Star Clippers Blog » Ships

Praise for Cruise Director Peter Kissner

Julie — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:53:42 +0000

We received this nice comment from a guest who sailed aboard Star Clipper:

Safely back on board, I decide to head for the ship’s library where a talk on the earliest sailing voyages of mankind is being offered up before dinner. Now I’ve attended many such presentations on other cruises and frankly, they can be boring. The library is comfortable, rich, and beautifully appointed. The stock of literature, predominantly in English and German, isn’t something to sneeze at either.

I arrive late and passengers are already comfortably assembled around the perimeter of the room. At the front with a world map affixed to the wall is Peter Kissner, a tall, tanned Bavarian with tousled blonde hair drawn back in a pony tail. He is Star Clipper’s Cruise Director. My expectations for the talk aren’t very high.

When he wrapped up at eight o’clock, and even with hunger pangs whispering, I was prepared to sit there all night, riveted by this man. I’m not the betting sort, but I’d wager that Peter has more knowledge about maritime history than academics in this field. Not only that, his storytelling ability is unmatched. We heard about Ferdinand Magellan, the first to circumnavigate the world. We heard all about the political intrigue surrounding his historic voyage, and Peter magically teleported me to the deck of Magellan’s ship where I became one of this famous navigator’s men.

I promised myself not to be presumptuous about on-board talks again.

Cappadocia’s Captivating Land Excursion

Nicole — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:38:54 +0000

Cappadocia, Turkey.

Sailing the Med aboard Star Clippers tall ships just got a lot more legendary. During the 2011-12 Mediterranean sailing season guests will have the opportunity to explore the ancient city of Cappadocia, located in central Turkey, during a pre- or post-cruise land excursion.

This magical two-night tour takes you to the underground cave cities of Cappadocia, where discreet entrances give way to elaborate subterranean worlds. Learn the art of pottery making before setting off to visit the Goreme Open Air Museum and Uchisar Castle where you’ll discover the fairy chimneys and rock-cut churches from the early days of Christianity.

Hike in the dramatic Red and Pigeon valleys; explore Kaymakli, the widest underground city; travel to Cavusin — one of the oldest Greek villages, and marvel at Ortahisar Castle. More adventurous guest can take to the skies and drift over the spectacular Cappadocia landscape with an optional hot air balloon tour.

Port of the Week: Dikili, Turkey

Nicole — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:42:29 +0000

The ancient Greek city of Pergamon.

Situated on Turkey’s north Aegean coast, Dikili is a small fishing town known for its dark sand beaches, picturesque shoreline and warm thermal springs.

With a history dating back to the 2nd century B.C., guests will find that there is a lot to discover and explore while at port in this resort town.

From Dikili, guests can take an optional tour to the stunning historical site of Pergamon, an ancient Greek city that thrived during the Hellenistic period and was the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon. Other notable attractions include the temple of Dionysus, the Acropolis, the town of Bergama and a 10,000-seat theater clinging to the incredibly steep hillside.

Be sure to visit the restored marble-columned Roman Temple of Trajan and the Asclepion, an ancient healing sanctuary named after the god of medicine.

Star Flyer’s “Greek Isles & Turkey” cruise calls at Dikili, Turkey, during the 2011-12 Mediterranean sailing season.

Port of the Week: Hammamet, Tunisia

Nicole — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:41:24 +0000

Hammamet, Tunisia.

“Tunisia’s Saint Tropez” is a fitting description for Hammamet, a former fishing village known for its exotic history, white sand coastlines, ancient buildings and breathtaking villas. Located between the Mediterranean and the Sahara desert, Hammamet’s history is displayed through its bronze statues, pottery and Arabic inspired mosaics exhibited in the town’s museums and archaeological sites.

Guests visiting Hammamet can enjoy a camel ride on the beach at sunset or explore the ruins at the Roman site of Pupput. Other attractions include the Medina, a place of narrow roads filled with historical fountains, mosques and interesting architecture, traditional Arab baths (Hammams) and local pottery artisans.

Star Flyer’s new seven-night itineraries between Malta and Athens, Greece, calls at Hammamet, Tunisia, during the 2011-12 Mediterranean sailing season.

Port of the Week: Skiathos, Greece

Nicole — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 01:22:58 +0000

Skiathos, Greece.

