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Star Clippers

Three genuine tall ships under real sail, not motor yachts styled to look like one: Royal Clipper, Star Clipper and Star Flyer, in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and Central America. Australians fly to join them.

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About Star Clippers

Star Clippers runs three of the tallest working sailing ships afloat: Royal Clipper, a five-masted, 227-guest flagship carrying 42 sails and a Guinness World Record for the largest square-rigged ship in service, and her smaller sisters Star Clipper and Star Flyer, four-masted barquentines carrying 170 guests each. There are no casinos, waterslides or Broadway shows. Guests climb the rigging, help hoist sails and lie in the bowsprit net instead, with open-seating dining and a dress code that never goes past smart casual.

There is no Australian season, so Australians fly to join a voyage already under way. All three ships sail the Mediterranean from Cannes, Rome, Athens and Venice each northern summer. Through the 2026 to 27 winter, Royal Clipper crosses the Atlantic from Lisbon to Barbados on 16 October before the Caribbean and two Panama Canal transits; Star Flyer crosses from Las Palmas to St Maarten; and Star Clipper sails Costa Rica and Panama before new departures from Antigua and Aruba.

Royal Clipper carries three small pools, an open-seating Clipper Dining Room and her own watersports platform that lowers from the stern for swimming, kayaking and snorkelling at anchor. Star Clipper and Star Flyer are near-identical, down to the Tropical Bar, the Piano Bar and a well-stocked library that doubles as an evening entertainment room. Every ship keeps an open-bridge policy and a Captain’s morning briefing on deck, with crew who will teach a bowline or a climb to the first crow’s nest.

Best for

  • Real sailing: hoisting sails, the rigging, the bowsprit net
  • Couples, groups of friends and solo travellers
  • Small anchorages a large ship cannot reach
  • Open-seating dining with no fixed table or dinner time

Look elsewhere if you want

  • Casinos, waterslides, Broadway shows or a kids’ club
  • Guaranteed full sail: engines run when the wind will not cooperate
  • An Australian season: every voyage is a fly-cruise
Ships
3 tall ships, 170 to 227 guests
Australians join in
Fly to the Mediterranean, Caribbean or Panama
Style
Real sails, open seating, smart casual, no formal nights
Inclusions
All dining, watersports, snorkelling and sail-hoisting
A Star Clippers ship anchored off a Caribbean lagoon The Clipper Dining Room set for dinner The Owner’s Suite on Royal Clipper Guests in the bowsprit net under way

Star Clippers sailings from Australia

Tell us your dates and we will quote every departure.

Every Star Clippers sailing worldwide ›

Want the total for two on a specific date? Our experts check availability and every extra before you commit.

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The tall ships

Three genuine sailing ships, each in different waters through the year.

Royal Clipper

Five-masted full-rigged ship · Built 2000 · 227 guests · Fly to Barbados or Lisbon

Royal Clipper

The largest square-rigged sailing ship in service, a five-master carrying 42 sails and a Guinness World Record for the title. Onboard are three small pools, the open-seating Clipper Dining Room, the Tropical Bar and a watersports platform that lowers from the stern at anchor for swimming, kayaking and snorkelling. She crosses the Atlantic from Lisbon to Barbados each October, sails the Windward Islands and the Panama Canal, then heads to the Mediterranean for summer.

  • 42 sails
  • Three pools
  • Watersports platform
  • Panama Canal
  • Guinness World Record
Ask about Royal Clipper sailings
Star Flyer

Four-masted barquentine · Built 1991 · 170 guests · Fly to St Maarten

Star Flyer

Star Clipper’s identical sister, a four-master under 16 sails with the same Tropical Bar, Piano Bar and well-stocked library found on both ships. She crosses the Atlantic from Las Palmas to St Maarten each November for a Caribbean season, then heads to the Mediterranean for summer, calling at Cannes, the Amalfi Coast and the Greek Isles. Open-seating dining means no fixed table and no set dinner time all cruise.

