There are few adventures more thrilling than sailing aboard a tall ship on the beautiful sea. Anyone who has experienced it can tell you — there is this moment when you feel the wind catching the sails just so and suddenly, you are flying. The powerful sensation of being one with nature takes over and leaves you exhilarated, humbled and awed all at once.
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Estimated budget
Starting at $4,260 per person! (Category 4)*
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Trip Type
Small Ship Sailing Adventure
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Duration
15 days, 14 nights
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Starting Location
Bridgetown, Barbados
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Final Destination
Balboa, Isla Flamenco, Panama
Our Route
Bridgetown, Barbados
Soufriere Bay, St Lucia
Tobago Cays, Grenadines
St. George’s, Grenada
Kralendijk, Bonaire
Willemstad, Curacao
Oranjestad, Aruba
Cartagena, Colombia
Islas de San Bernardo, Colombia
San Blas Islands, Panama
Isla Mamey (Beach), Panama
Portobelo, Panama
Balboa, Isla Flamenco, Panama
Special Offers for this sailing include $150 onboard credit, prepaid gratuities and 3% savings for all past passengers of Star Clippers.
Day 1: Bridgetown, Barbados
On the wild and rugged east coast of Barbados, the isolated beaches are the colour of sunrise, the red sands having blown all the way across the Atlantic from the Sahara. The easternmost island of the Windwards, and indeed, of the entire Caribbean, reaches out to Africa and the Old World, as if not quite part of the New. Bridgetown, Barbados, is an interesting town full of contrasts. George Washington actually slept here! Trafalgar Square reminds you that the laidback, rum- and fun-loving island’s British influenced heritage includes revered traditions like cricket and high tea.
Day 2: Soufriere Bay, St. Lucia
Marigot Bay, one of the prettiest anchorages in the Caribbean, is surrounded by lush hills and ringed by drooping coconut palms. Our alternate stop, the little Port Town of Soufrière was named after a nearby volcano. Prettier sights are to be seen at Diamond Falls and Mineral Baths where you can walk through the gardens and take a dip in the pool under the waterfalls.
Day 3: Tobago Cays, Grenadines
Four small islets, virtually deserted but enormously appealing for those who love underwater exploration, Tobago Cays is a national park where snorkelling is superb.
Day 4: St. George’s, Grenada
The aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla baking in the sun – these are the tropical flavours of Grenada. From the horseshoe shaped Carenage at St. George’s, follow the Sendall Tunnel (hand-built in 1895) to the Esplanade and old Ft. George for a spectacular view of Grenada.
Day 5: At Sea
Each Star Clippers ship offers a traditional and elegant way to see the world. Feel the wind fill the sails and gently carry you from one gorgeous destination to the next. During your time on board, you can choose to relax on a sun lounger or cool off in one of the pools on the top deck, while more adventurous passengers may enjoy the opportunity to climb the rigging or even have a go at steering the ship. Alternatively, you can wander the interior areas of the ship and discover relaxing lounges, a revitalising spa and a peaceful library.
Day 6: Kralendijk, Bonaire
Pink flamingoes, divi-divi trees, Papiamento and the best diving in the Caribbean – You can only be in Bonaire. The blinding white salt flats of Bonaire were once marked by tall obelisks of red, white, blue and orange (the colours of the old Dutch flag) to guide mariners. Today they are marked by clouds of pink – enormous flocks (500 or more!) of fluttering flamingoes feasting on the orange brine shrimp that gives the flamingoes their unmistakable colour.
Day 7: Willemstad, Curacao
The gabled houses and warehouses of Dutch colonial Willemstad march in tight formation along the entrance to St. Anna Bay, an incongruous vision of a tropical Amsterdam where the floating market sells mangos and papayas instead of tulips. In Curacao’s interior cunucu, a few Dutch landhuis or farm owners still wrest a living by ranching on the near-desert soil.
Day 8: Oranjestad, Aruba
Bon boni means welcome in the local dialect, Papiamento, and it’s universally understood by all who visit little Aruba. Just 15 miles from Venezuela, this almost independent nation still has a ceremonial Dutch Governor General. Once it depended on oil for income, but tourism is the new king. No wonder Aruba’s endless beaches and spectacular diving are too tempting to pass up.
Day 9: At Sea
Each Star Clippers ship offers a traditional and elegant way to see the world. Feel the wind fill the sails and gently carry you from one gorgeous destination to the next. During your time on board, you can choose to relax on a sun lounger or cool off in one of the pools on the top deck, while more adventurous passengers may enjoy the opportunity to climb the rigging or even have a go at steering the ship. Alternatively, you can wander the interior areas of the ship and discover relaxing lounges, a revitalising spa and a peaceful library.
Day 10: Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
Cartagena is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Located on the north coast of Colombia, Cartagena host a spectacular collection of buildings and massive fortifications dating from the early 1600’s. The Fortresses were built to protect Cartagena from pirates. City highlights include Saint Philip of Barajas Fortresses and the Fort Ferdinand Fort.
Day 11: Islas de San Bernardo, Colombia
The San Bernardo Islands are a group of 10 islands (9 natural, 1 artificial) that comprise an archipelago located in the Gulf of Morrosquillo in the Caribbean Sea. The area is great for relaxing and watersports. The archipelago belongs to the Rosario and San Bernardo Corals National Natural Park.
Day 12: San Blas Islands, Panama
The vivid colors of the San Blas Islands are undoubtedly the inspiration for the fanciful birds, fish and animals in brilliant reds, oranges, blues and greens that decorate the intricately appliquéd molas created by the indigenous Kuna women. Strung along the throat of Panama’s dramatically beautiful Kuna Yala coast, the remoteness of these coral atolls protects an independent people who prize their communal culture with its rich oral history and artistic heritage.
Day 13: Isla Mamey (Beach) & Portobelo, Panama
Today we will make two stops, first in Isla Mamey and then in Portobelo. Enjoy the heavenly palm-lined beaches and turquoise waters of Isla Mamey, a haven for beach lovers. It is the ideal destination to relax, have a picnic, or enjoy some scuba diving in the warm tropical sea.
Portobelo is a quaint little town on Panama’s Caribbean coast that used to be one of the greatest Spanish colonial ports in Central America.You’ll be pleasantly surprised by its fascinating history, rich local culture, secluded beaches, and national park.
Day 14: Panama Canal Transit
The Panama Canal is a 48-mile-long corridor that connects the Atlantic Ocean (via the Caribbean Sea) to the Pacific Ocean.The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. On your Panama Canal cruise, join other passengers on the decks as a canal historian explains the workings of the locks and points out sights along the way.
