On St. Bart’s in season, the theme is if you’ve got it flaunt it! The French Caribbean harbor is packed with imposing yachts that are the toys of people constantly looking for ways to one-up the competition. And yet all eyes are on us when the Sea Cloud Spirit gracefully sails in.
The sleek new sailing ship that sports a golden flying eagle for a bowsprit and three masts that can flaunt a total of 24,000 square feet of canvas, boasts being the world’s largest sailing ship. Yet, this classically scaled sailing barque has more in common with the luxury yachts in the harbor than with the floating cities that have become the face of modern cruising.
Here’s a look at factors that make this cruise different from any you may have experienced before:
1—Think of it as an ongoing yacht party
Even before we board the ship, the Champagne is flowing freely. The passengers on this trip include a number of Sea Cloud repeat guests. They’ve sailed on the line’s other ships that are half the scale of Spirit–which claims to be the world’s largest sailing cruise ship. Many of the guests are European and have done business and travelled extensively internationally, and they all have fascinating tales to tell. We admire the rakish lines of the ship based on the design of a three-masted barque from a century ago and trimmed with varnished woodwork and brass.
The original Sea Cloud was the personal yacht of heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. It and a replica built more recently, Sea Cloud 2, have been best known in Europe. Sea Cloud Spirit is a modern take that adds all the luxury touches to all its accommodations and with a capacity of up to 136 guests and itineraries that include the Caribbean and Central America as well as Europe.
Like the owners of the yachts around us, we’re getting a remarkable level of personal attention. On this cruise–which was not completely full– there were as many crew as there were guests.
Every detail of the ship is classically nautical–Photo by Wallace Immen
2—It’s even more inclusive
They don’t ask for your credit card when you check in. The fare covers most everything on board, including gratuities and now also includes an open bar. Beverages including many top name liquors and Champagne are included, with only premium aged Scotches, Cognac and other high end splurges coming with extra costs. The daily wines at lunch and dinner tend to be German or French, and include reds, whites and excellent rosés as well as Champagne. Of course there’s always a range of good German beers.
The bar staff was delightful. Head bartender Anton Campos has 35 years’ experience on Sea Cloud ships and he’s got an encyclopedic knowledge of every cocktail ever invented. He introduced us to the Painkiller–made with dark rum, pineapple and coconut– and the Imperial—a flute of champagne topped with a couple of drops of Chambord. Not only is Pommery Champagne the house brand, it comes in custom-labeled bottles featuring a profile of the ship under full sail.
3–Set your watch by the precision
Things happen with admirable Germanic precision on this ship. They mean it when they say embarkation begins at 4 p.m. “An earlier arrival is not possible, as the crew is preparing the ship for your arrival on the Sea Cloud cruise vessel,” the company explains. And they’re ready to welcome you to an immaculately tended ship with your bags delivered to your room.
Tours from the ship leave on time and you can count on being back precisely as the schedule. When a tender schedule says they leave the ship on the hour, you need to be at the gangway a couple of minutes in advance, otherwise the boat will be pulling away. And in the evening, when the dinner bell rings at precisely 7:30, it’s time to sit down for dinner.
4—Menus you won’t find elsewhere
The menus have a European slant with a number of uniquely German specialties. Entrees you’re unlikely to find on other cruise ships include game hen and venison filets.
Two evenings on the cruise were five-course captain’s galas served in the elegant dining room by waiters whose uniforms feature jaunty bow ties.
One gala meal started with a delicate tomato and mozzarella roll, followed by a lobster bisque that was based on the best reduction of fresh lobster I’ve ever tasted. In fact, it was so rich, it could have used a little more cream to balance the zing of the lobster.
The palate cleansing sorbet that followed was just the right antidote and it came topped with an elaborate spun sugar sculpture and a dose of the ship’s proprietary pink gin for a kicker. Then came a choice of lobster or venison or a surf and turf style combo.
Breakfast is served buffet-style on the Lido, with stacks of fresh baked croissants, cinnamon buns and trays of cheeses along with cereals, eggs and a high-tech coffee machine that churns out a range of excellent specialty brews. An ice bucket always has bottles of Champagne that you can pour into fresh orange juice to make mimosas. Even at the breakfast buffet, there is a separate counter of vegane aufstriche –vegan spreads
Lunch features a daily salad bar with ultra-fresh greens plated up by crew members in addition to self- serve zones of hot and cold specialties that are different every day. Soups on this Caribbean cruise tended to be kaltschale: sweet chilled soups based on fruits like strawberry or peach, which did seem appropriate in the heat of the day. What you won’t see are the traditional American cruise buffet staples like burgers and fries and pizza. They do wonderful potato salads, cold cuts and sauerkraut, though.
Most evenings dinners were served al fresco on the Lido deck. A carving station features a different specialty every night, which might be a whole suckling pig or leg of lamb. Grill stations fried up fresh catches of the day, and you’ll also find favorites like bratwurst. Entrees from the galley tended to be roulades and hearty dishes of pork, beef, veal or chicken.
Desserts are always highlights and every evening we felt like applauding the pastry chefs who managed to come up with consistently artistic as well as scrumptious sweet treats.
Another touch on this ship that has disappeared on many other ships are late night buffet selections for those who are still feeling peckish after dinner hours.
5. Discovering the spa
The Sea Cloud Wellness & Spa doesn’t keep a high profile, tucked away behind the ship’s shop on Deck 2, but it’s worth exploring. In addition to treatment rooms and hair salon, it features a Finnish sauna, steam bath, relaxation room and multi-sensory shower. A wide range of treatments are available, with prices in Euros.
One afternoon I enjoyed a massage from a specialist who was trained in Mexico and has worked on a number of ships, including big British ones. He enjoys the relaxed pace and amenities available in the treatment rooms on this ship.
And there is a gym on the top deck of the ship, although it wasn’t heavily used on this cruise. It also features a desk and a view that makes it a cool retreat from the deck to read or catch up on e-mail on a scorching day.
I can see why people fall in love with this sleek lady. Sea Cloud Spirit is an alluring luxury cruise alternative from a niche European line looking to become much better known worldwide.
Story by Wallace Immen, The Cruisington Times
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