Star Clipper - Venice to Athens, September 23, 2015

I just booked my first Star Clippers cruise, and look forward to joining the community. I'm traveling solo, so I would welcome any observations about meeting other solo sailors to share meals, shore excursions, etc. It's still a long way off, but part of the fun is in the anticipation.:cool:

We (husband / wife) have been on all three of the Clippers including the Star Clipper in the Med. It has often been said that one meets some very interesting fellow passengers on the Clippers - we agree! For us that has included several "solo" fellow passengers. It is possible that you may be the only solo on your trip or there may be one or more others - you may only find out about that when you board (Unless you are fortunate enough to get a suitable response on this thread from another solo on your trip). Thus you may well need to keep an open mind about what you are likely to experience on your holiday. I would also say that, in our experience on the Clippers over the years, there have been more lady solos than men. At dinner I would say that the possibility of a table for solos is rather slim. When you go in to dinner (or just before) on the first night you could speak to the Maitre D about how / with whom you might be seated - he will do his best to help. If, for example, you are happy to sit at the same table each evening, but not necessarily with the same people, he might arrange a round table with an odd number of seats so that the table will be "full". His flexibility might be helped (or constrained) by the number of passengers (Max 170) on your trip and the opportunities open to him. The solos we have travelled with all seemed to have a good holiday and a bit of flexibility on your part could go a long way to achieve that end.

Given your maritime background I imagine you will find your way around the open and enclosed parts of the bridge and, hopefully, you will have some pleasant conversations with the Captain. Who knows, you might even be invited to the Captain's Table on the Captain's Dinner Night (kindred spirits!!)

JOBAKE,

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. As you noted, I'm hardly a stranger to being at sea, and have taken many solo land based photo trips where I have no one to blame for the company but myself. I like meeting others and don't expect it to be a problem, but was curious to see if the Star Clippers attracted many other solo cruisers.

Thanks again!

Tom

JOBAKE,

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. As you noted, I'm hardly a stranger to being at sea, and have taken many solo land based photo trips where I have no one to blame for the company but myself. I like meeting others and don't expect it to be a problem, but was curious to see if the Star Clippers attracted many other solo cruisers. Thanks again! Tom

Hi Tom...no worries about sailing solo on the Clippers...many do. In fact, on your cruise will be a contingent from the National Maritime Historical Assn.(I'm a member), and there are usually quite a few experienced sailors sailing solo...as well as couples. Our travel agent, Bert Klein will be aboard...he used to put together the passenger/crews when SC raced the Star Clipper in the Antigua races. In 2007, when SC was moving Star Flyer to Tahiti, my wife & I sailed with her across northern South America, and through the Canal...then I continued on for thirty days solo to French Polynesia. They only took 37 passengers, and about a dozen were solo. In 2012, we crossed on the Clipper from Athens to St. Maarten, and there were many solo. You get the idea....

We were booked on the cruise before you...Istanbul-Athens-Venice, but SC sold the Athens-Venice leg to a charter...so we switched to the same itinerary in June.

Were you stationed in Little Creek? I did two gator reserve cruises from there on APD's...

Hope this helps...:cool:...Cheers,

Bob Ring

Hi we're doing the same itinerary in July 8 2015. Feel free to join in our conversation so we can share information and ideas

Hi Tom...no worries about sailing solo on the Clippers...many do. In fact, on your cruise will be a contingent from the National Maritime Historical Assn.(I'm a member), and there are usually quite a few experienced sailors sailing solo...as well as couples. Our travel agent, Bert Klein will be aboard...he used to put together the passenger/crews when SC raced the Star Clipper in the Antigua races. In 2007, when SC was moving Star Flyer to Tahiti, my wife & I sailed with her across northern South America, and through the Canal...then I continued on for thirty days solo to French Polynesia. They only took 37 passengers, and about a dozen were solo. In 2012, we crossed on the Clipper from Athens to St. Maarten, and there were many solo. You get the idea....

 

We were booked on the cruise before you...Istanbul-Athens-Venice, but SC sold the Athens-Venice leg to a charter...so we switched to the same itinerary in June.

 

Were you stationed in Little Creek? I did two gator reserve cruises from there on APD's...

 

Hope this helps...:cool:...Cheers,

 

Bob Ring

Bob,

Thanks for your last. I've very interested to learn about the group from the National Maritime Historical Association as I am a member of another such group -the Naval Order of the United States.

I was a West Coast sailor mostly - mustang Medical Service Corps officer. My last ship was Medical Department Head on USS Tarawa in the mid-80s. The old gal's sitting in the mothball fleet at Pearl waiting to be sold or sunk.

Many thanks for your note, I'll be on the look out for Bert!

Tom