.We chose to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary on Star Flyer. The real let down was our cabin no.301 (300 would be the same). So small, only suitable for one person. Had to get out of bed at the bottom as bed fixed both sides. Bed was comfortable but difficult getting out as there was a metre drop to the floor. Quite dangerous at night! We feel this aspect really was not value for money as we paid nearly £5,000 not including flights for a small room cupboard. Did have a port hole but very small and high up on the wall. Better cabins are available but at a huge price hike. Enjoyed the food, varied and plentiful and the drink prices very reasonable, 3.50 euros for glass of wine/beer and 16 euros for bottle of wine. Cocktails around 5 euros. No problem with sunbeds, two very small splash pools which were fine with us but not so good if you you wanted to swim. The excursions were incredibly expensive for what was on offer and many people felt poor value for money. We did our own thing at each port which we preferred. Entertainment is patchy to say the least so if you want full on entertainment a Star Clipper would not be for you. Mr and Mrs contests, fitness programme in the morning etc. all very low key. Mainly tenders were used which surprised us and very dangerous for people with disabilities trying to get on as the ship was rocking plus the tender - pretty scary sometimes! Staff friendly and helpful but we would not do this again as we do not feel it was value for money. Read Less

All in all, this was a superb experience especially when the ship was at full sail. The food was excellent, the cabin small but adequate and very well-maintained, cabin and restaurant staff were very helpful and obliging. The bar menu was reasonably priced and hot drinks and water were always available. However, I need to make some comments which I hope will be addressed in the future: There was no map included in our pre-cruise information, nor was there one in our cabin. The only map, apart from atlases in the library, was the maritime one on the bar deck which was not easy to read. When asked for names of the islands we were passing, the senior deck crew -(apart from the captain who was always charming ) - were very dismissive and quite arrogant e.g. one response was "it is all sea to me"! Another simply said " I don`t know". The sports staff were very new and lacked charisma - the stretch class was exactly the same each day with instructions delivered in a very quiet monotone so that one had to keep looking to see what the exercise was as it was impossible to hear clearly. The cruise director was full of energy and enthusiasm but it seemed that she was having to find her own maps and information on each port - surely she should have been given a pack with all the necessary info sheets before the departure of the cruise. I only took one tour which was fine but I know that there were complaints about these tours. We thought that, as the ship was small, we would dock at most ports so were disappointed to find that tenders were used on all but one occasion whilst the enormous ships were in the dock without having to tender. As the ship was self-contained regarding fresh water production and waste treatment, it did not need to dock so saved a lot of charges from the port authorities but tendered. These comments are all easy to put right in order to enhance a wonderful experience. Read Less

We were in Athens a few days before we left, which helped us get acclimated both to the time zone and to the heat/humidity of Greece (and the Greek islands we would visit). Embarkation was not well organized in Piraeus, and we had little guidance as to what to expect, but once we were aboard ship all was well. Disembarkation in Venice was very smooth. I've been on a couple of standard cruises before (Disney, Royal Caribbean). What stood out most about this trip was the sense of actual *sailing*. This was not just getting a small hotel room on a floating luxury resort that ended up in a different place each morning. The feel of the ship, the ability to stand on the deck as sails were let out or taken in, listening to the music play as we left each port ... it all felt like we were actually sailing (which we were!), not just being transported. Going up on deck in the evening and seeing the sea passing around us, the star fields above us, the wind blowing past us -- it was all a remarkably special experience, and one that I will seek to repeat in the future. The cabin was comfortable and well-appointed. The dining was tasty, upscale without being hoity-toity, and quite satisfactory. The nature of the Star Flyer is such that evening entertainment was a bit constrained -- some DJ dancing, some occasional talent show stuff -- but, honestly, I spent my evenings up on deck, enjoying the air and the sea (and the cocktails). Shore excursions were generally good. Lots to see, usually multiple options, and guide selections ran from fair to excellent. We actually enjoyed just visiting some towns on our own, without doing a formal excursion. Service was efficient and friendly. The passenger count (around 150 on our cruise) was small enough that the bar and dining room staff got to know us ad our preferences. The entertainment director, Simona, was dedicated and excellent. The ports we visited were highly varied. I particularly enjoyed Corfu, Kotor, and Hvar, but they all had something to recommend them, depending on what you were looking for, and, as noted, instead of the excursions either just self-directed wandering at the ports or hanging out on the ship and relaxing were both fine alternatives. A few things I could have asked to be better: - The shipboard Wifi was pricey and spotty in coverage around the ship. - The "drink of the day" at the bar was usually pretty mediocre (the bartenders could make much better cocktails or straight pour drinks). Honestly, sailing the Star Flyer has spoiled me for hotels-with-a-keel style cruising. I will definitely be looking to them for further experiences. It was a memorable and wish-I-could-repeat-it experience. Read Less

