By John Roberts
Sea Cloud Cruises placed its newest windjammer, Sea Cloud Spirit, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for four January departures, sailing to serene destinations in the colorful Caribbean.
This is a new program for Sea Cloud, and I joined one of the voyages for a week of food, fun and relaxing in the sun with 80 other cruisers (out of a maximum capacity of 136).
Sea Cloud Cruises is based in Hamburg, Germany, and most of the cruisers on the voyages in Europe and the Mediterranean will be German, with a smattering from other countries in Europe, as well as the occasional traveler from North America or Australia.
When I cruised with the line on Sea Cloud II in the Greek islands in 2024, Colleen and I were two of just six people from the United States onboard, with the rest from Germany, Switzerland, Spain and the U.K.
However, these new Caribbean sailings on Sea Cloud Spirit, with the homeport of San Juan, are aimed at getting more U.S. cruisers onboard to experience what these appealing small-ship sailing voyages are all about.
Our Sea Cloud Spirit Cruise Itinerary:
- San Juan, Puerto Rico, for embarkation
- North Sound at Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
- The Bight Bay at Norman Island, BVI
- Gustavia, St. Barthelemy (St. Barts)
- Gustavia, St. Barthelemy
- St. John’s, Antigua
- Cruz Bay at St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Indeed, this time, our Caribbean cruise passenger mix comprised a few Germans, a couple from Switzerland and travelers from Spain. But the rest were from the U.S. and Canada, with a happy contingent of Puerto Ricans getting onboard after a short drive from their homes on the island.
Chef Julie Carrion was onboard, as well, as part of the line’s program focusing on the great cuisine of Puerto Rico. Carrion was the second of four Puerto Rican chefs who were on the program for the inaugural season of San Juan-based departures.
In this review I’ll tell you about the meals and cooking class put on by Chef Julie and her team and detail our port stops and time onboard the 136-passenger Sea Cloud Spirit.
This type of cruising is especially romantic when you’re out on deck, enjoying a cocktail at sunset with the sails catching the wind.
Sunset is extra special on a Sea Cloud Spirit cruise. * Photo: John Roberts
Imagine all this and several other reasons why travelers will love a Sea Cloud Spirit cruise.
So here we go, my rationale for trying a Sea Cloud cruise!
1. It’s a Journey for Real Sailors
Sea Cloud Spirit is one of three traditional sailing ships in the Sea Cloud fleet. Built in 2021, Spirit is the newest and largest.
The line’s other ships are Sea Cloud and Sea Cloud II.
Sea Cloud is a maritime legend, with a history that dates to 1931 when it was built as a private yacht for Marjorie Meriweather Post and her husband Edward F. Hutton. It has been operating as a cruise ship since 1979 and carries just 64 passengers.
RELATED: Peter Knego shares his review of the legendary Sea Cloud.
Sea Cloud II debuted in 1999 and carries up to 94 passengers.
RELATED: Check out this review of the Sea Cloud II.
They all have their own distinctive characteristics, but the common thread is that they feature at least three masts, hundreds of ropes and thousands of yards of sails.
The new Sea Cloud Spirit is a beauty, with four passenger decks and tons of outdoor space. This is where you want to be while cruising, especially in the Caribbean. I really enjoyed strolling the teak decks and rising early each morning for epic sunrises.
The 136-passenger Sea Cloud Spirit. * Photo: John Roberts
RELATED: Anne Kalosh reviews of the Sea Cloud Spirit.
Sea Cloud Spirit is a true windjammer, complete with a crew of sailors that work the rigging and climb the masts to unfurl the sails. Cruisers on Sea Cloud Spirit embrace the entire experience, gathering each day to watch sailors scale to crazy heights and work the lines to help the ship catch the wind.
It’s a delightful spectacle and an integral part of the journey for those who travel with Sea Cloud.
Sailors Prep to raise the sails. * Photo: John Roberts
This differs a bit from another of our favorite cruise lines, Windstar, which has three “motor sailing” yachts in its fleet that feature sails that are raised by motors instead of a crew of sailors. On the other hand, the Sea Cloud Spirit offers a closer experience to the Star Clippers fleet.
