We have sailed a number of lines including Princess,Disney,Norwegian, Costa,Silversea and Celebrity which is the one we sailed most of the time. We were looking forward to this trip as it was a true sailing ship.We brought my son and nephew with us both in their 20's. Our cruise was to Croatia with stops in Montenegro and Slovenia. The ship is beautiful and our cabin while small was adequate. We did 2 excursions through the ship and our favorite was in Piren where we had lunch at a small family winery. There were only 8 of us and the excursion was wonderful. Due to the weather we did not have much sailing which was a disappointment but not anything star clipper could change. I thought they could improve on somethings. I knew that this was not a ship with many activities and was prepared for that but really there was nothing outside of the ports we visited. I think if they had a trivia once a day at the bar would have helped. The muster drill was awful. Two days, the first day was not bad but the second day of the mandatory drill of over an hour was just to long. The food was pretty good. I would not say it was better than Celebrity cruises and some nights were better than others. Would I travel on a star clipper again? Only if I really liked the ports of call and since this ship can make some smaller ports I would consider another cruise in the future. Service: Excellent from our cabin steward who had our room made up by the time we returned from breakfast, to the matrie at the restaurant who always found seats for 4 of us when arriving at anytime to a great bar staff.This was an excellent team who worked very hard.I do wish the cruise director did some on board activities; I felt she was lacking in this area Read Less

First of all - the trip was on 5/5/18 French Riviera - Portofino & Monaco Timing & destinations were reason for the choice. Also size - though we prefer small yachts - this was a whole different adventure & great! We did not plan on doing any of the excursions and researched adventure type days for ourselves.The ship itself, as the size of room and patio were awesome. The ports were awesome, as were the crew and events. Here are the downsides -- for your future reference The beds were uncomfortable & comparable to the mattress at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the grand canyon. The pillows were lumpy and the shades did not provide protection from light coming in. Additionally - anchor was pulled every night between midnight & 1am -- and it was impossible to think about sleeping thru that. Therefore, my sleep experience was awful - I slept between 3 & 5 hours every night. Paying close to $8k for our cruise - I would have expected at least comfortable sleep arrangements & they were not. On a plus side of the room - the cabin steward was great - the room was huge - the bath had a jacuzzi, medicine cabinet and was large -- plenty of storage everywhere. The choice of ports was phenomenal. Changes I'd recommend for the ship - new mattresses and shades for the rooms. Since all of our sails were short - they should be pulling anchor at 10:30 or 11PM latest - as everyone was on the ship & there was no reason not to. Or in the morning - as we didn't get into port until between 10-12PM most days -- so they could have easily been sensitive to sleep time. The dinners were mediocre - the desserts or veges were the highlight. Everywhere that we ate outside of the boat was excellent -- so they most definitely could have done a better job with their chef. The smaller yachts I've been on were sensitive to sleep and also the food was a 10. Plus the price was less. Harmony V (Greece) & Integrity (Galapagos) Read Less

For staters, their food was fantastic! the service was never slow. we always had something to do such as: sitting on the widows net, mass climbing, going to an island, go to the bar, listen to live music, and go to the marina. the overall ship was fantastic. my kids loved it as well. dining was also fantastic. the menu was never the same one day, but if you didn't like what was on the menu you could also choose something off another menu that you could eat any day. The activities on the ship was endless. I think the safety was great. at the beginning of the cruise they had a lesson on what to do and when to do it. the emergency exits were marked clearly on the inside of your cabin door. when we wanted to go on an island we had to show our cards and climb down a ladder. it was so much fun. i highly recommend this cruise. I would for sure go on this cruise again. Read Less

