First Time on Star Clipper, questions??

[jennib5426]

We will be taking our first cruise on the Star Clipper on 12/03.

I have a few questions, maybe someone can help.

 

Will U.S. electronics work or do I need an converter?

Can I bring on my own soda and water on board?

Is there internet access? How much?

Is there a stereo and or DVD player in a Cat 3 cabin?

Is the drink pricing fair? (we found Windstar to be very fair)

Coke or Pepsi on board? :)

Anyone else out there going on the 12/3/05 Star Clipper?

 

Thanks

JenniB

[LHT28]

We are also thinking of taking a STAR Clipper cruise. so interested in any comments.

We are sailors and have also done the bigger cruise ships but never a BIG sailboat!;)

[khk007]

Hello,

 

There should be an Internet access on 1 or 2 computers on the vessel.

 

You can't use your own laptop and it costs 12 Euro ($) per hour.

 

I was on the Royalclipper and we had 220 V 50Hz with european continental power outlets. I suppose it will be the same on the starclipper.

You can bring your own drinks on board as log as they fit in your luggage. Icewater and coffee is free all day. I had a DVD player in my cabin.

 

This was on the Royalclipper, but I think it should be similiar on the Star Clipper.

 

Regards,

 

Kai

[LHT28]

Hello,

 

I was on the Royalclipper and we had 220 V 50Hz with european continental power outlets. I suppose it will be the same on the starclipper.

 

Kai

 

Did you do the Caribbean or Europe ports?

How did you find the cabins, beds for comfort?

Any comment on the food quality?

 

Lyn

[khk007]

Hello,

 

Did you do the Caribbean or Europe ports?

 

Neither really, I crossed the atlantic on the Royalclipper from 10/21 until 11/06 from Malaga to Barbados.

 

The ship was almost rolling as if there were no stabilizers at all with swell of 2 - 3 m from starboard most of the time on the atlantic. Sometimes glasses fell down on the floor, chairs fell over and it was difficult to walk straight (without having had alcohol before of cause...). It might be a bit less critique in the caribean or the mediterranean. But the captain told me that if you don't want to feel the rolling of the vessel in case of swell, you need to go on cruiseliners of 200 m of length or more. His vessel was not heavy enough to compansate for the swell.

 

How did you find the cabins, beds for comfort?

 

I booked a so called Deluxe cabin which looked quite nice and spacious at a first glance but I had 7 defaults in my cabin (one concerning security at see in certainly extreme situations only, but beds were OK). These defaults spoiled my trip quite a bit... and only some of them got fixed on my request! But if you book a Deluxe cabin, there should be not all these defaults and no need to request fixing them by the passenger! This shows a lack of maintenance!!! I don't want to go into details in public now as the dispute over compensation with the company is not settled yet and the company refuses any concession (I have proves for a part of the defaults) at the moment, accusing instead myself having damaged the cabin... which is really the top and not true! They sent me an almost a very harsh letter instead excusing themselves and proposing a compensation for all the defaults... It seems as if I have to go to court to obtain satisfaction which I didn't want in the beginning but if the company treats me that way, I don't have the choice... If you don't want to be into this in case you will have complaints you might think about embarking but that's your decision...

 

Any comment on the food quality?

 

There is one restaurant and you choose when and with whom you want eat (You can change table every day but don't need to).

 

The food quality was generally excellent but a little standardized: Either buffets or 5 course menus with 2 choices for each course and you had to pay for drinks except ice water and coffee (But I found prices for drinks OK).

 

Other remarks:

 

The ilands visited are generally quite small but you have to tender very often or you will be often in not very nice industrial ports a little bit away from town centers... You should really like watersports because there is not much to do otherwise. There is no need to help during sailing maneuvers and the maneuvers are not spectacular like on sail training vessels. You can climb on the main mast up to the first floor only during 1 hour per day... But you can go on the bridge and talk to the watch officiers almost all the time except during important maneuvers.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Regards,

 

Kai

[jennib5426]

The Royal Clipper has European current and plugs and the Star Clipper has U.S. current and plugs. I double checked with the cruise line last week.

 

Did they have DVD'd available on the ship to watch?

 

What category was your deluxe cabin?

We booked a cat 3, and it says deluxe but it is not a suite, I am hoping it has a DVD player.

[khk007]

Hello,

 

I only hope that the cruise line gave you the right answers concerning the plugs. The general agent for Germany where I booked gave me in writing that the internet was available on the vessel on the atlantic... In the end it wasn't and I only got lukewarm excuses without any compensation though the absence of the internet connexion caused me some trouble which added to the other defaults of my cabin... So, in case something is not correct, don't worry but be happy and expect no compensation whatsoever...

 

On the Royalclipper they had DVDs in their sloop shop, on the starclipper it might be the same...

 

My Deluxe cabin was the category just below the owners suite with a private balcony. This is why all these cabin defaults are not acceptable to me considering it's a Deluxe cabin and the price I paid for it...

 

I could sent you some exemples of the defaults (pictures) in private (Email) in order to show you what you might get (not sure of cause, maybe your cabin will be fine...). But I don't want to do it in public at the moment. The general maintenance on the Royalclipper was in any case very poor....

 

Regards,

 

Kai

[LHT28]

Hello,

 

I could sent you some exemples of the defaults (pictures) in private (Email) in order to show you what you might get (not sure of cause, maybe your cabin will be fine...). But I don't want to do it in public at the moment. The general maintenance on the Royalclipper was in any case very poor....

 

Regards,

 

Kai

i would be interested in seeing your pics of the defaults.

LHT28atyahoo.com

[khk007]

Hi JenniB,

 

I sent you some of the pics.

 

Regards,

 

Kai

[clipperskipper]

Hello together,

 

I have spent more than 20 weeks on board the clipper ships and I can say that they have 220 V on the Royal and 110 V US system on Star Clipper and Flyer.

 

@ khk007. I would be really interested to know which problems you had and especially what you mean with the poor maintainance.

 

My last voyage on Star Clipper (SC) was in summer in the Med and I also can say that she needs a refurbishment (outside and inside) in the dry dock. On my next voyage I try to find out, if there are any plans for that matter. But Captain and crew were very kind and nice. Service crew needs some training.

 

Going to board the Royal in Jan or Feb 2006. Does anybody know, if she is in good shape? Have been last on the Royal 3 years ago.

 

For internet measures: Most of the systems on board ships are not able to get a stable satellite connection when the ship is moving (rolling). And as tall ship are moving more than the big steel boxes, it's more often not available.

 

I never had "real problems" on board the clipper ships. And the one or two times I had, the head office in Monaco was very kind.

 

I forgot: Since last year they have DVD Players on SC and you can get DVD's in the sloop shop. Bit I think the best "cinema" is on deck and at the Trpical Bar.