Our Hayle Travel Consultant Claire Young recently set sail onboard the stunning Star Clippers for an unforgettable voyage around Spain. From tapas tasting in Malaga to conquering the ship’s rigging high above deck, Claire shares her experience of this unique sailing adventure, complete with laid-back luxury, incredible crew and plenty of bucket-list moments along the way.
Bucket List Ticked
“When I found out I’d been selected for our VIP Fam trip onboard the stunning Star Clippers Star Clipper, I was incredibly excited. Sailing around Spain on a beautiful tall ship had always sounded like something straight out of a travel magazine.
Smooth Sailing from the Start
We were lucky enough to enjoy door-to-door transfers as part of the VIP experience, which made the early morning start far easier. From Bristol, it was a quick and easy flight to Malaga with Ryanair, and before long we were soaking up the Spanish sunshine.
Our pre-cruise stay was at the lovely Novotel Suites Malaga Centro, just a short transfer from the airport and perfectly located within walking distance of Malaga’s old town and marina. The rooms were spacious and modern, complete with a huge shower and everything we needed for a comfortable stay. Breakfast the next morning was also delicious, always an important start to the day!
Tapas, Wine & Malaga Charm
One of the highlights before boarding was our tapas and wine tasting tour around Malaga.
Our fantastic guide, Carlos, took us through the city to several different venues where we sampled a variety of tasty tapas dishes along with local wines. We even visited the oldest bar in Malaga, which made the whole experience feel even more authentic.
It was such a fun way to explore the city and really get a feel for the local atmosphere.
Exploring Granada & The Alhambra
During the sailing, we were lucky enough to join a last-minute excursion to Granada and the famous Alhambra. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, honestly, what she didn’t know about the Alhambra wasn’t worth knowing! Although we weren’t able to access the Palace itself because of its popularity, it was still an amazing experience to explore the area and hear all about its fascinating history and architecture.
Life Onboard Star Clipper
We spent four nights onboard Star Clipper in our own Category 2 cabins. They were a really good size and had lovely little portholes looking out to sea, which added to the traditional sailing ship feel.
The atmosphere onboard was one of my favourite parts of the entire trip. Everything felt relaxed, friendly and completely different to larger cruise ships. The crew were fantastic and always happy to chat or help with activities around the ship.
The food was also excellent throughout the sailing, with buffet breakfasts and lunches followed by impressive à la carte seven-course dinners in the evenings. One thing I really liked was that the dishes were displayed beforehand, making it easier to decide what to choose each night.
Days onboard were spent enjoying all the unique experiences that make sailing with Star Clippers so special, relaxing on the netting at the front of the ship, sunrise yoga sessions, stargazing on deck and, of course, climbing the rigging.
Climbing the Rigging: Facing My Fear!
Climbing the rigging is definitely a must-do experience onboard Star Clipper… although I’ll admit, I’m quite scared of heights!
With plenty of encouragement from my travel colleagues, fellow guests and the crew, I somehow managed to make it all the way to the top, although there may have been a couple of tears along the way!
Looking back now, I’m so pleased I pushed myself to do it. The sense of achievement afterwards made it one of the most memorable moments of the whole trip.
My Final Thoughts
I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to sail onboard Star Clipper. I’d never visited any of these cities before, so every stop brought a brand-new experience, and sharing it all with my travel colleagues and the amazing team from Star Clippers made it even more special.
Not only did I have an amazing time, but my knowledge and understanding of this style of cruising has grown massively too. A true bucket-list experience, ticked! I loved every single minute.” Claire Young, Travel Consultant Hayle. Reach out to Claire today to find out more about Star Clippers.
