This was my 4th Star Clipper cruise and I knew the drill and what to expect. Had inside cabin 218 which is bunk bed and basically a closet but for one person I used the upper bunk as storage. Be aware that here is not a whole lot of open deck space and may have trouble finding a chair especially in the shade. I always enjoy the food on Star Clipper and this was no exception. They do a good job of seating you with others and they were all very welcoming to me. We had a mix of UK, Germany, Scotland, and US which was a nice group of people and were told we had 130 on our cruise. Had more wind, choppy seas and showers on this than all 3 of my past trips combined but luckily this did not affect our shore time. Sadly it seems that time on shore gets less and less. Guess that is on effect of using sails but other times we stopped in the morning to let excursion go out and by the time we got to afternoon stop only had a very short time to visit. I still have issue that they do not have any island beer as Carib on board which seems strange to be in the Caribbean and offer Bud Light and a German Draft beer. When I got home I discovered I did not receive the $75 OBC I was supposed to receive. I had my travel agent call and he was offered was I should book another cruise to receive the $75. I called and the lady agreed it was on my documents and she would send it to Mark and he would call me back that day and I have never heard from him at all. This treatment causes me concern for a repeat customer and I am not sure if I will give them my business in the future. If you have never been and want to experience a ship under sails you should try it but if you are promised anything be sure to check your documents before you leave the ship. Read Less

The cruise was nice, ship was in great condition , staff was accommodating but the management has some strange ideas about customer service. 3 major problems occurred on our recent cruise which would prevent me from cruising with Star Clippers again. First, there policy of confiscating passengers passports for the duration of the cruise is incredible in this day and age. It makes life easy for the cruise line but is a burden and risk that should not be foisted on passengers, particiularly since the first one hears about this is after the cancellation date has passed, so one is faced with the choice to cancel and lose a significant deposit or to have their passport taken away and not returned until the end of the cruise. We would have like to take a ferry from st kitts to nevis but had no documents to permit this so the cruise line holds you 'hostage' to their itinerary and excursions. Terrible customer focus! Their billing practices are also problematic and even suspect. Our initial bill was wrong: it included significant overcharges at the bar ( we are not drinkers and we were charged for 2 bottles of wine). When I asked this be corrected I was given a particularly unwelcome cross examination and when they learned they were wrong no apology was offered and they refused to re-issue a corrected bill. Again, terrible customer service. Finally, the cabin air unit was VERY loud, well over 100 decibels and made it difficult, and some nights impossible to sleep. After a week of this OI was truly sleep deprived and was happy to end the cruise. It's too bad, because the ship is beautiful, the route was excellent, the food was quite good, but some of the policies need to be re-examined with a better eye towards focusing on the passenger and not what is convenient for the cruise line. When I raised these issues with the purser, she seemed that she didn't care at all and couldn't be bothered. Again, more lack of customer focus. We will be investing our vacation dollars elsewhere in future and I suggest you be aware of these policies before making your travel choice. Read Less

Just returned from a back-to-back two weeks on the Star Flyer, Leeward and Treasure Islands. Absolutely wonderful experience we have come to expect from Star Clipper. Ship absolutely beautiful, crew amazing, food top class. Wonderful guests on board. Monya our cruise director was warm, friendly but most importantly knowledgeable and efficient. Wonderful home-spun entertainment each evening led by Monya along with Sandra and Max the sports team. Different evening entertainment each week. First week 140 passengers onboard, including a film crew and small party of travel agents, second week 120 onboard. Loved all the islands, which we had visited before but not on this ship. Excursions were all good value for many and great fun. Highly recommend. Can't wait for the next one. Nothing beats sitting up on the sun deck for sailaway or later in the evening with a drink in hand and the sails billowing in the breeze. Read Less

Having sailed once before in the Caribbean with Star Flyer we decided on taking it across the Atlantic. The 23 day crossing was a combination of Malaga, Spain to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria (9 days) and Las Palmas to Barbados (14 days). Due to popularity it was over a year from booking to sailing. Cabin 121. 80% of passengers are repeat. We arrived in Malaga 4 days before the cruise, allowing time to adjust from the west coast of the US. Our hotel was a few blocks from the harbor and we were able to walk to the boat rolling our bags. check in was at 4 but you could store your bags at the pier starting at 12 noon. The first 9 days we took 2 tours, bus to Marrakesh from Safi and tour of Lanzarote. Tour to Marrakesh was disappointing, tour guide wanted to make sure we shopped "his store" (for a kick back?) so all else was rushed to get to his shops. Lanzarote tour to volcano park was much better. Seas were rough two days especially the Safi to Lanzarote day at sea; this is normal. Also quite chilly needed a sweatshirt and a wind breaker. Meals were good; breakfast and lunch are a buffet, dinner is a menu, all meals are open seating. No formal wear required. The 14 day trip started in Las Palmas, the Canary Islands. Some passengers left here others boarded. No shore excursion is offered, but town is an easy walk from the pier; there is also a multi story shopping mall next to the dock area. 139 passengers made the crossing. Every day it got warmer, seas were rough (15-20 ft swells) at La Gomera and the port was dropped as the pilot could not board. 95% of the cruise was under sail, a record for the captain. To sit and watch the sails in the wind a fantastic experience. We saw whales, dolphins and lots of rainbows. Had an oil rig towed passed us in the middle of the Atlantic. On board entertainment consists of the piano player/singer; passengers playing darts, board games and cards. There is a talent show, toga party, pirate night and Neptune party. When you have the night sky full of stars, the ocean waves ever changing during the day the entertainment takes a back seat to mother nature. Would we do it again? YES, YES, YES. Read Less

