Royal Clipper Lisbon- Bridgetown Nov. 8 '12

All -

I just faxed in my final payment for the RC TA this November, and I'm getting excited.

This will be my 3rd RC cruise, but my first transatlantic(On a sailing ship.) My first two cruises were out of Barbados in December 2010 and 2011. I've got a couple of questions:

What's the average temp at sea; especially in the higher latitudes?

What sort of excursions have they offered on Tenerife in the past? (I'd love to take the cable car up Mt. Teide!)

Any one else going?

Aloha,

John

John,

if the weather will be the same as on the other TA's from the Caribean to Europe I have done, than it will be warm. But you'll never know. On the TA from Barbados to Malaga, last April, we had beautiful weather while we normally have cold weather! I always bring a sweater though for the evenings. It probably will be a full ship. I have heard there will be 200 passengers! In my opinion, way too many, but I don't own the company. I cannot help you with the excursions. Hardly ever do one. Have you looked up the SC website. There should be a section with excursions. Perhaps you can find some info over there.

Lisbon is a very nice city. There is a lot to see and they have an excellent public transportation system. Either the bus, train, metro or tram will bring you everywhere. Belem is also worth a visit. Loved it! Will see you in Lisbon.

Thanks for the reply! The Star Clipper web site doesn't have a booklet for the TA shore excursions; only Caribbean and Med.... Oh well, I'm sure it will work out...

I'm flying into Lisbon one day early from the US, and I'll have some time to look around; mostly I expect to be riding the funiculars and the trams - and maybe the Museum of Electricity.

I expect to be out on deck in the evenings a lot; I hate cold.I am definitely going to bring sweaters; wind gear and a watch cap!

Aloha,

John

We had a holiday on Tenerife a couple of years ago - Mt. Teide is well worth a visit.

We had a holiday on Tenerife a couple of years ago - Mt. Teide is well worth a visit.

Did you take a tour there, or hire a car? Were where you staying?

(I took a look at the route on maps.google.com, and the road from Santa Cruz is pretty narrow, and twisty.)

Aloha,

John

We took a tour. We stayed in a Tui hotel (? name ? south west part of the Island) which we thought was good value.

There is an excellent public bus network for Teneriffe. The bus station is reasonably close to the shore terminal. Not many buses to Mt Teide but there are some. Go to the bus station first (there is also a tramcar that goes there) and buy a multijourney discount card and you can get most places for a fraction of the tour prices. Google buses in Teneriffe and you will find a lot of information.

Weather should be warmish - ok for tshirts/shorts (it is cooler/cloudier in North Teneriffe than the toursistic south which is probably best avoided! Thereafter crossing the Atlantic Westwards in Oct/Nov it will get progressively warmer. Very pleasant.

It probably will be a full ship. I have heard there will be 200 passengers!

My agent called SC the other day to see about upgrading my cabin, and he was told that all but one cabin are booked! Does anybody know how many seats there are in the dining room?

Aloha,

John

Hello John,

there are at least 227 seats available plus some extra for the officers. The captain and some officers usually have dinner in the dining room. When there are that many passengers they will use the spare room. If you have a brochure you can find it on the left side on the deck plans for the Royal. Should not be a problem, and since the atrium is there, the noise level should be acceptable as well. This is not the case on the Flyer and the Clipper, no matter how many people are in the dining room, the noise level is always very high. The only problem I can see is the breakfast set up. It will be crowded. But since it is the TA I hope some of the passengers sleep in and will not show up at eight :). Have you found out more about Mt. Teide? If you do want company, I would not mind going there myself. Let me know. Have a nice day. Pralientje

My Cruise documents arrived this weekend! Only 3 weeks till I fly to Lisbon!

I'll proablbly play it "safe" in Casablanca and take the ship's tour. (of Casablanca)

Based on what I was reading on the shore excursions it looks like the ship will not be stopping in Essaouira (as shown in the brochure) The one shorex in Safi is to Essaouira and it lists a "3 hours drive each way!"

That's OK with me; I was planning on walking around the Pottery Quarter in Safi any way.

I'm going to hold off on making a decision on going to Mt. Teide until I see what the weather will be like. It looks like Cicar has good rental rates for cars; and they have a office at the cruise port.

Aloha,

John

Hi John,

If you haven't already, read the October 2010 Royal Clipper TransAtlantic review. It might give you a few ideas.

I just got back from the crossing; it was GREAT! It started out slowly though; A large number of the 190+ passengers were already waiting in line when I got there. At 4pm, they started check in with 2 lines. It was slow going because they were using a brand new coif mputer system for check in (as well as all the other hotel functions - there were several contractors working on the system until Tenerife.)

Once on board, and underway, things got much better. We had a number of days where we were able to sail without using the engine at all, as well as more where the sails were making a useful contribution along with the engine.

I never did find out who pralientje was. I'm sure we met, but I never though to ask any one if they read cruise critic!

Aloha,

John

John,

If you have been watching the Olympics then you should remember the Pink team. The best Olympic team there was! Five ladies and one guy winning every game and the total competition, even beating the Black team, five guys and one lady! I was the team leader and if you are the John I was sitting at the table with during Captain's dinner, then you know who I am (the only Dutch woman on the ship) :) Glad you enjoyed the trip as well, took some time to get the nice weather and therefore a sunburn, and am now back at home, with grey skies all over. Brrrrrrr. Never thought about asking as well.

John,

If you have been watching the Olympics then you should remember the Pink team. The best Olympic team there was

*I* think that the blue team was best! Not because we came in last, but because I was on it.. <grin> (I knew we were in trouble the very first day of the games... I got drug along the deck on the tug-of-war, and we never did get the staysail all the way up!

Yes, I was that John; It was very nice meeting you; your English was very good!

Aloha,

John