Don't bother reading any review on the Star Clipper line that wants to be critical. If people were not satisfied with the unbelievable quality of the food (fine dining each meal) the service and the overall sailing experience well I struggle to understand what they expect. The staff and the people from all around the world added to the enjoyment of the experience. If you want to spend time on a Casino on water get on those ridiculous ships that can't go to the beautiful intimate places that this sailing ship goes. To see this ship in full sail leaving a port accompanied by music and glass of wine is an experience you will never forget. The crew goes out of their way to provide every passenger with a once in a lifetime experience . Do yourself a favour and go you will never regret it !!!! An amazing experience Read Less

I booked this cruise when they offered a no single supplement offer as I have wanted to get to BVI for a long time and my Windstar cruise to BVI in December was moved to Barbados. Flew in one day earlier as few flights available and stayed at Alicia's Inn and enjoyed being on the Boardwalk and warm temperatures. Boarding began at 4:00 PM and quickly we were led to the ship, I had cat. 6 cabin 218 which is two bunk beds. Cabin was as small as I expected and two people in room would really be cramped and no way I would risk the ladder for the upper bunk. (if you are in this room as a single the ladder will rattle on it's hanger at night so I used towel to cushion) For one person it was perfect and no problems at all. There were 82 passengers on this trip with half from US and other half from UK, Austria, Germany, Australia, Switzerland and I met a wonderful family from Austria at Alicia's Inn and they included me at their table and for meals and we spent the day together in port and they were a big reason I had such a good time, thank Alex, Jutta, and Mario. Since this is a sailing ship there is less deck space thank my past experiences and shade was at a premium. Stairs are steep and thresholds are high but I had no problems during the cruise and you do notice the motion more but I was expecting this. Best food of any cruise I have been on and I only had breakfast and dinner with lunch being on the islands we stopped at, I had fish every night and was done perfectly and so good. They do have appetizers on deck from 5-6 and start with heavier apps first few days and less as week goes by but still plenty to choose from. I only drink beer and they listed carib on the menu but was not available but they did have a german draft that was fine once I gave it a chance. I enjoyed each Island and only wish we could have stayed longer like we did with Windstar but each was fun. They offered an excursion to the Baths in Virgin Gorda but you can get a taxi there for $4 each but I did do the train in St Kitts and enjoyed that experience. I did not care for the beach club they take you to catch the tender so I went back to my old favorite the Dock at Timothy Beach resort after the train and that was good as ever. Only one night did we have what would consider rough seas and glad it was at night and not during the day. Light shower one morning for 45 minutes and could see if in a rain storm for many hours during the day that could be a problem with where to go and do if not in port. Crew was friendly and ready to help for the most part except for the sport team. As this was my first cruise with Star Clipper I read everything I could find before my trip to know what to expect and not a whole lot of info available but I really enjoyed my trip and seeing some Islands that I have longed to visit and sorry I had to do this after the storm as the damage visible is terrible but there are enough places open to visit and I am sure the vegetation will be coming back also. I hope to do another cruise with Star Clipper and hope this review will help others looking for information. Read Less

We picked this cruise because we are loyal repeat customers, but no longer. It was such a disappointment. The crew were rude and room had no air conditioning. The staff did nothing to help us, the higher up we went with our concerns the worse we were treated. We finally had to get wifi off ship and have the main company help us with the issues. It was so stressful. Many others aboard had similar troubles, poor food, rude comments from staff, poor communication and no maps or names to go with the scenery around us. The ship looked old, dirty and dated and lacked the water equipment they had advertised. With no flippers available, we got stung by sea urchins and cut up on coral. The cruise director said it was our fault for not packing flippers, but the advertisement for this particular cruise promised flippers available for "all". The food was so recycled, it became a bore after the third day. Lots of dry bread at dinner, bread pudding the next day, of course. Very sad experience, last sail for us with this company. Read Less

We booked this cruise as we wished to see some of the smaller islands in the BVI's and other neighbouring islands. We booked a cabin on the deck as is it the only accommodation that offers a double bed where you do not have to climb over one another to get in and out of bed. The space was restrictive but the bathroom was a good size. We were kept awake every night by the electric sail motors and banging from the deck above. The food was OK and the waiting staff very friendly and helpful. There was a complete lack of information about the ports of call and the history of the area. No maps or information sheets were provided. What a pity lectures were not available. We wonder why we went to some of the locations often just a beach with a bar and no means of transport to other places on the islands. We left the ship exhausted and needing another holiday. Never again! Read Less

there was no communication between crew and passengers and because of this rumors were flying every day. We were told nothing and crew was mean. We did not stop at any ports because of bad weather but we should have been compensated in some way. We got free drinks one evening. The captain did not answer any questions. There was absolutely nothing to do onboard for those 5 days at sea. It seems they could have had some games or dances or something to take up some of the time. The cruise director was very mean answering questions. Leaving the ship in the Caymans was a true lesson in hurry up and wait. We came into port around 9 and was not permitted off until 3PM. Even then passports and customs forms were not filled out properly and many passengers had to return to ship for different forms. It was terrible. We should have received something from the cruise line Star Clipper. This was a terrible cruise and I will never go on this cruise line again. Read Less