Second cruise on the Royal Clipper (first was 5 years ago) and, if anything, better than the first. A truly magnicent jewel of the sea! Embarkation at Bridgetown , following an overnight stay at the Sugar Cane Club, was efficient and speedy. No sooner had we received our key cards and a drink at the tropical bar than our luggage was at our cabin and we could prepare for the voyage. Lifeboat drill, an excellent dinner and we were on the upper deck for the sailaway. Just as I remembered from the first cruise and actually even better - the light show and Vangelis' wonderful music were spectacular. Back at the cabin, Conrad our cabin steward had turned down the bed and left chocolates, a nightly ritual - brilliant. Sea was quite choppy the first night, more than I recalled from our first cruise, but we slept well. Breakfast and lunch are buffet service, excellent choice of dishes and a chef preparing eggs to order at breakfast, roasts and salmon at lunch. Dinner was served at the table by a marvellous team of servers and there was a really good selection of reasonably priced wines. Drink prices overall were very good, better than other cruise lines and hotels ashore. Service every day was impeccable, every crew member had a smile and a greeting, a credit to Star Clippers. Anita, the hotel manager, is a real star. Shore excursions - didn't do many as we like to be independent, but the scenic railway on St Kitts was a must. Fabulous scenery, free drinks and a small choir providing plenty of atmosphere on the train. The beach BBQ in Antigua was another high point. Dominica was a little unnerving, the Clipper was the first ship to anchor since the devastating hurricanes and there is much work to be done to restore the island to its former natural beauty. Entertainment and sports - again faultless. Steffi, the cruise director, certainly knows her job, always available for help and advice and made sure everyone had a great time. Entertainment was low key, a fashion show, talent night, music quiz. Alex provided the music and song, a real hard worker, as were all the crew. Guests and crew took part in the talent show and showed there is a lot of hidden talent out there. A steel band came on board in Antigua, the real sound of the Caribbean. A word about Captain Sergey, this man is a superb skipper and a true gentleman, his talks about his experiences at sea are not to be missed! All in all, a cruising experience to be highly recommended, we are booking for next year in the Meditteranean this week! Read Less

We spent three days in Barbados prior to boarding the Royal Clipper for our cruise around the Windward Islands. Our first ever cruise so we decided to do it in style. Some confusion initially on arrival at the port for embarking, a “man with a van” wanted to take our luggage to load onto his truck. We hadn’t been advised of this so there was some concern if it was legitimate as he wasn’t wearing any ID and no Star Clippers rep for about 10 minutes. But all was well in the end as they were taking the luggage to the boat so we didn’t need carry it on board. Bit of paperwork to complete before going over to the ship (could be sent to passengers in advance to complete?) but considering the number of passengers and the confined space in the terminal it went quite smoothly. First impression of the ship was WOW!! Shown to our cabin and had been anticipating cramped quarters but was pleasantly surprised and not as cramped as we thought considering the size of the ship. Enough storage in the cabin, bathroom adequate with plenty of toiletries provided and kept topped up throughout the cruise. The ship definitely has the WOW factor, mixing the old classic cruise liner decor with the requirements of modern living. Public areas were kept immaculately throughout the cruise and it was great to see ongoing daily maintenance which helps keep the ship looking fresh for her age rather than old and tired. When the ship is decked out in all her sails, she is a sight to behold - which on this cruise was over 50% of the time. On a balmy night departing Barbados at the start of the cruise, the sails being set as Vangelis' Conquest of Paradise is played was a truly magical start to the cruise. The quality of service by everyone throughout the cruise was fantastic. A special mention does have to go to the waiters and the cabin stewards for whom no request was too much trouble. Cabin was always immaculate and always a cheerful welcome whenever we bumped into him. Waiters were attentive without being intrusive and always very friendly. Considering you are at sea and a captive audience was pleasantly surprised to find the bar prices were not extortionate. We went on a shore extension at each stop one was offered including reef riding in Antigua and river tubing in Dominica which were the two standout excursions of our trip. The organisation of the excursions was fine. Considering the devastation to Dominica caused by last years hurricane, which was evident everywhere you looked, the fact that the local supplier of the river tubing (Wacky Rollers) was able to organise such a fun excursion was nothing short of miraculous. If your entertainment requirements require big production numbers, then this isn’t the boat for you. The steel band that came on to perform for an hour in Antigua were however fantastic. With the sea and sails and the Caribbean as your backdrop, what other entertainment do you really need. The pleasure of climbing the rigging up to the first viewing platform was a great experience and one everyone should try. The facilities available for water sports at the beach stops and off the marine platform at the back of the boat were good. We had read some reviews with negative comments before we went and consequently had some reservations, which in our experience were completely unfounded. In summary a magical, memorable, marvellous cruise onboard a beautiful, graceful queen of the sea. Read Less

Recommended by family contact who works in the travel industry . We hate the idea of those monster cruise ships and the Royal Clipper with around 200 passengers was the biggest we had ever been on . It suited us very well although we are not fanatical sea and sand people and there were plenty of beach stops . We had no difficulty finding compatible fellow passengers , mostly Americans who don't like Trump ! The ship is something unique ; for the less ambulant there are a lot of stairs which can cause problems when there is a lot of 'rock and roll ' .The ship has a pleasant lounge , a library , a so -called tropical bar which is the main gathering place , a spa and gym , massages and Turkish bath on offer , and a capacious dining room ,( a bit cramped ; some tables were difficult to access . The food was excellent ; quality rather than quantity was the name of the game and the head chef , from the Philippines , did us proud . The quality was excellent , sourced in USA apparently , Three meals a day were supplemented by snacks at 5 pm and just before midnight . Coffee , tea and fruit were available all day ; wine was not part of the deal but was reasonably priced .Entertainment was a bit homespun ; the talent evening was mostly provided by the crew , plenty of water sport on offer for those who wanted it . The ship has 3 young people on board whose job it is to provide this . You can even climb the rigging up to the crows nest if you fancy it , and learn how to tie nautical knots , visit the bridge and the engine room if you like . The crew are lovely , officers and other ranks alike . Maybe it all starts with the charming captain , a Russian from Estonia , who learnt his skill with tall ships in the Soviet navy . Service is excellent and always with a smile . Our ship could access smaller ports than the monster liners and the few excursions we did were all very enjoyable , in particular the train trip round St Kitts . A voyage to remember ! Read Less

