Last days for ship that links St Helena to the world
Five-day cruise from Cape Town to British enclave will end when airport opens next year
Recalling a bygone era of stately passenger liners and quaint colonial traditions, the RMS St Helena is making its last journeys before the introduction of weekly flights to the far-flung South Atlantic island which shares the ship's name.
A day on board the five-day cruise to rugged British overseas territory of Saint Helena, one of the world's most remote inhabited islands, is marked by aristocratic pastimes alien to modern travellers accustomed to no-frills long-haul journeys.
It's a taste of luxury that won't be around for much longer, on board a nearly seven-tonne ship built in 1989 to carry passengers and goods across the ocean.
"The ship is coming to the end, so more people want to travel before she stops working," Hamilton said.
The shipping company has added a dozen cabins to meet demand before the ship cuts back on its trips when 4.5-hour flights from Johannesburg begin in February 2016.
The RMS Saint Helena - the only passenger ship serving the British island - makes the journey from the South African city of Cape Town every three weeks.
The boat travels 3,100km in five days at 15 knots, before heading to Ascension, another British island. The ship's website describes the vessel as a lifeline for island residents, carrying everything from "wind turbines to automotive parts; sheep, goats, and Christmas turkeys to furniture, food and paint".
Passengers sip tea or coffee served by staff in their cabins before breakfast. They play traditional games such as deck quoits and shuffle board, and then share a heartwarming beef tea - or Bovril - at 11am.
After lunch, entertainment includes documentary film screenings and a quiz game similar to Trivial Pursuit.
Passengers spend time reading or swimming in the small pool on deck, knitting or working on puzzles. The activities aren't mandatory, yet they do allow for fast-forming friendships.
The RMS St Helena schedule will run until April 2016, two months after the airport opens.
Then what? There is talk of a cruise, perhaps northwards to England, before the ship is most probably sent for scrap.
