What an amazing opportunity and unique trip to do with Star Clippers. If you have any interest in sailing ships or yacht's then this would be of great interest for you, to experience and have a really good understanding of sailing. The owner is Mikael Krafft from Sweden, who loved the sea as a young boy, and this is where the passion and love was born to create the Tall Sailing ships we have today. They play a video in the cabins that explain and show the history of this, which is truly captivating and inspiring. It shows the details and the changes it's made along the way to get it where it is today.
There are 3 small sailing ships in the fleet, Star Flyer has a 166 passenger capacity along with the Star Clipper, with the slightly larger ship Royal Clipper with 227 passenger capacity.
The check in process is so smooth and seamless and bags are delivered to your cabins. The staff are all so friendly and helpful and want you to totally immerse yourself in the experience, nothing is too much trouble. It is a very authentic ship, with its dark wood interior, lots of brass and a classic design of the old sailing ships of the past.
There was never a shortage of food, with a buffet breakfast, buffet lunch, afternoon snacks at 5pm in the Tropical bar, then an open dining for the evening meal, with a lovely menu on offer. There was even a midnight buffet if this wasn't enough food! The food was of a very high standard and something to suit all. Compliments to the chefs! Every afternoon they would display the evening menu along with samples of the food that was on offer, this I thought was a great idea so you could see what you were getting in advance.
Sailing away was a truly beautiful experience, this was mainly at night with the sails going up one by one, with music from Vangelis - Conquest of Paradise. With a drink in hand, the sails were lit up in different colours, creating a truly magical experience. The atmosphere was something that will make this trip so memorable.
The ship has more movement than a cruise ship due to it being a sailing ship, but I really enjoyed that aspect of it and found it very relaxing and soothing. It was interesting to watch the crew work on the ship in their day to day roles. I was watching them repair the sails, with replacing parts of the sails using a very old industrial sewing machine.
Amenities onboard include 2 splash pools on deck, with plenty of sunbeds. If you are feeling brave you can climb up to the crow's nest, this is only available on certain days, with fantastic views of the ship. There is a library on board where you can book your excursions, the Tropical outdoor bar is where you can grab your favourite tipple for the entertainment, exercise classes with yoga were also on offer, along with music and even a music quiz. The indoor Piano bar is a lovely place to relax day or night. You can even book a massage that they do on the open deck in a private spot.
If you are looking to do something different and very authentic, and to go into ports of call that are smaller, where large cruise ships can't go, then this has to be worth considering. If you like River Cruising then this could be another option for you. I can't recommend Star Clippers enough, it was a fantastic experience.
To learn more or to book your own Star Clippers sailing, get in touch at [email protected] or pop in to see me in the shop in Portishead.
