SAIL CRUISING
caring service creates an ambiance of unpretentious, simple elegance. One night, we gathered for sparkling wine and canapés to take a peek at the original cabins, with “open house” gra- ciously agreed to by their present occu- pants. We descended the curving staircase from the library lounge into the domain of Marjorie’s guests.
T FACT FILE Sea Cloud
Year of Construction: 1931 Length: 260ft
Main mast height above deck: 178ft Total sail area: 32,000sq ft Masts: 4 Sails: 30
Passengers: 64 Crew: 60
Number of cabins: 32; 10 are original, all outside Flag: Malta
ITINERARIES: May 2011, Northern Europe; summer, Western Mediterranean; autumn, winter, Eastern Med, Red Sea; spring 2012, Eastern Med; summer Western Med.
MORE INFO: in the US, call 201 227 9404; in the UK, call specialist agent The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677; or visit
www.seacloud.com.
64 WORLD OF CRUISING I Winter 2010 / 2011
ship’s pianist at lunch and pre-dinner, and two lectures by a Hamburg planetarium astronomer), afternoons were spent bliss- fully lounging on plentiful “steamer-chairs” with a book in hand or engaged in conver- sation with other passengers.
An area located aft, padded with thick,
blue canvas cushions and known as the Blue Lagoon, was popular with sunbath- ers. I found it a wonderful place at night for solitary star-gazing, one night catching Stromboli’s repetitive, bright red volcanic eruptions as we sailed by. With activities centred around simply
enjoying the weather, the sea and the bil- lowing sails, dress during the day is casual, with shorts and T-shirts just fine. At night, when eating on Lido deck, “elegantly casual” is suggested. The only “dress up” nights are the Captain’s Welcome Aboard and Farewell dinners. From captain to the smiling deckhand making certain every brass fitting is shin- ing, exceptional service reigns. All exude the message that they are extremely proud to be chosen to serve on the ship. Such
he showpiece cabin is her own, a cream and gold 410sq-ft salon with a Louis XIV-styled bed, decorative fireplace and bathroom boasting gilded swan-shaped faucets. Hutton’s cabin, slightly smaller and masculine in décor, is completely panelled in rich woods. Cabins three to eight are less opulent, with luxurious bathrooms and walk-in closets. Cabins nine and ten, decorated in a simpler more contemporary style, housed the nanny and tutor of the owner’s daughter, who grew up to be actress Dina Merrill.
It should be noted that, while guests sailing in earlier days had only to navigate a short, carpeted staircase to reach their cabins, today’s passenger must be physi- cally able to tackle steep, near-ladder-type stairs to reach the added Lido deck. And, although there is no set minimum age limit, a Sea Cloud cruise is not really appropriate for children. As I stood on deck to watch our return
to Valletta’s Grand Harbour, it pleased me to know our means of arrival was not unlike those ships, friendly and unfriendly, that had provided the small country of Malta with its centuries of tumultuous and fascinating history. A masted ship, able to propel itself across the seas via wind billowing its sails – the incomparable Sea Cloud.
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