Sailing ship cruises offer an intimate experience that connects you with wind and
wave while providing a closer view of marine life and ship operations. It can be
an exhilarating experience, feeling the power of the wind as it fuels your voyage.
However, it is reassuring to know that these ships also have engines that are quite
capable of keeping you on course should the wind not cooperate.
Passengers often participate in some of work that goes into sailing, and many people
return from their cruises with new enthusiasm for sailing. There is much less formality
aboard sailing ships than on the typical cruise liner as passengers come to know
and make friends with the crews, as well as fellow shipmates.
For the most part, the ships have all the accommodations for dining, lounging and,
yes, even partying, but it's all more relaxed and smaller.
There is a quite a variety of sailing ships offering cruise vacations, and travelers
can find as much or as little luxury as they want to afford, particularly as it
relates to their private cabins or communal berths. Sailing ship vacations also
offer opportunities to visit smaller ports that may not be tourist traps because
the larger cruise ships do not call there.
Itineraries are available to the Caribbean and Mediterranean, on ocean crossings
and to exotic areas such as the fjords of Patagonia, the Andaman Sea, and the Queen
Charlotte Islands. Sailing to these destinations offers opportunities to enjoy destinations
in an up-close and intimate way that is not as easily achieved on on traditional
cruises.