Skiathos is one of the Greek Sporades Islands located in the Aegean Sea and the birthplace of Alexandros Papadiamantis, one of the most prominent writers of modern Greek literature. The island is famous for its golden sand beaches, thick pine forest, picturesque monasteries and hill-top tavernas.

Although Skiathos is a relatively small island, this emerald oasis attracts thousands of visitors each year who come here to enjoy the beautiful beaches and stunning scenery. Popular beaches on the island include Kanapitsa, Koukounaries and Lalaria, a tiny beach with pearl-white pebbles, crystal clear water and a spectacular natural rock archway.

The island became internationally known after it appeared in the hit movie Mamma Mia, which was partially filmed on Skiathos and nearby island Skopelos.

Guest visiting the island will want to explore the capital, Skiathos Town, known for its traditional architecture, waterfront cafés and lively nightlife, and the ruins of Kastro overlooking the northern Aegean Sea. This impressive fortress was built in 1538 and was used to protect the town from pirates and the Ottomans. Another great attraction for history buffs is the Monastery of Evangelistria. This is the place where Greek soldiers took their oath of allegiance under the first independent Greek flag in the early 1800s.

Star Flyer’s new “Yachtsman’s Paradise” itinerary calls at Skiathos, Greece, during the 2011-12 Mediterranean sailing season.

Mariano’s Marine Memo: Swallows Into the Storm

Mariano — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:32:39 +0000

It is the day of Monday, May 3, 2010 … or in fact during the night … almost the 4th as we head toward Mahon on Menorca, an island in the Balearic archipelago. Since we sailed into the Mediterranean the weather has not been so nice to us … only a few hours of sun and a lot of rain, practically every day. The temperature has dropped down to 16° Celsius … but it is fine. First, it is springtime, the wonderful spring of Europe, and second, it does not disturb me so much, as after 6 months in the Caribbean where the coldest day was 27° I need some chilly air … at least for a couple of weeks.

But tonight we are facing the worst storm of my period on board. Wind force 9 on the Beaufort scale with a sea swell of 6 to 7 meters. Everything is on the floor. My precious collection of sea urchin skeletons has gone … the two and a half kilogram Marine Biology Book just landed on the top of the small paper box holding the fragile calcium carbonate structures. Such a horrible night … we lose a couple of sails … they ripped like old nose tissue during the strong winds that had gusts up to 61 knots. The china from the dining room and the glasses in the bar suffered a similar fate. We count the missing sick bags during the morning (hehehe).

But … and there is always a but after every storm of any kind … on the sea and in life … something happened the morning after. The sea is still rough, the waves around us still big and the rock and roll of the Royal still makes someone disappear once in a while with some sick bags, but with the first sunshine we discover some new guests on board. Some will call them “sin papier” “sin papeles” “clandestine” … moving from one country to the other without any documents, no need for stamps or visas in a passport, free like the wind, no border lines for them.

A very small group, or more correctly, a tiny Flight of Swallows, landed during the night on the Royal Clipper.

Under their scientific classification, swallows belong to the family Hirundinidae of the order Passeriformes. It is likely they were rossing from the northern parts of West Africa, such as Mauritania, Western Sahara and Morocco, to Europe, when they were hit by the storm. And so they took shelter with us — in the Tropical Bar, all over the rigging, down the lights into the wire boxes, on the top of the Zodiacs.

We are not Customs, demanding and exercising their duties, there is no-one to ask for documents, we let them take a rest. We shut down the lights and music and speak silently for two days. The lucky ones managed to fly away in Calvì, northwest of Corsica … another day, another migration, another country. They will spend the summertime in a European country, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Eastern countries, and some of them even as far east as the United Kingdom.

If you survive travelling such long way, in a storm of such force and intensity and you are so small you can stay in my hand, you well-deserve all my admiration. No technological radar for you, no deck hands to help during the strong winds, no warm coffee in the night, my true respect goes to these princesses of the sky. My springtime will be more pleasurable knowing that we helped some of your sisters with a simple, safe, quiet passage on the Royal Clipper.

Take care my friends.

Mariano Peruzzo
Marine Biologist
Royal Clipper
May 6th 2010 Calvì, Corsica, France territory.

Postcards from a Royal Clipper Cruise

Julie — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:02:37 +0000

Here are some beautiful photos of a Royal Clipper cruise sent in by guest Jon Glaser.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Ports

Julie — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:24:14 +0000

We asked for photos of your favorite ports on our Facebook page, and guest Linda Coltharp came back with a few!

