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Roll calls for Star Clippers?


TDMB

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Hi all,

 

I just set up a roll call in the main area (Venice on RC - 4th Sept) but Jobake said I might be better posting here. Not sure if Star Clippers travellers use the roll call forum!

 

Anyway, it's our first Star Clippers trip (cruise? voyage? sailing? adventure? - not sure of the right word!) after many 'normal' cruises and we're ridiculously excited. We're in cabin 130 so any info about that would be much appreciated - and about the ship in general, for 'newbies'.

 

This might seem like a daft question - but will we have some form of plug socket in our cabin where we can charge camera batteries etc?

 

Thanks :)

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It was our experience that most Star Clipper passengers come from European countries and they rarely frequent or post on Cruise Critic. I also found that US and Canadian passengers sailing on Star Clippers ships occasionally post here but not as often as those that fequent the big ships.

 

Don't expect too much in the way of a roll call.

 

Royal Clipper has a few plug sockets in each cabin. RC is also 220 volt and has European sockets.

 

Enjoy!

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Your cabin is adjacent to the dining room - quite convenient! The "buzz" from the dining room usually subsides by about 10.00 p.m. so you should find your cabin quiet. I have it in my mind that when the RC was built it came in above spec. for noise (i.e. it is quieter than expected). Also you are amidships and fairly low down and that is the area of a ship where there is least movement.

 

Boarding normally commences at 4.00 p.m. Suggest, if your travel arrangements permit, that you arrive at about 3.30 p.m., have a chat with other early arrivers, and be one of the first ones to board. Upon boarding you will be given a complimentary drink - gives the crew time to get your bags to your cabin. Suggest that, at around that time, you have a look around and, in particular, make your way to the open area of the bridge (one deck up from the Tropical Bar and Lounge area) (see below).

 

Lifeboat drill may be at 6.00 p.m.

 

Dinner is usually at 7.30 p.m. On your first night suggest you go in to dinner about then so that you can be out by, say, 9.45 p.m. for sailaway which is usually at 10.00 p.m. Go up to the area by the open part of the bridge and position yourselves on the port side. The ship will probably motor out of Venice (because of the winding channel) and it goes past St Marks Square. Look out towards St Marks Square. You may see lots - hundreds perhaps - of pin pricks of light - they will be the flashlights on the cameras of the tourists along the waterfront in the St Marks Square area. You (by which I mean the Royal Clipper and all those on board) are the stars being photographed. As I think I have just demonstrated - unforgettable! Also at Sailaway they play Vangelis 1492 The Conquest of Paradise - also known as Columbus. If you cry you will not be the first to do so nor, I suspect, the last!!

 

Thought for when you go in to dinner on the first night. The Maitre D normally positions himself at the foot of the stairway where it enters the dining room across the other side from where your cabin is. If you go over to him he will, if you wish, help to get you seated (free dining).

 

Some time ago another person posting on this site made the suggestion that when the RC is arriving in Venice it is quite breathtaking to be up on deck at sunrise to see the sun coming up over Venice!

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Just wanted to pop in and welcome you to tall-ship sailing! We've not sailed on the Royal Clipper, but we've sailed on Star Clipper twice...and will sail on Star Flyer over Thanksgiving.

 

We found the ship to be beautiful and so clean, the cabins comfortable and well-appointed, the food excellent, and the passengers to be a lot of fun. Great crew, too. On our two previous sailings, passengers were from European countries, Australia, Canada and US. We had a crew/passenger talent night on each of Star Clipper sailings, and that was just such a blast!

Great combo of culture/music/dance/comedy.

 

I, too, wish we could get roll calls going. Jobake has tagged it, I'm sure, noting the number of European passengers.

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Thank you all, this is all brilliant information - much appreciated. I was a bit surprised to see that it doesn't sail until 10pm - I'm used to cruise ships where you can get on board at 11am and depart around 6pm! Does anyone know why they go so much later? I take it there is no point arriving much before 3.30pm in the hope of getting on earlier?

 

Does anyone know where it goes from? I'm guessing San Basilico rather than the main cruise port as that's where the smaller ships (like Azamara) tend to dock in Venice.

 

I've just checked the sunset time for 4th Sept and see it's 7.43pm which is a bit of a shame as it will be dark when we depart - though I always tell people that you have to do everything in Venice twice, once in the light and once in the dark (as it looks totally different) so guess I'll just be going with my own recommendation!

 

I've sailed out of there twice on cruise ships (Voyager of the Seas and Azamara Quest) in the daytime and was stunning. Bit of a shame to have no sails, but I can see why that might be given the unusual departure point. We'll have to make the most of the other two sail-aways! And yes, coming back in through Venice in the early morning is amazing and we'll definitely get up for that :)

 

Thanks for the cabin info. I chose it for position (midships and low) to avoid movement and was hoping the dining room wouldn't be too noisy so that's all good to know.