Read more HERE about the Sea Cloud Cruises experience vs Star Clippers.
The Seas Can Be Rough
We had a bumpy first night after leaving San Juan and heading south toward Virgin Gorda, with everyone I talked to also having a sleepless night. But most agreed that it is all part of the sailing adventure, and the remaining six nights onboard were relatively calm with gentle movements rocking us to sleep as we sailed to our next destination.
Sea Cloud Spirit features three masts and 32 sails. Sailors work with more than 300 ropes (called running rigging) to hoist and secure the sails. Cruisers are welcome to watch and asked to be careful as the flurry of activity takes places on the open decks.
Sailors working the ropes. * Photo: John Roberts
The result is a beautiful unfurling of the white sheets that catch the wind and help power our voyage.
You also have the chance to climb the ropes to a platform about halfway up one of the masts. This is a fantastic activity offered on Sea Cloud cruises, and we had more than 20 people who wanted to give it a go.
Passengers can climb the mast on a Sea Cloud Spirit cruise. * Photo: John Roberts
You have to pass a fitness test to ensure you can handle the climb. The test requires you to be able to stand on one leg for at least 20 seconds and also hang from a bar for 20 seconds.
Sailors helped us put on a safety harness, and we went one at a time up the ropes to the platform. It was fun to scramble up the ropes to get a bird’s-eye view out to sea and over the decks below.
Onlookers cheer on the climbers, and a crew member will carry up your cellphone so that you can have it at the top to snap a few pictures.
VIDEO: You can see, below, it’s a thrill to climb the masts.
2. A Sea Cloud Spirit Cruise is a Laid-Back Yacht-Style Experience
This is a cruise for travelers who crave an unhurried pace and days filled with sunshine and fresh air.
Sea Cloud Spirit offers four passenger decks, with the top two decks comprising the outdoor spaces where you will spend most of your time onboard.
Deck 5, the uppermost, is the Sun Deck, which is filled with sun loungers with thick, comfortable pads and clamshell-style beds that offer shade and a great spot to enjoy quiet reading or even a nap.
Cruisers start the day strolling the teak decks, with some getting early to watch the sun rise. There is a fitness center located on the Sun Deck, and it’s equipped with a treadmill, bikes and an elliptical machine, as well as dumbbells and yoga mats.
The Lido Deck is on Deck 4, and this is the main public space that you’ll share with your fellow travelers. Most meals take place outside. The Lido Deck features a large bar and dozens of tables for dining. There is a buffet setup that accompanies grilling stations where chefs prepare steak, chicken, shrimp, fish and other meals on the grill.
You also can get an early-risers breakfast here, as well as pop by for afternoon tea and snacks every day.
The Lido deck dining area. * Photo: John Roberts
I noticed several cruisers who would make their way up to the Sun Deck each morning to work on their suntans or disappear into a book as we sailed.
Other relaxing spots include the ship’s Lounge and Library, two indoor spaces. As you would expect, most meals and activities are outside on this cruise, but these indoor spaces are wonderful spots to find relief from the sun and heat or other weather conditions that might not be as favorable as you would like.
The Lounge is filled with couches and chairs, and it’s quiet for most of the day, so you can escape for quiet time to read in a nice climate-controlled space. This is where you can find a selection of board games on the shelves. You’ll find a refreshments bar with fresh fruits, waters and cookies available all day.
The ship’s lounge. * Photo: John Roberts
The Library is forward on the Lido Deck and is the other quiet space inside where you can go to peruse the books or chat in a quiet and comfortable spot with friends. A desk is available for any travelers who might want to use it as a little work space.
The ship’s library. * Photo: John Roberts
The Lido Bar is the top hangout, though, as cruisers can sit outside to feel the breezes in this open-air covered space filled with tables and chairs. Most people gather here to sip a drink, play card games or read throughout the mornings or afternoons.
