Tag Archives: star clippers

Half of Global Cruise Fleet in Service for Second Consecutive Month

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The cruising restart has seen a positive trend over the past few months. Fueled by various countries and markets reopening ports to cruise vessels, the industry saw an unprecedented number of vessels resuming revenue operations around the world over the summer.

As the restart continues, 205 ships are expected to be in guest operations by the end of September. This number means that, for the second month in a row, nearly half of the entire global cruise fleet is in operation.

According to the 2022 Global Cruise Ship Index by Cruise Industry News, the combined fleets of the nearly 90 active cruise lines currently account for approximately 410 cruise ships.

After significant growth over the previous months, 190 cruise ships were sailing with paying guests by Aug. 31. With 15 additional ships entering service through the end of September, the active cruise fleet is growing nearly 8 per cent this month.

More ships resuming service means that more cruise lines are relaunching revenue operations. In September, brands like Regent, Plantours and Star Clippers are welcoming guests back, making it 63 brands back in service.

The aforementioned data is from the Cruise Ships in Service Report by Cruise Industry News.

The restart numbers started growing in May, which saw 55 ships operating revenue sailings. In the preceding eight months – only an average of 20 ships were in service. 

A turning point, however, was reached in July. With the U.S. ports reopening for business, 141 vessels were back in service by the end of that month – an 82 per cent increase over June numbers.

From May to September, the average guest capacity per ship grew significantly, too, going from 994 to 1,454.

Former Flying Clipper to Sail for Tradewind Voyages

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The former Flying Clipper
Former Flying Clipper

The once-to-be Flying Clipper has found a home at Tradewind Voyages, a UK-based operator, according to a statement.

The ship has sat laid up at Brodosplit since her completion following a legal dispute with Star Clippers.

“We are delighted to announce that the World’s largest Square-rigged Sailing Vessel, built as Brodosplit 483, will be re-named, rebranded, and operated by the British cruise company Tradewind Voyages UK Ltd. The ownership of Brodosplit 483 remains with the wholly-owned subsidiary of the DIV Group,” Brodosplit said, in a prepared release.

An update on new tall-ship options

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Image result for star clippers"

For agents with clients who are looking for an alternative to the megaship experience, there is no shortage of small-ship choices.

But to be really radical, why not look at ships that are not only small but wind-powered, too?

There are two lines, Star Clippers and Sea Cloud Cruises, where guests feel the thrill of watching sails set by hand and listen to nothing but the breeze while underway. Both are in the process of building new ships.

(Windstar is another tall-ship line, but it sets its sails mechanically and also can operate under engine power.)

But while Star Clippers’ new Flying Clipper seems hung up for the time being in a shipyard dispute, Sea Cloud’s newbuild, the Sea Cloud Spirit, is on schedule to be delivered at the end of August.

That’s according to Sea Cloud CEO Daniel Schaefer. In an interview, Schaefer said the 136-passenger ship has recently been floated out and interior work is proceeding. He said the yard on its current pace will deliver the ship a bit ahead of when Sea Cloud actually needs it to make its schedule.

Building a new ship isn’t as routine for Sea Cloud as for the big lines, which crank them out every year. Its last ship, the Sea Cloud II, was delivered in 2001. The flagship Sea Cloud was built as a yacht in 1931 and converted to cruise use in 1979.

Image result for Sea Cloud Cruises"

The designs have been evolving more towards cruise ships, away from the yacht-like attributes of the original ship, Schaefer said. The Sea Cloud Spirit will have 25 balcony cabins, for example, a first for a sailing ship. It will also have an elevator, another first.

Dining tables will be round, rather than the long, rectangular ones on the Sea Cloud, he said. There will be a larger wellness area, a sauna and a second, more casual restaurant.

A third ship should really increase Sea Cloud’s availability for FIT passengers. Currently up to 50% of Sea Cloud’s capacity is devoted to charters. The Spirit will be chartered, too, but overall there should be more opportunities and itineraries for individual passengers.

In Europe, Sea Cloud will no longer have to shuttle one of its two ships back and forth between the Med and the Baltic, the line’s second most popular summer region.  It will be able to keep two ships full time in the Med, he said, and still offer Baltic itineraries with the third.