We chose a repositioning itinerary that took us from Malta to Malaga, stopping in Sardinia, the Balearics, and along the Spanish Coast. Previous cruises had set our expectations. Star Clipper is a small line with three small ships that use sail frequently. Frequent stops in European ports insured that the food stocks were excellent. As a repositioning cruise, the opportunities for water sports were limited, perhaps as a consequence the average age of the passengers was a bit higher. Weather was an issue on our two sea days with 4 to 5 meter swells and winds gusting to 40. (Force 7). The crew handled the conditions well and maintained service and safety. The key to enjoying Star Clipper is to understand and cherish the scale and limitations of a 300 foot sailing vessel. Sailing into and out of historical ports, feeling the motion of the sea, and finding entertainment in your fellow passengers are features of the experience. The Cruise Director, Yuri and Musician Melchor maintained a steady stream of amusements. The hotel staff was cheerful and unobtrusive. The menus were varied and preparation and presentation were excellent. For this voyage we were dockside in every port. We used excursions in every port as we didn't know the areas. We arrived in Valetta a week early and loved Malta! Really could have been there longer. Malta has something to appeal to almost every variety of tourist. Caligiari was a bit bland, but the sea front ruins excellent. All three of the Balearics were fine, varied and attractive. Cartegena was a pleasant surprise. A lot of new archeology finds and a revitalized downtown will make this much better known and more visited. Motril is really only a way to get close to Grenada and run up the canyon to see the Alhambra. Worth it for the path up and Grenada. Malaga in late October was uncrowded and pretty. Read Less

We had never cruised previously because we did not like the idea of a floating city, so the smaller tall ship made sense, especially when it had a cruise that included our bucket list of places to see in Greece. We did our research and knew what to expect, and the Star Flyer exceeded in most regards, especially the food! If tons of activity and entertainment is your goal, this isn't your best bet. If peaceful evenings on deck with no sounds but the wind thru the sales, and an intimate, yet casual setting for meals is what you like, this is for you. The group on board is small enough that mutual respect wins out over fighting for the best deck chairs or tables at dinner. The majority seemed to be seasoned travelers that know how to act in this setting and very friendly when sharing a table or space at the bar. So nice when the cruise director can address EVERYONE at the same time regarding excursions and ship-board fun. I don't think we'll ever take a trip on a large mega-ship! This setting was too perfect for us Read Less

This was my second time on Star Flyer that sailed out of St Marten to the Leeward Islands, Nevis, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Antigua and St. Barth. I was solo and surprised that I was upgraded from category 6 to category 5 which was very convenient to all areas, cabin 404. Ship routine was same as last year except the cruise director gave a talk on each port on the bridge before we got to the islands, this was helpful and don't think I missed it last year but anyway I was glad they did this. The lure of these trips is everything the large cruise ships lack, no crowds, small ports, very relaxed atmosphere. There were many from UK, Canada, Germany, and US on our trip. Food on Star Flyer is very good to my taste. I am not a gourmet but every meal I had was very good, only breakfast buffet I have seen that had crispy and non crispy bacon. Only negative is it took over two hours for dinner which is way longer than I am used to but this may be due to I was seated at table for 8 each night where last year I was at table for 4. They do a great job of seating you with other people and they were all very welcoming to me as a solo. We sailed over 80% of the time according to the Captain and only one night did it get "bumpy". I am not a sailor but am amazed to watch the sails and the sailors who operate the ship. I did only one ship excursion of a tour of Nevis which gave a tour of the entire island, I only wish we could have stayed longer on each island but understand time and sailing. I feel very fortunate to be able to sail on these ships due to specials where they sometime remove the single supplement and will be on the Royal Clipper in March out of Barbados. Read Less

