JOURNEYS4LIFE TRAVEL

To the casual observer, if docked side by side both Star Clipper and Windstar Ships look similar. Both cruise lines belong to the niche market of small ship cruising, and both have sails (more on this below). There are no lines, no time wasted with transfers, most of the time the vessels dock right near the heart of the town. The service and the hardware gives you the feel of cruising on your own private yacht. The vessels are equipped with a watersports marina and they take you to less explored, exotic parts of the world inaccessible via large ship. With that said, there are still few recognizable differences to consider: Star Clipper in Monemvasia, Greece Star Clippers The Star Clippers fleet is comprised of 3 sailing ships with wind-operated sails:   Star Clipper , Star Flyer (sister ships), and Royal Clipper .  All launched between 1991-2000.  A new ship, the Flying Clipper is to be delivered by the end of 2017 The first two mentioned are true clipper ...

I was sadly thinking that our Windstar Voyage was almost over, when in a bright morning we sailed in Portoferraio, the largest town in the Island of Elba. Located just 6 miles away from the mainland, Elba is part of Tuscany and in the summer there are regular ferries which connect Elba with Corsica and Italy mainland. Island of Elba attracts a lot of travelers in the summer season (high months being July & August), looking for a quick escape. Famous around the world for harboring the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte during his 1814 exile, Elba offers  unique combination of active vacation (mountain biking, diving, hiking), and  relaxation (azure waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea), combined with rich prehistory dating back to the Etruscans. Port of Portoferraio, Elba Italy Our yacht docked right in the Harbor, and my husband and I eagerly headed uphill to the Old Town.  For travelers interested in history, a visit to Villa Mulini (Napoleon Bonaparte's, Residence ...

My husband and I woke up this morning to see thru our porthole window cloudy skies. Today, our Windstar Yacht was scheduled to arrive at Porto Vecchio, Corsica France, island known as the birth place of Napoleon Bonaparte.   Among European Tourists Porto Vecchio is known as "St Tropez" of Corsica, a fashionable resort dotted with art galleries, boutique shopping, gourmet dining and night life. A complimentary shuttle arranged by the cruise line took us to the Old Town, which was about 10 minutes uphill ride from the modern marina. We started wondering thru narrow cobblestone streets (the town is best explored by foot), and found the Place de Republique ( the main square), visit the imposing St Jean-Baptiste Church dating back to the 19th Century and made our way to the Genoise Gate which offered panoramic views of the Harbor, sea and surrounding mountains. Church of St John the Baptist at Palace de Republic Our last stop was the Tourist Bureau, where we arranged a Ta...

One of my favorite things  about small ship cruising is that you visit less "touristy" ports where the big ships cannot go. After relaxing day at sea, our Windstar Yacht docked in the harbor of Alghero, a charming medieval town in the island of Sardinia, Italy. And Yes, we were the only ship in the harbor! Alghero, Sardinia A highlight of the island was a trip to the "Neptune's Grotto" which was a spectacular stalactite sea cave complex located at the Northwest part of Sardinia. You can access the Cappo Caccia (Vertical Cliffs) and the Grotto via boat or land (drive, local bus, or organized tour - it takes about 45 min). The road winds around Cappo Cacchia and ends up short of the climb. Be prepared, there are  656 steps down carved into the sheer cliff wall, which lead to the Grotto. My husband and I decided to take a a local boat tour from a company called "Navisarda", located right in Alghero's harbor. In the summer months, there are tr...

In a spring sunny morning, our Windstar Yacht docked at the Port of Palma de Mallorca. We were pleasantly surprised when we found out the previous night during the port of call briefing, that transfers were arranged to the City center, courtesy of Windstar. Palma's Harbor as viewed from the Bellver Castle While quite few of our fellow travelers decided to go for a pearls shopping (that's what Palma is known for), a small group of us wanted to visit the 14th Century Gothic Style Bellver Castle, which set on a hilltop less than two miles of the Palma City Center, and is known for it's unique circular shape offering breath-taking views of the island & the harbor. We did not sign up for the shore excursion, organized by the cruise line, since you can easily take a taxi to the Castle from the Taxi Stand, located right on the city main shopping street, in front of " Le Seu" (Palma's Cathedral). The total cost one way was less than 9 Euro. After tourin...

This Spring my husband and I sailed with Windstar Cruises and I wanted to share with you our wonderful experience. This was a 6-night itinerary from Barcelona to Rome which we combined with pre and post stay. The weather for the end of April most of the time was in the lower 70s, perfect for exploring! We embarked the 150 guest Windstar Yacht at Barcelona Cruise Port, located in the city center. There was no line and  It took us less than 10 minutes to go thru check in and security. Wind Star docked in Port of Barcelona, Spain Our stateroom was located on the lowest level (Deck 1), but we found it very spacious at 188 sq ft, which is larger than staterooms we've had before on a similar size ships. It had two porthole windows. We really liked the ample closet space (2 closet + 1 dresser), and additional space we found  under the bed to store our suitcases. There was a sitting area which we often used for in room complimentary dining. The bathroom had vanity with g...

Due to strong winds, our sailing ship, the Star Clipper, could not make its scheduled stop at Mykonos. Instead, we visited the Island of Syros. I had done my research for Mykonos previously, but I was unfamiliar with Syros. The Star Clipper docked right in the harbor of Ermoupoli, the island's capital, which happens to be the capital of the Cyclades archipelago as well. The Star Clipper in Ermoupoli, Syros With bright end-of-summer sun and morning temperatures already in the 80's, we decided to rent a car for the day and to find a worthy beach to visit. As usual, car rental services are located right in the port area.  After short 30 minute drive to the Western shore of the island, we arrived at our destination.  Agathopes is a beautiful beach with crystal clear, warm, shallow water. You can rent a chair and umbrella for less than $10. We started to explore the cliffs on the both sides of the beach which have sheltered school of fish and small crabs and some ...