Fakarava, South Pacific atoll for its remoteness and beauty.

Bora Bora for the most beautiful water in the world.

Iles des Saintes for its quiet charm.

I’ve got a lot more favorites!

Meet Cruise Director Anna Laeng: Part 3

Julie — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:10:14 +0000

We asked Cruise Director Anna about about what her days are like, both at sea and in port.

What is a typical sea day like for you?
A sea day is usually a little bit more calm than a port day. We usually have a morning meeting, then we start the activities. Mostly there are a lot of sport activities like mast climbing, gymnastics, aquagym, etc., but also additional programs like treasure hunts and quizzes.

I prefer to do paperwork on these days because I never leave the ship like the other days for excursions. So I have the maximum time to do the paperwork. On the other hand, its also a great day to do lectures because everyone is on board. The lectures are about historical subjects, etc.

What is a typical port day like for you?
In port we have a lot more activities and I have to be in many different places. The most important thing is that the tender service is working properly. We have tenders going in and out for excursions and everyone has to be in the right place at the right time. So I am on the ship doing paperwork, leaving the ship to meet the excursion agents, going back to the ship and writing the program, going back to shore and picking up the excursion again…

Besides that, there are a lot of water sports activities as well, either from the ship or from the beach which take place at the same time as other activities.

I don’t really have a typical day. Most of the activities strongly depend on the arrival and departure time, so I might either start with an excursion in the morning or with the conception of the next daily program or with a lecture, sports activity, dance class, quiz, paperwork … Usually I start very early in the morning and try to finish as much work as possible, then I take a little break after lunch or go out myself and then I start again in the afternoon. After the evening entertainment “the job is done” but I like to stay with the guests in the bar and talk to them.

What activities do the guests seem to enjoy?
As there is a very wide range of activities, almost every guest can find the perfect entertainment for himself or for herself — from fruit carving to knot tying. Usually the “special” activities are very much appreciated, such as mast climbing, the photo tender around the ship, engine room visit, talent show … It depends on the type of passengers, but usually they like everything that makes the ship and the cruise special and everything that is personal like the talent show. The don’t want to watch a movie on tv, they appreciate more the entertainment where they are in a direct contact with the crew.

What are your favorite kinds of activities to arrange?
I always try to find the corresponding activities for the type of passengers. I think excursions with a historical background are quite interesting, but also typical sailing ship activities like mastclimbing. I am personally very much into scuba diving and sailing in general. My favourite activity is actually being on deck when we have the sailaway. Still after many cruises its so impressive to stand on deck and listen to the sailaway music while seeing the lights fading away.

Meet Cruise Director Anna Laeng: Part 2

Julie — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:12:24 +0000

Before we tell you about a typical day for Anna on board Star Flyer, we thought we’d tell you about the duties of one of our cruise directors. They are very busy … and very talented. Anna can speak five languages: English, German, French, Spanish and Swedish! When we asked her what she is responsible for on board, she broke it down.

There are many different things:
Organization/Coordination:
* Organization of the whole daily program. This means that I put together all activities from the different departments, depending on the destination, arrival, departure, availability, etc.
* Check all activities with the people in charge (e.g. mastclimbing has to be approved by the captain, etc.)

Excursions:
* Promotion and presentation of all shore excursions, recommendation of the right excursion for the particular passenger
* Confirmation and cancellation of the excursions with the local agents
* Escort the groups to the meeting points (in advance: check landing place, accessibility for buses, etc.)
* Organization of an appropriate tender service for the excursions depending on the number of participants
* Administration of the excursions

Entertainment:
* Organization of the other entertainment activities (knot tying with the rigger, dance class, cocktail demonstration, etc.)
* The entertainment has to be the right combination depending on the type of passengers (nationality, age, interests, culture, destinations…). So there is no week that has the same program, it actually changes every day and it has to be adapted to all the passengers so that everyone has the maximum opportunities to enjoy the cruise.
* Evening entertainment: talent show, fashion show, line dancing contest, ship’s quiz, music quiz, karaoke, pirate night…

Shore operations:
* Organization of transfers for the guests at the end of the cruise
* Information about all the destinations (going to the tourist office, providing the guests with maps, collecting materials about every place, etc.)

Embarkation/Disembarkation:
* Supervision of all embarkation and disembarkation processes
* Transfers

Sports:
* Organization of a varied sports program for the guests

Anna is quite the multi-tasker! We’re lucky to have her on board!