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.

This picture is from one of my fun all-girls group aboard Star Clipper while sailing from Cannes, France.

I am a travel agent with Adventure Travel and have taken five groups on Star Clipper and Royal Clipper sailings. They were all WONDERFUL.I am looking forward to more sailings in the future.

Julaine Condon
Pensacola, Florida

Sunset in Capri aboard Royal Clipper.

Sunset in Dubrovnik, Croatia, taken of Star Clipper from Royal Clipper.

Sailing from Hvar, Croatia.

Located off the Southeast coast of Koh Tao, Shark Island is one of the most popular dive sites in the area. In 1997, the waters were opened to foreigners after being closed for 50 years. The three dive sites surrounding the island include Shark Drift, Coral Gardens and Anemone Gardens.

In deeper waters, divers may happen upon Leopard sharks or blacktip reef sharks, but cow-tail rays, turtles, honeycomb moray eels, puffers, bat fish, and blue ringed angels are more commonly seen in the shallower waters.

For those who prefer not to dive, the sandy white beaches are ideal for relaxing and sunbathing, and snorkeling is always an option. For a great view, tourists can hike up to the top of the island.

Helen McNamara sent us this photo collage taken aboard Star Clipper in the Indian Ocean:

Mike Rech sent us his photos of Laura climbing Royal Clipper’s mast:

Star Clipper will call at Ko Phawt, Myanmar, on the new seven-night Myanmar itineraries that sail round-trip Phuket, Thailand.

One of the 800 islands that make up the Mergui Archipelago of Myanmar in the Andaman Sea, Ko Phawt is a lush, tropical island that is home to many different species, including the horn bill and the fruit bat, also known as the flying fox. It’s a nature lover’s dream.

Guests will have their strip of sand to choose from as they make their way from the ship. If they’re looking for a picture-perfect beach, then Haad Saikantang is very difficult to beat — white sand, crystal-clear water and fairly limited development giving the impression of a deserted private beach. Other lovely strips include Thong Nai Pan Noi, Bottle Beach, if it’s not too busy, and Haad Khom on the north coast.

Guest may want to take a hike around the island in hope of catching site of the horn bills of Ko Phawt. These are long-tailed, and certain species are brightly colored around their bill and head. They live in the tropical forest, making their homes by nesting in holes in trees and usually fly in large flocks, giving guests the opportunity to capture a striking photograph.

Here’s Cruise Director Peter Kissner tempting fate during a swim stop. His signature line is “You are laughing????” heard many times a day. I could not resist using the line here!