Sea Cloud a timeless treasure
Head-turning 1931 yacht complements Caribbean and Mediterranean experiences
In the world of cruising, a handful of ships routinely win awards and accolades. One of these is Sea Cloud Cruises’ (seacloudcruises. com) historic Sea Cloud. Built in 1931, as the private yacht Hussar for heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and husband Edward F. Hutton, the four-masted Sea Cloud has been operating as a five-star cruise ship since a group of German businessmen purchased it in 1979. Lovingly restored and maintained, it has been sailing the Caribbean and Mediterranean ever since. It also turns heads everywhere it goes. A total of 22 billowing white sails propel Sea Cloud along. Its itineraries — like my
eight-night voyage from Antigua to Barbados — have been designed for maximum sailing time; engines are typically only run at night or for manoeuvring. Underway in the trade winds of the Caribbean, the Sea Cloud experience is at its best. I enjoyed my days of lazy sailing, reading in teak steamer chairs along the ship’s gorgeous sheltered promenade or conversing with fellow guests, about half of whom hail from Europe (Sea Cloud is a bilingual German-English ship). Afternoon tea is served out on the Promenade Deck, and the sails are still raised the old-fashioned way: by hand. I found sunset to be a very special time on board. The fading Caribbean sun bathed Sea Cloud in amber hues. Cocktails were taken out on deck, under the stars. Music from the on-board pianist twinkled into the night as the ship’s bell was rung, announcing that another delectable meal would be served in the ship’s historic, wood-panelled lounge. And
with 64 crew to a maximum of 60 guests, service was impeccable. Equally wonderful are Sea Cloud’s staterooms. Eight of the 32 have been restored to their original glory, and no two are alike. The pinnacle of these are two luxury owner’s suites. Owner’s Cabin No. 1 — originally belonging to Mrs. Post — is jaw-dropping; a 410-square-foot (38.1-square-metre) palace complete with marble fireplace (faux, these days), original Louis-Philippe chairs, triple porthole windows and a marble bath with gold-plated swan fixtures. Even the carpeting feels lavish. Across the hall, Mr. Hutton’s domain — Owner’s Cabin No. 2 — is more masculine, with warm maple panelling and a bathroom accented with red Carrara marble. His original desk still graces the room. You don’t have to stay in one of these cabins to see them, either: once per cruise, there is an “open house” cocktail hour, where guests mingle and open their doors for a suite viewing party. You can opt out of this, but no one does. It’s all part of the friendly camaraderie. Staterooms don’t even need keys to open, though they do lock from
the inside. Sea Cloud’s more modern accommodations exude a nautical ambience that fits in well aboard this classic ship. Most of these cabins have picture windows and are similar in decor to one another, while cabins No. 14-17 are carved out of the original officers’ quarters. With their doors that open to the fresh Caribbean breeze on the Promenade Deck, they’re among the first to book up. Despite a roster of wonderful ports of call, these almost seemed superfluous. Sea Cloud is the destination. I even skipped a day in Dominica to spend an afternoon reading on deck before my journey came to an end.
Sea Cloud Cruises operates another sailing vessel, the Sea Cloud II. A third ship, Sea Cloud Spirit, is on the way for 2020. I want to try both — if I can tear myself away from Sea Cloud. This dame of the seas is a timeless treasure worth repeating. Happy sailing.