In the evening, a DJ plays music while people move around the dance floor or sit back and enjoy the balmy evenings in paradise. The bar is a busy spot for cocktail hour and after dinner with cruisers enjoying beers, wines and tasty mixed drinks.
I have to mention that a couple of the popular activities that Sea Cloud likes to feature during these voyages were, unfortunately, not offered — the “photo safari” and open-water swim time.
The photo safari is a boat ride around Sea Cloud Spirit to give travelers a chance to see the beautiful ship in all its glory at full sail. This would give you a chance to capture some great pictures and videos as mementos of your time of this classically styled windjammer.
Cruisers also look forward to the chance to swim off the side of the ship while at anchor in the open water, when sailors set up a perimeter so people can hop in the Caribbean waters.
However, these two activities (swimming while at anchor and the photo safari) are subject to ideal weather conditions, the cruising schedule and/or the captain’s discretion. For whatever reason, these activities didn’t take place during our journey. I didn’t hear any griping about it, though, as we had plenty of beach and water time in each port during the itinerary.
3. Sea Cloud Spirit Offers Appealing Wellness Options
I mentioned the fitness center among the features of the ship. It is nice to be able to go in there for a daily workout, using the weights and machines to stay on track with your fitness regimen.
The ship’s gym. * Photo: John Roberts
However, wellness-inclined travelers also can take part in fitness classes led by an activity manager. I joined the early-morning sunrise salutation yoga classes with a few other cruisers. Activity manager Miriam led this class at 6:30 each morning as well as the relaxing stretch yoga classes held at 8 or 8:30 a.m. and afternoon toning and strengthening workouts.
This is a new fitness and activities program that Miriam was implementing on Sea Cloud Spirit. I was told it’s going to be rolled out to the other ships in the fleet, eventually.
Morning yoga on Sea Cloud Spirit. * Photo: John Roberts
Miriam also led after-lunch walks/hikes in the port areas. The first was a nice little heart-pumping hike up the hillside on Norman Island in the British Virgin Islands.
The shore-excursion program also offers active options. There are snorkeling and kayaking excursions, as well as time at beaches for swimming. Snorkeling equipment is available on the ship for cruisers to use at their leisure whenever they are in port and plan to visit a beach independently, too.
Note: Sea Cloud-branded metal water bottles are provided to each cruiser to use during the voyage and then keep. Filling stations are available on the ship.
The best piece of your wellness program on a Sea Cloud Spirit cruise, though, is the spa facility. Located on Deck 2, the spa features a big sauna, steam room, foot baths, showers and a large relaxation room.
The Sea Spirit’s sauna. * Photo: John Roberts
The Spirit’s foot bath area. * Photo: John Roberts
The spa’s relaxation area. * Photo: John Roberts
The entire space is clothing optional until 3 p.m. daily, with swimsuits required after that (though when I used the area, I never saw anyone sans robe!). You can see the German heritage of Sea Cloud Cruises with this policy.
This is a full-service spa with therapists on hand to offer a range of wonderful treatments. These include full-body massages, “lava shell” massage, back and neck massage, foot and leg massage, facials and eyelash and eyebrow treatments.
An Overview of Sea Cloud Spirit Cabins
John’s Junior Veranda Suite, # 309. * Photo: John Roberts
Sunrise view from John’s balcony. * Photo: John Roberts
VIDEO: Here’s John’s tour of Cabin 402, a Grand Stateroom.
4. It’s a Sunny Winter Getaway
We cruised in mid-January, and the temps ranged from 78 to 84 degrees daily, with just a few spots of rain. This is why people take Caribbean cruises for a winter getaway. It’s glorious.
The Caribbean is a beautiful winter getaway, and all the better on a lovely sailing ship. * Photo: John Roberts
Our first stop was during the afternoon when we arrived to the North Sound at Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. Virgin Gorda is well known for The Baths, which is a beach area and national park that is hugely popular for tourists, especially cruise visitors coming for excursions during port stops at nearby Tortola.
However, we arrived in the afternoon when no other ships were around (which is lucky, this is a super popular port of call) and were among very few others when our group of a few dozen people from Sea Cloud Spirit came to enjoy this natural wonder.
