Discover a whole new way to cruise on a ship with 42 sails

Vicky Smith takes to the Caribbean on the world’s largest square rigger – and finds it a superlative way to travel

Backlit by the setting sun, the clouds looked like glowing tufts of candyfloss against a red-gold sky. Saint Lucia’s forested peaks were slowly cast into shadow as I lounged in the Royal Clipper’s open-air Tropical Bar, enjoying the heat on my skin – a welcome change from nippy winter evenings back home. Soon, we would set sail for Dominica, and a new day of adventure awaited.

This was the second evening of a voyage that had been a long time coming. For years, I had dreamed of cruising in the Caribbean: of sampling rum on sunkissed shores and exploring rainforests teeming with wildlife. Yet I was deterred by the fact that sustainability, let’s face it, isn’t typically one of the cruise industry’s strong points.

I stumbled upon my solution in Star Clippers and its three tall ships, which not only use wind power up to 80 per cent of the time but are almost emission-free. Even the little oil they consume produces less pollution than many fuels. Star Clippers also encourages investment in the places it visits, with detailed information on every stop and excursions hosted by local firms.

Another bonus? The vessels are spectacular. I had the fortune to travel on the Royal Clipper, which comes straight out of the pages of a swashbuckling storybook and is recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest square rigger in service. Watching the crew hoist (most of) its 42 sails, to the rousing soundtrack of Conquest of Paradise by Vangelis, brought tears to my eyes.

I also loved the ship’s ethos. While the clipper’s interior gleams with its brass fixtures and polished rosewood, and staff dazzle in white uniforms with epaulettes, the vibes are casual and inclusive. Accommodating a maximum of 227 guests, the Royal Clipper has an intimate feel that big liners don’t.

My seven-night sailing, which went beyond its “Windward Islands” label, started and ended in Barbados. Here, pre-cruise, I saw the kind of sights that would often recur over the coming week: forested slopes, brightly painted low-slung buildings, and abundant vegetation ranging from breadfruit trees to banana plants – not to mention the sugarcane once cultivated by European colonists using slave labour from Africa.

I boarded the Royal Clipper after sampling the full-on flavour of Barbados – quite literally, thanks to a Lickrish Food Tour around its capital Bridgetown; “Lickrish” is a Bajan colloquialism meaning “gluttonous” – and boy were we full afterwards. Keen to sample the individual charm of each island, my plan was to book a shore excursion pretty much every day. And so I did.

ln Saint Lucia, I took an aerial tram ride through the rainforest where metallic-hued hummingbirds flitted among pink hibiscus flowers under a canopy worthy of Jurassic Park. I felt sandpaper vine leaves rasp beneath my fingers, tasted the sour-apple kick of edible begonias and drank tamarind juice under the watchful eye of a Lesser Antillean bullfinch.

In Dominica, I opted for a boat ride along the Indian River, accompanied by a humorous guide who called himself “Superman”. The waterway featured in the film Pirates of the Caribbean and, with its milky-green appearance and crabs scuttling among tangles of mangroves, it wasn’t hard to imagine a heavily eyelinered Captain Jack Sparrow hanging around and causing havoc – especially after the explosive rum punch we swigged in Cobra’s Bush Bar.

Saint Kitts provided another mildly boozy sojourn on the aptly named Saint Kitts Scenic Railway, while an immersive tour in French Martinique took in candy-coloured Creole houses and a patisserie where the buttery croissants rivalled those of Paris.

But my favourite port of call was Antigua, where I joined a rum-making class on Galleon Beach – a Caribbean pin-up with its caramel sand and rustling palms – and took a meandering tour of Nelson’s Dockyard. A British Royal Navy base in the 18th and 19th centuries, this Unesco-listed Georgian complex is strikingly surrounded by the flashy yachts of English Harbour. The museum is excellent too; I particularly enjoyed its tales about the revolting food once endured by naval crews in the region.

Back onboard, upcoming excursions and other activities were listed on the paper itineraries delivered to our rooms each evening. It was a thrill to return from dinner and discover these, beautifully produced and curled up like a pirate’s treasure map.

Some guests spent hours relaxing and enjoying facilities such as Captain Nemo’s Spa, but I found that the ship’s entertainments – ranging from tours by staff to stargazing and assorted evening events – kept me occupied, as did yoga classes and the water sports taking place off the marina platform (all included in the price).

Then there were highlights exclusive to vessels like Royal Clipper, from lying on the bowsprit netting (a lattice of rope that is the only thing separating you from the sea) to climbing the main mast and taking in the panoramic views from the crow’s nest. Looking out across the terracotta roofs of Bourg des Saintes, the town in Guadeloupe where I had spent the morning browsing boutiques and eating tourment d’amour (a sweet local tart) was a treat indeed.

Blending diverse island delights with the novelty of a five-masted, fullrigged sailing ship – the only one built since its predecessor Preussen more than a century ago – had for me been a superlative way to travel in the Caribbean. With its flag parade and soppy singalong, our last dinner was cheesier than a Swiss fondue, but I nonetheless felt a twinge of sadness to be leaving. I had never considered myself a “cruise person” but, given the right ship and the right destination, this experience certainly won’t be my last.

Catch the breeze: the number of winches is dizzying on a large ship powered by the wind up to 80 per cent of the time

i Rare sight: Royal Clipper is the only five-masted, full-rig sailing ship to be built in more than a century