JOBAKE

We have been on the Star Clipper three times. I would say that cabin 308 is in one of the best positions on the Clipper Deck - well located and one of the quietest areas.

We have been on the Royal Clipper several times in the Caribbean - including the Grenadines. (1) Yes - you can explore independently. (2) Yes (3) On all (or all but one) of our trips we have been in Cat. 2 - at our own request (ask for one amidships). Cabins are well fitted out with good quality fittings.

Apart from sleeping etc. you are unlikely to spend much time in your cabin. Instead - on deck watching the action, the tropical bar (the main "social" area), on the open part of the bridge and adjacent thereto, maybe once in the net under the bowsprit, maybe once climbing the mast to the crows nest (with safety equipment).

A couple of suggestions:-

1. On the day of embarkation, boarding usually commences at 4.00 p.m. Dinner usually starts at 7.30 - suggest you go in then (the Maitre D will help you to a suitable table) and be out by about 9.45. Make your way up to the area by the open part of the bridge ready for sailaway at 10.00. The sails are being raised as the ship leaves the port and then you will have the Trade Winds coming from astern of the ship - yes, real sailing. Listen as well as watch - can be emotional !!!

2. In St Lucia (time permitting) definitely go ashore at Marigot Bay and walk around there and, maybe, have a snack / lunch in one of the cafes. Marigot Bay is a very historic bay for sailing ships to shelter from adverse weather (should be very good weather for you in January).

The Clippers are a place to relax. The daily programme will be delivered to your cabin the previous afternoon / evening. Drink prices in the bar and the restaurant are reasonable. It is often said that you meet very interesting people on the Clippers - we have and we are still in touch / friends with some of them

Have a great time

We have been on 20 Clipper holidays - wonderful (there are lots of people who have done far more than us). The Starclippers red and white house wines are good and reasonably priced. Captain Sergei is indeed excellent. Cruise Director Peter is a legend on the Clippers. Suggest that at sailaway you be in the vicinity of the open part of the bridge. Listen as well as watch - can be quite emotional (tears permitted - you would not be the first!!!)

Generally speaking on any ship the most stable area is amidships on lower decks and that is the case with any of the Clipper ships (we have been on all three). We usually choose category two amidships. If you go to the web site - starclippers.co.uk - click on to "our Fleet" and then on to "Deck Plan" you will see the cabin layouts with the categories. When booking you can ask for a specific cabin or go more generally and say, for example, "Category two, amidships"

Departure ("Sailaway") is usually at 10.00 p.m. Suggest you be in the vicinity of the open part of the bridge by, say, 9.45 for sailaway. Listen as well as watch. The sails (usually all of them) are being raised as the ship leaves the port and then you are off with the trade winds coming from astern. Boarding usually starts at 4.00 p.m.

Some years ago there was a member of the Crew on the Royal Clipper who (unofficially) made and sold small "models" of the Royal Clipper (we have one). That crew member left Starclippers some years ago reportedly due to a serious health matter.

We have been on all three of the Clippers - booking trips on board is the norm. You will get a daily news sheet delivered to your cabin and that will set out the timings / booking times for shore trips - no problem.

I think that the Hurricane season in the Caribbean officially ends on the 30th November. I seem to recollect that there was a strong late storm this year - maybe that is what your friends were caught up in. Friends of ours arriving by air in to St Lucia at around that time were initially prevented from landing in St Lucia by a storm and the plane diverted to Barbados for a few hours before returning to land in St Lucia when the weather had improved.

Getting safely through a storm is a very testing challenge for the Captain of a ship (of any size) and the three most important things about being on a ship come in to play - safety, safety, safety.

I see you are going on the RC on the 21st January - the hurricane season will be long gone by then and the trade winds should have settled in - you will be in high season. You should have good weather - we will be following you on the RC on the 28th January on the Windwards itinerary. We have done the Windwards and the Grenadines before.

Have a great holiday

We have been on several Clipper trips and I am not aware of any drinks packages. Drinks on the Clippers are reasonably priced. Also the Starclippers own Red and White wines are, for us at least, both nice and good value.

Sorry - we will not be with you then. We are going on the Flyer in the Med. in September. Have you been on the Clippers before?

janecambridge - the beach barbecue is open to all and is not a paid trip (but, as on board, you have to pay for your alcoholic drinks which they take ashore for the barbecue - Starclippers drinks prices are reasonable). At the spot where they usually have the beach barbecue there is some quite good snorkelling in relatively shallow water. If you are interested take your snorkelling gear with you - check for any currents before you go in. You can also walk to the other side of the (unhabited) island where they usually have the barbecue - only a couple of minutes. Over there many yachts at anchor and a nice beach. You can snorkel there too but in the central area of the beach (probably currents around the end areas) and, even more so than on the barbecue side, check for currents before going in.

We will just miss you as we are embarking (for the Windwards) on the 28th January following an 8 night stay in Barbados.

As has been indicated it can sometimes be a bit choppy on the first night out of Barbados and, particularly, on the last night back.

The first night, however, may be the best sail of your holiday with the trade winds astern and all sails up. Suggest that on your first night you go in to dinner at 7.30 and be out by about 9.45. Make your way up to the open part of the bridge for sailaway. The sails are being raised as the ship leaves the port. Listen as well as watch. On your last night back it is most likely that only the fore and aft sails will be raised (square sails cannot be used when the wind is ahead of the beam) and the ship will be "leaning" over. If that is the case, and you have a double bed, you can sleep "across" the bed with your head at the higher (windward) end - a much more comfortable night!! If you would like one or two thoughts for the stops on the Grenadines itinerary please let me know.

