All of 2006 is now open for booking - should we go?

Since the Star Clipper web site only shows cruises through 4/06, we called the cruise line yesterday to ask when the rest of 2006 would be available. We were told that all of 2006 is now available for booking, and that the web site would be updated and new cruise brochures sent out in about two weeks.

For the cruise in which we're interested - 11/12/06 Barbados "windward islands" on the Royal Clipper-the cost for category 4 is $1,695 (full price of $2,095 minus a $400 early booking discount). Airfare is not yet set. This compares favorably with good cabins on the big cruise lines, and the itinerary is great. This would be our first southern Caribbean cruise. The reviews are great, but they also raise concerns:

a) Last year (11/04) on the Wind Surf in the Med. we hit strong winds on two days. Joan got very seasick, Joe somewhat seasick. Will we be able to handle a true sailing ship with no stabilizers, especially in category 4, which is far forward.

b) Joan has iffy knees: will she be able to handle a ship with staircases (are they steep?) and no elevators, especially if our stateroom is on a lower deck. In 11/2006 Joe will be 62, Joan 60.

c) Joe is sun sensitive (a redhead). Does the upper deck have adequate shade for a redhead, or will he have to avoid the very openness that seems to be the most desirable part of sailing on this beautiful ship?

Your thoughts would be appreciated. We like small ships but big cabins. The Royal Clipper seems to be the only affordable ship sailing in the Caribbean in early-to-mid November, 2006 that will meet our needs - if we can get past the three concerns raised above.

Since the Star Clipper web site only shows cruises through 4/06, we called the cruise line yesterday to ask when the rest of 2006 would be available. We were told that all of 2006 is now available for booking, and that the web site would be updated and new cruise brochures sent out in about two weeks.

 

For the cruise in which we're interested - 11/12/06 Barbados "windward islands" on the Royal Clipper-the cost for category 4 is $1,695 (full price of $2,095 minus a $400 early booking discount). Airfare is not yet set. This compares favorably with good cabins on the big cruise lines, and the itinerary is great. This would be our first southern Caribbean cruise. The reviews are great, but they also raise concerns:

 

a) Last year (11/04) on the Wind Surf in the Med. we hit strong winds on two days. Joan got very seasick, Joe somewhat seasick. Will we be able to handle a true sailing ship with no stabilizers, especially in category 4, which is far forward.

 

b) Joan has iffy knees: will she be able to handle a ship with staircases (are they steep?) and no elevators, especially if our stateroom is on a lower deck. In 11/2006 Joe will be 62, Joan 60.

 

c) Joe is sun sensitive (a redhead). Does the upper deck have adequate shade for a redhead, or will he have to avoid the very openness that seems to be the most desirable part of sailing on this beautiful ship?

 

Your thoughts would be appreciated. We like small ships but big cabins. The Royal Clipper seems to be the only affordable ship sailing in the Caribbean in early-to-mid November, 2006 that will meet our needs - if we can get past the three concerns raised above.

We sailed on the Star Clipper Dec. 2004, the Leeward and Treasure islands for two weeks.

We are doing the Transatlantic Rome to Barbados aboard the Royal Clipper in Oct. this year.

so what I can comment on is experience on the smaller Star Clipper

I am sun sensitive and had no problems. the tropical bar area on Main deck is covered, as well as parts of the sun deck, I have seen the Royal Clipper up close, we sailed side by side last year for a time.

I used lots of sun block

I believe the Royal is a little more stable in rough seas than the Star,

we did have two nights of rough seas, not too bad, but some people did feel

seasick. the patch does work we are told. we never had problems

the lower deck, we were on Commodore on the Star, midship, that's the place to be, more stable.

I would take RX patch just to be sure.

we thought the lower deck was better location for cabin than the Clipper deck, and the bonus is the price is less!

we are booked in Cat. 4 this time on the Royal

the stairs, I don't know for sure on the Royal, but on the Star the steps are steeper than we are use to, and the threshholds are about 12 inches, so you do have to lift up your feet. we liked the stairs, good exercise to work off all the great meals

we are in our late 50's, most of the other passengers on our trip were older, and one couple were 80 years young, they just took it easy on the stairs

hope this will help you

we can hardly wait to sail on the Royal Clipper

Hi, just a little information. I have been for more than 20 weeks on board the Star Clipper's ships. Firstly you should always believe that this are true sailing ships. That means they are working in the seas a bit more than these big (and ugly) things. But they are also safer in rough seas because they have a long keel with a good draft and the sails are working as stabilizers. I personally prefer sailing ships in rough weather. Normally inside the West Indies the seas are moderate and the trade winds are stable from the north-east, so you will have a great sailing experience which will be unforgetable. From and to Barbadod it could be a bit rough but seafaring people call that even moderate. Royal Clipper moves a bit more in the seas than Star Clipper. The reason ist the sail plan and the hull. If you get seasick, take a cabin in the middle of the ship close to the waterline. There you will have less moving. When seasick always go out on open decks and watch the horizon. It works. The staircases are a bit steep but not too. But think about the gangways and wet landings. RC sails to the nicest spot in the Caribbean. But these spot normally do not have a pier. The tenders of RC have a front ramp and they bring you mostly dry to the beach. On SC you have to use a ladder. The sun is a problem? That you will have in the whole Caribbean. Take a strong sunblocker. The open decks do not have too much shady places. Finally, you will have a great experience on these ships if you like sailing, the sea and a familiar athmosphere. If you prefer Las Vegas style entertainment you should take another choice.

Fair winds!:)

Thanks, both posters. Based on your postings, particularly that of Clipperskipper, we've decided the following:

1) We'd probably love the Royal Clipper, and are likely to book it in the future if item # 2 works out OK.

2) This will be our first real Caribbean cruise. We've never had an island vacation. We did take a Panama Canal-Central America cruise on the Celebrity Horizon and loved it, but found the weather unbearably hot. Joe could hardly breathe in Cozumel. If we like the Caribbean on a larger ship, we'll try the Royal Clipper. If, on the other hand, Joe can't take the heat and the sun (a real possibility), we'll at least have the big ship to bump around in, and we'll know enough to avoid sunny, hot places in the future.

Fair winds! Let's hope we love the Caribbean, so that we can try the Royal Clipper in 2007.

The Royal Clipper is a wonderful ship. We enjoyed the sailing in April and thinking about booking again next year. We have cruised the larger ships and out new love is the Star Clipper ships

We'll let ya know. We are going the December 11th,05, Windward. Couldn't pass up the free air fare offer that came, I think, in April.

I've been on four times on the Star Clipper and Star Flyer in the Caribbean and Thailand, and am thinking about doing the transatlantic on the Royal this coming spring but am concerned about the weather at that time of the year. I normally don't mind some motion but suspect that the Atlantic at that time of the year - April - could be rough. Does anyone have any experience?