TRAVELLING BY SAILING SHIP
PART 1
Hello,
I had previously shared with you our travel experience regarding a river cruise. As someone who is a sea and ship lover, it was of course inevitable to travel by ship.
When we consider the quality service received with fewer passengers on a river cruise, it was obvious that traveling by a cruise ship was relatively more reasonable in price, but also a very crowded type of travel with thousands of passengers. While doing research thinking about what other options there would be, the idea of traveling by a sailing ship naturally seemed quite appealing and I focused on this type of travel alternative.
A larger sailing ship rather than the 10-15 meter sailboats with 3-5 people like in blue cruises. Not too much, even if I cruise for one day, I wouldn't be able to enjoy it. But unfortunately I couldn't come across one that had a day. When you search, you come across many things. The "Sea Cloud" sailboat whose picture you will remember from "Jigsaw Puzzle" pieces.
It became clear that Sea Cloud, like a pure white swan, with its historical heritage dating back to the 1930s, the warmth of wood, its magnificence and its price, would continue to be just a dream. Similarly, I came across the 3-Ship Fleet of Star Clippers, dedicated to this business. The most beautiful of them all, the Royal Clipper sailboat, with 5 masts, 42 pieces of sail, 135 meters in length, 5000 tons, and a capacity of 227 passengers.
A sailing ship with the largest sail area in her class (with a sail area of over 5 acres) that has entered the Guinness Book of Records.
Those who sail, those who enjoy it, do not enjoy motorboats very much. Or let me speak for myself of course. (If I say beet motor boat, you will understand what I mean) In a sailboat, there is no noise, no whine, imagine a 5 thousand ton ship that glides by like "hissssss" sound. The reflection of wind power on the mass. This is what I mean.
So, what is this “Clipper” issue… Clipper; It is a boat structure used in the 19th century, when competition in maritime trade started to increase and speed was needed more, with a relatively larger sail area compared to the boat length ratio and as a boat that could meet the ocean-going need, in other words, as sea-durable boats, especially during the “gold rush” period and for the “tea trade” and for a period of time for passenger transportation, albeit limited. They are still used for touristic purposes 2 centuries later))
Let's go back to The Royal Clipper. In terms of budget, it is quite costly. But it is almost half the price of the Sea Cloud sailboat. These are of course travel options without lifting a finger - "luxury comes to me" mode . If you want something more reasonable, there is that too. But you will have to sleep in a hammock, settle for a shared bathroom, and pull on the ropes while setting sails together. Hoooyyy Hop ! Hoooyyy Hop !
Since there are not many people interested in this type of sailing ship, it is not possible to find a contracted tourism agency in my country. Therefore, you have to register for the ship yourself and organize the rest of the trip yourself, go to the ship's feet yourself. This is the busy part of the job.
We contacted with the ship's own office via email and preferred a 1-week trip between Rome and Cannes between July 6-13, 2019. We considered that the Mediterranean is familiar waters, and we also thought there would be no storm in this season. And when the expected time came, we started by heading to Rome. After staying in Rome for one night and experiencing the atmosphere of the city, we reached the ship, Rome's touristic port Civitavecchia, by train. Speaking of the train, we had to transfer from Trastevere station, and it is useful to mention that there is a systematic pickpocket gang/situation consisting of 4-5 women at this station towards tourists who have to use the elevators with their suitcases. They finish the job in the elevator. It didn't happen to us, but unfortunately they hit a Chinese couple.
Civitavecchia is also a very large port for cruise ships. You definitely need a vehicle to get from one place to another. However, the issue has been solved with the shuttle bus services that go to and from the boarding dock of each incoming ship at the entrance of the port.
In such cases, unless there is a tour organization company, you can't be very comfortable until you get yourself to the ship safely... If something goes wrong and you miss the ship, especially if the next port is a distant island...
Finally, the shuttle bus dropped us off at the customs area tent in front of our Magnificent ship. After filling out certain entrance declarations and forms, we were welcomed nicely by the Ship (this time not a boat, but a magnificent ship). Our belongings somehow were found themselves in our cabins. That's a very good system, that has been established as a standard order in such trips.
