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We spend Sunday under sail
slowly drifting towards Sicily. There is hardly any wind, but it is an
incredible sight seeing all sails unfurled and gently rippling in the breeze.
With the engines turned off, there are only the sounds of the sea and sails to
enjoy, occasionally interrupted by the tinkling of ice cubes in a tall glass or
the faint sound of a crew member mending one of the sails. There is no calypso
band pounding across the open deck, no belly flop competitions. Instead,
passengers are seen climbing one of the five incredibly tall masts, watched by
the less energetic from the sun beds deep down on Sun Deck.
This must be the epitome of
relaxation, also known as "Clippering"!
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Whereas modern luxury liners are
constructed with only the passengers in mind, Royal Clipper is a replica of a
true sailing ship and as such is full of ropes, vents, winches, cables and
sails. With the ship taking center stage, it almost seems
at times that the passenger is less important. You can see crew members taking
care of ship matters around the clock, but the bar tender might well have
disappeared, leaving you waiting for him to return. Don't expect roaming
waiters carrying trays of overprized tropical cocktails. "Clippering" means
you go to the bar if you want a drink; it's as simple as that! And be honest, is
there anything wrong with that? |
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Most activities on board take place in
the Tropical Bar, een semi-open space on Main Deck with a large bar, a beautiful
teak wooden floor and the cage of resident parrot Murphy. The Tropical Bar
is without doubt the most popular spot on board. On Sunday morning we attend the
Captain's Welcome Presentation here. Captain Klaus is German but lives in
Scotland. Together with his twin brother he has commanded the Star Clippers
fleet, with a crew that is as international as the passengers. The masseuse is
from Thailand, the Cruise Director is Belgian and the good looking water ports
team hails from Sweden. The passenger list is just as impressive and varies from
a group of Japanese women to a bunch of rowdy but oh so amusing Aussies. We get
to know them all on the balmy starry nights at the Tropical Bar. |
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Still, the Tropical Bar is not the
only public room on board. The heart of Royal Clipper is the three-deck
high atrium that stretches all the way from the beautiful Clipper Restaurant on Commodore Deck
to the glass bottom swimming pool on Sun Deck. On Main Deck is the spacious Piano Bar.
When the weather doesn't cooperate you can relax here, looking at the tall masts
through the rippling waters of the pool. The bar serves up the most exotic of
drinks, on tables you will find fresh fruit aplenty and every afternoon we see
passengers study the dinner menu. More intimate is the Library, located aft on
Main Deck and only accessible through the Tropical Bar. And if that is not
enough, why not descend below sea level to the Captain Nemo Spa & Lounge,
featuring a fitness room, beauty salon and Turkish Bath. Through portholes you
can look at the underwater world. And I can now confirm that fish are just as
curious of our wonderful clipper! |
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The "pièce de résistance" of Royal
Clipper is the stunningly beautiful Clipper Restaurant, set down in the
ship at the bottom of the three deck high atrium. The shiny wood paneling and
elaborate sailing ship artwork, combined with the ornate lighting fixtures and
classic furniture give the room a feeling of an elegant French brasserie. From
the restaurant, the mast that towers some 50 meters (160 feet) above can be seen
through the rippling green waters of the main glass bottom swimming pool. A word
of warning: think twice before plunging into the pool during meal hours as you
will end up as the perfect lunchtime entertainment! |
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