 

Has anyone done the climb to the crow's nest? I'm definitely planning on giving that a try :)

 

Thanks again!

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The departure time is "usually" 10.00 p.m. but I suggest you keep an eye on that just in case yours is earlier. I have only known 4.00 p.m. as the boarding time as the crew have to work hard to get the ship ready for you by that time (including scrubbing the decks!). I think, maybe wrongly, that when we departed from Venice on the RC we went from the main cruise port area - again, keep an eye on that.

 

As for the Crow's Nest I have always left that to the "next time" but I have now more or less decided that the next time is January when we are booked for the Grenadines itinerary - our 10th holiday on the Royal Clipper. (We have new friends and quite a few stories to tell).

 

You can also lay down in the net under the bowsprit. Have a look at the figurehead (which you can also do from ashore). The model for that (public knowledge) was the owner's daughter - actually a slim lady! On each side of the bow is a small balcony - you can just about get two people to sit in each one - sailing along with just the sea below you. You can also visit the enclosed part of the Bridge (except when there is a Pilot on board) - it is polite to ask permission to enter at the doorway. Holidays on the Clippers are relaxed - go with the flow.

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I was looking through some of our photos yesterday for reasons unconnected with the Clippers but was reminded of a "photo opportunity" aboard the RC.

 

When the ship is at sea the RC navigation and the steering is done from the enclosed part of the bridge - with sophisticated equipment. On the open part of the bridge is the steering wheel (there is one at the stern too - but ignore that for this message). When the ship is in confined waters, including entering and departing from the ports of call, it is steered manually via the wheel on the open part of the bridge by a member of the crew under instruction from the Captain and/or duty officer.

 

Back to being at sea now. Suggest get your camera out and ask your travelling partner or another passenger to take a photo of you. To do that, you should stand up to the steering wheel, with your hands placed on it, and get your photo taken. You are steering the ship (well - you are not really - but what a pose!!!!). Remember those stories I mentioned? On one trip we were on, on the Star Clipper in the Med., there was one child on board, aged about 14, who I will call J. (name remembered). One day at sea the steering was switched over to manual at the steering wheel and J. was steering the ship under sail from there and making a good job of it - with the proper member of crew standing at his shoulder. Wonderful.

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I was looking through some of our photos yesterday for reasons unconnected with the Clippers but was reminded of a "photo opportunity" aboard the RC.

 

When the ship is at sea the RC navigation and the steering is done from the enclosed part of the bridge - with sophisticated equipment. On the open part of the bridge is the steering wheel (there is one at the stern too - but ignore that for this message). When the ship is in confined waters, including entering and departing from the ports of call, it is steered manually via the wheel on the open part of the bridge by a member of the crew under instruction from the Captain and/or duty officer.

 

Back to being at sea now. Suggest get your camera out and ask your travelling partner or another passenger to take a photo of you. To do that, you should stand up to the steering wheel, with your hands placed on it, and get your photo taken. You are steering the ship (well - you are not really - but what a pose!!!!). Remember those stories I mentioned? On one trip we were on, on the Star Clipper in the Med., there was one child on board, aged about 14, who I will call J. (name remembered). One day at sea the steering was switched over to manual at the steering wheel and J. was steering the ship under sail from there and making a good job of it - with the proper member of crew standing at his shoulder. Wonderful.

 

Definitely a good photo opportunity, thanks! I did a similar thing years ago when I was on a Turkish Gulet, but this would certainly be more impressive :)

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Hi Jobake,

Just wondered if royal clipper do a pre bookable drinks package and if water is supplied as standard.

Also, just wondered if you have been to Barbados before, and can recommend any tours?

Thanks

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I am not aware of a pre - ordered "drinks package". During the day / evening drinks / cocktails are available at the Tropical Bar (the main bar) and there is a smaller bar on the sun deck (the next deck up from the Tropical Bar). At lunch and dinner there is in the restaurant a waiter drinks service. There is a good wine list and all drinks are reasonably priced - also the "house" red and white wines are, for our taste, nice wines. A 12 1/2% service charge is added to drinks bills.

 

"Tap" water is freely available - waiter served at dinner. Also there is a free chilled tap water "fountain" with "paper cups". If you face the Tropical Bar it is to the right hand side. No doubt you can also buy bottled water if that is your wish.