We had looked longingly at Star Clipper ships in port so many times, so finally decided to bite the bullet and book a cruise. We expected a glorious ship ( which it was) and a fabulous experience ( which sadly, it wasn’t) We joined in Piraeus, received a perfunctory welcome, a small glass of juice , and found our way up and down steps to our stern middle deck cabin. We weren’t expecting luxury, though the prices indicated that we would be at least comfortable, but this cabin didn’t even meet our modest hopes! The bed was at head height, with two tall steps leading to a platform by the porthole. From there, you had to wriggle onto the bed , with barely enough room to sit up! The mattress was thin, the duvet was thin too, barely covering the bed. Needless to add the pillows were poor, as were the hard bathroom towels. Fortunately we had brought some quality toiletries, as those provided were of a chain hotel standard. The bathroom had a hole in the floor shower, plastic curtain and poor lighting. All so disappointing! We went out on deck to explore, and it was as wonderful as we’d expected, especially when sails were unfurled , a fabulous sight. Fortunately we had favourable winds most of our cruise,so were usually under sail, an amazing , unforgettable ,experience. We were lucky enough to have beautiful Mediterranean sunshine, so were able to enjoy relaxing on deck much of the day time. We wondered if it might be possible to sleep under the stars, but the idea was quickly dampened by the negative attitude of the purser. Negativity was unfortunately a prevailing attitude by many of the staff. We are no longer young, but fit and enthusiastic about trying new experiences, and Star clippers was one of the few cruise lines we hadn’t experienced in over 40 years of cruising as often as possible, on ships large and small,modest and luxurious. Dining was very basic a lot of the time, at best adequate and generous. For a non meat eater my choices were limited, the same fish proffered almost every day, the same few bland cheeses as alternative. Drinks were fairly expensive , so we bought shore wines to enjoy by the glass. Many guests enjoyed the beers on offer, and we saw few drinking spirits at the after dinner bar. At the price the cruise line charges, we felt wine with lunch and dinner might have been included. There was a tiny piano bar, where the resident pianist played each evening, but seating was limited. The midship bar was popular until quite late, and many guests enjoyed relaxing on deck after dinner looking at the stars and distant port lights, All ports except Valletta were visited by tender, quite a difficult task , as the steps down were steep and the crewmen often seemed to have difficulties steadying the boat to enable passengers to embark. A couple of times we decided that sea conditions were a little too challenging , and stayed on the ship enjoying the sound of the wind and waves in October sunshine . If you fancy the thrill of being under full sail then this would certainly be a cruise for you to try, but for us, this was a one-off experience so we will go back to enjoying cruising in comfort Read Less