After completing our check-in procedures and having a short tour in the ship, we go down to dinner. The dining room is on the lowest deck of the ship and is decorated with an interior hall rising from the intermediate floors and the base of one of the small swimming pools on the main deck that lets daylight in from the ceiling. As on the river ship, here too, there is no fixed table, instead you are invited to a table by asking how many people there are and which language is spoken.
After having our first dinner, we start our journey with the sunset. Arrivederci Rome !
The first night, accompanied by a nice breeze, I start to enjoy the view that I have been longing for many years. Cannot sleep. In a hot summer evening, I remember once again how many many many stars there are in the sky, and my wife and I enjoy that moment until we decide that should sleep now.
Let's talk a little about our cabin (the sailor's term for a hotel room); it is located on a girder almost at the level of the Grandi mast (2nd mast), on the keel line of the ship, an inside cabin on the middle deck. The reason I mention this is because it is the part of the ship that will shake the least if there is a slight storm. It is not for those with claustrophobia. However, since it is a place we visit almost only sleeping, we did not care much. In fact, there are 8 categories of cabins on the ship. The highest category is the "Owner Suite", which has only two cabins, followed by the Deluxe Cabin and the other passenger cabins in categories starting from 1 to 6.
It would be nice to describe the ship a little. The ship is the kind that I can hardly see even in my dreams, first of all, She is exactly my type. She has a nice design. Moreover, the sailboat has broken a world record. My favorite colors are navy blue and white. How it looks on azure blue. When all the rigging sails are unfurled, it is incredible… The ship is like a convertible car, her deck is exposed to open air conditions, but the awning system that protects from the intensity of the sun is also wonderful. Oh, there is no such thing as not having a deck chair for me. You look around, it is as if the deck belongs only to you. In other words, there are not many people who are interested in that. The ship has two of the most eccentric parts, no, no, three, in fact; four. One of them is the “Bow Net”, which we call “Baston Ağ” (Walking Net) under the bow of the ship, how can we say, the hammock-like, recreational nets in our opinion. Let's call it the ground that the crew needs when stowing the sails. Probably, this Bow net of this ship are the most beautiful Bow net in the world. Especially the pleasure, while feeling the flow of the sea under you...
Bow Net - Baston Ağları
The other eccentric part is the “Crow’s Nest”, which literally means “nest of a Crow”. You know, if you’re a pirate, it’s the place where there’s a guy yelling “There is a shippppp on the horizonnnnn !!! ".
Interesting, of course. A playground for adults. The view from above is another sense.
A Glance from Crow's Nest
Another interesting place, which we didn't notice while sailing, is the hydraulically retractable water sports station/pier under the stern of the ship. When the ship is anchored offshore, you can enter the sea from here, lie on the sea beds extended with ropes, go canoeing or sailing, or snorkel.
Water Sports Station of Ship
Another interesting place is if you go down to the ship's SPA-fitness room, since this is also an area under the waterline of the ship, when you look out of the portholes (circular windows on the ship), you can watch the underwater world (probably about 1 meter below).
After the first night's sail, our first port the next day, is the port of Bonifacio in the south of the island of Corsica.
How can I put it, this is a port that I've heard the name of for the first time in my life. If one day in my life, you were to say "You can go to Corsica", I would have laughed. With the passion of this ship, there was possibility to see those places as well unexpectedly. When Corsica is mentioned, everyone thinks of Napoleon. The Corsican Napoleon was born in the capital city of Ajaccio. He also lived in Bonifacio for a while. The rest is well known.
Corsica was interesting, I liked its nature somehow when I saw it. Despite the hot season, the wind is abundant. The population of the big island is 350,000. We will visit 3 ports on this island; Bonifacio, Ajaccio and Calvi.