  • 16 sails
  • Tropical Bar
  • Open-seating dining
  • Mediterranean summer
Ask about Star Flyer sailings
Star Clipper

Four-masted barquentine · Built 1992 · 170 guests · Fly to Panama or Costa Rica

Star Clipper

Star Flyer’s twin, spending the first half of the northern winter along the Pacific coasts of Costa Rica and Panama, calling at islands such as Isla Tortuga and the Pearl Islands that larger ships cannot reach. She then sails new itineraries from St John’s, Antigua, and Oranjestad, Aruba, before crossing to the Mediterranean for summer. In some seasons Star Clipper has also sailed Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

  • Costa Rica
  • Panama
  • Antigua
  • Aruba
Ask about Star Clipper sailings

Royal Clipper, Star Clipper and Star Flyer are the whole fleet. Star Clipper has sailed an Asia season from Phuket and Singapore in past years, so ask us about the current programme if that is what you are after.

Cabins & rates

What each cabin type gives you. Fares vary by ship, sailing and date, so ask us for the rate on the departure you want.

Check a rate by phone ›
Inside on Star Clippers

Inside

  • Category 6, the smallest cabin at 8 to 10 square metres
  • Upper and lower berths, no window, the lowest fare on board
  • Non-smoking with 110-volt American and European plugs, like every cabin
RateOn requestquoted per sailing and dateAsk for a rate
Outside on Star Clippers

Outside

  • Category 3, 4 or 5: 11 to 13 square metres with a porthole or window
  • Double bed or two singles, TV, storage and an ensuite shower
  • Sizes vary a little between the Clipper and Commodore decks
RateOn requestquoted per sailing and dateAsk for a rate
Deluxe Outside on Star Clippers

Deluxe Outside

  • Category 2, the largest standard outside cabin at 12 to 13 square metres
  • A wider picture window and more space to move than Category 3 to 5
  • Some have a fold-down third berth
RateOn requestquoted per sailing and dateAsk for a rate
Deck Cabin on Star Clippers

Deck Cabin

  • Category 1, 14.5 square metres, the door opens straight onto the deck
  • Flatscreen TV, minibar and a marble bathroom
  • On the Sun Deck or Main Deck, closest to the Tropical Bar
RateOn requestquoted per sailing and dateAsk for a rate
Owner’s Suite on Star Clippers

Owner’s Suite

  • 22 square metres on Star Clipper and Star Flyer, 40 on Royal Clipper
  • A separate lounge area and a whirlpool bath, no private verandah
  • Only a handful per ship: book early for an anniversary or honeymoon
RateOn requestquoted per sailing and dateAsk for a rate

Enquire Today

Tell us where and when. A Star Clippers specialist comes back with sailings, cabins and prices in Australian dollars.

No obligation, and no charge for the enquiry. A real person replies, not AI.

Life on board

A taste of the restaurants, bars and spaces. Anything marked Included carries no extra cost.

Dining & bars

Clipper Dining Room on Star Clippers
Included

Clipper Dining Room

Open-seating breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a buffet by day and a plated menu by night. No assigned table, ever.

Tropical Bar on Star Clippers
Included

Tropical Bar

The indoor-outdoor deck bar for cocktail hour every evening and, once a cruise, an on-deck lunch weather permitting.

Piano Bar on Star Clippers
Included

Piano Bar

Continental breakfast each morning, coffee and fruit around the clock, and a singalong most evenings before dinner.

The Library on Star Clippers
Included

The Library

A well-stocked library by day that doubles as the entertainment room after dark, for local performers and crew shows.

Captain’s Dinner on Star Clippers
Included

Captain’s Dinner

One dressier dinner each cruise, with a plated menu a step up from the nightly dining room service.

Sun Deck on Star Clippers
Included

Sun Deck

Loungers and pools in the open air, over anchorages as clear as this through the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

Spaces & activities

Captain’s Morning Briefing on Star Clippers
Included

Captain’s Morning Briefing

An informal deck talk most mornings on the wind, the ship and navigation, with a climb to the first crow’s nest when conditions allow.

Hoisting the Sails on Star Clippers
Included

Hoisting the Sails

Crew welcome guests to help haul lines and raise sail, no experience required, alongside lessons in the names of every sail.

Knot-Tying on Star Clippers
Included

Knot-Tying

Learn a bowline or a clove hitch from the crew, and how to navigate by the stars once night falls.

