Compare Windstar and star clipper

[Soesterberg]

All our cruises have been on large ships. Going "sailing" so would appreciate any comparisons since we know very little about either line and their ships.

 

Thanks,

 

Rich

[JOBAKE]

We have been on all three of the Starclippers ships and we like them all very much. Some relatives of ours have been on one of the Windstar ships and reported well on that. The Starclipper ships are true sailing ships and I would describe them as being sailing ships with auxilliary engines. The Windstar ships I would describe as engine powered cruise ships with auxilliary sails. If it is "real sailing" you are looking for then I would suggest one of the Starclipper ships. The Royal Clipper is a square rigger with 42 sails with a total area of 56,000 sq.ft. The Starclipper and the Star Flyer are sister ships - barquentines - with ?? 15 sails totalling 36,000 sq. ft. Another attraction on all the Starclipper ships is that part of the bridge is "open" and you can be up there on the open part of the bridge (except when there is a Pilot on board) and the adjacent areas at almost any time. If you have any more questions about the Starclippers I will try to help

[SailorJM]

I agree with the other post. I'd add that the Star Clipper passengers tend to be more continental. We've sailed with folks from England, Germany, France, Australia, plus Canada and US. Ship announcements made in several languages. Crew members also were from many different places around the world. Star Clipper had (has?) a wonderful passenger/crew talent show that highlights the many cultures. Wind Star ships are more upscale, while Star Clippers seem to be a little more casual, but definitely not Windjammer casual. Good service, good food, good ships, good fun for both.:)

[SailorJM]

Another note: since you're thinking of going tall-ship sailing, you might want to consider the Windjammer ships if you want totally casual sailing, travel, but very good accommodations, great (smaller) ports, good food and fun crews. All you need to bring: swimsuits, shorts, tops, flipflops.

 

IslandWindjammers.com (Island Windjammers)=via firsthand experience: EXCELLENT! Ships carry 12 and 24 passengers

SailWindjammer.com (Windjammer Sailing Adventures)--about 60 passengers

 

Both are operated by people who sailed with and crews from the former Windjammer Barefoot Cruises (WBC) that went out of biz in 07. WSA even has one of the WBC ships: S/V Mandalay. :)

[2bamboo]

We shared a bay anchorage with the Wind Star while sailing on the Star Clipper. Our Captain explained the difference by saying, "They (the Wind Star) are a cruise ship that sometimes sails. We are a sailing ship that sometimes cruises." The Captain was also perplexed by the fact that the Wind Star was at anchorage with their sails raised. He explained this by saying, "Perhaps they have laundered their sails and hung them up to dry." We shared a drink at a shore side bar with some passengers from the Wind Star. They asked us if it was true that the passengers on the Star Clipper had to "work" by raising sails and doing chores on the ship. We put on our most serious faces and replied that not only was that true but we also had paddles in our cabin to help row if necessary. They bought us the next round of drinks!:p

[thatbloominplace]

i have done both of these cruises and loved both of them, though for very different reasons. windstar represents a very upscale experience in a very informal style. great food, large cabins, elegant but understated style everywhere. it is a smaller cruise ship with sails, but the sails are really for show, hardly ever used. the dress code is smart casual and the passengers are generally well travelled and experienced and enjoy themselves without needing to dress up.

 

windstar is quite different. it is all about the ship and sailing. as we left port from barbados (our itinerary left from barbados) at night, i mentioned to the person next to me, that all we needed for a great moment was to have the ship's lights turned off so we could enjoy the stars better. with that, the person behind me, the captain, said, "i can do that" and flicked off the lights. everyone on deck let out a gentle "ahh" in unison.how informal and casual can you get?? the food is good, not great.the rooms are a little small, but adequate. but your time will be spent ashore or on deck, enjoying the thrill of sailing. everything is laid back and casual, including arrival and location of ports. many were out of the way, and arrival times were estimates not cast in stone. this makes booking excursions on your own difficult and for a planner like myself, a little unnerving. it was for this very reason that this turned out to be the most relaxing cruise i ever took. "just go with the flow" became my mantra for the trip. most of the cruising was, indeed, under sail and there is nothing quite like it. evening activity is basically hanging out on the upper deck at the bar with fellow passengers.

 

as you can see, while there is a tendency to compare and contrast these 2 lines because their ships have sails, they are quite different and should be selected for these differences. i have sailed twice on windstar and once on starclipper, with hopes of going on another starclipper as soon as i can get another couple or two to join us.

 

steve

[2bamboo]

Beautifully stated Steve but I think in your second paragraph that you meant to say Star Clipper.