.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

We had previously sailed with Star Clippers aboard the Royal Clipper in the Caribbean --one of our best cruises. We were intrigued by sailing the small clipper ship in the Adriatic, Ionian and Mediterranean Seas and chose this back-to-back cruise from Venice, allowing us to spend time seeing that port first, and disembarking in Malta, a port not found on a lot of itineraries due to its out of the way location south of Sicily. Ports for this cruise after sailing from Venice included Mali Losinj, Hvar, and Dubrovnik, Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro; Corfu, Katakolon (for Olympia), Santorini, Mykonos, Athens (end of first leg), Monemvasia, and Pilos, Greece; Syracuse, Sicily, and disembarkation was in Valletta. We took two private tours during the day in Venice, having arrived the day prior, arriving for embarkation (which began at 4 pm) at the terminal at 4:45 pm and being exhausted already, having arrived via a water taxi with 2 suitcases of 50 lbs.+ each which we dropped off at a different point of the terminal (to be scanned and sent to our stateroom), 2 roll-on carry-ons, and two backpacks, we found quite a few fellow passengers were in line, so we had a fair wait to go through security before boarding which also was compounded by another ship embarking in the same terminal. Upon embarkation via gangway to the Tropical Bar, we were met by the Captain and Hotel Manager with an alcoholic beverage. We elected to complete check-in in the piano bar and take carry-ons to our cabin, then return for snacks being provided at 5-6 pm that night as well as every evening on deck at the Tropical Bar. Muster drill was at 6:30 and was very comprehensive (with life jacket on and detailed instructions), compared to most cruise lines' drills nowadays. Second muster drill was the following morning (without donning life jackets). Sail away party was at 7:30 on Sundeck (top) to views the sails being raised. Dinner was served by waiters most evenings 7:30-10 as previously mentioned, open seating style (come at any time and join others at a table). The "tall ship" Star Flyer was built in 1991, is 360 feet long, and can accommodate just 170 guests. She spends her summers in various parts of Europe and her winters in the Caribbean. Life aboard is blissfully relaxed, much like traveling on a private yacht. You’ll never feel confined on Star Flyer. The ship offers spacious accommodations and expansive teak decks with ample space and not one, but two swimming pools. In fact, you’ll find that the ship offers more outdoor space per passenger than most conventional cruise ships. The décor of Star Flyer and her sister Star Clipper is reminiscent of the grand age of sail. Antique prints and paintings of famous sailing ships please the eye, while teak and gleaming mahogany rails are richly reminiscent of Star Clippers’ proud nautical heritage. All Star Clippers ships feature open-seating dining in an elegantly appointed dining room where formal wear is never required (but country club casual in the evening is the norm), their convivial indoor-outdoor Tropical Bar and Piano Bar, and an Edwardian style library where a Belle Époque fireplace glows with a warmth that reflects the friendliness and enthusiasm of Star Clippers’ hospitable officers and crew. I enjoyed climbing the Crow's Nest and had I been inclined, I could have manned the winches and raised or lowered sails. The bridge is open more than 95% of the time and passengers are encouraged to learn about sailing on this vessel. All crew (72 staff) "wear several hats", assisting in multiple tasks when needed, especially on embarkation & disembarkation day. Service in the dining room was erratic, depending on the number of patrons already there upon our arrival; we also felt that total number of waiters was insufficient, given the number of tables. We were privileged to "watch" provisions be lowered through several decks in an opening starting on the main deck not much larger than 10 feet X 10 feet, if that, (while eating lunch in the dining room) to the storage bulkheads in the lowest level of the ship during one such embarkation day mid-cruise. We wish to alert you that this type of cruise is not for everyone as it has no casino, entertainment is limited, and activities on board are minimal, but the benefits of feeling like you are a part of the sailing, and not one of thousands of people, and the staff and passengers you meet, endears it to your heart forever. Most days of the cruise were spent in a charming port where one could explore on their own or participate in a ship-sponsored cruise which were limited for this small cruise line, and in some cases were canceled if not enough participants signed up. About half the ports allowed for evening exploration as well, as sail away could occur between 6 pm and midnight. Local entertainment similar to a barbershop quartet was brought on board in Dubrovnik, while most nights the entertainment was provided by the crew (or passengers in a fashion show or talent show) or a movie was shown. Most mornings we continued sailing awhile before arriving into a port and our first morning was no exception. Gymnastics class was available at 8 am (most mornings). Early Bird Breakfast (continental) is available 6:30-10:30 in the Piano Bar with coffee, tea and juices as well. Full buffet breakfast was usually from 8-10 with an egg station, fresh fruits, numerous bread options, and several hot offerings ranging from bacon and sausage & potatoes to crepes, french toast, pancakes, dry cereal, and oatmeal. Yogurt, juices, cold cuts, cheeses and a smoothie were also available daily. Lunch buffet was usually 12-2, but varied slightly depending upon arrival in port. There was always a daily meat at the carving station as well as hot meat options and various potatoes, vegetables, breads, fruits and desserts at all lunch buffets, each of which featured a specific theme. We visited the small Croatian port of Mali Losinj on our first stop (Sunday) and there was not a lot to do, but it was an enjoyable relaxation port. If one stayed aboard in port, the Sports Team had offerings of Shuffle Board and deck golf most days. This night there was a cocktail demo and the passenger/Sports Team fashion show. Dancing on deck in the Tropical Bar was always available at 11 pm or so with music by the keyboardist who also played on deck during evening snacks (5-6 pm) and other times. There is a small Sloop Shop selling a variety of logo items (some of which were modeled in the fashion show). There is no gymnastics equipment, but the sports team did off activities daily. The ship then stopped in Hvar, Croatia where we arrived at 11:30 am and sailed at 6 pm. There were quite a few optional excursions in this port. Evening entertainment was a Dance Night on deck. The next morning, our next "sea stop" was for two hours allowing those who were inclined to swim from the ship via gangway from 9-11:30; other optional equipment included floaties, kayaks and paddle-boards. Tuesday afternoon at 2 pm brought our return to Dubrovnik, Croatia, one of my favorite culturally enriched and quaint ancient ports, and several excursions were offered by the ship as well. Water sports activities from the gangway were available late afternoon for those on board. The evening entertainment after dinner was provided by a local folklore group similar to a barbershop quartet, followed by sail away at 11:45 pm. We had been informed by the Captain the previous night that we would be entering the Bay of Kotor before daybreak, and arose to view the calm waters and tall mountains of the Dalmatian Coast forming fjords as we sailed towards Kotor and arrived at 7 am. We participated in a short excursion (the other biking option was canceled due to lack of participants), with no free time and definitely not enough time in Montenegro. We sailed at noon with a deck lunch which afforded us a chance to view the beautiful scenery and the afternoon was spent sailing towards our next port of Corfu, not reached until the following afternoon. Available activities after exiting the Bay of Kotor included mast climbing, knot tying and deck golf. After dinner, a virtual tour on the operations of the hotel department was available. Our arrival in Corfu, Greece, was at 2:30 pm and several ship excursions were offered. Sail away for the next Greek port of Katakolon was 8 pm. Friday morning offered mast climbing as our arrival at this port was not until 2 pm; most passengers took the tour to Olympia, a definite highlight for this port. We, however, enjoyed shopping through several small blocks on the main street, one block off the shore and relaxing, as we had visited Olympia previously. We did not sail until 10 pm, allowing passengers to watch two other ships in port sail away ahead of us, and a movie was featured after Star Flyer sailed onward towards Santorini, but first a sea day in the Mediterranean Sea and Sea of Crete, and a chance to view the Star Flyer from tenders with sails raised. Days at sea are usually very relaxing, and like the large cruise lines, the chair hogs have "reserved" their lounger for the day by 9 am. Gymnastics at 8, followed by a sea stop to view the ship sailing as we followed in tenders. Upon reboarding, mast climbing, a treasure hunt, a "tour" of the wheelhouse/bridge, deck golf, shuffleboard, walk-a-mile fitness, knot tying class, water gym, and creating towel animals were options to keep one busy if not occupying a lounger all day. Captain's dinner was this evening; however, he was kept busy determining whether Star Flyer would actually sail into Santorini, due to extreme winds and rough seas to traverse during the night. Once the ship passed into naturally sheltered waters around Santorini, the swells diminished and it was determined we would be able to tender ashore to this beautiful Greek island. The excursion to Akrotiri Archaeological site began once we anchored before noon for most passengers. We had visited that site previously and decided to see a few sites in Fira not explored on past cruises, including the Archaeological Museum, where some of the larger pieces from Akrotiri are housed. We also enjoyed a leisurely lunch of locally caught and superbly prepared calimari while I caught up with my wi-fi work. While back on board, sunset occurred behind Nea Kameni, the island in the middle of the caldera, just prior to our sail away for Mykonos at 7:30. I had signed up for the volcano hiking scheduled there, but I was disappointed as not enough participants forced a cancellation. After another rocky night sailing, we anchored off Mykonos at 10 am. Tender rides were rough and a bit wet. This was to be another port to explore on our own as we had visited once before and there were no ship sponsored excursions. We climbed up hills to a vantage point for many beautiful photos and then walked down to the 5 windmills and Little Venice which we had not explored during our previous visit. Walking kept us in shape and we spent some leisure time at a local bar in Little Venice. Our return tender trip was even more of a sea christening with a lot of bobbing/rocking/dousing with water. Sail away was at 5 pm, after which options included an engine room visit and napkin folding demo. Movie at night was "Around Cape Horn". October 17 brought the end of the first leg of our back-to-back cruise, with many disembarking in Piraeus, the port for Athens. Since we had seen most sites in Athens on previous visits, we had booked online an independent tour to visit Cape Sounion, home of the Temple of Poseiden located at the tip of the Pelopennese peninsula with fabulous views, for the afternoon after exploring the port during the morning. There were a number of ships in port and a shopping mall there. After reboarding our home for another 5 day cruise, we noticed many new faces, but continued our meal time gatherings with friends we made on the first leg of the cruise. Sail away was at 9:30 towards Monemvasia, Greece, arriving at noon the next day. This was a very unique small port with lots of history built on a hillside where there was a recently restored (exterior, with the interior restoration just beginning) Church of Agios Sophia at the top. No roads or vehicles are allowed in the small town, necessitating climbing to the top taking more than 1/2 hour where one traversed a very craggy uneven rock path, but the views were amazing, as was the church. Water sport activities were available for those staying on board. The second fashion show was presented following our sail towards Pilos at 6 pm. Our last port in Greece was Pilos where we anchored at 10 am, another port built on hills with a protected fort. There was a ship-sponsored excursion, but we elected to climb the hills of the town which  afforded great views once again. On board options featured walk-a-mile and mast climbing with the sports team. We raised the anchor at 6 pm, sailing towards Syracuse, Sicily. Evening entertainment provided by the passengers was a game show with three teams competing. Our sea day in the Ionian Sea offered another opportunity to view the ship from tenders sailing and the usual events with the sports team plus another bridge visit option. Another talent show after the Captain's Dinner for the second 5-day sailing. Our last day arriving in Sicily at 10 am was bittersweet as usual. I spent an hour of the morning walking around town and later our excursion (one of two offered) took us to some of the same spots, but included others as well. Shuffle board, deck golf, and another engine room tour were available late afternoon prior to our final sail away at 6 pm. Evening movie shown was "Around Cape Horn" again. Thanks to Capt. Yuriy Slastenin and all the staff and crew for wonderful memories sailing the Dalmation Coast, Greece and the Ionian Sea. We arose early Sunday, October 21, so as to view the entrance into the port of Valletta, Malta and have a relaxing breakfast before disembarking at our leisure around 9:30. We then got a taxi to our hotel, followed by a day exploring Valletta. Read Less

