The Flagship of the Star Clippers Cruise Line - The ROYAL CLIPPER--- Brandon Booth Having just returned from a seven night cruise aboard the flagship of the Star Clippers cruise line, the Royal Clipper on November 6, 2004 , I would like to give a short account of my wonderful experience. For those unfamiliar with the line, Star Clippers has three beautiful ships, sailing vessels each and billed by the line as “mega-yachts”. The Royal Clipper is the largest of these, a 439-foot, five-mast beauty, and the largest full rigged sailing vessel afloat, combing luxury cruise ship amenities with a “golden age of sail” experience. My wife and I chose the Royal Clipper because of our desire for such a sailing experience and because we wished to cruise on a smaller, more intimate ship, one offering a casual but still elegant environment. The Royal Clipper fulfilled all our wishes and expectations and more. Embarkation from the pier in Bridgetown Barbados was quick and effortless. As we stepped from the gangway onto the main deck at the centrally located Tropical Bar we were cordially met by the First Mate and handed a tall, cool, island drink before being directed to a smiling crewman who would escort us to our cabin. Our standard, outside cabin was nicely appointed and surprisingly spacious with large mirrored closets and plenty of room to stow our things. Going topside to explore we found an immaculately cared for vessel of beautiful teak wood decks, towering golden masts and burnished brass and lacquered hardwoods. Dinner was served at 7:30pm, open seating style in a comfortable, pleasing dining room with spiral staircases and large, round, nautical looking porthole windows. The food was delicious; the choices varied and although the portions were perhaps on the small side this was made up for by the large number of appetizers, soups and deserts offered. Casting off from the pier promptly at 10:00pm all the passengers gathered above, drink in hand, eagerly watching aloft as the sailors jumped to their lines and one after another great canvas sails snapped out on the wind and the Royal Clipper began pulling for the open sea. Standing on the flying bridge with our German born Captain, listening to his concise, no-nonsense commands, the wind building around us, the sails snapping above, the great bow-sprit rising and lowering into the swells as we proudly glided from the harbor, that alone was worth the flight down to Barbados. Our cruise took us on a beautiful and varied itinerary of the Windward Islands, stopping each day at a new island for swimming and exploring. From Barbados we traveled to St. Lucia, Les Saintes, Antigua, St. Kitts, Dominica, Martinique and back to Barbados. Each morning we glided into a bay of spectacular beauty. The anchor would no sooner be dropped than two tenders would be lowered to pull alongside the gangway and begin ferrying eager passengers to their choice of beach, town or pre-paid shore excursion. The excursions offered something for everyone, from scuba diving to horse back riding to exploration trips to the islands natural wonders, all led by enthusiastic young officers of the ship. For those more lazily inclined there was the beach, each beach different and unique with water sports and snorkeling always available. After a sun drenched day ashore or of reclining with a book in a deck chair alongside one of the ships three small swimming pools, it would be all aboard again in the late afternoon for another sunset departure to sea. Each evening from 5:00pm to 6:00pm a tempting array of snacks is served up in the ever-hospitable Tropical Bar as the passengers relax and relate their days adventures. Then it is off to Dinner and afterward another delightful evening of music, dancing and sailing under the stars. The Royal Clipper is a very internationally flavored ship. Flagged in Denmark, most of her officers are German, Swedish and Dutch. The crew hails from nearly every country of the world, Malaysia, The Philippines, Central America, France, Italy, Central European nations, Russia and more. All ship-board announcements are made in English, German and French by Frederick, the enthusiastic and very hard working young Swedish tour director who is everywhere, always accessible to see to your every whim and wish. The equally hard working crew was always smiling, always friendly, always ready to assist in any way possible and all spoke English. With a passenger list made up of less then half its numbers in Americans and the rest from around the world it gave the feeling of vacationing aboard a ship with a very happy and contented United Nations. Crew and passengers alike it seemed, were all happy acquaintances if not friends by midway of the cruise. The ship was most efficiently run. Everything seemed well planned and practiced and nothing was spared in seeing to the comfort and enjoyment of the passengers. One of the great pleasures of the ship was that it is totally open to the exploration and enjoyment of the passengers. From laying in the open netting along the bow-sprit to standing with the captain on the flying bridge to hanging from the fantail, passengers were free to wander and explore the ship at will. One caution concerns the rolling of the ship while at sea. This is a sailing vessel and while in mild to moderate seas the rocking motion was less then expected and easily adjusted too, when heading into the wind on a tossed and choppy sea the roll and pitch could become quite pronounced. Passengers and crew alike stagger like drunkards across the rolling, wind-buffeted decks in times of rough weather but if you love sailing and adventure it is these very storm tossed times that are the most thrilling. The ship was seaworthy, modern, immaculately clean and a beauty to behold. Capable of traveling under sail or engine power or both, and she did, she could offer both a lazy ride or a thrilling one. The crew and fellow passengers were a delight. Though not a single child was on our cruise our fellow passengers ranged from honeymooners to 40th and 50th anniversary celebrants. The food was delicious, the service impeccable, the accommodations spacious and comfortable. Our itinerary included beautiful, less traveled islands where we anchored in spectacular bays and played on little known but for the most part fantastic beaches. The shore excursions were interesting and fun and like everything on the Royal Clipper efficiently and promptly run. Safety was from the very first obviously of paramount concern yet the officers and crew spared no effort to open their ship to the passengers, sharing with us their love of their ship and of their life on the sea, making the whole ship our home to explore and enjoy. It was a great ride and a great vacation and I hope I have conveyed a sense of the satisfaction and pleasure my wife and I enjoyed on our adventure aboard the Royal Clipper. It was a wonderful, relaxing, most pleasant cruise, one I heartily recommend and one I will happily repeat at the first opportunity. <back