Kick off a World Cup adventure on an alternative voyage to Cape Town!

Dedicated England supporters can travel on the RMS St Helena, one of the world’s last working Royal Mail ships, and arrive in Cape Town on the 17th June in time to see England’s match against Algeria on the 18th June 2010. Passengers can stay onboard the ship cutting out the hassle of booking hotels and ensuring fans arrive in time for kick-off. To book all fans need to do is call 020 75 75 6480 or visit www.rms-st-helena.com. Football fans can book this unique journey to the Cup, starting from £1,241 per person, which will see them fly out from Brize Norton in Oxfordshire with the RAF on 7th June and touch down on Ascension Island the following day. Whilst gearing up for the match, football fanatics can explore the small, remote island, scuba dive, indulge in sea fishing and relax in the sun before an overnight stay on Ascension. On the 9th June fans will board the RMS St Helena for the 8-day sail to Cape Town. Onboard, as football fever begins to build, guests can enjoy hearty meals and traditional ship activities such as frog racing and cricket! Docking in Cape Town on 17th June, the anticipation will peak as England’s supporters unite in South Africa’s ‘Mother City’. Over 350,000 fans are expected to visit Cape Town during the World Cup for the 64 matches. Fans can hop on and off the RMS which will serve as floating hotel for passengers for two nights from the 17th June. Whatever the outcome of the match on the 18th June at Green Point Stadium, fans that have travelled to Cape Town on the RMS will have formed memories and friendships to last a lifetime. A range of cabin options are available. Prices start from £1,241 (based on two sharing a cabin on C deck) and include a one-way airfare from Brize Norton to Ascension Island, one nights’ accommodation on Ascension Island and sea passage on the RMS St Helena from Ascension to Cape Town including all meals onboard. Whilst docked in Cape Town, the price includes two nights’ accommodation and breakfast onboard the RMS St Helena. Terms and conditions apply, spaces are limited and the price quoted is subject to cabin availability. Entry permits, visas and transfers are not included in the price. Andrew Weir Shipping can tailor-make an itinerary to return home from South Africa via Ascension or supporters can fly home from Cape Town at their own arrangement and cost. For more information and images please contact Tryphena Greenwood at Keene on 020 7839 2140 or email Tryphena@keenepa.co.uk Notes to Editors: • The Royal Mail Ship St Helena was built in 1989 specifically to supply the island of St Helena, the British Overseas Territory deep in the tropical South Atlantic. Royal Mail Ships are sea going vessels that carry mail under contract by Royal Mail. The RMS St Helena is one of only two ocean-going vessels in the world still to carry the venerable title of Royal Mail Ship, held in the past by so many famous British passenger liners, the Queen Elizabeth amongst them. She is British registered, 6,767 gross tonnes and has 56 officers and crew. She also boasts modern facilities; stabilisers, air conditioning plus fax, email and satellite communications. • Passengers are well looked after around the clock with two bars, full service dining room, a sun deck, shop, swimming pool, gymnasium and library to keep passengers entertained. The nostalgia found on board the Royal Mail Ship is a world away from the glitz of big cruise liners but informative talks, quizzes, film nights ensure the entertainment is perfectly balanced. • St Helena is an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, with its own legislature and a high degree of internal self-government. • It is an island of 47 square miles (122 sq.km) situated 1,200 miles off the west coast of Africa. • The number of tourists currently is less than 1,500 a year but the opening of an airport could quadruple that number in the next ten years without undermining the essential way of life and natural attractions of St Helena. • A project to build a new Airport has been actively considered for the last seven years. In October 2008, a preferred bidder was selected as a potential contractor to construct the airport, which was scheduled for completion and opening in 2012. In 2008 HMG requested a pause in the negotiations with the contractor and in March 2009 announced a further Consultation on access to the Island. 70% of respondents favoured the immediate construction of an airport. In December 2009 HMG revealed that it will delay any decision for ‘around six months’ while a potential public-private partnership for funding the airport is explored.

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