The Star Clipper by Doug Eads
"The captain of a ship is lord paramount. He may stand no watch at all, come
and goes when he pleases, is accountable to no one, and must be obeyed in
all things, without question, even from chief officers. He has the power to
break officers to seamen. He has no companion on board but his dignity,
and few pleasures beyond the consciousness of possessing supreme power, and
occasionally exercising it"
-TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST. chronicles by Richard Henry Dana, seaman cir. 1820
Ulrich Pruesse came forward slowly. As he walked, he eyed all the riggings about
him, and his demeanor radiated life and confidence. As he neared the navigation area of Star
Clipper, he affixed a remote microphone and speaker system. We, the passengers, gathered like
sea gulls at the scent of bread crumbs... It was time for the first of nightly sunset talks
by Star Clipper's Captain...'Captain Uli'.
It was destiny that Uli someday be the Captain of a fine sailing ship. His father Wilhelm
made many tall ship voyages as a seaman in the 1920's, and he later became President of the
Hamburg Maritime Academy.
Who would have imagined Uli Pruesse, this stern, robust, German born seafaring man could
emit so much complexity of character? >From the gentle man telling a childhood story over
coffee with me at 5 a.m. one morning, to a resourceful and assured man of the sea, and then
to the role of a passionate and skilled orator. To his credit, you could not see fear in the
crew and officer's faces, but admiration, and total respect...shh! here he is.
"Welcome...you are here on a great adventure!" he says with gusto and pride. "As we are
unfurling these beautiful white sails I want you to take a deep breath, and watch all that
is about you. Let out every care. Leave that stressful life behind, and every worry behind!
Set yourself at peace... you are at sea! You are on the greatest true sailing ship ever built!"
his voice raises with passion, and his speech is accompanied by vibrant articulation with his
hands - as though he was conducting Beethoven! Passion, yet tenderness, and even a childlike
twinkle came pouring forth from the 56 year old Sea Captain, and you quickly sensed-- this
is a man who is in a job he loves, and he is exactly where wants to be at this age in his
life.
Glorious music begins to stream from the deck speaker system on cue. It is the triumphant
sea musical sound track from the movie Columbus, by Cliff Eidelman."Watch now as the main
sails unfurl, and fill with wind, and Star Clipper heels starboard, with the wind pulling
us out to sea.... ladies and gentlemen... You are sailing now! This is it!.... This is it!
he crescendos, and his infectious excitement is a most vigorous strain.
"No matter how many times you have cruised... this time you are really at sea... you are
sailing... this is it! This week I want you to notice every cloud, every ripple in the sea,
every whale, dolphin and flying fish... love it! This is your world, your planet... love
it--- THIS IS IT!" He closes with enthusiasm and emotion.
We all watch for the sunset ahead which sometimes announces its departure from the day with
a small sparking glint of green... a magical phenomena, and climax to our first full day
at sea... It only took this long for my total and absolute agreement with Captain Uli, and
my confidence in him... he was 100% on target when he let forth his inner feelings.... This
was it! It was not complex at all. This ship was it, the moment was now, and this man was
going to ensure we had a life-changing, awe-inspiring week at sea!
The John Masefield poem Sea Fever seems to be cast in history for this special German born Captain and sailor...
"I must go down to the sea again,
to the lonely sea and sky,
and all I ask is a tall ship,
and a star to steer her by"
When I was a child visiting my best friend, Ira Simmons, who later became, for a time, a Feature writer at a major paper, we would incessantly draw Spanish galleons and clipper ships. These were our imaginary dreams on paper. Perhaps it was kismet that one day I would sail an even more splendid ship than I could ever have imagined on sketch pads.
The Ship and Company: Mikael Krafft and his wife Anne are the owners of the Star Clipper
line. Mikael had a vision that the public would, and could enjoy what he loved so much...
being on fine sailing vessels, stopping at intimate ports, and enjoying this serenity in
elegant, yet casual comfort.
By 1992 the twins, Star Flyer and Star Clipper, were in service. Last summer the largest
true sailing ship ever built-The Royal Clipper-sets sail. The three clipper-ship-company
is more than a niche market, it is where cruising is growing most quickly... smaller,
elegant, personal and memorable days at sea. The Krafft's personal niche is their passion
for recreating the clipper ship days of yesteryear.
In order for the shipping of the early 1900's to compete with growing demands, the multi-
sailed sleek clipper ships were created. They clipped along swiftly across the oceans,
and cut days from shipping goods.
