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Now in our 41styear, Vacations To Go is the largest cruise-selling company in the world. We've built a reputation for discounts, service and professionalism that is second to none. But we always maintain the ability to write what we want, as we experience it. When setting sail, usually late in the afternoon, passengers gather on deck to watch the spectacle of leaving port. Back in business, St. Barts – which was also slammed by Hurricane Irma – is another of the French Caribbean islands visited by the Star Flyer ship on this Leeward Islands itinerary.
Day 6 – St. Barts
A full 18,940 square feet of open deck and three swimming pools create a wonderfully spacious and expansive outdoor environment. Find your secret hideaway on one of the hidden balconies on either side of the bow. It should be noted that that the real sailing experience extends to feeling plenty of motion in rough seas or bad weather, so it's not a line for people prone to seasickness. If you're looking for a vacation at sea that's more authentic sailing voyage and less mega-resort on the water, read on to discover 10 reasons why Star Clippers might be the line for you. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. Additionally, it would be difficult to exit and re-enter the ship in ports where you need to go down stairs to get on a tender to reach the shore in 99% of the cases during the cruise.
Cabin Air Conditioning
If you’ve cruised the Caribbean with one of the big ship lines and think you’ve “done” the Caribbean, think again. On all Star Clippers’ ships, you can crawl into the bowsprit netting and hang there suspended above the water. Wearing a tethered safety vest, you can scale the rope ladder to the crow’s nest – 60 feet above the water – for spectacular bird’s eye views. For such small ships, the Star Clippers’ ships have great little gift shops. Specifically, we’re talking about the high-quality linen shirts for guys (which have a discreet Star Clippers logo on them).
Sails To
The old city walls of Visby on Gotland island, a popular cruise port. For those interested in Viking history, look out for smaller ship itineraries featuring Visby on the wonderful island of Gotland. If you’ve ever wanted to dive into the culture of the Vikings or explore what makes people in the Nordic region the so-called happiest on earth, you could do a lot worse than book a Scandinavian cruise. Star Clippers' prices fluctuate frequently, and you will always find the lowest price on this site. Our customers enjoy additional savings with special discounts we’ve negotiated.
Find a Royal Clipper Cruise from $910
Ships also carry kayaks, sailing dinghies, water skis and windsurfing boards, which are also available on a complimentary basis. Diving can be arranged for certified divers at additional cost, using providers in port. Crewmembers are very friendly and approachable and mingle with passengers informally (which can come as surprise to cruisers used to the "upstairs downstairs" hierarchy on large ships). There is an open bridge policy and passengers are welcome to drop by and chat to the captain and duty officers at any time, except when the ship is maneuvering in and out of port. Even during these times -- which invariably draw a crowd to watch the sailors at work -- the captain will often provide brief explanations about what is going on. In the evening, off-duty crew members will join passengers in the Tropical Bar and take to the dance floor.
Tropical Bar
Star Clipper remains one of the few ships in which internet is sold by the hour rather than as part of a package. You'll also pay extra for massages, though we found the fee to be very reasonable. You'll find stairs to climb and ropes to sidestep, and most shore calls involve climbs down a steep stairway into a bobbing tender. Some landings are "wet," meaning you'll have to descend a ladder on the tender's bow into a couple of feet of water. One such trip is this 12-night itinerary from Celebrity Cruises, which includes a visit to both Visby and Tallinn. Other highlights include a visit to Stockholm and Copenhagen, including an overnight stop in the latter.
More about Star Clippers Royal Clipper
There are no elevators, so this is not a cruise for anyone who has physical limitations. Layered clothing accommodates the region's variable weather, while specialized gear might be necessary for specific excursions. Award-winning travel writers, we share our insights and luxury travel tips to make your trip planning a breeze. Enjoy two-wheeling on boat-and-bike cruises (both river and ocean cycling cruises). These cruises are not suited for anyone with limited mobility, however.
Tradewind Voyages UK cancels all Golden Horizon cruises in the Mediterranean (May-October 2022...
Two narrow beds were pushed together to form a double/queen bed, covered with two white European-style duvets. Our Star Flyer cabin, #302, had a white privacy curtain we could pull to hide the bed and the rest of the interior from the corridor when the door was open. Light sleepers may also wish to avoid cabins near the stern, where you can hear some vibration noise. This is an adult vessel; there are no diversions designed for children, and teens would need to make their own fun.
I went on a slow adventure at sea at 54 and it gave me a new perspective - Good Housekeeping uk
I went on a slow adventure at sea at 54 and it gave me a new perspective.
Posted: Fri, 18 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
In 1990, Swedish sailing enthusiast Mikael Krafft founded Star Clippers and fulfilled his dream of reviving the 19th-century golden age of tall ships for a new generation of travelers. The fleet consists of three ships, which sail in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Asia and also offer transatlantic, Panama Canal and Cuba itineraries. A fourth vessel is under construction and will be launched in 2017. The majestic sight of vast sails capturing the breeze and propelling the ship forward to its next destination is one of the features that sets Star Clippers' vessels apart from mainstream cruise lines. A stroll along the teak deck -- where neat coils of ropes sit alongside loungers -- provides more evidence that a Star Clippers' voyage is as much about sailing as it is about cruising. Passengers are primarily a mix of North Americans and Europeans (mainly German, French and British as evidenced by the triple translation on most written materials).
Another time was when we had to step into the water to get to shore. The water was thigh-high for shorter people (like Mikkel) but shallower for tall people (like Dan). We preferred wearing our water shoes because it can be risky to step into murky water barefoot if you cannot see what’s beneath the surface, like a rocky or shell-filled shore. Because of this, we recommend water shoes on our Star Clippers packing list. Its dark-red upholstery, carpet, and dark wood give it a nice warmth, finished with a framed painting of a sailing ship.
Truth be told, it's a bit like seafaring summer camp for adults. This is the sort of cruise where you unwind and start seeing the world at a slower pace -- where sunsets are more magnificent and the stars brighter than you've ever noticed before. The high levels of English comprehension across the region means booking your own activities and exploring ports independently is much easier than in many other parts of the world. Even so, look for independent tours that take place earlier in the day to reduce any time-related risk.
Royal Clipper is an ideal ship for people who aren't big on cruising, but adore sailing. Billed as the world's largest full-rigged sailing ship (it's got a Guinness World Records certificate to prove it), this five-masted beauty is a throwback to another era. Built in 2000, it's modeled on the Preussen, the largest and fastest deepwater sailing ship of its day.
Generally, the cost of the excursions was between $75 to $150 per person, depending on the experience. This included transportation, entrance to the experience if applicable (like a fee to get into a national park), a guide, and a meal if the excursion spanned lunch or dinner time. Many different types of itinerary can be advertised as Scandinavian cruises. Some may also include the highlights of the Baltic Sea region, including the Baltic countries and ports in the north of Germany and Poland.
Coffee and tea are complimentary and self-serve outside of dining hours. There is only one main dining area on Star Clipper, which has open seating. An important note is that Dan wouldn’t have been able to stay there for an extended period of time.
We thoroughly enjoyed our experience on one of the cruise line’s three classic sailing ships, Star Clipper. There were surprises we weren’t expecting (like how spacious our room was), and those we were hopeful for that were proven accurate (like how friendly the crew and other passengers were). Star Clipper attracts a mix of age ranges from low 30s through retirees. What links the passengers is not a particular age but rather a sense of adventure and, especially for the honeymooners onboard, the romance of being on a tall ship under sail power. And, although you'll find plenty of gray hair among the passengers, most are nimble enough to navigate boarding tenders and hopping off into the water for a wet landing.
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