DESTINATIONS CRUISE | GREEK ISLES
Selling TIPS
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Writer Rebecca Barnes enjoys the view after a yoga class on deck; yoga instructor Anette Shine; Star Flyer at dusk in the Greek islands PICTURE: Holger Leue/
leue-photo.com for Star Clippers
How to sell a small-ship sailing
Think themes: We have multiple bespoke and themed
brochures, including Rail & Sail packages, destination focuses and elevated, higher-value packages in our Captain’s
Collection brochure for those special occasions.
Small packages: Make the customer aware this isn’t a regular cruise – these are smaller ships offering a hands-on sailing experience. Instead of Broadway shows and casinos, picture stargazing, mast-climbing and watersports. Switch-sell: Don’t rule this out for clients who are regulars with larger cruise lines. We visit smaller ports of call that
aren’t accessible to larger ships, allowing guests to see another side to a region they may already know well.
Fay McCormack
UK general manager, Star Clippers
is a bit lively, it certainly feels authentic – especially if you’re in a lower cabin and your porthole amusingly turns into a washing machine spin cycle. This type of voyage will also chime with romantics as well as steadfast sailors – suggest they grab a pew at the aft of the ship while leaving port at dusk for a real romcom moment.
WELLNESS AWAITS There’s something about a slow sailing that encourages you to fully rest and recharge, which is why I was attracted to this wellness cruise in the first place – and it seems I’m not the only one, as Shine reveals she sometimes has up to 25 people attend her classes on Star Clippers’ yoga-focused departures. “Practising yoga and meditation on a small ship is intimate and personal; we are near the water and can hear the waves, which is the best music for the soul,” she says. “In nature we recharge and recover, so being so close to the infinite sea is magical. We often see dolphins jumping next to us as we sail by sacred temples and unbelievably beautiful islands, which makes the experience even more special.” To boost my energy for activities on and off the ship, I fuel up with creamy Greek yogurt, nuts and fresh fruit in the mornings, and thoroughly enjoy the excellent lunches and dinners serving everything from just-caught seafood and grilled fish to on-deck buffets and even that old maritime tradition: a baked Alaska parade.
Some passengers partake in daily keep-fit and
water aerobics classes, but I destress with a massage in the small ‘spa’, at pleasingly reasonable prices. Being a small ship, there’s little light pollution on deck, so we head to the bridge one evening for some stargazing with third officer Ali. Under an inky sky, we learn about the traditional art of celestial navigation, and are fascinated to learn that the ship’s officers are required to study the constellations on a regular basis. En route to Skiathos, part of the Sporades
archipelago and the first Greek island I visited as a teenager, we sail at a leisurely seven knots. I’m pleased to see the bench overlooking the harbour where I sat many years ago is still there, so I revisit the spot for a mindful moment or two, away from the bustling old town and waterfront cafes. It’s a chance to reflect on this best-of-both-worlds sailing – sustainable seafaring with time to truly rest and unwind, however you please, and all at your own pace. TW
BOOK IT
Star Clippers offers a seven-night Sporades Highlights yoga cruise with Anette Shine on Star Flyer from £2,080 per person. The price is based on two sharing a lead-in category 6 cabin on an August 15 departure, including full-board accommodation and port charges. Yoga departures include sessions on deck at sunrise or in the afternoon.
agents.starclippers.co.uk
32 16 APRIL 2026
travelweekly.co.uk
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