We wanted to try the small boat experience. Wind in the sails etc.Freedom. What happened was unexpected and not very good. Worse parts first I think - which may take a while. The sails only went up when the boat was becalmed and not moving. Then only for short periods to take photos.So travel was by engine - noisy and smelly. We missed one important port due to weather conditions. Larger boats didn't have this problem. The substitute port was of no interest to us. Little to see, no maps or information. No excursions organised or even ideas on what to do or see. There was no time or research or plan. We were just dumped. No internet access to research ourselves. Lack of professionalism and unfriendly staff. It was obvious that no one really cared if we had a pleasant voyage. The staff were terrible in some cases. There was a lack of language proficiency. German was the main language. English and French and other speakers were badly treated. There was a large group of German travel agents onboard and all efforts were made to make them happy. The staff ignored the rest of us. There was no "sail away" from ports with music and sails. On departure from Athens it was pitch black on deck. Very crowded and no one could see or knew what was happening. I think I could vaguely hear the famous Vangelis music but although I walked around the deck it didn't get any louder. Staff were only there to sell champagne. The dining room was too cramped and full. Staff canteen feeling. Staff didn't engage with passengers, We sat with a delightful French couple one night and tried to find other french speakers for them. Asked the Maitre D' but he didn't bother to even think about it. Summed up the voyage I've saved the worst for last. Embarkation was easy but we were told to wait on deck for the safety talk. I'm guessing that the cabins weren't ready and they wanted to "manage" us there. Waited and waited. Sickly cheap drink offered. Eventually gave up and found our cabin. No map or introduction to the boat or schedule was given to us on day 1. Staff were here and there but no talking or engaging with passengers. They were mainly Filipino with poor english. Returned later for the safety talk. Disorganised mess. There are simply not enough European speakers there to manage the amount of passengers. Not enough space to do this properly. If that wasn't bad enough we had to sit while a staff member went through a long rambling talk in German, English and French. Went on and on. We can only hope that her German was good as the rest wasn't. All the briefings on deck were like this. Long, long waits. Long, long mangled talks that were often unintelligible. We wasted so much room waiting and enduring these. When we were on deck there was no where to sit and enjoy the feeling of the sea air. All seats were taken early and aggressively defended and were too few for the number of passengers. We had to stand or stroll but that was hard given the number of people packed into such a small space. The public rooms had very small windows and missed the sea experience. We didn't dock in ports. Apart from Athens all were done by tender or even zodiac. Now for the good bits. We found prices for drinks very reasonable. There was a great cheap laundry service. Food was plentiful. It was easy to move around the boat even for those with slight mobility problems. Not suitable for wheelchair users but there were plenty of elderly and/ or walking stick users. We did like our small but very comfortable cabin and the whole boat was very clean. Being on a small boat could be pleasant but there were far too many people for that to happen here. The overcrowding made the staff too stressed to do a good job and the passengers unhappy. It was not a happy voyage. Read Less