The Bowsprit Net on Star Clippers
Included

The Bowsprit Net

A net slung beneath the bowsprit where guests can lie or sit as the ship cuts through the water below.

Free Watersports on Star Clippers
Included

Free Watersports

Kayaks, paddleboards, dinghies, waterskiing and windsurfing at anchor, supervised by the crew, weather permitting.

Snorkelling on Star Clippers
Included

Snorkelling

Equipment is handed out to every guest on arrival, ready for the first clear-water anchorage.

What’s included in your fare

The essentials come with every cabin: complimentary dining across a range of restaurants, live shows and music, and most things to do on board.

Sailing in a suite? Most lines add extras to their top suites: a drinks package, Wi-Fi, a private restaurant or lounge and priority boarding. Ask us what the suites on your ship include.

  • Standard beverages like water and coffee
  • Complimentary meals and snacks across a variety of restaurants
  • Live shows and entertainment
  • Most onboard activities and games

Available at an additional cost

  • Drink package
  • Wi-Fi package
  • 24 hour room service
  • Laundry service
  • Specialty dining
  • Spa treatments
  • Photo package
  • Shore excursions

Usually included in the top suites; ask us what your ship offers.

Star Clippers, answered

Where does Star Clippers sail from for Australians?

Star Clippers has no Australian homeport and no season of its own here, so Australians fly to join a voyage already under way. Royal Clipper, Star Clipper and Star Flyer sail the Mediterranean from Cannes, Rome, Athens and Venice each northern summer, then the Caribbean, Costa Rica and Panama through the northern winter. We can quote the flights alongside the fare.

What is included in a Star Clippers fare?

Your cabin, all meals in the open-seating Clipper Dining Room and the Tropical Bar, soft drinks, the ship’s watersports programme (kayaks, paddleboards, dinghies, waterskiing and windsurfing, weather permitting), snorkelling gear, and the sailing activities: hoisting sails, knot-tying and a chance to climb to the crow’s nest. Wi-Fi, alcoholic drinks, gratuities and shore excursions cost extra and are booked and paid on board.

What is Royal Clipper like?

The largest square-rigged sailing ship in service, a five-master built in 2000 and carrying 227 guests under 42 sails, a Guinness World Record holder. She has three small pools, open-seating dining and her own watersports platform that lowers from the stern at anchor. Star Clipper and Star Flyer are smaller four-masted sisters carrying 170 guests each, near-identical to one another.

Who does Star Clippers suit?

Couples, groups of friends and solo travellers who want a genuine sailing ship over a big-ship resort: there are no casinos, waterslides, Broadway shows or kids’ clubs on any of the three ships. Guests are typically active and curious about sailing, and happy with open-seating dining and a dress code that never goes past smart casual. Families are welcome from six months old, without a dedicated children’s programme.

Is there a dress code on Star Clippers?

Smart casual, every night but one. Beach or resort wear suits the day, casual clothing the evening, and deck shoes are the practical choice underfoot. Each cruise has a single Captain’s Dinner where guests dress up a little more, but there are no formal or black-tie nights on any Star Clippers voyage, and dining is open seating throughout.

When is the best time to sail Star Clippers?

The Mediterranean season runs from late April to October, with all three ships calling at ports across Italy, Greece, Croatia and Turkey. Through the northern winter, Royal Clipper and Star Flyer sail the Caribbean from Barbados and St Maarten, and Star Clipper sails Costa Rica and Panama before new itineraries from Antigua and Aruba. Ask us for the season that suits your dates.

How do I book Star Clippers through Luxury Cruises Guide?

Tell us the ship, region or dates you have in mind through the enquiry form on this page, or call 1300 214 840. We are an independent Australian cruise agency: we quote Star Clippers’ fare in AUD, confirm the total for two with taxes and fees, and one specialist looks after the booking from quote to homecoming.

Reservations

Call 1300 214 840, message us on WhatsApp, email, or tell us what you want and a Star Clippers specialist will come back with a quote.

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Luxury Cruises Guide is an independent Australian cruise agency operated by Orange Ninja Pty Ltd, ABN 17 682 640 713. It is not owned or operated by Star Clippers. Star Clippers and its ship names are trademarks of their owner and are used here to identify the cruise line. Fares shown were published by the cruise line at the time of writing and change with availability.