Category Archives: Cruises

Sherry and Jim’s Cruise

Sherry Welles Urner, Fall, 2013

This past Fall, Jim and I had a most amazing trip….   In the past, for many years, our favorite vacation had been to charter a “bare boat” (no captain, no crew), usually with other friends, and to sail the seas and visit ports, beaches, reefs for snorkeling, great waterside restaurants, etc.  With Jim as captain, we’ve sailed many times in the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and once in the Aegean. But creeping age and resultant limitations and the possibility of medical needs in remote location caused us to find a different solution to our love of sailing in beautiful waters. This year we cruised on the Star Flyer – a sailing vessel (a Barquentine = 4 masts, only 1 with square sails) with 150 passengers and same number in crew. Some sails were always up and we basically moved by wind rather than motor.  It was a luxurious way to visit areas we’d not been to previously; the itinerary included Barbados, Granada, Isla Margarita, Blanquilla, Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, Cartegena, Colombia, San Blas Islands of Panama, and finally a journey through the Panama Canal.

Excursions in the various ports were electives.  Snorkeling was possible and good at almost all destinations. Meals were great, with many choices. The staterooms were very adequate; the “head” (bathroom) was good. The other guests were from many countries – most spoke English – and we had the commonality of loving boats and island destinations.  We had a fun time – even found a couple to play bridge with on our days-at-sea.  It was a most relaxing 14 day vacation; we enjoyed every day.  Isn’t this a unique way to “cruise?”