A small ship able to visit the smaller, uncrowded islands, excellent food, fantastic and reasonable shore excursions with a wonderful cruise director, and pleasant company. What more can one ask? Well, maybe rolling out of bed and walking 20 feet to a buffet breakfast, basking in the sun on the webbing slung from the bowsprit, climbing to the crow's nest for a fantastic view, or listening to the captain of the ship play classical guitar on the amateur entertainment night. We always wanted to try a sailing cruise and to see the Greek islands. The Star Flyer (or its sister ships in the Star Clipper line) was the ideal way to satisfy both desires for a reasonable price. We've done many large ship cruises but now we're sold on the intimacy and informality of the Star Clipper approach. It's great not to have any queues boarding, eating, visiting islands, or disembarking. While the dining was informal dress the food was great and the service elegant and attentive. The big name visit was to Mykonos, which we preferred least because it's too touristy and it was crowded with other cruise ships in port. We loved Amorgos: We were the only ship visiting this small Greek gem. We did a cruise tour to a monastery overlooking the beach where a famous diving movie, Le Grand Bleu, was filmed. Our guide was a local Greek woman who knew well the history of the monastery and the island. After the tour we spent the remaining hours in the small town and ran into the guide at her sister's patisserie. We then enjoyed watching the boats and locals at a port front restaurant while sipping wine and ouzo, for a few Euros each. Once again the guide appeared because her parents owned the restaurant. Our experiences on another small island, Patmos, where we visited the cave where St. John dictated the Apocalypse, was similar. For Monemvassia the cruise director Monica had the sports team organize a free walking tour to the fort at the peak of the island with a commanding view of the walled town at its base, the port, and the Peloponnese peninsula. Visits to the Greek ruins at Ephesus and Melos (an island just across from Mykonos) provided the cultural enrichment for the trip. We now understand why the majority of our fellow sailors were multiple repeat customers. One of them had been on 20+ Star Clipper cruises. But he's far from the record: One lady has sailed with the Star Clippers 190+ times. Well, we're on our way to compete! Read Less