Maybe get up early in the morning as the RC enters Venice and make your way up to the open part of the bridge (starboard side) to see Venice from that perspective. We have sailed from Venice on the RC - fond memories.

We tend to go in Cat. 2 around 234 / 236 (236 booked for a forthcoming trip) - they are very convenient for the stairs to the main deck. As 250 / 248 are in the atrium area there might be a little more passenger movement there around meal times.

Trousers at dinner - no shorts. Jacket not needed at dinner - hardly anyone wears one. On Captain's Dinner Night either jacket or no jacket - your choice. Very few people wear a jacket on that night - even if invited to the Captain's table. The Captain will be in his "whites". I take a tie just in case we are invited to the Captain's table - it has happened!

Shorts O.K. for breakfast, lunch etc.

Have a super holiday on what looks like your first Clipper adventure

We have been on several Clipper holidays. There may, or may not, be other solos on your trip. In our experience solos and couples get on well together. It is often said that on a Clipper holiday one meets some very interesting fellow passengers - we have, and we are still in touch with one solo we met on the Clippers. Our next trip is booked and we are looking shortly to book a further one.

I take a tie with me and a suitable shirt just in case we are invited to the Captain's Table on the Captain's Dinner night - it has happened. I feel that is respectful to the Captain who is in his whites.

I agree with Denarius - that is our selection area on the RC. Your first ever cruise - you are starting at the top!!

A few more thoughts for your itinerary:-

White Bay - Jost van Dyke. The Soggy Dollar Bar - a famous place for yachties to go to.

North Sound - Virgin Gorda. The Bitter End Yacht Club (actually a hotel and restaurant) - another leading "destination" (Get the "T" shirt!!)

Antigua - Visit the historic Nelson's Dockyard - about 10 minutes walk from where you are normally tendered ashore. Small entry fee. Couple of nice cafes there. There is also a small but very interesting museum there which, strangely, most people walk by. I recommend a visit to that museum.

Iles des Saintes - Walk over to the other side of the island. Where you are usually tendered ashore then (facing inland) turn right. A short distance along there is a road off to the left - take that (check with the locals that you have the correct road).Walk to the other side - takes about half an hour. Beautiful beach there with shade under the palms. Can swim / snorkel there. Take your camera to get some super shots from along that road of the RC at anchor. We tend to do that in the morning and get back to the main area in time for a snack / lunch in one of the cafes / restaurants there before returning to the ship.

St. Lucia - Marigot Bay. At the RC Marigot Bay stop (it "hovers" there as the sea is too deep to anchor) there may be an opportunity to go ashore (on a RIB) to the beach adjacent to the spot where one of the Pitons drops down in to the sea - and keeps going down. My best ever snorkelling there.

In 2011 some friends of ours stayed in 312 or close by and, having been in their cabin, my rather hazy recollection is that you have a view and can get some shade from the boats you mentioned. However the chances are that you will not spend much time in your cabin / on the balcony.

Ah - the stars above. To get you started the Clipper way - suggest that on your first night you go in to dinner at 7.30 (which is when it starts) and be out by, say, 9.45. Make your way up to the area next to the open part of the bridge ready for sailaway at 10.00 p.m. The sails are being raised as the ship leaves the port and within a few minutes there you are in the warm tropical breeze, with the sails above driving the ship and the stars shining above. Listen as well as watch as the ship leaves the port. It can "get you" - you would not be the first to shed a few tears.

As indicated above we did the BVI's on the Royal Clipper in 2011 and I still have the daily programmes (which are delivered to your cabin the previous afternoon / evening) - thus I may be able to answer any questions you may have.

Together with some friends we are going on the Star Flyer in September. We have been on all three of the Clippers and may be able to answer any questions you may have. Now that we are in 2016 these holidays seem a little closer!

You may meet other(s) passengers who you get on with during the course of the cruise and arrange to sit with them. Apart from that the Maitre D usually positions himself at the bottom of the main stairway that leads down directly in to the dining room and he will help you to get seated with suitable people (mainly language). If you have a word with him before dinner on the first night he will probably give you one or two suggestions - when to come in to dinner, for example. In our experience (travelling as a couple) fellow passengers are very helpful and accommodating to solo travellers and the several "solos" we have met have had very good holidays. (After several years we are still in touch with a lady solo we met on one of our Clipper holidays).

You will be able to leave / return to the ship, and get around it, at any time during the day. (At times you may have to work your way around some areas that are being attended to - e.g. when the crew are scrubbing the decks). The crew will be very busy looking after the departing passengers and getting the ship ready for the oncoming ones.

If you have more to see / learn about Barbados - walk in to the centre of Bridgetown (the Capital), take the bus to Speightstown and find, and look around, the Gallery of Caribbean Art (it is a shop that sells paintings etc.) You will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of the many paintings etc. on show. Then bus back to Bridgetown. Or take taxis if you prefer.

If you take a general tour (or private taxi tour - good supply of taxis at the cruise terminal) then, if possible, go on one that also takes in the East Coast. It is like a different land from the touristy areas. When you look out to sea from that coast the next landfall is Africa!! (You must NOT swim off the beaches on the East Coast because of the currents)

That first night is likely to be the best "sail" of the holiday with the trade winds from the stern(ish). As the RC is a true sailing ship the raised sails have a steadying effect if there is a fresh breeze.