This was published 9 years ago
Sailing is not for everyone: Choosing the right cruise for you
By Kristie Kellahan
A crew member climbing the mast.
On day two, I realise the ship I'm sailing on isn't for everyone.
"Isn't this heaven?" says Sue, a tanned retiree from the UK with an extensive wardrobe of off-the-shoulder pastel jumpsuits. Champagne flute in hand, she's standing on the forward deck of the tall clipper ship Star Flyer, my home for the next two weeks. Taking in the sunset view, she remarks to anyone listening that this is, indeed, "the life." Less than 20 minutes later, Anders, an exceptionally tall entrepreneur from Dusseldorf drops his lanky frame into the poolside deck chair next to mine. "I feel like I'm in hell," he says with an exaggerated roll of the eyes. "Where are the fun people? Where's the party?"
We have set sail from Formentera in Spain's Balearic Islands, a pretty patch of white-sand beach crammed with topless locals and umbrella rental guys charging like bulls.
Vangelis' Conquest of Paradise blares from the speakers on deck as Star Flyer's 16 sails are hoisted to catch the afternoon breeze.
Star Flyer, one of three tall ships in the Star Clippers fleet, is often hailed as a throwback to the golden age of traditional sailing. Launched 25 years ago by Swedish entrepreneur and classic boat connoisseur Mikael Krafft, the trio were the first sailing clipper ships to be built since 1910. Beloved by cruisers who want to experience the thrill of true sailing without sacrificing filet mignon-and-lobster dining, the ships visit popular ports in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Panama Canal and Cuba. For hard-core sailing enthusiasts who care less about the sights than the ships, there are opportunities to cross the oceans of the world on re-positioning voyages.
Cruises cannot be all things to all people. With today's abundance of sailing options, there's something for just about everyone: the mega-liners accommodating 6000 or more passengers, the intimate yachts chartered by a single family, the high-tech whiz-bang ships with virtual balconies and high-speed Wi-Fi, the teak-deck schooners that hark back to a golden age of sailing. The trick, it seems, is choosing the right ship, itinerary and crowd for your cruising style. The trouble is, of course, you often don't know what you're getting into until it's all aboard and too late to beat a hasty retreat. Unlike a hotel or even a city that you can skedaddle from if you find it not to your liking, there is no simple remedy to finding yourself unhappily at sea.
Engine thrum has no place aboard the Star Clipper ships.
My travel buddy Kylie and I have chosen a week in Spain, departing from the tapas-tastic island of Mallorca, before sailing around several of Spain's hot spots, including Ibiza, Menorca and Valencia. We feaston croquettes and paella in each port, learn to order another round of vino blanco in Spanish, and swim in some of the cleanest, warmest sea water I've ever splashed around in. We also take a wrong turn on the sandy trail to the waves in Ibiza and endup not at the legendary Jockey Club but instead at a nude gay beach where the music is fabulous and the clothing-optional bar gives new meaning to afternoon cocktails. But that's another story.
Kylie flies home at the end of the first week and I continue on for another seven days to glamorous ports in the south of France and Monaco as part of an extended Grand Voyage. Fourteen days is a long time to be at sea, though the ever-changing scenery ensures a steady diet of new experiences. Sailing around Corsica for three days is a highlight, a most convenient way to capture all the must-see sights of a memorable island renowned for its fiercely independent locals and rich folklore. Docking right in the heart of the town ports is a privilege reserved for smaller ships such as Star Flyer and from Monte Carlo to Bonifacio, we enjoy the ease of access to all the must-see spots. In St Tropez, I spend the day at a chi-chi beach club and the evening window-shopping designer boutiques and multi-million-dollar yachts with names like Liquidity and Just Desserts.
Star Flyer can accommodate 170 guests; during the first week there are 130 passengers aboard, and by week two that number has halved. Just eight people had booked for the entire 14-day Grand Voyage.
Fine dining, including lobster tail.