A small ship able to visit the smaller, uncrowded islands, excellent food, fantastic and reasonable shore excursions with a wonderful cruise director, and pleasant company. What more can one ask? Well, maybe rolling out of bed and walking 20 feet to a buffet breakfast, basking in the sun on the webbing slung from the bowsprit, climbing to the crow's nest for a fantastic view, or listening to the captain of the ship play classical guitar on the amateur entertainment night. We always wanted to try a sailing cruise and to see the Greek islands. The Star Flyer (or its sister ships in the Star Clipper line) was the ideal way to satisfy both desires for a reasonable price. We've done many large ship cruises but now we're sold on the intimacy and informality of the Star Clipper approach. It's great not to have any queues boarding, eating, visiting islands, or disembarking. While the dining was informal dress the food was great and the service elegant and attentive. The big name visit was to Mykonos, which we preferred least because it's too touristy and it was crowded with other cruise ships in port. We loved Amorgos: We were the only ship visiting this small Greek gem. We did a cruise tour to a monastery overlooking the beach where a famous diving movie, Le Grand Bleu, was filmed. Our guide was a local Greek woman who knew well the history of the monastery and the island. After the tour we spent the remaining hours in the small town and ran into the guide at her sister's patisserie. We then enjoyed watching the boats and locals at a port front restaurant while sipping wine and ouzo, for a few Euros each. Once again the guide appeared because her parents owned the restaurant. Our experiences on another small island, Patmos, where we visited the cave where St. John dictated the Apocalypse, was similar. For Monemvassia the cruise director Monica had the sports team organize a free walking tour to the fort at the peak of the island with a commanding view of the walled town at its base, the port, and the Peloponnese peninsula. Visits to the Greek ruins at Ephesus and Melos (an island just across from Mykonos) provided the cultural enrichment for the trip. We now understand why the majority of our fellow sailors were multiple repeat customers. One of them had been on 20+ Star Clipper cruises. But he's far from the record: One lady has sailed with the Star Clippers 190+ times. Well, we're on our way to compete! Read Less

Since this forum helped me decide to travel with Star Clippers, I feel obligated to report on the marvelous experience I have just completed, March 25-April 1 on the Star Flyer, Treasure Islands itinerary, and to counter the mutterings and nitpicking of some disgruntled previous posters. Most importantly, this is a far different experience than traveling on a behemoth cruise ship with thousands of passengers. Harking to the bygone days of clipper ships, it replicates a much quieter, more intimate, more collegial journey. You get to know your fellow passengers (there were 155 of us, and 70 crew, total) far better, since you see each other frequently. Most are veteran travelers, with stories and advice to generously share, both with previous Star Clippers trips, and with other cruise lines. On my trip they were a pleasant mix of Americans and Europeans (British, German, Swiss, and French), although most nationalities tended to keep to themselves. All shipboard announcements were made in English, German, and French. I traveled solo, and found several other passengers who were as well. This presents no problem at all, as seating at meals and participation in on-ship and on-shore events allow constant mingling; I never felt like a fifth wheel, and was always welcomed to a table or to a social group. I was able to form some delightful friendships. The ship’s entire staff and crew, top to bottom, deserve the highest praise for their unremitting professionalism, courtesy, and efficiency. It must take a special kind of crew to work amidst a bunch of always-in-your-way passengers, asking you questions, but every one of them handled their duties with aplomb and patience, every, every minute. Meriting special commendation is the cruise director, Steffi, who was worth her weight in gold! She was always on top of everything, giving clear information, and exhibiting a wonderful combination of enthusiasm, patience, and efficiency. Captain Yuriy, too, was a welcome, knowledgeable, reassuring presence (and many of us appreciated his early request that we eschew any talk of politics or religion!) Was the rocking a problem? Not really. A few people wore patches or took tablets, but I found that you very easily, very quickly adapt to instinctively shifting your weight to accommodate. Even with a cabin in the aft area, clipper deck (#343), it was not particularly noticeable (although, admittedly, we had calm seas the entire trip). The appearance of the ship was absolutely top-flight at all times, in every single area. The stress on safety was appreciated, and clearly more necessary than on large cruise ships, since we were much closer to the ship’s operation. Safety instructions were reiterated and explicit, as they needed to be. The food was far, far better than we had any right to expect. Absolutely superb. Day after day, night after night we marveled at how the chef and his staff (in that little galley) could continue to produce such wonderful meals. Everything was absolutely delicious and in many ways superior to that of the large cruise ships. The bars, too, were well-stocked and well-tended. The service of everyone was excellent in all respects, from stewards to waiters, to tender operators, to engineers and sail crew, to officers, consistently exhibiting a high standard of quality and exemplary work ethic. My room steward was every bit as attentive and responsive as those on large ships. The tender operators diligently toiled in the hot sun hour after hour to ferry passengers to and from shore, always providing extremely helpful, safe, and efficient service. I was originally apprehensive about using tender service to and from the shore, as all but the initial embarking in St. Maarten and final debarking there was accomplished by tender. But at every moment I felt safe and under careful supervision and attention. Not to worry! I am not a lie-on-the-beach person, and traveled mainly for the experience of enjoying the working of the ship itself and the destinations, so I found these latter, especially in Anguilla and the BVI, to be a little too remote for my taste. In Tortola, we had no chance to visit Road Town, the capital of the BVI, as we were there only one evening, anchored far from the town, in which everything was closed, anyway (which was regrettable). There are very few excursions provided (one or two per port), along with a few sports activities on shore and on the ship. I made my own arrangements for tours on St. Martin and St. Kitts, so I can’t effectively evaluate those provided by the ship. The highlight of each day was the departure, with sails going up and music playing—really stirring, and unlike anything I had experienced before—a time we all looked forward to each day. I found no problem whatsoever with anyone hogging deck lounge chairs as some have mentioned on this board; everyone courteously vacated them, taking their towels, when no longer needed. The aft area under the awning was a refreshing hangout location, but it never became contentious. I found extremely helpful, and would highly recommend viewing, the 360-degree virtual tour of the Star Flyer provided by Star Clippers: http://www.starclippers.com/us-dom/explore-star-clippers/virtual-tours/star-flyer-virtual-tour.html A few quibbles: • The embarkation process in the terminal was too slow, with only the cruise director valiantly trying to handle everything in the embarkation area, and long lines resulting. More help is needed on this. • Even restricted to two areas, it was hard to avoid the smokers. Might Star Clippers give any thought to a smoke-free cruise? Read Less

