|
About
Star
Clippers...
Feel the wind fill the sails. Climb high in the rigging. Relax
in the bow net. Life aboard a sailing ship appeals to adventurous travelers who
are eager to explore unspoiled parts of the world in relative comfort. Leave
conventional cruise formalities such as dressing up for dinner or rigid
timetables to conventional cruise ships. Star Clippers' fleet of three vessels
-- the flagship Royal Clipper, Star Clipper and Star Flyer -- does just that,
and with great panache, aboard some of the fastest and largest clipper ships
ever built.
The man at the helm of Star Clippers is Mikael Krafft, a
Swedish entrepreneur who, at the age of 6, landed his first job at a shipyard
near his home in the Stockholm archipelago. As a child, Krafft listened to the
stories the old seamen told, and his love of sailing was born. When he was 12,
he sailed his own 18-foot boat over 20 miles of open seas. Later, he practiced
maritime law in Sweden and France. In 1986, Krafft relocated to Brussels where
he founded the White Star Group, involved with real estate development. White
Star Group is the parent company of White Star Clippers, which commissioned Star
Flyer and Star Clipper. Krafft launched the Star Flyer and Star Clipper in 1991
and 1992 in Belgium. They were the first clipper ships since 1911 to be granted
the certificate of highest quality by Lloyd's Register of Shipping. The even
more ambitions Royal Clipper was launched in 2000, the largest clipper ship
built in a century.
Star Flyer (introduced in 1991) and sister ship Star Clipper
(1992) claim to have the tallest masts in the world, towering 226 feet above the
waterline. Each ship is 360 feet in length, has four masts and 16 sails
measuring a total of 36,000 square feet and carries 170 guests.
The
227-passenger Royal Clipper joined the fleet in 2000. She is 439 feet long with
a beam of 43 feet. Her 42 sails boast an amazing 56,000 square feet of Dacron.
The highest of her five masts is 197 feet. Of the three vessels, this one offers
more -- more sails, more cabin space and more services (for top category
cabins). This is the only ship in the fleet to have balcony cabins. And, the
ride is smoother.
|
CRUISECLEVER - STAR
CLIPPERS