We heard from other people how nice it was and we dislike the idea of cruises with thousands on one ship. We wanted something more intimate and that is what we got. Most things were great. The only thing we need to mention is that our shower was never hot. Just lukewarm. We slept well every night and woke refreshed. The meals were great. So much variety. The crew was always helpful and courteous. We went up the mast and on the hammock. That was so much fun! The excursions were very interesting and informative. We got a true picture of life on all the islands we went to because we asked the local people so many questions. The weather was interesting as well. Rain almost every day, but it did not last for very long. Beautiful weather, beautiful scenery and we met some interesting people on the cruise. Thank you Scolopamine!!!! We highly recommend this cruise. Read Less

We chose this cruise because we were kind of "burnt out" on the big ship cruises. The idea of sailing - really sailing - as well as a smaller group of passengers (175) was really appealing to us. The food was fantastic. The crew members were attentive without being smothering and the service was impeccable. I was amazed that the crew knew us by face/name by the second day. We were not constantly hounded to purchase something which was our experience on the big ships. There was definitely more of a family feel to this trip. There are no elevators so this is not a ship for those with mobility issues. The public rooms are beautifully appointed and comfortable. It was so easy to lose track of time and really disconnect from the world. WiFi onboard is a bit spotty but that was OK with us. When we were in port, there was generally free WiFi available to send quick updates to families and friends. The evening meal is an opportunity to get together with new friends and also to be placed at a table with people you haven't met yet. There were several "singles" taking the cruise and because this is such a small group of passengers, they didn't seem to feel left out or lonely at all. Just about all of the tables are 6-8 seats so this makes for nice mixing of new people. If you need a casino or lots of shopping on board, this is not the cruise for you. The last day almost felt like the last day of a really fun summer camp, everyone exchanging emails with new friends, many people taking the same cruises each year and meeting up. This was without a doubt the most fun I've ever had on a vacation. We will be back! Read Less

We stayed for a week in Barbados before boarding, which we found to be better rather than rushing straight onto the boat. We stayed post cruise also. We arrived at the cruise port about an hour before 4.00pm (boarding time) and found the line for checking in. We were given a temporary card and then could board from 4.00pm. When we boarded we had to queue to get our proper cards and do the financials etc. Our bags came within an hour. Before we sailed we had to go the safety briefing with our life jackets. This was repeated the next day in the morning (without life jackets). The boat is very interesting - great if you love sailing. If you get sea sick then it won't be for you! it moves all the time so everyone is staggering around constantly but that's part of the charm. You also move in bed a lot! when going up and down decks the stairways are narrow with sprung doors at the end - it's quite amusing watching people being eaten by the doors (especially when they've had a drink or two...). It's not a luxury cruise - it is a replica of a sailing ship and is just that with some nice touches. Cabins aren't big like you get on a normal cruise ship but adequate for 2. We were able to stow our bags under the bed and were able to put all our clothes away. The bathroom had a good shower, with toiletries but no hair conditioner (not sure why!) It was kept immaculate by our steward Sonny. Dining is communal so you always sit on a table with other people. We met some interesting people. Breakfast and lunch are buffet style. There are sandwiches and snacks (sort of afternoon tea) at 5.00pm daily. Dinner starts at 7.30pm. There was a good menu choice about 6 courses (if you wanted). there are standard choices of a pasta dish or steak if you don't want any of the daily main courses. There are no 'formal' nights as its not that type of cruise. you could wear anything except shorts in the evening. Entertainment is a bit ad hoc, but fun. We had a crew and passenger talent show, passenger fashion show (modelling clothes from the shop), a music quiz night. Otherwise there was someone playing and singing on the piano or playing music to dance to. We didn't use the gym (neither did anyone else when we went down there). Didn't use the spa either. shore excursions are a bit expensive -we just sorted ourselves out when we got ashore. You can get snorkelling equipment on the second day which you keep for the duration of the cruise. They have the marina platform with paddle boards, kayaks etc and these were taken ashore a couple of times when we had 'beach days'. Drinks are fairly cheap (in comparison to normal cruise liners) and you don't get a 'service' charge added on. A cocktail was about 5 euros, beer about 4. The staff on the ship are the best - they are a small team so you get to know them and they you. It's all very informal and they seem to enjoy working on the boat. There are plenty of sun loungers for everyone (they were never full anyway) as you don't have any 'sea days'. You stop somewhere every day (sometimes 2 places a day - which can be a bit of a rush). Our best day was in Tobago Cays as this was our beach bbq. They took everything off the ship and took it to the beach (bar as well!). Getting on and off the ship was nearly all by tender bar one place. Fellow guests tended to be on the more mature side but there were some younger people but no kids. Passengers were mainly from the UK, USA and Germany. My one gripe was that the tv channels were all in French (don' t know why as there were hardly any French people on the ship!). I like to have the tv on when getting ready etc, so it got a bit annoying after a while. But hey - if that's my only gripe then it's not too bad! they raise the sails every time you depart somewhere so they are up and down all the time and they play the Vangelis music so it's quite stirring! They have you helping with the ropes on the odd occasion. You can go up the mast - they did that about 4 times (weather permitting of course). we didn't go in the plunge pools - the water seemed very cold when I stuck my hand in and I didn't really see anyone in them. The sea was warmer! In comparison, we have sailed on the Wind Surf which is more luxurious as it's modern, however it is like comparing apples and oranges.... You are going on a sailing ship not a luxury yacht so you are going for the experience. If you are happy staggering around like you are drunk for a week (which is quite funny as everyone does it) then it's the cruise for you! Would we go again - of course! Am off to book it now..... Read Less