This is a very hard one to score. The vessel is a sailing cruise ship (barquentine) which takes a maximum of 170 guests. It is extremely well-appointed and the crew are enthusiastic and attentive. We would particularly comment on the outstanding food which was served throughout our 7-day cruise. So far, it rates 5 stars. The problem was that it failed to deliver us to several of the destinations advertised. Some while before our holiday, we were informed that the Cuban authorities had revoked cruise ship licences to two of the islands and, instead, we would have to spend an additional night in each of Havana and Cienfuegos. (There was no evidence that the company had tried to substitute some different islands). Neither Havana nor Cienfuegos were appealing to us as we had already built more than enough time in those locations into our itinerary but, by then, it was too late to change our other travel plans. So, before the holiday starts, we have effectively lost two days. We embarked on Saturday afternoon, sailed Monday evening and were due to visit our first stop, Punta Francis, on the Tuesday morning. On arrival at Punta Francis, we were advised that the Port Authorities were unable to clear us in as their car had broken down. The company was unable to resolve this problem so we had now lost the third of our five stops. The company blames the Cuban authorities, but we now understand that this is quite common (we were told by staff that this was the third time in the last four visits to Punta Francis that guests were unable to go ashore) yet we were never warned of this possibility. The company needs to understand that travelling on the Star Flyer is an experience but not the end in itself. And it needs to come clean about the likelihood that they will not be able to deliver what they advertise in their brochure. The whole point for us was to visit some outlying parts of Cuba in addition to the main towns and cities. Instead, we sailed from Havana to Cienfuegos, stopping in one position which allowed us to visit just two different beaches. Overall, a hugely expensive disappointment. Read Less

We crafted our whole 5 week holiday from Australia around this cruise. It all sounded so fabulous that we were prepared to make significant concessions with our other travel arrangements to work with the cruise dates. Unfortunately, the ship only stopped at one port in 7 days and that was only for a few hours. For a cruise that is billed as a cruise of Cuba it's ironic to say that this stop was not even in Cuba, but in Grand Cayman. We got off the ship but no one bothered to give us even a map, or tell us what we could do there, so we wandered around aimlessly for a few hours. (I should say that we had booked to do the Stingray City tour with the boat but they cancelled it and warned us that we should not take the trip with anyone else once on shore.) There were so many excuses made for not adhering to the itinerary - the whether and the Cuban authorities, being the most offered. Those excuses are very hollow when you have paid several thousand dollars for effectively a cruise to nowhere. On board there were not enough sun lounges and those which were there were taken from early morning, by people placing their belongings on them and then leaving for hours. I know of one very unpleasant showdown which could have caused World War 111 between Germany and England. The "fun" on board activities consisted of learning to fold napkins and towels, or listen to how great the Star Clipper Experience was, which was even further infuriating. The library only held a few people at a time and there were only very boring activities there anyway, when they were scheduled. The two pools, which are comical descriptions of what they were (more like spa tubs for a few people) always seemed to be without water. I accept that the food was fine -although there was not a trace of Cuban or even Caribbean cuisine. The wait staff, who we were advised were to be tipped significantly according to the instructions, were indifferent. Overall this cruising experience was a disaster. Star Clippers should really consider whether they want to operate this route. Read Less