Star Clipper and Star Flyer are 2298 tons, 360 feet long, and at capacity carry 170
passengers. Imagine the intimate personal nature of this experience compared with the
mega-ships over 100,000 tons, and 3000 passengers hauling about ball gowns and tuxedos!
No long lines for dinner or shore trips, and no formal wear brings a smile to its clients!
The new Royal Clipper will weigh in at a mere 5000 tons and carry a 228 passenger capacity.
Star Clipper has 36,000 sq. ft. of sails, and Royal Clipper will have 56,000 sq. ft. of
sails. I can't wait to have an opportunity to sail with her!
Myths and Realities:You won't have to swab the deck on Star Clipper. This is an
elegant clipper ship. But, you could do so if you like, and you could learn navigation
and take a turn at the helm. This is a popular activity. You can also climb masts and
visit the open bridge.
You won't get seasick just because it is a sailing ship. The deep drafting design lets
Star Clipper cut through choppy seas, where some mega-ships are rounded and tend to
bounce on choppy seas regardless of mass. You must realize seasickness is both a real
event for some, and a pre-conceived destiny for others.
Star Clipper's cabins are divided into six categories. Owner's suites, and deluxe suites
are spacious and cost more. Most clients prefer saving the money and getting standard
cabins. We prefer the lower deck near the water, and that saves even more. The cabins
are compact, but our three person cabin was workable. TV and ample closet space are
provided, and throughout the ship is a fine woodwork look. There are no Broadway shows,
no casino, and no formal dress. This ambiance and casual elegance is preferred by clients.
The crew has nightly activities, from talent shows to pirate night. Dancing, a piano
bar, and socializing seem to make time fly. Spend a day lying in the bow sprit netting
hanging high above the seas, or relax and be pampered in abundant deck and lounge
chairs... as Captain Uli says --- "This is it!"
Owner Visit: Anne Krafft, owner, joined our sailing. She told me "This is a
passion for my husband Mikael, but I love the business end of it, decor, staffing....
we work 16 hour days regularly, especially now that Royal Clipper is about to join
our other two ships." What do you see as the reason Star Clipper is so hot a commodity
with cruise passengers? I asked her... "We wanted to build ships that allow today's
public a chance to see the glamour and style of the gilded age at the turn of the century.
This was a life and style reserved only for the very wealthy, and now everyone can come
aboard... we feel good about this," she said with a smile and satisfaction. She added,
"I can see you like our Captain Pruesse and he is great, but our other Captains see our
mission also, and do a wonderful job."
"I try to sail almost every month because I want to see how passengers like what we are
doing, and I can see it in their faces if this is true... I care about quality and our
service... we take every comment to heart" she concluded. I felt she was quite sincere
in her comments, and her pride radiated.
Our itinerary: The itinerary you select depends on the time of year and which of
the three ships you select. They vary from the Far East, Mediterranean, to Caribbean.
Many people love simple ocean crossings.
We began our cruise in Antigua, a resort island of the Caribbean. We flew in a couple
days early, which insured that airline debacles cannot spoil your departure time, and
it also gives you a chance to relax and get to know the embarkation port. Antigua was
not hard to like. We selected the Hawksbill Resort from a group of listings on the
Internet. It proved to be a lucky break.
The Hawksbill provides ocean front cottage bungalows with 180 degree screened and
open-air rooms, and the Caribbean is only 50 feet away. At night the frogs and night life,
in harmony with the surf, makes this a wonderland. All sports equipment is provided and
rates are often on special pricing. This simplistic resort in a secluded location marked
high on my preference list, while not elegant or presumptuous...this enhanced its appeal!
Antigua has scenic beauty, and her people are welcoming. Abby Gail Smith, a lovely and
animated tourism guide at Nelson's dockyard made this historic site fun and informative.
Antigua is a special emerging nation that I would select to return to for a land vacation.
Next on our trip was St. Kitts. It was fun watching other cruising ships stare at Star
Clipper in envy as we came into, and departed each of our ports. St. Kitts was a day for
beach fun and water sports. Star Clipper offers banana boating, skiing, sail-boarding,
and sunfish-sailing at no additional fees. This is a nice money saving perk! Scuba lessons
are nominal in cost.