Bonifacio
Let's come to Bonifacio. The cliffs, which are more majestic and monumental than Antalya's cliffs, attract attention. The reason is that wind erosion, exposed to incredible winds, quickly erodes the calcareous rocks. In the area above, the castle that has stood for centuries and the buildings, built right on the edge of the cliff, attract attention. You would fly into the sea while cleaning the windows, that much. Let's see how many centuries later those cliffs will collapse. If you noticed in the picture above, you will see something similar to a "cut" mark, as if it was cut with a cutter knife, right under the castle. Look, that's very important )) Aragon steps. If you think of scenes like The Three Musketeers, Iron Mask when you even hear its name, it means we are the same age )) Again, according to legend, King Aragon had his soldiers build these steps in one night in 1420. 187 steps. For what purpose, you ask? For touristic purposes. The man saw the future and spent their efforts for our visiting )) Of course, the most important thing you should pay attention to while going up and down is the mossy parts and to try it with sturdy, non-slip shoes.
The houses on the cliffs and the back streets are unique. It was nice to experience the atmosphere and that moment. Narrow streets, shops selling natural coral souvenirs etc.
The jet set would come here with their own luxury yachts and hang out in the marina, which is a naturally protected harbor. Believe me, if there is such a demand for this place, our shores would be like heaven to them. Would I come here again, another time? Well… even if they insist, it would be difficult. I don't plan to visit here again.
Maybe, because of the very hot weather, we are happy to return to our ship.
Back to Royal Clipper with Tender
I really looked forward to dinner, wiping my glasses and wondering what the chef had prepared for us. Afterwards, we finished another evening beautifully, with a menu that started with “Le”.
Dinner Menu
After a while, conversations with a few couples progressed. We met at the same table with German and Austrian couples for a few dinners. Some nights, we also came across different guests. In fact, one evening there was a couple we had never seen before at our table. They were so stylish that we couldn’t even call them stowaways. Well, of course, chat was drift one to another. It turned out that the gentleman, I forget his name now, was the owner of a leading a specific industry manufacturer in Germany, and that there were about 10 thousand employees in all of his businesses. They had heard the praises of this ship, and were staying in the “Owner Suite”. Their dinner was served to their cabins for two nights, but they got bored of being alone. With this occasion, we were honored) to meet them. It was interesting to meet, talk to, and listen to different human textures. I am sure we were interesting to them too.
The next day, we arrived at the port of Alghero on the island of Sardinia. It was said that there were beautiful sandy beaches in this summer resort of Sardinia, in Italy. And we were very excited about it. Of course, the further south you go, the more oppressive the July heat becomes.
Alghero
It would be great, if everything was as written. Unfortunately, what made us content ourselves with looking at these beautiful beaches from afar was the overwhelming smell of sewage. Instead, we had to visit the city center. Along with the city's castle, we came across a beautiful environment within the streets and texture of an old city. as in Bonifacio, here too, colorful coral necklaces, marine-themed products and objects, and wooden decorative souvenirs are of a kind that will remind us of this place.
Afterwards, we returned to the ship and headed to the platform under the stern of the boat, which I mentioned above, which functions as a water sports station when opened. It was great. We used it a few more times during our trip. They thought of such a solution well. Towards the evening, we weighed anchor from the harbor and continued our journey north. In the evenings, after dinner, in the open bar area in the middle of the ship, entertainment hours were organized in the form of live music/dance or quiz shows or small competitions to entertain the guests, although not as much as on large cruise ships, a warm, friendly, rather than a fuss-like atmosphere was created. However, for those who say they are looking for explosive, crackling, eventful animations, I would say that it is their fault that they are on this ship anyway.
I must say that, I found the staff really successful in terms of food and refreshments. Before purchasing this trip, in the reviews I read, they rated the food as 4 stars. In my opinion, it deserves 5 stars. The food and meals are great, but only in terms of breakfast variety, yes, I can criticize, it was not even as diverse and quality as the breakfast on our previous river cruise. But the food is really commendable with its taste and presentation. In addition, the fact that the waiters always fussed over you for service was an indication of how sensitive the business is in this regard. The majority of the service staff are Philippino. They are friendly and have internalized customer satisfaction.
The fact that the sailing was not always at night, and that the sailing coincided with sunrise or sunset, gave us the opportunity to take different photographs. Remembering the old days, I decided to keep duty on watch on the bridge for a while. Actually, it may have been a little more than a little.
