Itinerary subject to change
Dutch in the south, French in the north – on St. Maarten you will find an unusual piece of Europe in the middle of the Caribbean. Because of the natural salt deposits, the Dutch West India Company once claimed the island for itself and – according to legend – divided the island up in 1648 after a drinking competition with the French. In the colorful port city of Philipsburg, a day at the beach can be perfectly combined with a stroll through town: From the fine sandy Great Bay Beach it is only a stone's throw to the Boardwalk with its restaurants and to the boutiques of the small city center.
Explorers once used to cross swords in the Sir Francis Drake Channel. Nowadays the sea around the British Virgin Islands is one of the world's best sailing areas. Heavenly bays, gorgeous beaches, idyllic anchoring spots, smart yacht clubs and charming little beach bars make the island a popular haunt for sailors. On Virgin Gorda, once called "The Fat Virgin" by Columbus due to its shape, you can find "The Baths", one of nature's most beautiful oddities, in the National Park. Ground to a sphere and polished to a shine, the huge granite formations on the beach and in the water create a multi-branched labyrinth of giant boulders.
Explorers once used to cross swords in the Sir Francis Drake Channel. Nowadays the sea around the British Virgin Islands is one of the world's best sailing areas. Heavenly bays, gorgeous beaches, idyllic anchoring spots, smart yacht clubs and charming little beach bars make the island a popular haunt for sailors. On Virgin Gorda, once called "The Fat Virgin" by Columbus due to its shape, you can find "The Baths", one of nature's most beautiful oddities, in the National Park. Ground to a sphere and polished to a shine, the huge granite formations on the beach and in the water create a multi-branched labyrinth of giant boulders.
The Sir Francis Drake Channel, where swords once crossed, is now one of the most beautiful sailing spots. Jost van Dyke, the smallest of the main islands in the British Virgin Islands, is a mountainous volcanic object of beauty with fewer than 300 inhabitants. One of them, Foxy, has been mixing his cocktails since 1968 and the bar of the same name enjoys a legendary reputation as perhaps the most famous beach bar in the Lesser Antilles. The island's past is less reputable – it was named by a Dutch pirate. The island gives its most beautiful treasures to all who visit – fine sand, green palm trees, colorful beach bars and the luminous blue of the sea.
The Sir Francis Drake Channel, where swords were once crossed, is now one of the most beautiful sailing spots. Jost van Dyke, the smallest of the main islands in the British Virgin Islands, is a mountainous volcanic object of beauty with fewer than 300 inhabitants. One of them, Foxy, has been mixing his cocktails since 1968 and the bar of the same name enjoys a legendary reputation as perhaps the most famous beach bar in the Lesser Antilles. The island's past is less reputable – it was named by a Dutch pirate. The island gives its most beautiful treasures to all who visit – fine sand, green palm trees, colorful beach bars and the luminous blue of the sea.
It almost seems as if no other career choice than pirate was possible in the 17th and 18th centuries in the British Virgin Islands. Jost van Dyke, Blackbeard, Francis Drake – they all went on the prowl in the Dream Territory during the golden age of privateering. Norman Island was named after the pirate captain Norman, who allegedly hid his treasures here, and inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write his adventure novel “Treasure Island”. If you dig a little in the fine sand on the uninhabited private island today, you probably won’t discover any gold coins, but you will discover an equally valuable treasure: deep, Caribbean relaxation.
St. Barthélemy, affectionately known as St. Barths by most, already had many "owners" before the Lesser Antilles were acquired by France in 1877. When the first estate was acquired by the banker David Rockefeller in 1957, the island's future was finally sealed. It became a refuge for the international jet set and an elegant holiday paradise for many Hollywood stars. For over 40 years, St. Barths has cultivated a luxurious lifestyle with a Caribbean laissez-faire approach. You can stroll through the charming main town of Gustavia, whose beautifully restored houses and colonial facades look out over the sea with its elegant superyachts, browse in the shops for precious items, or enjoy a sundowner in the picturesque harbor surrounded by clusters of high class bars and restaurants.
Climbing the rigging, untying ropes, setting sails – today is all about sailing. Time to lean back and relax in the deck chair and watch the passionate crew hoisting the sails by hand.
St John’s is the capital of this small island in the Antilles, a former British colony. From Shirley Heights in the south you have a fantastic view over the English harbor and Nelson's Dockyard, an old restored shipyard named after the Admiral. Visit Betty's Hope, a restored sugar mill where "white gold" would have been processed during the island's bitter past. Now sweet black pineapples grow in the gentle rolling landscape around Boggy Peak. The coast is lined with bays and lagoons, dazzling white palm-filled beaches – one for every day of the year – and an almost unbroken coral reef.
Dutch in the south, French in the north – on St. Maarten you will find an unusual piece of Europe in the middle of the Caribbean. Because of the natural salt deposits, the Dutch West India Company once claimed the island for itself and – according to legend – divided the island up in 1648 after a drinking competition with the French. In the colorful port city of Philipsburg, a day at the beach can be perfectly combined with a stroll through town: From the fine sandy Great Bay Beach it is only a stone's throw to the Boardwalk with its restaurants and to the boutiques of the small city center.
Guests arrive and depart home individually.
Flights:
In lieu of a dedicated air department, our reservations team is happy to assist you with choosing the best flight times to match our embarkation and disembarkation times, as well as transport times from and to the airport. In general, embarkations start at 4:00 PM with all guests on board by 6:00 PM. Disembarkations start at 9:00 AM.
Transfers:
We are pleased to offer airport transfers to and from the ship. We will provide more information approximately two months prior to your departure date. For any questions, please contact our reservations department.
For your own security, we recommend taking out travel cancellation, luggage, accident, health and curtailment holiday insurance with our partner, HanseMerkur. Our cruise consultancy will be happy to assist you.
HanseMerkur – our insurance partner:
Together with Germany’s market-leading travel insurance provider for cruises, we have put together a range of insurance policies for you so that you can enjoy your perfect holiday without any worry or hassle. The German consumer organisation “Stiftung Warentest” is amongst those impressed by HanseMerkur’s range of products, awarding high scores to the company’s insurance policies time and time again. The SEA CLOUD CRUISES Premium Coverage offers you the best protection against any potential risk and the consequences thereof, both before and during your holiday. Cover includes health insurance and return travel expenses. The travel cancellation insurance – solo – offers protection against cancellation costs, and the curtailment holiday insurance policy even offers to reimburse you the cost of the trip in its entirety should you have to cancel your holiday during the first half of the trip. Insurance must be taken out within 30 days of booking.
More information on insurance policies and full insurance conditions can be found at www.seacloud.com/travel-insurance
Our own 5-star style fulfils the highest demands, allows true relaxation and real pleasure. All the special little details and extras, which are included on board the SEA CLOUD CRUISES yachts in the cruise rate, are also part of it. And so you can expect simply more from us.
Here is an overview of the main included services:
Visit www.seacloud.com/en/service-package-booking-advantages to have a look at all SEA CLOUD Inclusives!
