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Newbie Star Clipper passengers


marcc
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Hi all

 

This will be our first cruise on Star Clipper. We've booked Phuket to Singapore Feb 16 to 23, 2019. Are there any of you on the same cruise?

 

 

The only roll calls I see are in the forum section and there are not many of those. Are there too few passengers per trip to run roll calls?

Do people use the forums to organize group tours?

 

 

I was hoping some of you would offer advise on what to expect. Give us an idea on the touches that make Star Clipper special and to answer a question or 2 or 3 or 4 or.....

 

 

The departure from Phuket is scheduled at 10:00 pm. Does anyone know what time we may board and what time the cabins are available?

 

 

What kind of entertainment is available in the evening?

 

 

The bridge looks to be an open area on deck. Are passengers allowed to hang around?

I read that they'll let you handle lines. Are there other things that are permitted?

 

 

I was told that the engines could be noisy. We are aft on the lower deck. Comments?

Do we travel much under sail alone or is the engine always running?

 

 

Oh, one from my wife:

What's the red wine selection like? Any predominant region? Varied?

 

I'm sure I'll think of a lot more, we're still 6 months out but thanks for your patience in answering these to start.

 

 

Marc C.

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Okay Marc, if you've cruised before, forget everything you think you know about cruising.

 

Roll call? Why? You'll know all the pax quickly.

 

Excursions? They have a small binder with a variety of options that you and a handful of 'new' friends will sign up for. Typically they've been privately arranged by Star Clipper in the few days before your arrival. 25 big tour buses don't line up at the dock for 150 people. It's all very intimate... and very good.

 

Entertainment? Perhaps they will pick up a single performer to entertain you on top deck one or two evenings. There may be a crew performance. I'm not really recalling. There are certainly very interesting lectures typically conducted by the cruise director. And you'll watch the sails in the moonlight.

 

Access? Sure you're welcome around the bridge. You also climb onto the bowsprit and up to the crow's nest if you want. Handle the lines and raise the sails.

 

Wine selection? I'm sure it's fine. But I wouldn't expect extraordinary or exotic.

 

You're going to sea. You're going to feel the ocean move constantly under your feet. You're going to visit exotic places and sometimes get wet going ashore. You're going to sail. This ain't no 'pleasure cruise' on a floating hotel at sea.

 

Hope that gives you a feel. Enjoy.

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Expect some (wonderful) unexpected moments on board, far away from other cruise experiences.

 

As jsglow answered the most of your questions, just a bit about the engine and their noise. Star Clipers will sail as often as that is possible. But to keep on schedule, engine will used as well if neccessary. Overall, about 80 % is sailing, but varies by route and wind conditions.

 

Engine will run all the time: You want electricity for light, air condition, kitchen, cold drinks... So some cabins are a bit more noisy than others and you may feel some light vibrations. These cabins are mainly the Kat. 4 cabins, which are located naxt to the engine room and sold a bit cheaper than others. We had a cat. 4 cabin on our first cruise (cabin 129) and it was fine for us in general (and we loved the 'washing machine' in the porthole when underway) - but for the following cruises we decided to spend a bit more and to switch to cat. 3 to get a bit more comfort.

 

As the enginge sound will be mainly transported by the hull of the ship, the bed more to the middle of the cabin is more silent as the outer bed in cat. 4 cabins.

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Besides handling the lines, there are days to climb to the top of the crow’s nest, and the crew invites you to steer the ship if you’d like. We were fortunate to have a great captain, name escapes me, from Russia. He loved interacting with the pax. Even showed off his gymnastic skills while manning the bridge. If you’re lucky enough to have Peter as your cruise director you will not be bored, he will keep you occupied.

 

I remember the wine list had many selections in all price ranges.

 

As far as entertainment, there was a piano player. After dinner, most everyone hung around at the bar. The bartenders are great. Igor was our favorite.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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Hi all

 

 

 

This will be our first cruise on Star Clipper. We've booked Phuket to Singapore Feb 16 to 23, 2019. Are there any of you on the same cruise?