Bridge of The Royal Clipper
I would like to draw your attention to the collar of the sailor in the picture. Maybe some of you know, but let me state it for those who don't.
In place of a collar, there is a wide, dark blue piece called a pallet on the uniforms of Sailors. You may have noticed the 3 white lines on the edges of this pallet. There are various interpretations for these 3 white lines.
You see 3 stripes on the pallets of almost all of the navies in the world. These 3 lines symbolize the 3 decisive naval battles in history that are universally accepted throughout the world. These are, in chronological order, Preveza (between the Ottoman and Holy League), Trafalgar (between England and France/Spain) and Tsushima (Coshima) (between Japan and Russia).
For this reason, you see this 3-striped pallet on the soldiers of the world's navies. But except for some. Who? Holy League members, under the command of Andre Doria, who were defeated by the Ottoman Navy, could not digest this historical defeat. For some reason, the Italians and the Maltese, now walk around with 2-striped pallets. This is also a result of taking a stance on their part. However, despite being defeated by the Japanese, the Russians do not mind carrying 3-striped pallets. Or, they may have found 3 different excuses, just because they are heroic about other topics)))
What I mean; the crew with 2-striped pallet in the picture above, are carrying 2 stripes because they are on this Maltese-flagged ship. Also it was sad to be withness to another topic in this ship lately of this tour. I will mention about it in other section.
From Sardinia, we are heading back to Corsica, towards the port of Ajaccio. At night, depending on the prevailing wind angle, all sails are unfurled. But… in a different way. While Vangelis’ “Conquest of Paradise” is playing, the sails are unfurled with visual effects.
We experienced this almost every night. Just think of the ship's crew. How they remember Vangelis now. Like Chinese torture for them every night. The next morning, we first landed on the Porticcio coast of Corsica. Although the name sounds like an Italian town, it is French. The two islands have been intimately connected for years, and the names have stuck. We enjoyed the sea on its wonderful beach for 2-3 hours.
Porticcio
Then, everyone backed to the ship and ship docked at the pier in Ajaccio, the capital city, 10-15 miles away. After the island of Sardinia, Corsica and the French seemed to have a higher standard. I had said Ajaccio was the city where Napoleon was born. But, not everywhere screams Napoleon, and they did a good job.
Thus, it remained a more likeable Mediterranean city. It is not very crowded, but after the ports we had seen in the last two days, it seemed bigger. Of course, I loved the boats in the port. I looked at it like a cat at its liver, I looked at it, I looked at it, I looked at it.
Ajaccio Coast and Scooners
The island of Corsica, on the way from Rome to Cannes, well, let's say, it seemed like it was added in a way like; have a variety, where will you see it again, take advantage of the beauties of nature, you are tired of seeing and living in big cities all the time. However, Ajaccio, as far as we saw, gave a more colorful and lively impression with its restaurants, cafes and bars and nightlife. In fact, in order to understand and discover a place that is not known before, you should not judge it by impressions for a few hours. A person can usually have a dilemma in his limited life, whether to prioritize discovering new places or popular places among the places he will visit. Perhaps allocating time and budget for both would be more appropriate in order to add color to life. This trip also provided an opportunity for this.
Regarding the food, coming to the salon in beach style clothes is both unpleasant and they do not accept it as a good rule. However, there is no problem with sandals and Bermuda shorts for breakfast and lunch. Of course, a collared t-shirt would be more appropriate. Thankfully, you are not expected to wear a tuxedo or evening gown like on the Queen Mary 2 for dinner. However, you are asked to show your gentlemanliness with trousers and a shirt. We can talk about a beautiful environment where rudeness is never appropriate and when we say “politeness”, it is not sniffed at.
And of course, there is dancing on the open deck after the meal so that you can burn off what you ate.
Deck Entertainment
We are still in Corsica, and after dinner we set off towards Calvi, a relatively short distance away in the north of the island, at night. As every evening, the open-air bar on the deck is packed with regulars.
As we are almost halfway through the trip, we are feeling particularly excited about spending the rest of our trip in more colorful and popular ports. Because, the further north we go in July, the better, I hope.
TRAVELING BY SAILING SHIP PART 2
See you in PART 2
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