Having never cruised previously the idea of going on a tall ship was attractive because of the limited number of passengers and multiple ports of interest. My observations were as follows: 1. Sign in Barbados was not well run. As we were initially attempting to board the ship we were told that we could not board until we had to present an identification card. We had not been given this at the sign in for some reason and no one really knew why. 2. Staff was arrogant and not particularly helpful. The activity director was an Italian whose English was not very well understood and between attempting to speak in both German and English alternately the meaning of what she was attempting to relate was completely lost. She certainly knew very little about each port of call and we could have learned much more by reading a note in trip adviser. She was not helpful at all and I would say a complete waste. 3. The crew was mainly eastern European (Ukrainian) and were not at all friendly. The captain had the most personality and at least gave folks a smile in the morning. The other grew members were sour at best. 4. The dining room waiters and cabin attendants were excellent. The dining room was quite loud and difficult to hold a conversation. 5. The food was plentiful. I would rate the quality as fair. Somewhat repetitive breakfast and lunch selections. Scrambled Eggs for example were under cooked and therefore folks would like up for up to 20 minutes each morning for omelets that a staff member would cook to requests. Staff would not always get your orders correct for dinners because they were obviously overworked as they took orders, bused tables, served, cleaned up, etc.. They tried their best and always with a smile. 6. Accommodations were fine. The ship was tidy although no enough canvas covers to protect passengers from the sun. 7. Evening programs or lectures were adequate if you could understand the descriptions. 8 Prior to leaving 2 ports in Venezuela were cancelled because of the political unrest and therefore we had 4 days at sea. Way too many days at sea. The crew was not helpful nor pleasant at all in describing what one might see regarding sea life, navigation, winds, or sailing. The captain gave a very information talk about the ship itself which was quite helpful. 9. The most concerning aspect of the trip was the last day during disembarking. The seas were not calm and the captain anchored off the port in Panama City. Each passenger leaving the ship had to go down the gang plank as the tenders were crashing into the ship. It was a very dangerous situation with some passengers coming close to having limbs crushed between the ship and the tenders. It was not an acceptable situation at all. I know for a fact that one of the passengers actually phoned the captain to tell him to move the ship as someone was going to get seriously injured. All in all, I doubt if I would recommend this trip. Read Less

A masted sailing ship, 14 nights and sail power 83% of the time. What an adventure! The ship built in 1992 was well maintained, staff friendly and food fantastic. Cabins are an adequate size; we were on the Commodore deck, #131. It is located over the air conditioner, so there was a constant "hum" which bothered us the first night. The under bed storage did accommodate our two suitcases and the three small closets held all of our clothes with room to spare. We do tend to pack light and took advantage of the laundry service offered. There was also a clothes line in the shower and found you could rinse out a t-shirt or underwear and it would dry overnight. The bed in this cabin was fixed double and could feel cramped if you are used to a king. Breakfast and lunch were buffet and more than adequate. At 5 daily there was an afternoon "snack" on the tropical deck that consisted of sandwiches or a hot snack like egg rolls or cocktail franks, fresh fruit and cookies. Dinner offered appetizer, soup, sorbet, salad a main course and dessert. Main course had a vegetarian offering and two fish or meat dishes to choose from. Also you could order a steak and fries or a pasta dish each evening. Seating at all meals is open and tables hold 6 or 8 people. The staff did designate a "french speaking table" but after the first few nights it was more mix and mingle. The passengers were aged from about 45 to 80 and were from the Us (mostly west coast), France, Germany, Austria and the UK. Most spoke English and we enjoyed learning where people were from; 80% were repeat clients. This was our first Star Clipper experience. Due to the ships size there is not glitzy evening shows, no casino, and not hourly passenger entertainment. We enjoyed watching the sails go up and down, reading, lounging in one of the two small pools and the occasional shuffleboard or ring toss tournament. There was also morning yoga and a daily mile walk around the ship. Shore excursions were offered ranging from bus tours around the islands we stopped at to snorkeling, 4x4 tours and eco hikes. Snorkeling equipment is free, but take your own masks if you have them. We found the free ones did not fit our faces and leaked. Getting off via the tender on beach days if the sea is rough can be a challenge. The last debarkation in Panama City was scary. We were anchored in the ocean by Balboa, all passengers were getting off for flights home or an excursion and the ocean swells and rough sea delayed us over an hour and a half. Passengers could only go down the gangway one at a time and then had to time their stepping into the tender as the gangway and tender rode the waves. One women ending up wet to the knees and a crew member broke his finger when it got caught between the gangway and the ship. This 14 day cruise stopped in The Grenadines, Greneda, Bonaire, Aruba, Curacao, Cartegena, the San Blas Islands and transited the Panama Canal. The Canal was the highlight, being in a lock with a mega cargo ship in the adjacent lock was a marvel. A Canal historian was on board forr the day to give us a narrative on what we were seeing. We are hooked! We will continue to seek out this cruise line over the huge cruise ships. This was like stepping back in time to a far more intimate way to sail the seas. I did use the ear patch as I get sea sick- it worked and I had not problem as it is a sailboat and does rock. My husband was not bothered in the least by the motion even during our one "rough" day at sea. Read Less