Star Clippers, Four-Masted Cruise Ship
Modern Sailing Ship Cruises Where Guests Can Help Sail the Ship
Sep 14, 2009
The Star Clipper and its sister ships, the Star Flyer and larger Royal Clipper Sailing Ship, are the only clipper ships in active service in the world. Constructed in Belgium in the early 1990s, they were the first passenger sailing vessels to be classified by Lloyds since the early 1900s.
This is the stuff of romance and adventure. One of the advantages of the tall ship is the fact it can drop anchor near some of the more inaccessible, picturesque ports denied to larger ships.
Onboard the Star Clipper
The Star Clipper is a more intimate size than the usual cruise ships, carrying only 170 passengers and 72 crew members. Life on board a clipper is much more informal than on larger cruise ships. Passengers are often encouraged to take a turn of the wheel or climb up the rope ladder. Volunteers are sometimes requested to help with the sail ropes each time the ship sails into port.
Guests are quickly made to feel part of a huge private party. Everyone is encouraged to gather on the deck for introductions to the officers and staff. This can resemble a list of the United Nations with the variety of nationalities represented, between crew and passengers.
At meal times, tables are on an open sitting basis; there is no allocation of set tables on this cruise. Everyone is given the chance to choose dining companions each evening, adding to the general bonhomie and friendliness of the ship. Officers mingle with the passengers on every occasion.
Relaxation and Dress Code Onboard the Sailing Ship
For all that the ship has an intimate feel to it, there is never any crowding or lack of space. Cabins are comfortable and spacious enough for the guests’ needs. Lunch is often a barbecue and buffet on deck, complete with a Tropical Bar. It is a matter of collecting a plate-full then sitting anywhere on deck.
Late afternoon offers cakes and nibbles to ensure guests need never be hungry. From morning until night, the key word is absolute relaxation. To fit in with this philosophy, dress is comfortable and casual at all times, with smarter casual clothes in the evening.
Entertainment on the Star Clipper
There are two small swimming pools onboard, one on the Aft Deck, the other on the Sun Deck. If the sea air, wind or sun become too much, there is a small Edwardian-style library offering games as well as books. The Piano Bar with soft, cosy seats soothes passengers with the soporific sound of gentle music on the Grand Piano in the early evenings.
The fact that this is a more intimate size of ship, measuring just 360 feet long, means there is less sophisticated entertainment than that offered by the bigger cruise ships. However, an evening of national song and dance from the competent staff, followed by dancing for everyone under the dusky Mediterranean or Caribbean sky, adds to the feeling of being on a huge private yacht among friends. Local performers are sometimes brought on board to enhance the travel experience.
The highlight of such a trip, for the unashamedly romantic, are the evenings the ship leaves a port. The sails are slowly hoisted until each one is unfurled and the clipper stands in all its glory ready to sail with the wind.
For passengers looking for glamorous evenings around the roulette table or the latest in entertainment on a giant cruise ship or liner, with deck after deck of things to do, the tall ship might be a disappointment.
For anyone with a sense of adventure, however, and a taste for the romance of sailing ships and days gone by, the Star Clipper offers a unique experience. And the thrill of an unforgettable sail powered by the wind.
Details of sailings are available from Star Clippers or any good travel agent.
Another good example of a tall ship is the replica of the HMS Bounty which is an authentic copy of the original sailing ship involved in the famous mutiny.
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