Highlights of the Caribbean. Aboard the Sea Cloud II. Bridgetown & Beyond. 8 Days.
“That’s what a ship is, you know. It’s not a keel and a hull and a deck
and sails.
That’s what a ship needs. Not what a ship is.
What the Black Pearl really is, is freedom.”
—Captain Jack Sparrow,
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl’’
Okay, we admit it right from the get-go: We are huge fans of Jack Sparrow and the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films. In one of the captain’s few serious observations (and goodness knows, there aren’t many), he waxes poetic about the true meaning of sailing.
Freedom. From the daily grind. From responsibilities. From life as we know it.
Seems to us you're about due for a Caribbean cruise vacation.
Slip on your Topsiders, slather on your SPF, and come aboard. In early 2011, a stunning classic windjammer, the Sea Cloud II, sails the crystalline Caribbean Sea.
You already know about the crystalline waters and lovely islands of the Caribbean. But do you know anything about the Sea Cloud and the Sea Cloud II? If not, you should.
Built in 1931, the Sea Cloud, at the time the world’s largest private sailing yacht, was commissioned by Wall Street businessman E. F. Hutton for his wife, American heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. For Marjorie, it was love at first sight. She dedicated more than two years exclusively to this task, designing the ship’s elegant cabins, hand-picking and carefully arranging antiques and furniture.
In August 1935, the couple divorced, and Ed gave the ship to Marjorie. In the early 1950s, she decided to sell her beloved vessel. Nearly 30 years later, she underwent extensive repair and reconstruction, and she’s ruled the world’s oceans ever since.
The windjammer’s 360-foot length boasts 32 luxurious (and ever so posh) staterooms, each a masterpiece of exacting, classic interior design. A crew of 60 tends to 64 passengers max. (You do the math.) No surprise, then, that the service on board the Sea Cloud is absolutely legendary.
In the 1990s, the owners of Sea Cloud Cruises had a vision: to build another ship as excellent as the Sea Cloud. The new ship would be a true windjammer outfitted with commensurate luxury. Nothing less would do. And she would also be a square rigger to give the best possible sailing experience.
In 2001, the 384-foot Sea Cloud II was christened. She has lived up to the dreams of her creators, with all the features of her sister ship including onboard water sports equipment. Her 94 passengers are cared for by a crew of 58.
Following is a bit of revelry on the top ports and towns on the various routes. A summary of each departure’s itinerary follows. For more information, please call us at 1-888-490-8046. We love to chat.
PORTS OF CALL:
Basseterre, St. Kitts. authentic British and French colonial architecture lines the streets of this charming town.
Bridgetown, Barbados. The British stumbled upon this Arawak Indian settlement in the 1600s.
Cabrits, Dominica. Two extinct volcanoes vie for our attention in Cabrits National Park.
Iles des Saintes, Guadeloupe. Of these eight tiny islands, only two are inhabited. Frolic on the endless beach, or learn about the
local colonial era at Fort Napoleon.
Soufrière, St. Lucia. Josephine, the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, was born here in 1763. The botanical gardens are beautiful.
And there’s also a drive-in volcano.
Port Elizabeth, Bequia (pronounced Beck-way). One of the Caribbean’s delightful secrets (promise you won’t tell). Its population
of 4,300 is an unusual mix of African, Scottish, and Carib Indian descendants.
Mayreau, Grenadines. The smallest inhabited island in the Grenadines and a top spot for snorkeling, beachcombing, and swimming.
For more information on specific departures, please call Rebecca Wright at R. Crusoe, tel. 888-490-8005, or email her at rwright@rcrusoe.com.
To request a detailed itinerary for this journey (and others), click here.