Between Monday and Wednesday we moved around the British Virgin Islands. These are preferred
localities. They are safe, gloriously lovely, and quite up-scale clients frequent them. We
visited Tortola, Sandy Cay, and the Treasure Island locality Norman Island for snorkeling.
The highlight was Virgin Gorda and the Baths: Huge granite boulders surround a remote beach,
and scientists are baffled as to why the granite mammoths are even in the lava and limestone
Caribbean...especially in such oddly tossed arrays.
"On our fourth day the undulating mirror of a sea
stirred with dancing ripples, and I felt the strange
coolness of a breeze in my face. The stretch of
canvas above me came to life, and elatedly the
Captain swung the helm over so the sails would
catch the moving air. The ship heeled...bubbles
gurgled along her bottom, and she flung spray aside."
Lone Voyager, by Joseph Garland
Two countries-one island. That is the marketing strategy now of one of the most popular
destinations in the Caribbean...St. Maarten/St. Martin. "We have weathered 5 hurricanes in the
last 6 years, but we are making headway and plan to be in full recovery by October 2000.",
says William Bell of marketing for St. Maarten's tourism department. This lovely island is
known for bargain shopping, and the French side for planned communities of red roofed homes
and upscale rentals. St. Maarten/St. Martin is worthy of a personal vacation, and this is why
Star Clipper along with many ships find this to be a cruising favorite. You see Dutch and
French sides easily.
St. Barts, also French is quiet, and is one of the more expensive places to visit for personal
vacations, but it is certainly a lovely stop for the beach and island tour.
From St. Kitts and Antigua we could see the plagued island of Monserat still steaming sulfur
from its volcanic eruptions in the 1990's. Sometimes we could see the interesting island of
Saba...almost cone-shaped. A manmade landing port had to be constructed, but still visitors,
which are few, have to climb hundreds of stairs to reach the area above where people reside.
These moments learned and seen made our sailing all the more interesting.
Overview: This was without doubt, or reservation, a 5 star experience. The dining was
excellent for breakfast and luncheon buffets. Dinner offered a two entree choice European
slant cuisine.
Our cruise had 12 countries represented, with 45% of passengers being American. The ship's
interior was well decorated, and the dining room was newly re-decorated. There are two small
pools, a lavish wood library, which needs a few more English novels. "Some of our sailing's
have up to 60% repeat cruisers!" said Anne Krafft with pride. It is not hard to see why...
I still think of Star Clipper almost daily! My daughter cried at leaving the ship, her friends,
and Murphy the eclectic green parrot mascot. I will remember my thrill of being put out in a
zodiac for photos while Star Clipper sailed one evening... it was exhilarating... and it was
eerie re-joining her while moving.
One presence rang true for this sailing week. The passengers arrive with a common unspoken
bond to love it before it sets sail. They are seeking a smaller cruising climate, the true
sailing, and they are not the nit-picking delicate sort of people that some upper cruise
lines attract. From first sight of Star Clipper at port... it is infatuation, if not love!
Most of the people on board are middle class and higher, and had tried the mega-ships and
they were unanimous in their refrain... "nevermore!"
As the sun sets this evening Star Clipper and Star Flyer's guests are somewhere listening
to classic music with sunset talks and goose bumps form from the joy of a rediscovery of
nature and essential values. As their sails fill, and a salty breeze caresses their brows...
It is as though the sea and Star Clipper beckon me to return... I hope this is true!
"We were sailing all the way under pure sky, intensely blue at the
zenith and passing through imperceptible gradations to a soft
lapis lazuli above the horizon... It was as beautiful a run, or
rather a living glide as could be imagined!"
The Hundred Days at Sea by Patrick O'Brian
TIPS FOR TRIPS
Star Clippers
Star Clipper web page http://www.starclippers.com
Toll Free for information and brochures 1-800-442-0553
e-mail reservations@starclippers.com
or see your travel agent.
Hawksbill Resort
Hawksbill Beach Resort, P.O.Box 108, St. John's, Antigua. http://www.hawskbill.com
e-mail hawksbill@candw.ag
phone: (268) 462-0301 Fax (268) 462-1515
Antigua Hotel and Tourist Association
e-mail info@antigua-barbuda-ca.com
Dept of Tourism e-mail: deptourism@candw.ag
web page: http://www.interknowledge.com/antigua-barbuda
or try: http://www.antigua-barbuda.org
St. Maarten Tourism
e-mail: colleen_philbrick@ypb.com
web: http://www.st-maarten.com
phone: (800) 786-2278