Set sail during the holiday season for an extraordinary journey filled with natural wonders, cultural hotspots, and the marvels of the Panama Canal. Enjoy the perfect windjammer area, where warm and steady trade winds create ideal sailing conditions. Experience the captivating blend of colonial facades and vibrant street art as you explore Cartagena's historic Old Town and creative Getsemani district. Be fascinated by the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal, with mighty locks accommodating both sailing yachts and giant freighters. Immerse yourself in Panama City's rich history, from the ruins of Castilla del Oro to the lively old town district of Casco Antiguo. An exclusive visit to the Biomuseo, featuring wildly colorful Gehry architecture and intoxicating biodiversity inside, promises a unique cultural experience. Witness captivating wildlife, including sloths, howler monkeys, and hummingbirds, in Manuel Antonio's National Park by the sea. Throughout the journey, a renowned lecturer will accompany and entertain you with exciting talks and stories about the destinations, enriching your experience. This holiday season sailing offers a perfect fusion of natural beauty, cultural richness, and engineering wonders, creating a truly unforgettable adventure in the heart of Central America.
- The perfect windjammer area: Warm and steady trade winds make for ideal sailing conditions.
- Colonial facades meet street art: from Cartagena's historic Old Town to its creative Getsemani district
- The fascination of the Panama Canal: mighty locks for sailing yachts and giant freighters
- Travel through Panama City’s history: the ruined city of Castilla del Oro and the lively old town district of Casco Antigo
- Exclusive visit to the Biomuseo: wildly colourful Gehry architecture outside, intoxicating biodiversity inside
- See sloths, howler monkeys and hummingbirds: fascinating biodiversity in Manuel Antonio’s National Park by the sea
- A renowned lecturer accompanies the trip and entertains with exciting talks and stories about the destination
Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or [email protected]) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.
Departure 10.00 pm Curaçao, alphabetically the last of the ABC, is the largest in the Netherlands Antilles in terms of land area. The neat capital, Willemstad, a trading post for the Dutch West India Company in the 17th century, with its well preserved colonial architecture, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The picturesque location of the wide harbor canal, boulevards with beautifully restored facades and colorful, typically Dutch gabled houses make Willemstad a lively "Little Amsterdam", in the bright Caribbean light, beneath palm trees, with azure bays and pearl-white beaches.
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.
Arrival 08.00 am, Departure 06.00 pm Cartagena was once the richest city in the New World and a popular target for pirate attacks, since a large part of the Spanish treasure was stored there. Sir Francis Drake also instilled terror into the Spanish city. After Drake's invasion, the city was fortified with an 11-kilometer (7 miles)-long rampart and the immense San Felipe fortifications. Today Cartagena is one of the most beautiful colonial cities on the American continent and is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Enjoy fitness, cosmetics, massage or sun and sea with a good book in the deck chair.
Day sailing through the Panama Canal The idea of connecting the Atlantic and Pacific at the narrowest part of Central America has been around for many hundreds of years, but from a technical perspective this tremendous achievement only became possible much later. The French took on the project in 1881, after the successful opening of the Suez Canal in Egypt in 1869. But it would be more than 30 years before the canal was finally completed in 1914. This masterpiece of technology is just under 82 kilometers (50 miles) long, has 12 lock basins and negotiates a difference in altitude of 26 meters (85 foot). The Panama Canal is one of the world's most important waterways and most spectacular ship canal. Panama City (Balboa)/Panama Arrival 19.00 Uhr A monument on the sea front commemorates the man who gave the city its name. In 1513 Spanish conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa arrived here, becoming the first European to reach the Pacific Ocean over land. Nowadays, the Puente de las Américas, an enormous arched bridge carrying the Panamericana road, spans the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal in Balboa, connecting North and South America. East of the canal, the breathtaking skyscrapers tower above Panama City, whose glitzy boom town ambiance contrasts starkly with the lovingly restored Casco Viejo which dates back to the colonial era and the ruins of the old town of Panama Viejo which is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Departure 11.00 pm A monument on the sea front commemorates the man who gave the city its name. In 1513 Spanish conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa arrived here, becoming the first European to reach the Pacific Ocean over land. Nowadays, the Puente de las Américas, an enormous arched bridge carrying the Panamericana road, spans the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal in Balboa, connecting North and South America. East of the canal, the breathtaking skyscrapers tower above Panama City, whose glitzy boom town ambiance contrasts starkly with the lovingly restored Casco Viejo which dates back to the colonial era and the ruins of the old town of Panama Viejo which is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Arrival 08.00 am, Departure 01.30 pm The name of this Pacific archipelago in the Gulf of Panama pre-dates the Spanish conquest to a time when its inhabitants were pearl fishermen and traded in beautiful oyster pearls. Where in previous centuries, pirates and buccaneers hid out and buried their loot, other treasures can now be found. Over 200 pearl islands, of which even the smallest are inhabited, form an almost undisturbed paradise with a diverse range of lakes and rivers, enchanting white coral beaches, golden sandy beaches and black volcanic beaches, rounded off with lush green tropical vegetation. The island of Contadora has special significance as the place where U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed the Panama Canal Treaty in 1977, ceding sovereign rights over the Panama Canal to the Republic of Panama.
