Royal Clipper Questions

[SantaAna,CA]

Hi, I'm a newbie to Star Clippers and have booked a Caribbean cruise for 2011. I am in one of the forward cabins on the Commodore deck (least expensive outside). Another thread spoke about engine noise and/or heat of these cabins, so I was concerned. How is the ship movement in the Caribbean?

 

I have, in the past, sailed all inclusive lines like Seabourn and Silversea. I'm enchanted by the looks of these beautiful sailing ships and I'm looking forward to the experience, but of course not everything is included so I had some questions.

 

Can someone please fill me in with regarding to tipping, excursion costs (I'm a diver and want to do lots of scuba, which I'm happy to learn they have as excursions), beverage policy? I'm not much of a drinker, I usually just like bottled water.

 

Any information for a solo lady traveler (the cruise will be a birthday gift to myself for my 60th birthday next year!) would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

Jane

[Neuhoftraveler]

I can't answer all your questions, as I've sailed the Royal Clipper only in Europe, but as no one else has responded, here's what I can tell you:

 

Tipping: Not pay-as-you-go. The company "recommends" a fixed amount per day that covers both cabin stewards and dining room staff. This can be added to your final shipboard bill, rendered the day before debarkation, or paid in cash at that time (in a marked envelope, not anonymously, although I suppose one could just put the money in a plain envelope). As we don't drink at the bar, I'm not sure whether bar service is included in the gratuities pool.

 

Beverage policy: All alcohol is charged to your shipboard account. Bottled water was (April 2010) supplied in the deluxe cabins without charge; I'm not sure about the lower-priced cabins. But on an earlier cruise (2008) I thought I saw passengers boarding with their own six-packs of 1.5-liter water bottles. The wine list in the dining room was adequate though not inspired, and varied, with several mid-price ($22-$26) bottles, and of course basic wines by the glass.

 

Excursion costs: In Europe, the shore excursions were not cheap, but to the extent they involved chartered buses to outlying sights may not have been too badly overpriced -- it's hard to tell. (Our dissatisfactions were substantive, not cost-related.) If you call Star Clippers in Miami, they should be able so send you the excursion literature well before it's mailed to all passengers, maybe even now.

 

You'll love the ship.

[budaman]

Several of your questions were answered, but I'll try to fill in some gaps.

 

15% is added to your bar bill when you sign for it.

 

Never had an issue bringing beverages on board....just be discrete & take aboard in your carry-on.

 

Diving....They offered dives at each stop. One single tank in morning & one in the afternoon. Occasionally they will offer a night dive if demand warrants it. Cost was 45 Euros. Equipment was fair on the Royal and not a lot of sizes, so if you are really small or the opposite, you might have fit issues. The equipment on the Star Flyer when we went to Tahiti was much better...brand new Scuba Pro. We took our own that trip & used the Royal's on the Grenadine's trip...wish we would have taken our own.

 

Excursions....mostly in 45 - 100 euro range depending on what it was. If you go to the Ports of Call page on the SC website, you can look at a PDF of the excursions and I believe it includes current costs.

 

We're booked in January for my 60th on the Star Flyer to Costa Rica.

 

We enjoyed both types of Clippers, but I think the smaller ships are a little more intimate. Specs don't look that much different on paper, but the Royal is significantly larger in person.

 

Enjoy your trip.

 

Also, many pics & video of the trips in the Gallery link in signature.

 

Mike

[MSN-Travelers]

Hi, I'm a newbie to Star Clippers and have booked a Caribbean cruise for 2011. I am in one of the forward cabins on the Commodore deck (least expensive outside). Another thread spoke about engine noise and/or heat of these cabins, so I was concerned. How is the ship movement in the Caribbean?

 

I have, in the past, sailed all inclusive lines like Seabourn and Silversea. I'm enchanted by the looks of these beautiful sailing ships and I'm looking forward to the experience, but of course not everything is included so I had some questions.

 

Can someone please fill me in with regarding to tipping, excursion costs (I'm a diver and want to do lots of scuba, which I'm happy to learn they have as excursions), beverage policy? I'm not much of a drinker, I usually just like bottled water.

 

Any information for a solo lady traveler (the cruise will be a birthday gift to myself for my 60th birthday next year!) would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

Jane

 

It's been two years since our Windward Islands itinerary aboard Royal so some of this information may be dated.

 

This is not an all-inclusive cruise. Meals are included and little else.

 

All charges aboard will be in Euros. Bar service will include a 15% service charge. You will have an assigned cabin steward; however, seating for meals are not at assigned tables. You will likely have different waitstaff for every meal. This drives a "tip pool" system where the ship will suggest a daily amount, added to you ship-board account, that is split between the cabin steward & dining room staff.

 

The ship will have a number of nationalities. Europeans will likely outnumber US/Canadian passengers. The maître d' will get to know you very quickly and seat you with other english speaking passengers. We found that you can request being seated alone, with a group, with a specific waiter, whatever you want. The dinner meal is the only one served at a specific time with all others being "eat during a time range".

 

Can't tell you anything about the lower, forward cabins other than it will likely be fixed single beds vs. two singles convertable to a queen. Has to do with the shape of the hull forward. Engines are not forward so engine noise shouldn't be an issue.

 

Motion ... This is a true sailing vessel and doesn not have the fancy stabilizers that mega-cruise ship have. I will assume you itinerary starts/finishes on Barbados. Barbados is out in the Atlantic and the first/last day "can" be a little rough if the wind/wave patterns are stirred up. We had the bed side-boards up on the first night. Once in the islands it was pretty smooth sailing.

 

Excursion listings, with descriptions, are available on their web site. Excursions were a little pricey but the ship stops at locations well away from the normal cruise ship ports and you really don't have much of a choice.

 

A cruise aboard a Star Clippers ship is all about the ship. It is not about shopping opportunities ashore. Our only complaint is was that the cruise director didn't have any information available for each port. It was ship's excursion, beach or shore on your own. Having said this, their "water sports" team is outstanding. If you want to dive at every stop, you will get a chance to do it.

 

Enjoy!

[westcoastorca]

Hi There;

We did two weeks on the Royal Clipper in the winter, and now that my wife recently passed away, I am intending to book with Star Clipper for sure this winter. Just not quite sure when, but the two smaller ships for sure.

The staff on the ships were very helpful with single travelers. Shore excursions, are better if you can organize your own, if you have some others you can share a cab with. The organized ones tended to be too expensive and you had to sign up quite awhile in advance. But for single folks they are better. Yes as the others mentioned the add on liquor bills can be substantial but you can take your own on board for cabin consumtion.

Yes the divers on board were very happy with the marine crew services. Snorkeling (deep enough for me) outings were organized as well. Some island stops were long enough and some not. It is sort of half way between a foo-foo cruise ship's inward focus and a charter sail boat's total immersion with the islands. For more info contact me at pacifice@islandnet.com

 

cheers vincent