Our Royal Clipper Trip Report

We sailed on the January 17th voyage of the Royal Clipper out of Barbados. We had a great trip and a full report can be viewed at:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=51698

We sailed on the January 17th voyage of the Royal Clipper out of Barbados. We had a great trip and a full report can be viewed at:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=51698

... for the great review. Marilyn and I sail on Royal on March 7th. We will do the Windward itinerary.

Can you tell me how tipping is currently handled? Also, can you tell me if there is any benefit in bringing along Euros vs. just USD's?

Dear Mike,

Thank you so much for the detailed information, my husband and I sail Feb 28th on the Royal Clipper for a 2 week cruise. This is our first cruise with Star Clipper, our previous cruises have been with Holland American (Alaska) and Oceania (the Greek islands and Italy). Much appreciated from your 1000 island friends.

Dear Mike,

I can't thank you enough for your detailed report of your Star Clippers voyage. This will be our first trip with them and I had no idea what to expect. I was eagerly awaiting responses to the previous post!! But I think you have answered many, MANY questions! I actually sent your detailed description to the other members of our group. It certainly gives us a much better picture of what to expect on our upcoming cruise.

Rory1

Dear Mike,

 

Thank you so much for the detailed information, my husband and I sail Feb 28th on the Royal Clipper for a 2 week cruise. This is our first cruise with Star Clipper, our previous cruises have been with Holland American (Alaska) and Oceania (the Greek islands and Italy). Much appreciated from your 1000 island friends.

I guess my wife and I will be joining you aboard Royal during your second week.

As to your other post asking about where we make landfall and what will be available ashore on the various islands ... all the reviews I have read on the various travel boards have very little information about shore excursions and nothing specific on where we put in at each island.

See ya on the 7th.

Enjoy!

... for the great review. Marilyn and I sail on Royal on March 7th. We will do the Windward itinerary.

 

Can you tell me how tipping is currently handled? Also, can you tell me if there is any benefit in bringing along Euros vs. just USD's?

Tipping can be in cash envelopes or charged to your room account. Suggested amount is 112 Euros (about $150) for two people for one week.

On the Grenadines itinerary that we took, both the U.S. and Caribbean dollar were equally accepted. However, on our Star Clipper cruise three years ago, which visited many of the same islands that your Windward Island itinerary takes, the Euro was more accepted, and in some ports we could not use the U.S. dollar.

Tipping can be in cash envelopes or charged to your room account. Suggested amount is 112 Euros (about $150) for two people for one week.

 

On the Grenadines itinerary that we took, both the U.S. and Caribbean dollar were equally accepted. However, on our Star Clipper cruise three years ago, which visited many of the same islands that your Windward Island itinerary takes, the Euro was more accepted, and in some ports we could not use the U.S. dollar.

Thanks Mike ...

Can you tell me if Royal has some sort of soda card/sticker program where one fee up front allow unlimited soda consumption?

Additionally ... we are staying on a few days after the cruise so we are in no rush to get off when we return to Barbados. Can linger a while or will they be in a rush to get everybody off the ship?

Sorry -- no soda cards like you find on the larger ships.

It has been a while since we cruised on the Royal but my recollection is that they do not hussle you off at the crack of dawn :-) I remember breakfast buffet and then a fairly leisurely departure to our hotel -- around 10 am.