Star ClippersReviews of starclippers.com

A truly magnificent experience. A combination of sailing and motoring to keep on schedule. Great food and great experiences on a well thought out itinerary. Unlike other cruises you interact far more with the crew, can chat to the captain and even climb the mast. Things are a bit cramped but everyone is super helpful and there is none of the up-selling and annoying marketing of the big US brands. Maybe not for everyone but I have 100% loved it and can’t wait to book again.

The USP of this company is that its fleet of 3 are all sailing ships, the largest of which - Royal Clipper - looks very like the 19th century square-rigged tea clippers. But there is a problem. If the wind is not blowing in the right direction, the ships still have a tight schedule to keep to as with any other cruise ship. For that reason they also have engines. My most recent trip was on Royal Clipper from Gran Canaria to Malaga, with stop-offs in Morocco and Gibraltar. Nothing was said officlally but you could tell the wind direction from the flags and we motored to our destination. I think this has to be accepted as reality on board such a ship. The ships are magnificent and as a passenger you are free to move around the ship to watch the crew about their tasks. This includes standing near the bridge as the Captain etc. navigates the ship in and out of port. Now there are areas off-limits (e.g. engine room) for obvious reasons but on an earlier trip I joined a small group tour of this area led by an engineer. I read one review criticising the ship for health and safety reasons. This is a fully working sailing ship and you might encounter 'obstacles' on the deck or crew members undertaking some task. Its all part of the unique experience. There are the operational staff - the crew - and those looking after hospitality (accommodation, catering etc.). All staff are very friendly - happy to chat if not too busy - and highly professional. The accommodation and catering is first class. You certainly won't go hungry! Star Clippers operates in the Caribbean + Central America and the Mediterranean with transatlantic trips as they move the ships around. They previously operated in Asia but from answers to questions from passengers it was clear that such trips were not coming back on the itinerary. Pacific cruises would be even more interesting but again do not appear to be on the 'to do' list for the company. Star Clippers has a very high percentage of repeat customers which has to be some kind of recommendation. The experience of being on the sea in one of these magnificent ships really is unique and I would also be a re-booker when an cruise of interest comes available. Its certainly the only kind of cruise trip I would ever want to take.

What a fantastic experience cruising around the Caribbean Islands on a Clipper. Everything was just perfect and it renewed our faith in cruising too, (Large ships are just too impersonal for us). I highly recommend Star Clippers, my only bugbear was having to wear long trousers to dinner where I think smart shorts should be allowed. Wonderful experience booked via Imagine Cruising with a 7 day stay in Barbados.

Just finished a 7 day cruise from Barbados and back around the neighbouring islands - utterly brilliant bar one tiny niggle. The crew were hard working, friendly and cheerful. The food was outstanding in bright and spotless surroundings. We had a wedding vows blessing by the captain on the bridge and a free bottle of bubbly to help celebrate. Just a fabulous trip which will be hard to beat, so we plan to go back for another cruise with them. The minor niggle? I don't pay for WiFi in hotels and don't see the ship as any different. There were limited locations on the ship too. Sort this out and it will be perfect cruising on a gorgeous tall ship. Thank you Peter and Milo in particular - you know who you are!