The Baths are a series of massive boulders that sit along the beach and coastline on the southwestern tip of Virgin Gorda. The rounded boulders form caves and pockets that you can wander through on a fun hike.
John at The Baths. * Photo: John Roberts
We finished our tour at a beach and were able to enjoy a drink at a restaurant with a view before hopping back into our shuttles for a little tour of the island on the way back to the marina to tender back to our ship.
Our next stop was at Bight Bay at Norman Island, BVI. This was my favorite day during the cruise, and it really epitomized what a small-ship yacht-style day in paradise looks like.
Norman Island. * Photo: John Roberts
Zodiacs ran back and forth continuously all day as we spent a delightful beach day on this remote island. Sea Cloud had reserved the large beach lodge so that we had a bar and restaurant (with a steak and lobster lunch), steel drum music, water sports and beach loungers.
Our beach day had cruisers enjoying time relaxing, snorkeling, swimming, paddleboarding and kayaking. Plus, our activity manager Miriam led a post-lunch hike into the hillside. It was a thrilling day in the sunshine.
We had plenty of time to enjoy the ship on our way to St. Barts the next day, and Sea Cloud Spirit sailed all day before arriving to the bay at St. Gustavia at 5 p.m. I chose to stay onboard for the evening and planned for a full day on the island the next day.
Sea Cloud Cruises fares include: drinks, meals, gratuities, port fees, fitness classes, water sports and access to the spa. You will pay for shore excursions, wifi and spa treatments.
On St. Barts, I went ashore as soon as the tenders started and toured the town on my own, making my way to Shell Beach. This is a beautiful spot that sits just about a 12-minute walk from the main downtown area.
Shell Beach on St Barts. * Photo: John Roberts
Then, I took a shuttle service to the other side of the island to see Grand Cul de Sac Beach, which is great for snorkeling. I enjoyed my time in the water before heavy rains started to come down.
View from a hike in St. Barts. * Photo: John Roberts
St. Barts also is quite popular for its great restaurants and high-end stores. I loved all the beautiful sandy beaches and the chance to swim with large barracuda and sea turtles.
The next day, we had a quick visit to St. John’s on Antigua. The ship remained dock in port from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., so I joined an island tour excursion that allowed me to see several highlights of Antigua.
This included Nelson’s Dockyard, which is a cultural heritage site and museum that is home to preserved buildings, restaurants and shops. It remains the only continuously working Georgian-era dockyard in the world, dating back to the early 18th century.
We also toured the nearby Nelson’s Dockyard National Park, which offers hiking trails and wonderful views from the Shirley Heights lookout. This is the place to get a memorable photo of English Harbour and the dockyard.
Sweeping views from the Shirley Heights lookout. * Photo: John Roberts
There was one more destination on our itinerary. After cruising all afternoon, overnight and the next morning, Sea Cloud Spirit pulled into Cruz Bay at St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.
This is an incredibly beautiful place (they all were on this trip, of course), and 60 percent of the island is Virgin Islands National Park land. I wanted to make the most of our afternoon ashore, so I went for a hike (there are dozens of well-marked trails all over) to a series of beaches.
St. John has more than three dozen beaches. I set out on the Caneel Trail to get to Honeymoon Beach to spend my afternoon.
This was a moderate and satisfying two-mile hike over a hillside and through a pretty forested area to descend to the idyllic strip of sand. The waters were crystal clear and stunning shades of blue. It was so refreshing to take a couple dips and just enjoy the warm breezes of the Caribbean Sea.
After a couple hours, I took a seaside route on a path back to town and was happy to find the St. John Brewers Taproom and Brewpub at the Mongoose Junction complex of restaurants and shops.
I savored my cold Juicy Booty hazy IPA craft beer and started plotting for how I could live on the island. I snapped out of my daydream and realized I had better get going or risk missing the ship’s departure time.
I think it says a lot about a getaway if you start considering what it might be like to live in the places you visit. That certainly was the case on this Caribbean cruise.