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.
Coiba National Park/Panama* Arrival 08.00 am, Departure 02.00 pm *subject to governmental approval The Coiba National Park covers the island of Coiba, the largest in the country, and 38 other smaller tiny islets. It is one of the world's largest marine national parks and is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Because the island broke off from the mainland around 15,000 years ago, a unique range of flora and fauna and an extraordinary variety of species are preserved here. Beautiful deserted beaches nestle up to the delightful turquoise sea.
Enjoy fitness, cosmetics, massage or sun and sea with a good book in the deck chair. This day beneath full sails gives you all the options for your perfect personal wellness program.
Arrival 06.00 am As still as a lake, the sea lies under the tropical sun: thanks to its sheltered location in a tree-lined bay, Playa Panama is considered the most relaxing and tranquil beach on the Guanacaste coast – the perfect place to unwind. The Palo Verde National Park stretches along one bank of the Rio Tempisque. It features the densest population of water fowl in the whole of Costa Rica and is one of the best areas for bird watching in Central America – almost 300 species of bird have been identified here. The best vantage point to see them is on a boat trip through the mangroves.
Arrival 06.00 am, Departure 02.00 pm Quepos was a lively little port at the time of booming banana exports. Today it is a gateway to the Manuel Antonio National Park, which lies to the south. The park covers an area of just 683 hectares and is one of the most diverse rainforests in Costa Rica. Paths lead you from the beautiful sandy beach straight to the heart of this untamed green kingdom. More than 1,000 varieties of plant and prolific wildlife, including whole herds of inquisitive apes, sloths, coatis and raccoons, iguanas, many species of bird, and unique colorful butterflies have made this place their home.
Arrival 08.00 am Pura vida! Protected by the Nicoya Peninsula with its beautiful nature parks, Puntarenas is located on a narrow headland that extends into the Gulf of Nicoya. To the right and left of the pier long beaches line the coast, along which the promenade with hotels, bars and restaurants runs. Only about 115 kilometers separate the popular port city on the Pacific side of Costa Rica from the capital San José. Worth seeing there are especially the gold and the national museum as well as the beautiful buildings – like the classicistic national theater and the elegant and playful post and telegraph office.
Itineraries are subject to change.
Sea Cloud Spirit
Building a three-mast full-rigged ship with traditional rigging in the 21st century may seem a little unusual. For SEA CLOUD CRUISES it is a commitment to true passion for sailing. With her clear, classic line she follows the example of her elegant windjammer sisters, but goes completely new ways. An entire deck with balcony cabins, an exclusive wellness and SPA area, a fitness room with sea view, a bistro on deck as an evening alternative to “fine dining” in the restaurant – the youngest member of the SEA CLOUD family offers plenty of room for individuality in addition to genuine windjammer romance.
The SEA CLOUD SPIRIT combines traditional windjammer experience with 21st century comfort with up to 136 passengers.
Cabins
Even more comfort: of the 69 cabins from the owner suite to the superior outside cabin, almost half have balconies or windows to open.
Public areas
Spacious decks, a generous wellness and SPA area, fitness with sea view and much more: on board the SEA CLOUD SPIRIT, one does not only enjoy the freedom under sails.