Sea Cloud Vs Star Clippers

By John Roberts, with Peter Knego and Heidi Sarna

I have cruised with Sea Cloud Cruises twice now. These trips in the past two years follow my first time on a true windjammer when I cruised with Star Clippers a couple years ago in France. There is so much to enjoy on this type of cruise. These sailing ships are unlike any other small-ship experience.

Let’s have a look at the two lines and how they compare.

The Ships

Star Clippers has a fleet of three tall ships:

Royal Clipper (227 passengers, built in 2000)
Star Flyer (166 passengers, built in 1991)
Star Clipper (166 passengers, built in 1992)

Sea Cloud Cruises also comprises a fleet of three windjammers:

Sea Cloud (64 passengers, built in 1931)
Sea Cloud II (94 passengers, built in 2001)
Sea Cloud Spirit (136 passengers, built in 2021)

Both lines are similar in that they have brilliant white sails and ships crewed by working sailors who hoist the sails (Sea Cloud Cruises by hand; and aided by automated winches with the Star Clippers’ ships).

Cruisers of both fleets spend most of the time outside, roaming the teak decks during the day and enjoying time at the open-air lido bar, the ships’ hub. Passengers can enjoy presentations and casual activities and entertainment every night in the bar area or up on deck under the stars.

Both lines offers generous real estate up on deck for relaxing on the loungers to sun bathe and watch the sailors do their thing with the sails and rigging.

However, Star Clippers’ ships also have pools. This is the main design difference and amenity that I have noticed from my cruises on both lines.

Both fleets’ ships have one main indoor dining room as well as a lounge with a piano and a small library space.

Star Clipper’s forward pool in a forward facing view. * Photo: Peter Knego

Sea Cloud vs Star Clippers Passengers

Both cruise lines boast a strong international flair. That means the passenger mix and age range is almost identical, with many German travelers onboard, especially on Sea Cloud Cruises and on itineraries in Europe.

You’ll also find cruisers from the U.K. and countries all over Europe, with a handful of cruisers hailing from the U.S., Canada and Australia. The number of North American travelers rises when the ships are sailing in the Caribbean.

Announcements, enrichment talks and menus and programs are typically offered in both English and German (but in the least, always in English). I found my fellow travelers to be very well-traveled with a great sense of adventure.

The Activities on Sea Cloud vs Star Clippers

Both Star Clippers and Sea Cloud allow cruisers to swim right off the side of the ship in the open waters. You also can climb the mast on these cruises to unleash your inner sailor.

However, Star Clippers offers more water sports activities right from the ship, with paddleboarding, small dinghy sailing and kayaking available.

Sea Cloud simply sets up a boundary area for swimming. I also will note that I was not able to swim off the side of the ship on either of my cruises with Sea Cloud. The activity wasn’t offered on my voyages because of the wave conditions.

We also didn’t do the popular “photo safari” on either of my Sea Cloud cruises, though these outings are part of the program when possible. This is a tender boat ride for travelers who want to see the ship at full sail and snap pictures and videos from wonderful angles and perspectives. We were able to do this on my Star Clippers cruise, though, and people loved being able to get some memorable photos to show off the majestic tall ship with all the sailors walking out on the yardarms and posing for us.

Star Flyer under full sail. Photo: Heidi Sarna

(Note from Heidi: “I’ve sailed on seven Star Clippers cruises over years and on every one, a “photo safari” was offered and it was a highlight.)

Star Clippers also lets cruisers get in on the fun of raising the sails by helping to pull the ropes. Plus, you can go out into the netting under the bowsprit to relax and soak up the sun. These things don’t happen on a Sea Cloud cruise.

Overall, I found the activities quite a bit livelier and more fun on Star Clippers

Star Clippers’ cruise directors lead a vibrant program that includes a DJ and dancing every night, trivia contests, dance competitions, a super-fun “Pirate Night” dress-up and a crew talent show.

Writer Peter Knego has sailed multiple times with both Sea Cloud Cruises and Star Clippers and shares his two cents.

“Sea Cloud is a more formal product with richer food and the gold plated bathroom taps, etc. Overall, I would definitely say Sea Cloud Cruises is more upscale and yet still casual dress-wise, while Star Clippers is also casual and maybe a little more fun with a wider variety of guests — Brits, Canadians, Aussies, Germans and Americans — versus mostly just Germans and Americans aboard Sea Cloud Cruises ships.

On the Sea Cloud Cruise fleet, the crew climb the masts and unleash the sails the old-fashioned way (which is quite a sight to behold), while on Star Clippers, there are automated winches that help the crew raise and lower the sails.

Another main difference: pools. Star Clipper ships have small swimming pools on deck, while the Sea Cloud fleet does not, though there was some talk about putting one on Sea Cloud Spirit in the future.

And while both cruise lines allow you to climb a mast and go into the bowsprit netting, with Sea Cloud, going onto the bow sprit is a one time opportunity (if conditions permit) where with Star Clippers you can hang there on the bow sprit and relax over the sea on a regular basis throughout the cruise.

Your Quirkycruise reporter climbing out onto the bowsprit. * Photo: Peter Knego

When it comes to what both lines do similarly, both offer ‘photo safari’ excursions, which are tender rides around the ships when fully rigged. Both fleets also offer the chance to swim alongside the ship when at anchor in favorable conditions. Finally, overall, I’d say Star Clippers is probably a better value for the money…”

The Food on Star Clippers vs Sea Cloud Cruises

Both lines offer a variety of international cuisine and flavors from the destinations you visit. The food quality, variety and presentation is quite similar across both lines.

I’m not a foodie, but I’d have to rate the meals mostly as average on both Star Clippers and Sea Cloud cruises, playing on familiar recipes using steak, fish and lamb.

The breakfast options were the most diverse on both lines, with good pastries, breads, eggs to order and fresh fruits and other healthy choices.

In short, the food is fine but would not be considered a highlight on either line.

Cabins on Sea Cloud vs Star Clipper Cruises.

There’s no comparison in the cabin department. The digs on the trio of Sea Cloud Cruises ships are posher and more luxurious.

On the Star Clippers fleet, cabins are charming with a nautical flair — think brass, chunky wood and navy blue design elements — but they’re smaller and more basic by far compared the the Sea Cloud ships.

The fancy bathrooms on many of the cabins aboard the Sea Cloud Spirit have a shower/tub combo. * Photo: John Roberts

Cruise Fares on Sea Cloud vs Star Clippers

Sea Cloud offers an all-inclusive rate for North America cruisers, with gratuities and drinks part of the fare. You have to pay for wifi and shore excursions, though. With Star Clippers, on the other hand, cruisers pay extra for drinks, gratuities, shore excursions and wifi.

In a nutshell, Sea Cloud is more all-inclusive and typically its cruise fares are more expensive than Star Clippers.

RELATED: John reviews his Star Clippers cruise.

Hope You Found This Sea Cloud vs Star Clippers Comparison Insightful!

I have enjoyed cruising with both companies several times each and they’re both excellent small-ship cruise options, for the various reasons detailed above.