Star Clipper or Royal Clipper

[Frecklesxoxo]

Hello Everyone!

 

We are interested by the Caribbean cruise in January 2006. We are both 39 and we don't know on which ship to go. We are into watersports, like snorkeling, diving, sailing. Can anyone tell us the differences between both ship.

 

Also, how long to the ship stay in a port of call? Can't find any schedule about that :confused:

 

If we buy alcohol on an island, our we allowed to open it in our cabin?

 

Thank you very much :D

 

Frecklesxoxo

[Trinka]

Last year I was on the Royal and this year on the Star, in the Med. both years. Both ships are very casual but the Star is more so. On the Royal last year I ask several fellow passengers, who had been on both ships, which they preferred and nine out of ten said the Star. I agree. I did prefer the more extensive port information sessions on the Royal, however. Watersport equipment and instruction are the same on both ships. I love this kind of cruising. I had been on many cruises on the mega cruise ships and will never go back. I now travel as a single woman and found it very easy to make friends on these two ships....especially the Star.

 

I can't be specific about your other two questions but I think a call to Star Clippers will answer your question about how long in each port....it's usually one day. I don't think you'd have a problem with opening any food or drink you might want in your cabin.

 

I hope this is helpful.

[biglagoon]

Last year I was on the Royal and this year on the Star, in the Med. both years. Both ships are very casual but the Star is more so. On the Royal last year I ask several fellow passengers, who had been on both ships, which they preferred and nine out of ten said the Star. I agree. I did prefer the more extensive port information sessions on the Royal, however. Watersport equipment and instruction are the same on both ships. I love this kind of cruising. I had been on many cruises on the mega cruise ships and will never go back. I now travel as a single woman and found it very easy to make friends on these two ships....especially the Star.

 

I can't be specific about your other two questions but I think a call to Star Clippers will answer your question about how long in each port....it's usually one day. I don't think you'd have a problem with opening any food or drink you might want in your cabin.

 

I hope this is helpful.

Hi Trinka, would you tell me some comments from passengers who preferred the Star over the Royal? Just wondering what might be the difference. We sailed on the Star last year and just loved the whole experience. This year we are sailing the transatlantic on the Royal.

Thank you, Kathy

[Trinka]

I really wish I could come up with exact quotes or even a few specifics. In general I just heard things like “Ah, yes, the Royal is wonderful, but the Star is for me.” “More casual, less passengers.”

 

 

You will find the Royal nearly as casual. However, I did find the dinning far more casual on the Star. On the Royal the maitre d usually seats guests, each night, as they descend the somewhat elegant staircase. Of course you may ask for a certain table. On the Star the maitre d seated guests but wasn’t too much in demand after the first or second night as people more or less chose a table on their own, usually with people they had become acquainted with on deck, in the bar, on a tour or at an earlier meal. Was this your dinning experience? It doesn’t seem as though 40 or so less passengers should make much difference but it seems to.

 

 

On the Royal there are set times for excursion talks two days prior to every port with all passengers who are interested in attendance. The cruise director speaks three or four languages and easily glides from one to the next. It does take quite a lot of time and becomes rather tiresome by the end but it is lovely to be sharing a trip with other nationalities.

 

 

I’m sure you will love being on the Royal. I love both ships….just kind of prefer the smaller one.

 

 

Kathie (Trinka)

 

 

 

 

[biglagoon]

You will find the Royal nearly as casual. However, I did find the dinning far more casual on the Star. On the Royal the maitre d usually seats guests, each night, as they descend the somewhat elegant staircase. Of course you may ask for a certain table. On the Star the maitre d seated guests but wasn’t too much in demand after the first or second night as people more or less chose a table on their own, usually with people they had become acquainted with on deck, in the bar, on a tour or at an earlier meal. Was this your dinning experience? It doesn’t seem as though 40 or so less passengers should make much difference but it seems to.

thank you for your response. Yes, we found the dining aboard the Star casual. We seemed just to head to "our" table with some folks we had met. Maybe the elegant staircase demands maitre d to seat people in a formal manner.

I know we will love the Royal, the ocean crossing is something we have always wanted to do. Funny, I would not think that 40 or less more passengers would make a difference, but as you say, it does.

we met a young man last year on the Star, who had sailed the transatlantic on the Royal, he loved everything about the trip, did say that people dressed up a little more on the Royal for Captian's dinner. also, he said there were only 67 passengers on that crossing.

We have our eyes set on the Indian ocean crossing aboard the Flyer.

that was our intended trip this year, but the Flyer was sold out for the Oct. crossing back in April when we inquired.

I can hardly wait to get on board.

I like the idea of more organized shore excurison information. It seemed that was lacking during our time on the Star.

thanks, Kathy

[Beach Hunter]

I hav e not been on the Royal Clipper, but we took the Star Clipper out of St Martin. Look for my report. It is more of a sailing ship. We were under sail (as opposed to power) for at least 95 percent of the time. The captain told us that the Royal does not sail near as much. You get a real sailing experience.

 

Typical port time was from noon to 6 pm. Not a lot of time, but the islands visited were small.

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

We are just starting to look at the Royal Clipper line for our next cruise. This may sound silly, but we are leaning toward the Royal over the Star simply because of the availablility of balconies on the Royal ! :)

 

Comments, anyone ?

 

THANKS !!