 

We have had several holidays in Barbados and will be having a pre and post cruise stay there in January. If you are staying in Barbados pre or post your cruise (if you go on the Royal Clipper, which I hope you will) then I suggest you hire a car for a day or two. You will need your driving licence with you. Easy driving - left hand side as here in the UK. The "wild" Atlantic east coast is worth a visit (you should NOT swim there) and there are several other tourist spots worth a visit - churches, plantation houses etc. You can pick up the usual flyers in hotels etc. There are also organised tours.

 

If you are flying home on the day of disembarkation from the Royal Clipper it usually arranges a tour of (part of) Barbados, including lunch, finishing at the airport in good time for you to catch your late afternoon / early evening overnight flight home. We have done that several times and think it is a good way of having a look at some of the attractions and it works well. Typically such a tour would depart from the ship / port at about 8.30 a.m.

 

We were down in Devon in May - missed you by about three months!!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Kim and I will be on the BNTT Grand Tour II on the Royal Clipper June 27 – July 11, 2015

 

I know it's nearly 2 years off but given how quickly they fill these charters we have little choice but to commit early. At least we have a lot of time to plan the pre cruise time, most likely drive from Rome to Venice over the two weeks prior to sailing.

 

Gotta say the more photos I see of this thing the more I can't wait to get on board and get going!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.

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Kim and I will be on the BNTT Grand Tour II on the Royal Clipper June 27 – July 11, 2015

 

I know it's nearly 2 years off but given how quickly they fill these charters we have little choice but to commit early. At least we have a lot of time to plan the pre cruise time, most likely drive from Rome to Venice over the two weeks prior to sailing.

 

Gotta say the more photos I see of this thing the more I can't wait to get on board and get going!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.

 

Never a bad thing to plan ahead :) We booked Oasis of the Seas out of Barcelona for Sept 2014 as soon as it became available! We'll be doing our first Royal Clipper trip in 2 weeks and 2 days - can't wait . . .

 

Driving through Italy def a good plan, there is so much to see!

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We've also started to look at what we do prior to the cruise and we're thinking two weeks to get from Rome to Venice.

 

So looking at maps and things I see that there is a road........

 

Have a look on google maps for Stelvio Pass in Italy and turn on photos.

 

Best description of the road I heard was: "If you get a corner wrong you won't just go over but you'll have time to call the insurance company before you hit the bottom." How can I resist this!

 

Now what to hire for the drive?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.

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We were on the Star Clipper in July (Venice-Athens) and recall that we left Venice just before sunset so we were able to enjoy the evening "cruise" out. The Star Clipper didn't have a drink package but we did "pre-order" several bottles of wine which they delivered to our room. I'm not sure there was any advantage to doing that other than we paid in $US. Drinks on the ship were reasonable.

 

The Star Clipper sailed out of San Basilio Pier. We walked to the pier a little early to check it out (our hotel was just a block from there) and then went to a nearby restaurant for some wine until the 4:00 pm check-in. That all went smoothly.

 

Have a great sail!

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We've also started to look at what we do prior to the cruise and we're thinking two weeks to get from Rome to Venice.

 

So looking at maps and things I see that there is a road........

 

Have a look on google maps for Stelvio Pass in Italy and turn on photos.

 

Best description of the road I heard was: "If you get a corner wrong you won't just go over but you'll have time to call the insurance company before you hit the bottom." How can I resist this!

 

Now what to hire for the drive?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk.

 

That's certainly plenty of time to get from one to the other! It's only about a 5 hour drive, so you could pretty much do the whole of Italy in two weeks :) Def worth spending time in Tuscany (Lucca is lovely and much less touristy than Pisa etc.) Florence is a nightmare for parking so best to avoid driving into the centre - I think they have 'park and ride' type arrangements? Sorrento and the Amalfi coast also amazing - and a hop to Capri on the ferry should definitely be factored in if at all possible! Whatever you do, you will have a fab time :cool:

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We were on the Star Clipper in July (Venice-Athens) and recall that we left Venice just before sunset so we were able to enjoy the evening "cruise" out. The Star Clipper didn't have a drink package but we did "pre-order" several bottles of wine which they delivered to our room. I'm not sure there was any advantage to doing that other than we paid in $US. Drinks on the ship were reasonable.

 

The Star Clipper sailed out of San Basilio Pier. We walked to the pier a little early to check it out (our hotel was just a block from there) and then went to a nearby restaurant for some wine until the 4:00 pm check-in. That all went smoothly.

 

Have a great sail!

 

Thanks! This is useful info. In fact, we just got the paperwork today and it says we will depart at 7.30pm - so with sunset at 7.43pm that night, it will be perfect :) It also confirms San Basilio, which is handy as I've departed from there before on Azamara, and it's easy to get to on the Vaporetto - though the monorail to the main port is not exactly difficult either! Good to hear drinks prices are reasonable - and will investigate the pre-ordering of wine ;)

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