St Petersburg, Venice and a Total Eclipse of the Sun

Tall ship specialist Star Clippers has launched its 2013/14 brochure, showcasing romantic and exciting sailing voyages in the Baltic, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and Central America on the line’s three head-turning sailing ships, Star Clipper, Star Flyer and Royal Clipper.

Highlights of the new programme include:

· New Cuba cruises, a first for Star Clippers in 2014

· More 10- and 11-night sailings on Star Flyer from Stockholm to St Petersburg

· A return to Monaco for Star Clipper, with three round-trip sailings in April and May,

New round-trip Venice sailings for Royal Clipper

A transatlantic voyage on Star Flyer to coincide with a total eclipse of the sun

Cruises on Star Flyer to the Baltic, southern Spain and Costa Rica

Baltic

Star Flyer will offer a wide variety of cruises in the Baltic varying from a three-day taster voyage for the Hamburg Sailing Parade, a spectacular gathering of tall ships, to a 13-night Grand Voyage of the Baltic, from Hamburg to Stockholm, taking in unusual ports around Sweden’s beautiful southern coast. There will be also be six 10- and 11-night round-trip voyages from Stockholm, via St Petersburg, where the ship overnights.

From £702pp, cruise-only, for a four-night Northern Europe sample cruise on August 24, 2013 from Hamburg to Texel (Netherlands), Ijmuiden and Ostend. Or for a longer, flight-inclusive stay, sail round-trip from Stockholm on July 8, 2013 from £2,799pp, including flights, transfers, two nights in a four star city centre hotel, a Stockholm Pass and 11 nights’ full board on Star Flyer, which sails to St Petersburg for an overnight in port.

Southern Spain

Also back by popular demand is Star Flyer’s late summer season in southern Spain and Morocco. Seven cruises will take in Moroccan ports and five of these, from September 14 to October 12, are round-trip from Malaga, calling at Casablanca and Tangier in Morocco, Gibraltar, Cadiz and Motril, for Granada, setting of the magnificent Alhambra’s palace. From £1,179pp, cruise-only, seven nights round-trip Malaga, departing September 7, 2013.

Central America

In winter 2013/14, Star Flyer spends between November and January sailing the coastlines of Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua on a series of seven-night voyages. From £984pp, cruise only, round-trip from Puerto Caldera, departing December 1, 2013.

Cuba

For the second half of the 2013/14 winter season, Star Flyer will reposition to Cuba to offer a series of seven-night cruises from the historic southern town of Cienfueguos, calling at Trinidad, Cayo Largo, Archipielago de los Canarreos, and the Cayman Islands. From £1,305, cruise-only, round-trip from Cienfuegos, departing February 16, 2014.

Cruises on Royal Clipper to the Mediterranean and the Caribbean

MediterraneanThe 227-passenger Royal Clipper will sail an assortment of western Mediterranean cruises, with a series of seven-night round-trip Rome cruises in May, June and October, calling at romantic and beautiful ports on the Italian mainland as well as Sicily and the Aeolian Islands. In late June, July and August, the ship will operate 10- and 11-night cruises between Rome and Venice, followed by four new round-trip Venice sailings in September, calling at ports in Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia. From £619pp, cruise-only, for a three-night taster cruise from Venice to Rovinj, Croatia and Piran, Slovenia, departing September 4, 2013.

CaribbeanRoyal Clipper winters in the warm Caribbean, alternating between Windward Islands and Grenadine Islands itineraries from her base in Barbados. From £1,105pp, cruise only, for seven nights, round-trip Bridgetown, departing December 7, 2013 and calling at St Lucia, Dominica, Antigua, St Kitts, Iles des Saintes and Martinique.

Cruises on Star Clipper to the Aegean, Western Mediterranean and Caribbean

Aegean

Star Clipper, with a capacity of 170, will spend most of summer 2013 in the Aegean, cruising round-trip Athens and between Athens and Istanbul via some of the lesser-known ports on the exquisite Turquoise Coast of Turkey and some of the most beautiful Greek islands. Kids sail free on the August 4, 2013 departure from Athens to Istanbul, in the school holidays, paying only for port charges and flights. From £2,149pp, including flights, domestic flights in Greece, seven nights’ half board at the Rodos Palladium Hotel in Rhodes, seven nights’ full board on Star Clipper and transfers.

Mediterranean

At the beginning of the season, four departures from Monte Carlo have been added, calling at ports in Corsica and Sardinia, as well as Elba and Santa Margherita (for Portofino). From £842pp, cruise-only, for a five-night voyage from Rome to Monte Carlo, departing October 14, 2013 and calling at Portoferraio, Porto Vecchio (Corsica), Costa Smeralda (Sardinia) and Calvi (Corsica).

Caribbean

In winter, the ship is based in St Maarten in the Caribbean, operating seven-night Leeward Islands and Treasure Islands voyages. From £989pp, cruise-only, round-trip Philipsburg, departing December 7, 2013 and visiting Nevis, Dominica, Iles des Saintes, Guadeloupe, Antigua and St Barths.

Transatlantic voyages – and a total eclipse of the sun

All three ships offer transatlantic crossings as they move from one cruising area to the other each season. These represent a chance to escape the stresses of daily life and to commune with the sea and the stars, to read and to mingle with fellow travellers. Take the Westbound crossing on Star Flyer on October 26, 2013 from Las Palmas to Barbados for a good chance to viewing the total solar eclipse on November 3, which will be visible in the north Atlantic. From £822pp, cruise-only, 15 nights.

To book, call 0845 200 6145, www.starclippers.co.uk.