My second Clipper cruise...first was Star Clipper and that was so unique and amazing that I wanted to spend Christmas on the Royal Clipper out of Barbados and tour the Grenadine islands. As I was alone I booked a smaller stateroom and while they do sell it for two I found it perfect for one ... well designed with wood paneling, great bed, lots of mirrors and quite a large bathroom...all marble. I was very forward so I did hear the anchor but I didn't care much. There is a lot of stairs going up and then down a bit and up some more but you get used to it. The grand dinning room, at the lowest deck was a touch of Paris with an Atrium up to the top deck and the sky light is actually the bottom of the pool. A white grand piano sits like Juliet on a special balcony so it can be heard at all levels and he had another on deck for the after noon buffet. There is a piano bar, a shop, a library, top deck bar and plenty of sun beds....no need to HOG and reserve them. The tenders to shore are great and the back of the Royal drops down to the ocean like a draw bridge and you can swim off it and they have lots of fun water toys. They feed you four times a day and I mean really feed you. Great buffet breakfast with Egg station...Buffet Lunch...both in main dinning room and then the on deck Buffet they set up everyday on deck at 5 p.m. The bars are great on deck and inside the Piano Bar. The Christmas decor was wonderful with trees and garlands...music and ginger bread houses and Yule logs....l ate so much I felt like ballast. There are a lot of shore excursions to choose from but I felt those on excursions were always at the foreground...we would stop at, not very nice ports so they could board a bus while we had nothing to see in port....I didn't like the split days...a stop in the morning and then move to someplace else in the after noon. Too rushed....some stops you could do without (except to board a bus) others Like Martinique we had too little time and had to rush to see anything. One fabulous beach day they dragged everything from the ship and had a huge BBQ on shore while we swam and sunned...all delicious...they even bring the desert. Each time we leave port and they start raising the sail they play the most magnificent music...classical with a Male choir ... WOW...it is so moving and makes you feel like a Viking off to war...I wanted to throw a spear at somebody. The mail pool of three where bar patrons can see you through under water windows was very nice. We could even climb the mast for the most amazing photo Op. Then there are nets at the front figure head you can just lay there like a fish in a net with the water rushing below. Now for the best feature....THE CREW...I have never seen such a hard working group and always pleasant, smiling and helpful, and remember everything has to be lugged up and down countless flights of stairs...from the kitchen which is somewhere underwater and all the way to the top deck...up and down...My room attendant was fabulous and I felt very pampered...everything perfect always. As the tips are based on Per Person they get a bit cheated when there was so many solo travelers it literally cuts they tips in half...so as I was alone I doubled my tip (not much ) and ensured he would earn the same as if it were two. The sing songs, the talent show, the Christmas Carols, the Steel Band who came aboard for a couple of hours...the Campaign party...the Lobster, the Turkey, and all the specialties to eat...you can't go wrong and as I said....This is NOT Disney Land at sea. This is a fabulous, luxurious, unique cruise under sail and you need this in your memory for every. Thanks to all on the Royal. Read Less