Sunset from the decks of the Sea Cloud Spirit. * Photo: John Roberts
5. Passengers & Crew are an International Mix
Sea Cloud Spirit’s crew was a mix of German officers and sailors from the Philippines, Russia, Indonesia and Croatia. And the passengers represent a more diverse mix than the typical large-ship U.S.-based cruises.
Avid travelers really enjoy this.
The intimate spaces, shared dinner tables and evening entertainment allow cruisers to make quick and meaningful connections.
Breakfasts and lunches are buffet style in the main Restaurant or on the Lido Deck. You can get eggs made to order, of course, for breakfast, and I loved the selection of fresh tropical fruits and fruit juices and smoothies.
A great fruit spread. * Photo: John Roberts
Then, dinners could be a plated four-course meals in the Restaurant or an extravagant barbecue outside on the Lido Deck. The chefs offer a mix of each throughout the voyage, depending on the weather, of course.
Sea Cloud Spirit’s restaurant. * Photo: John Roberts
With open seating, cruisers can easily find new dining mates each night, and many did this.
The food is a mix of basic German dishes, such as creamy soups and slaw-based salads, tuna salad, bread dumplings, duck breast, roasted veal, lamb chops and rabbit filet, alongside cuisine that is typical of the Caribbean, such as vegetable jambalaya, chicken and sausage, spiced grilled shrimp and grilled octopus and fish.
Lamb Chops in the Restaurant buffet. * Photo: John Roberts
Also, one dinner featured a menu of standard cruise favorites like ribeye steaks or pan-fried salmon.
Chef Julie Carrion hosted a special dinner, as well, showcasing the flavors of Puerto Rico. The menu offered pumpkin soup with toasted pepitas and cilantro coconut cream, a lobster salad and hearts of palm salad as starters.
Mofongo is a dish from Puerto Rico with plantains as its main ingredient. * Photo: John Roberts
We could choose the red snapper with plantain mousseline or carrot flan (a vegetarian option) as a main course. Desserts were a chocolate rum torte or international cheese selection.
You also can order from a menu of classics that are available every day: burger, pasta arrabbiata, chicken breast and Caesar salad.
Can’t go wrong with a juicy burger and fries. * Photo: John Roberts
A DJ provided music each evening, and we had special musical performances during the week. During our overnight in St. Barts a duo came aboard to perform rock and roll classics as cruisers took to the dance floor.
Jojo Wendt, a popular German pianist also was aboard during the cruise, and he graciously put on an afternoon concert in the lounge. He’s a fantastic showman who brilliantly mixed humorous tales of his career with a mix of upbeat jazz, rock and other tunes.
Passengers also engaged through the informative enrichment talks from our lecturers Stephen Weston from Costa Rica and Ingo Bauernfiend from Germany.
Ingo Bauernfiend’s enrichment talk. * Photo: John Roberts
We enjoyed discussions about the history of the Lesser Antilles, marine biodiversity and sea turtles.
Most cruisers ranged in age between 45 and 70s, but there also were two couples in their 20s onboard traveling with their parents.
Interested in This Sea Cloud Spirit Cruise?
The voyage proved to be a highly satisfying mix of sun, fun, food and new friends, and I definitely recommend it.
Here’s more info on this weeklong Sea Cloud Spirit cruise round-trip from San Juan, on Sea Cloud’s website. And if you prefer the help of a travel advisor to book a Sea Cloud cruise, we’ll hook you up with our travel agent colleague Kevin. (Drop Heidi a line and she’ll connect you — Heidi@QuirkyCruise.com).
VIDEO: Here’s an overview of what a Sea Cloud Spirit cruise in the Caribbean is all about.
VIDEO: And, here’s John’s overview of a Sea Cloud II cruise in the Greek Isles.
Don’t miss a post about small-ship cruising, subscribe to QuirkyCruise.com for monthly updates & special offers!
© This article is protected by copyright, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the author. All Rights Reserved. QuirkyCruise.com.
HEIDI SARNA
