Royal Clipper December 21, 2013 - Christmas Cruise

Lots of questions:

1. Is anyone travelling on this cruise?

2. Has anyone been aboard a Star Clipper over Christmas? Do they do they do anything different?

3. Anyone have tips a tricks about making the cruise better? I will be sailing with my family (wife, two girls 17 and 19), my father (80 but in good shape) and my sister and her family (husband and two boys 20 and 23).

Thank you.

Hi

My husband and I are on this trip and pleased to see your post.

We have only been on a long journey to Antarctica on a Princess cruise,a 3 night Florida trip on Disney cruises and a gulet in Turkey.So another experience for us.

We too are wondering if there will be anything different,being Christmas

We are also keen to do our 'own thing' at ports of call and not organised tours if possible.all tips on this will be helpful.

Look forward to hearing from other passengers.

Thank you.

We will be on the RC three weeks later than yourselves. We have been on the RC before including on the Windwards itinerary that you are going on. A couple of thoughts:-

Suggest that in Antigua you visit the historic Nelson's Dockyard - it is only a few minutes walk from where you are normally tendered ashore. There is a small entrance fee - have some East Caribbean Dollars or US Dollars with you. In relatively recent years quite a lot of restoration work has been done there to good effect - this was achieved with some financial help from the EU. Within this historic site there is an interesting museum - well worth a visit - and there are some cafes.

Suggest that in the Isles des Saintes you walk over to the other side of the island. Where you are tendered ashore turn right (as if facing the land from the sea) and a short distance along take the road off to the left (check with locals that you have the correct road) It takes about half an hour to walk over there - to a very nice beach with lots of palm tree cover. You can swim / snorkel there (it is where the locals go). Take you cameras with you since when you look back from the road that you are walking along you will usually get some super photos of the RC at anchor. We tend to do that walk etc. in the morning and then return to the more tourist area and have a snacky lunch in one of the cafes / restaurants there. Also some shops there. Suggest you take some water with you for the walk over to the other side. The Isles des Saintes is, in effect, part of France so suggest taking some Euros with you.

Thank you Jobake.

Very helpful.

We hope to do the yacht race in Antigua and river tubing in Dominica.

:)

The yacht race in Antigua. We have done that - maybe twice - and the yacht we were on was a 60 - 70 foot round the world ocean racer as was our "competitor". At the finish there were only a few seconds between the first and second places. Really enjoyed that - we were really going - cameras again as you should have the opportunity to helm the yacht!! We know of one occasion when the yachts provided were just 40 footer sailing cruise boats. Suggest you check, and get Starclippers to check, when you are booking your trip on board (if that is how you are going to do it) that you are going on the real thing - the 60 - 70 footers. You MIGHT also still have time for a quick visit to Nelson's Dockyard.

Suggest you check, and get Starclippers to check, when you are booking your trip on board (if that is how you are going to do it) that you are going on the real thing - the 60 - 70 footers. You MIGHT also still have time for a quick visit to Nelson's Dockyard.

I raced the Farr 65s in St. Thomas a few years ago.... They are cool, but it's quite a work out.... the smaller boats are easier to sail with asmaller crew.

I checked OnDeck's web site, and all the boats they have in Antinga are high performance racers - I'll be signing up for the Jan 18th cruise for sure!

Aloha,

John

Thank you.

Wondering the best way/ trip/ tour to walk rainforest.Any tips.?

We would prefer to walk some or all the way.

We have just returned from this wonderful cruise.

We have had problems with the way the company manage to get money from you in various different ways,that has not been pointed out beforehand.

If anyone wants me to clarify I will let you know a few tips.

But we had a great time. Christmas Eve was celebrated with great elaboration and Christmas Day was just another day.

We did have a'race'with star clipper on Christmas Eve, for over an hour. That was very moving and good fun.

Food was superb,staff a little confused and not very organised.cabin was extremely clean and well looked after by our stewardess,Diana.The whole ship was immaculate.Capatin very informative and obviously had great pride in his ship.

Sports staff enjoyed themselves on the beach but worked hard getting equipment to and from the beach.

The tours were not very good and again I can describe them better if anyone wishes.

Would do another cruise with royal clipper.

>>We have had problems with the way the company manage to get money from you in various different ways,that has not been pointed out beforehand.

What sort of things were you charged for?

Aloha,

John

I would recommend not buying the 4 hour Internet connection.I used almost 2 hours of my 4 hours,mostly trying to log out at times,then one morning as I was using the Internet,the connection went down.I couldn't log out.I tried for ages to connect, giving up eventually.Unexpectedly and unknowingly I was reconnected, so my time ticked away,using up my 4 hours without me knowing.I had no comeback and could not get reimbursed.If they had told us this could happen, I would never have bought a straight 4 hour rate, but hourly as I needed it.

Also we had €700 OBC.We had a letter from clipper cruises to confirm it. no mention of what it could be used on.We asked on arrival and was told, everything.Other passengers the same.We wanted to keep a check on spending but they would not give us an ongoing bill.When the final bill came we were made to pay for all the tours as extras.The purser said we could only use it on bar and shop.We again asked at the reception and she said 'anything'.We rang clipper cruises once home and they said,to be used on TOURS only.!!!

Trying to get reimbursed....