Un-Cruise Adventures
Safari Explorer
- Cruises
- 7
- From
- $8,700
Ship comparison
Safari Explorer vs Zambezi Queen
AmaWaterways
Zambezi Queen
- Cruises
- 8
- From
- —
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Safari Explorer is an intimate Un-Cruise Adventures ship carrying 36 passengers, in service since 1998. Zambezi Queen is an intimate AmaWaterways ship carrying 28 passengers, in service since 2009.
Choose Safari Explorer if you want a better-rated spa and gym, a more family-friendly ship or a more active cruise: it outscores Zambezi Queen for spa & fitness (5.0 vs 2.0), family friendly (5.0 vs 2.0) and active (10.0 vs 8.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Zambezi Queen if you want more crew per passenger, better-rated staterooms or more culture: it outscores Safari Explorer for staterooms (10.0 vs 6.0) and cultural (8.0 vs 5.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and it has a crew member for every 0.9 passengers (vs 2.4).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Safari Explorer | Zambezi Queen | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Un-Cruise Adventures | AmaWaterways |
| Ship size | Intimate | Intimate |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 1998 | 2009 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | 2008 | 2013 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 695 | 500 |
| Passengers | 36 | 28 |
| Crew | 15 | 30 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 2.4 | 0.9 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 19.3 (better) | 17.9 |
| Cabins | — | 14 |
| Decks | 3 | 3 |
| Length | 145 ft | 150 ft |
| Beam | 36 ft | 37 ft |
| Speed | 11 mph | — |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | 7 | 8 |
| Upcoming sailings | 76 | 380 |
| Cruise lengths | 7–13 nights | 9–16 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $8,700 | — |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Safari Explorer leads on 3 of the ten, Zambezi Queen on 6, with 1 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Un-Cruise Adventures
Safari Explorer
Designed for comfort and adventure, Safari Explorer from UnCruise Adventures is a good platform for discovery. Three public decks make it easy to see action in the water and provide plenty of room for relaxing and breathing fresh air.
Sailing now
7 cruises on sale, from $8,700.
AmaWaterways
Zambezi Queen
On a river cruise, you can expect to see the shoreline every day, get off the ship every day, and enjoy a more comfortable setting with fewer passengers. AmaWaterways, with its emphasis on wine and food amid comfortably stylish details, has carved out a special niche in the river cruise arena.
Highlights
- The Zambezi Queen sails past Botswana's Chobe National Park known for its great concentration of African wildlife.
- The Chobe National Park is widely known for its spectacular elephant population.
- The Chobe River is a major watering spot, especially in the dry season (May through October) for large breeding herds of elephants, as well as families of giraffe, sable and cape buffalo.
- Land-based excursions are available, as are water-based trips to view wildlife on smaller vessels.
Sailing now
8 cruises on sale.
Questions
Safari Explorer or Zambezi Queen?
Which is bigger, Safari Explorer or Zambezi Queen?
Safari Explorer is bigger at 695 gross tons, against 500 gross tons for Zambezi Queen. Safari Explorer carries 36 passengers and Zambezi Queen carries 28.
Which ship is newer, Safari Explorer or Zambezi Queen?
Zambezi Queen is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2009 against 1998 for Safari Explorer.
Which has more space per passenger?
Safari Explorer, with 19.3 gross tons per passenger against 17.9 on Zambezi Queen. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Zambezi Queen, with one crew member for every 0.9 passengers against one for every 2.4 on Safari Explorer.
Which is better for families?
Safari Explorer scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 5.0 out of 10, against 2.0 for Zambezi Queen.
Still deciding?
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