcheese course.

Themenuswereimaginativeandwellpresented, and accompanied by a choice of quality South Africanwines(red,whiteandrose),withadifferent redwine --merlot,cabernetsauvignonand shiraz -- featured at each dinner.

Room Service: There is no room service.

Entertainment&Activities

AfricanDreamisallaboutprovidingpassengers withanauthenticandin-depthexperienceofLake Kariba, and its surrounding nature, wildlife and local culture. I certainly achieves this with up to two daily excursions, which are all included in the fare. Tours are accompanied by the onboard English-speaking guide.

After the ship docks at different islands and bays on the lake, passengers are taken out on the excursion tender to sail in different areas, passing through an ethereal waterscape of petrified trees -- submerged when the dam was constructed between 1955 and 1959 -- and stopping whenever wildlife, such as hippos, crocodilesandelephants,arespotted.Thetender cruises, passengers have the option to fish (on a catch-and-release basis) and theguideservescocktails,wineandother beverages as the sun starts to dip over the horizon.

There is one early morning land-based excursion to Matusadona National Park, borderingthelake,wherepassengersare drivenaroundinjeepsonagamedriveby regional guides, along with the onboard guide. Minimal walking is involved, and drinks and snacks are served at the halfway point.

Everytimepassengersleavethevessel, they hand in their keys to a crew member at the tender embarkation point. Upon return their toAfrican Dream, passengers are given cold towels and a refreshing juice.

Daytime and Evening Entertainment

Onboard entertainment is virtually nonexistent, as the star of the show is Lake Kariba and the natural environment.

A small library of novels in different languages can be found in the lounge, along with board games and puzzles. There are three floor- mounted telescopes which offer close-up views of the lake and its wildlife, and there isalsoaflat-screenTVmountedonthewall, which is mainly used to publicize the next day’s program.

Relaxed and tired after the day’s excursions, most passengers tend to head to bed straight after dinner, with a few stayingupforaquietnightcapinthelounge.

On one day the crew set up a craft market on the open deck selling colorful and inexpensive locally made crafts and jewelry, which make great souvenirs and presents. They also stage an enthusiastic performance of drumming, song and dance on the last evening.

African Dream Services

The doors to the vessel lead to the Main Deck, and stairs lead to the Upper Deck and reception desk, which is manned during throughout the day and evening. If passengers have an emergency or need to helpoutsidethesehours,theycan goto the wheelhouse on the Main Deck at any time and summon the captain, whose living quarters are situatedthere.ThereisaTVinthereceptionwhich showsthelunchanddinnermenusapproximately onehourbeforemealtimes(althoughonourcruise thepurserpreferredtoannouncethedinnermenu as a surprise during his evening briefing).

The ship does not have an elevator and all decks are reached via flights of wooden stairs -12 steps in each case from the Main Deck to the Upper Deck and then on to the Sun Deck.

Iceisfreelyavailablefromthebarduringopening times. Smoking is only allowed in designated outside areas on the Upper Deck and Sun Deck where ashtrays are provided.

The ship does not have a laundry and there is no Wi-Fi available for passengers, satellite TV, nor -- for most of the time -- any phone signal while on Lake Kariba. The ship carries a first-aid kit,whichistakenoutonallexcursions.However, passengers with medical conditions and mobility issues need to consider the remote and active nature of elements of the trip.

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Image credit: CroisiEurope, www.croisieurope. travel/en/boat/african-dream