Conservation non-profit BirdLife South Africa has opened up public bookings for a fund-raising cruise that will take more than 2000 passengers on a voyage to the Marion and Prince Edward Islands in the sub-Antarctic in January, 2025.
The cruise will see birdwatchers, nature enthusiasts and photographers boarding the MSC Musica at Durban, before heading down to the islands for the seven-day Flock to Marion AGAIN! cruise from January 24 to 31.
This is the second trip of its kind, following the 2022 Flock to Marion cruise on the MSC Opera.
After a preferential booking period, during which bookings were exclusively open to BirdLife South Africa's donors and members, reservations for the 2025 cruise can now be made by the general public. Approximately 1400 passengers have reserved a space, leaving around 600 spots available.
Proceeds from the trip will be donated to the Mouse-Free Marion campaign, a BirdLife South Africa and Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment project, to rid Marion Island of invasive house mice.