Sea Cloud Cruises
Yacht-Style Cruising
There is nothing else like Sea Cloud in the cruise industry. The original ship was built in 1931 as the world's largest private yacht, and watching the crew hand-set 29 sails on a vessel with that kind of history is genuinely moving. Sea Cloud Spirit added modern comforts like balcony cabins and a spa, but the magic is the same — you are sailing, under canvas, with just 64 to 136 fellow guests. This is for people who find conventional cruising too predictable and want something with soul.
Sea Cloud Cruises operates the world’s only fleet of luxury tall sailing ships, and the experience they offer is utterly unlike anything else afloat. The Hamburg-based company, founded in 1979, runs three vessels: the legendary Sea Cloud (1931), Sea Cloud II (2001), and the newest addition Sea Cloud Spirit (2021). Together, they represent the last word in authentic sailing combined with five-star hospitality — every billowing sail is raised and managed entirely by hand, just as it was centuries ago.
The original Sea Cloud is a maritime treasure. Built in 1931 for cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and her husband E.F. Hutton, she was the largest privately owned yacht in the world. Today, she carries just 64 guests in cabins that retain their original mahogany panelling, marble fireplaces, and gold-plated bathroom fixtures. Standing on deck as the crew unfurls 29 sails across 3,000 square metres of canvas is one of the most extraordinary spectacles in travel — a living connection to the golden age of sail.
Sea Cloud II expanded the concept with capacity for 94 guests aboard a three-masted barque that balances traditional square-rigger elegance with contemporary comforts. The newest ship, Sea Cloud Spirit, carries up to 136 passengers across five decks, adding balcony cabins, a wellness and spa area, a swimming platform, and an ocean-view fitness centre while preserving the authentic windjammer sailing experience at the heart of the brand. There is no casino, no swimming pool, no pickleball court — instead, the focus is on the rhythm of the wind, the camaraderie of a small group, and the quiet luxury of a ship with genuine heritage.
Sea Cloud Cruises sails the Caribbean in winter and the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, and Northern Europe in summer, with itineraries ranging from four to nineteen nights. The ships access small harbours and anchorages unreachable by larger vessels, creating an intimate connection with each destination. For travellers who find conventional cruising too formulaic and crave something with history, romance, and authentic maritime soul, Sea Cloud is in a category of one.
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