Star Clippers has one of the highest returning guest stats in the business: on each cruise there are typically between 60 and 70 per cent of passengers onboard who have sailed with the company before, so clearly they are doing something right. Returning guests say they love the relaxed informality of open mealtimes, the absence of casinos and high-tech amusements, the intimate nature of ships often sailing with fewer than a hundred guests. More than anything, Star Clippers fanatics seem to appreciate the novelty of truly sailing – wind in the sails, motor turned off – as they clamour to assist the crew up on deck with ropework and climbing the masts.
As the saying goes, no matter how thinly you slice it, there's always two sides to the story. For some guests, the communal dining tables are a plus, an opportunity to meet and mingle with other travellers from around the world. Breakfast and lunch is served buffet-style, whereas dinner is a la carte in the European style of seven courses (appetiser, soup, sorbet, main, salad, dessert, cheese).
Other guests say they feel pressure to talk to people with whom they have little in common. With just one dining destination for breakfast, lunch and dinner, there is no chance of mixing it up and remaining somewhat anonymous. "I used to be a people person, but people ruined that for me," jokes a middle-aged American, travelling with his wife and another couple.
Cabin interior.
Avid cruisers, accustomed to the spacious and well-appointed cabins on newer, larger ships, can be disappointed by the standard accommodations on Star Flyer. Forget swinging a cat, it would be difficult to swing the cat's whiskers in my below-deck cabin. I long for fresh air and debate with myself constantly about whether to turn on the noisy air-conditioner vent or swelter in silence. The bathroom is tiny, making it impossible to wash my hair without soaking every corner of the bathroom. Anders, at nearly 2 metres, has no chance.
One thing most people agree on is that the entertainment needs an overhaul. Shore excursions are regularly cancelled for failing to attract enough interest. Shows by the crew – a fashion parade of gear for sale in the sloop shop, a tired talent quest – raise a few smiles, but the on-board musician solicits outright hostility.
The a greying keyboardist/singer, the sole entertainer, laughs at his own jokes ("I'm from Hungary and I'm always hungry"), plods out old German polka songs while the crowd begs for something to dance to, and refuses to hand over the reins to anyone proffering a music-loaded iPhone. Dressed up and ready to party night after night, cruise-goers find the fiesta missing one essential ingredient: fun. "Don't clap for crap," heckles one glamorous European woman , who has previously displayed perfect manners.
Tall Anders' remedy is to pack his bags and leave the ship three days ahead of schedule. He is off in search of wilder parties, better music, tastier food and more lavish accommodations.
Travel is nothing if not a constant readjusting of expectations. By the second week of my Grand Voyage, I relaxinto the groove and find ways to avoid the pitfalls of small-ship cruising. I take every chance to get off the ship and eat lunch or dinner in the towns we visit, and trade the keyboard tunes up on deck for a movie marathon of borrowed DVDs in my cabin. I take a sunset swim each day in the saltwater pool on the aft deck and enjoy the beauty of Mediterranean coastlines unchanged for centuries. I make friends with Captain Mariusz from Poland, strong and handsome in his white uniform, and share an evening glass of wine and tall tales of romantic adventures with the ship's German hotel manager, Peter. I challenge myself to learn new French vocab each day, not all of it curse words.
I practise listening more than talking, and find myself sought out by fellow cruisers and crew members who want to be heard. Delicious secrets, inspiring ambitions, teenagers struggling to get along with their long-suffering parents, husbands and wives trying to understand each other, the universal search for love.
At the end of the day, we're all in the same boat.
TRIP NOTES
MORE INFORMATION
GETTING THERE
Emirates flies daily from Sydney and Melbourne to Dubai, with connections to many destinations in Europe. Return economy fares start at $1938. Phone 1300 303 777; see emirates.com/au.
CRUISING THERE
Star Clippers offers a well-curated range of Grand Voyages; extended trips of rarely repeated itineraries popular with guests celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and other milestones. Over 10 to 24 nights, the Grand Voyages cover ports of call in France, Spain, Morocco, Greece and the Caribbean. In May 2015, a 13-night Grand Voyage is priced from $4975 per person and a a 14-night itinerary from $5380. Phone (02) 8913 0797; see starclippers.com.
The writer was a guest of Star Clippers.
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