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A Star Clippers cruise is a wonderful experience for people who want a relaxing, small-ship cruise that truly sails and operates the old-fashioned way with a crew that hoists sails. A boat like Star Clipper often “docks” by dropping anchor in the open water and mooring at sea, as it’s called. This is opposed to docking directly on a cruise pier and means guests must be transferred to the shore. We had a variety of entertainment throughout our 7-night cruise, including a dance party, trivia night, and a light show on the sails.
Star Clippers cabins
Because gratuities are meant to be pooled among the cabin stewards and dining room staff, individual tipping is discouraged. Tipping of shore excursion guides and drivers is at passengers' discretion but always appreciated. If all that sounds exciting and adventurous rather than intimidating, Star Clipper is for you. You'll likely enjoy clambering up to the crow's nest (secured in a safety harness), donning an eye patch for Pirate Night and grabbing the mic during the talent show.
(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021
If you sail during the day, this likely won’t be an issue unless you’re trying to nap. Also, if the ship can run on sail power instead of engine power, the captain and engineers opt for that. For example, they have options in the Western and Eastern Mediterranean, the Caribbean (where they can sail 70% of the time – a high percentage – because of the helpful Tradewinds in that area), and the Panama Canal. Our cabin was spacious, the crew members were incredibly friendly, and the food was good. The onboard activities were just enough to give us options that kept us entertained but did not overwhelm us so that we had so much to choose from we couldn’t pick. The region’s love of the outdoors lifestyle means active experiences are easy to find, both through cruise line excursions and independent operators.
Royal Clipper Sail Plan
As for grownups, if you require 24/7 programming and standard big-ship amenities like a casino and theater, you'd be happier on a more conventional cruise. If you need glitzy production numbers, bingo tournaments and multiple restaurant options to be happy at sea, seek out a bigger ship. If the notion of feeling the gentle rock-a-bye motion of the ocean is in itself enough to lure you to sea, this is the ship for you. Furthermore, Cruise Critic makes no guarantees for availability of prices advertised on our site. Listed prices may have blackout dates, qualifications or restrictions.
The massage room is a lovely tented area on the top deck that is very tranquil inside. It's decorated with electric candles, shells, and a comfortable massage table. It’s unavailable overnight, and, weather permitting; it is not available when the sea is rough. Lastly, it’s where the excursion sign-up sheets and booklets are during the cruise. All the varieties of alcohol you would expect are available on board, including vodka, gin, tequila, Aperol, and rum. Drinks are an average of €5 to €6 each, depending on what you get.
At night, homegrown entertainment might consist of a guest and crew talent show, crab races, tongue-in-cheek fashion show or team trivia. The thrills on a Star Clippers voyage are provided by the ship itself, not man-made attractions. The spectacle of the wind filling the towering cream sails -- with a combined area of 56,000-square-feet on Royal Clipper and 36,000-square-feet on the sibling ships -- is an awe-inspiring sight. Some winches are electric-driven but muscle-powered winches are widely used as well.
The greatest number of passengers comes from Europe, specifically Germany and France, while the U.K., U.S. and Australia are often heavily represented. Eighty percent are English-speaking, though announcements are made in English, French and German. You'll also find honeymooners, who come onboard for the romance.
Star Clippers also sees multigenerational groups, particularly during holidays and in the summer, with the youngest children in the 8 to 10 age range. Star Clippers presents this opportunity across all three of its genuine sailing vessels throughout the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Onboard purchases can be made in cash, with travellers checks or via international credit cards ( Visa, American Express, Mastercard) and will be added to passenger's invoice (debited in EUR).
Star Clippers to host biggest-ever agent fam this month - TTG
Star Clippers to host biggest-ever agent fam this month.
Posted: Fri, 19 Apr 2024 10:05:29 GMT [source]
Sometimes Sailing is a cruise-focused website by Dan and Mikkel Woodruff, a couple passionate about cruising. You always need to walk down steps to get from Star Clippers boats to the tender boat, which takes you from the second deck down to the water level. This includes things like a morning workout or a knot-tying class led by someone from the Sports Team. We enjoyed a Q&A session with the captain and appreciated the opportunity to climb to the Crow’s Nest platform about ⅓ of the way up one of the masts. It’s all very tastefully designed, with small “Star Clippers” logos and insignia incorporated into the design. There was a sale on some of the older “season’s” apparel on the last full day of the cruise, which was the day before disembarkation.
There was also a pull-out drawer under the seat that was next to our bed and under-bed storage for luggage. At night, the cabin steward closed curtains over it as part of turn-down service, so when the sun rose the next morning, we could still sleep in darkness until we opened the curtains. He or she gives you keys when you embark in exchange for your passport. The Purser also records a credit card to have on file for your expenses and takes a digital photo of you for the ship’s digital ID system. You do not have to buy the excursions if you want to stay on the ship or explore the port on your own.
Once a week, they stage a light-hearted talent show and passengers are welcome to join in. Devoted passengers cite the small size of the ships as one of the reasons they return to the line time after time. The current flagship, the 439-foot, five-masted Royal Clipper is the largest in the fleet and accommodates 277 passengers. Four-masted sister vessels Star Clipper and Star Flyer are 360 feet long and carry just 170 guests. The new vessel, Flying Clipper, will become the largest in the fleet -- albeit with 300 passengers. If you feel lost on large vessels, or are less-than-impressed with Vegas-style entertainment, then you'll love the intimacy of sailing on Star Clippers' small vessels.
If you want to book excursions, be sure to factor in around $75 to $150 per person per excursion, depending on your cruise itinerary. We enjoyed an afternoon nap once or twice during our 7-night cruise, which, we admit, is a favorite cruise activity we indulge in when we get the chance. You also might want to consider a long-sleeved swim shirt to protect your back when snorkeling, as well as water shoes for wet landings. Star Clipper is a bit of a mini-United Nations, with a strong international mix of guests.
I ordered a vodka dirty martini with several dinners; each was only €6. Drinks like lattes, espressos, and cappuccinos can be purchased on the ship from the bartenders and are not complementary. We had one daily, along with fresh fruit, bread, cheese, and potatoes. Protein was also readily available, including things like smoked fish, bacon, or sausage. We had the pleasure of seeing inside the Owner’s Suite cabin on Star Clipper. It’s a beautiful cabin with a deep bathroom tub and wrap-around built-in couches.
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