 

 

 

 

 

The only roll calls I see are in the forum section and there are not many of those. Are there too few passengers per trip to run roll calls?

 

Do people use the forums to organize group tours?

 

 

 

 

 

I was hoping some of you would offer advise on what to expect. Give us an idea on the touches that make Star Clipper special and to answer a question or 2 or 3 or 4 or.....

 

 

 

 

 

The departure from Phuket is scheduled at 10:00 pm. Does anyone know what time we may board and what time the cabins are available?

 

 

 

 

 

What kind of entertainment is available in the evening?

 

 

 

 

 

The bridge looks to be an open area on deck. Are passengers allowed to hang around?

 

I read that they'll let you handle lines. Are there other things that are permitted?

 

 

 

 

 

I was told that the engines could be noisy. We are aft on the lower deck. Comments?

 

Do we travel much under sail alone or is the engine always running?

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, one from my wife:

 

What's the red wine selection like? Any predominant region? Varied?

 

 

 

I'm sure I'll think of a lot more, we're still 6 months out but thanks for your patience in answering these to start.

 

 

 

 

 

Marc C.

 

 

 

Lucky you. Expect to have a great holiday and experience.

 

There is a very good selection of wines at reasonable prices. Star clippers do not do crazy mark-ups.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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Your Captain sounds like Sergei - we’ve been lucky enough to have him as Captain for several voyages. He really is a Renaissance Man.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

 

Yes. He was great. Interacting and conversing with the pax. Even had a pull-up bar contest with the watersports team who were all around 20 and any pax who wanted to participate. lol

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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!!!)

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  • 1 month later...
Hi all

 

This will be our first cruise on Star Clipper. We've booked Phuket to Singapore Feb 16 to 23, 2019. Are there any of you on the same cruise?

 

 

The only roll calls I see are in the forum section and there are not many of those. Are there too few passengers per trip to run roll calls?

Do people use the forums to organize group tours?

 

 

I was hoping some of you would offer advise on what to expect. Give us an idea on the touches that make Star Clipper special and to answer a question or 2 or 3 or 4 or.....

 

 

The departure from Phuket is scheduled at 10:00 pm. Does anyone know what time we may board and what time the cabins are available?

 

 

What kind of entertainment is available in the evening?

 

 

The bridge looks to be an open area on deck. Are passengers allowed to hang around?

I read that they'll let you handle lines. Are there other things that are permitted?

 

 

I was told that the engines could be noisy. We are aft on the lower deck. Comments?

Do we travel much under sail alone or is the engine always running?

 

 

Oh, one from my wife:

What's the red wine selection like? Any predominant region? Varied?

 

I'm sure I'll think of a lot more, we're still 6 months out but thanks for your patience in answering these to start.

 

 

Marc C.

 

 

Hi Marc.

 

Though not your itinerary my review from our time on Star Clipper last year will answer most of your questions...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2017/11/04/star-clipper-java-sea-limited-edition-cruise/

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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!!!)

 

 

I recorded it, here's the link...

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

One of the nice touches I noticed was that Sergei joined passengers on a table for the evening meal.  Typically this would be in conjunction with say a passenger who was celebrating his 80th birthday and a cake was made special.  With open seating people shifted about a bit to get to know each other.  I was accused of "chasing the cakes" but had no idea any night and ended up on "The Captains Table" three nights.  Sergei has a lot of time for people.

 

You may be familiar on other lines with a preview menu for the evening meal.  Not so on Star Clippers, they serve up early doors "specimen dinners" so you can see exactly what is coming.

 

We did not have local artists coming on board because we never stopped anywhere transatlantic, just 18 straight sea days,  So entertainment was based more around flip charts and multi language answers with an adjudicator who spoke English and German.  One of the exercise classes was "Walk with me a mile" where a young ENTs officer power walked round the ship with everyone following him rapidly.  Then we did the deck golf which was interesting.

 

Regards John 

Edited by john watson
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