What does a typical day look like when you’re sailing the Caribbean on a gorgeous tall ship? Sailing on a Star Clippers cruise could not be more different than a day on one of those overbloated cruise ships!
So I decided to write about what an actual day is like aboard the Royal Clipper.
There were so many great days — the day we spent in Tobago Cays, sailing on a catamaran and having a beach barbecue. The day we spent in Martinique, exploring Fort-de-France and swimming off the marina platform.
But my absolute favorite day was spent across two islands in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. From exploring the city of Kingstown to climbing the mast to basking on the beach in Bequia to having an onboard pirate party, it was the perfect mix of adventure and fun!
Star Clippers hosted me and Charlie on the Royal Clipper’s weeklong Grenadines itinerary, and we loved it so much, we’re already thinking about our next trip.
If you’re curious about what it’s like to sail on a small ship in the Caribbean, you can see my detailed review of the Royal Clipper and Grenadines itinerary here. It’s well worth a read.
Let me tell you about a perfect day aboard the Royal Clipper!
This post was published in February 2026 and was based on a December 2025 cruise.
Table of Contents
7:00 AM: Wake Up
Charlie and I have been early to bed, early to rise throughout this trip. There’s something about the ocean waves that makes you want to rise with the sun.
The schedule for the following day is delivered to our cabin the night before, with the full program in English, German, and French. We’re spending today in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Our morning stop is Kingstown on the island of St. Vincent; in the afternoon, we’re anchoring in Admiralty Bay on the island of Bequia. And tonight is pirate night — something we had no idea we had to prepare for!
I throw on my outfit for the day — my black Camellia dress, cinched with my black Isabel Marant belt, along with some Birkenstocks — and head down to breakfast.
7:30 AM: Breakfast
The dining room bell starts clanging at 7:30 on the dot, letting us know it’s time to eat! It’s easy to overindulge on a cruise, especially one with food this good, so I make an effort to eat a healthy breakfast.
I head up to the egg station and say good morning to Chef Mark from the Philippines. He makes me a vegetable omelet to start the day off right.
8:30 AM: Into the Tender
Today, like most days, the Royal Clipper is anchored off-shore. To get from the ship to shore, we climb down the gangway and hop into the tender, which brings us to the cruise ship terminal.
Charlie and I are two of the first people out today. Along the way, our friend Sally from the UK asks me about my Insta360 camera, as people often do, so I take it out and take a shot of the three of us in the tender. This camera is the best for selfies!
8:45 AM: Kingstown
So what do you do in Kingstown, the capital of St. Vincent and the Grenadines? There are two main attractions: Fort Charlotte, with its panoramic views of the harbor, and the botanical gardens, which are located up in the hills.
We learned the night before that Fort Charlotte is currently closed for refurbishment, so we decide to just take a walk around the city.
Our first stop is a local bank to hit up the ATM. St. Vincent uses the East Caribbean dollar, along with six other Caribbean nations and territories, so we take out enough money to use in St. Lucia and Dominica too. What we don’t expect to see is Santa and anelf hanging out in the lobby!
From there we walk around the streets, taking in Heroes’ Square and its statue, as well as several small markets. It’s interesting to walk around and get a glimpse of Vincy life.
We stop by a street seller with bandanas and Charlie has immediately found his pirate night costume.
“What color do you think?” he asks. “Red?”
“No,” I say. “It’s too…”
“Too cowboy,” we say simultaneously.
“Grab the black one!” I suggest. “That’s piratey.”
Later, a truck drives down the street blasting Caribbean-style Christmas music, and dancing a float behind it are the same Santa and elf we saw in the bank!
One of my favorite things to do when visiting a new country is to check out the local supermarket. We head into a grocery store and walk out with two unusual sodas: sparkling dragonfruit and pineapple!
And that’s about enough Kingstown for us. On the way back, we run into a couple we dined with one night on the ship. “How is it?” they ask. We shrug. “Not the most exciting place, but definitely worth a walk around.”
10:00 AM: Coffee at Carib-Beans
We notice a little coffee shop in the Kingstown ferry terminal called Carib-Beans, so we decide to drop in. The coffeeshop is painted in pastel shades and festooned with houseplants and local art.
We order a pair of iced lattes, which come served in clear glass mugs.
And from the first sip, we’re smitten. This coffee is fantastic! A month later, we reminisce and agree that this was the best coffee we had during our four weeks in the Caribbean.
Carib-Beans has additional locations at the airport and at the Paradise Beach Hotel. Don’t miss them if you’re in Kingstown!
10:30 AM: Back to the Royal Clipper
One nice thing about Star Clippers is that we don’t have to come back at a specific time — the tenders run every 15-30 minutes, depending on the location. From the coffee shop, we simply walk through the cruise terminal and wait a few minutes for the tender to arrive.
While waiting, we spot the ferry taking locals from Kingstown to Bequia. We’ll be following that same route in a few hours!
Now, let’s hope that it’s time for mast climbing.
10:45 AM: Mast climbing!
As soon we we’re back on board, we charge up to the Sun Deck and see that mast climbing is in full swing! There is a guest halfway up the ladder, and one sports guy is at the bottom with a clipboard and another is in the crow’s nest welcoming people up.
Charlie and I give our names to Tino, the sports guy from Montenegro, and he tells us to go put on closed toe shoes. Down in the cabin, I put on my trail runners and swap my dress for a merino wool tank top and bike shorts.
Back on deck, the last people climb down from the nest. Tino gets us into harnesses and gives us mesh backpacks to carry our cameras up safely.
Our friend Sally from the tender earlier has zero interest in climbing the mast, but she’s keen to watch, and she kindly offers to take photos of us.
And then we make it to the top!
Now, I know I talk about my Insta360 camera a lot, but LOOK AT THESE PHOTOS. Especially look at the last two photos next to each other. The one on the left was taken with the Insta360; the one on the right was taken with an iPhone.
Sure, the iPhone has better resolution. But the kinds of photos you can get on the Insta360 are SO much better. I love this camera and it’s become a fixture on my travels.
After around 10 minutes in the crow’s nest, we head back how to climb down safely, and soon we’re back on the Sun Deck.
Once we’re finished, I’m delighted over how it was even less scary than I thought it would be. Just fun!
11:30 AM: Widow’s Nest
At the front of the ship is the “widow’s nest” — two triangular pieces of netting that up to five people can lounge in on each side. Our friends Erika and Norm from the US are hanging out here, and we decide to give it a try.
The views are great — this is the only place on board where you can see the figurehead, the wooden woman carved onto the ship — but the nest isn’t that comfortable to lounge in. It’s not like a comfy catamaran net; these knots are huge and really dig into you!
The verdict? Do it once, for about 30 seconds, and take photos. That’s all you need!
12:00 PM: Lunch
Today’s buffet lunch is Italian-themed. I grab some chicken piccata, arancini, marinated artichokes, and prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe, along with a salad. There’s also a pasta station dishing up carbonara and ragu.
But of course, my favorite part of the lunch buffet is the dessert selection, and today I’m fervently hoping that they have tiramisu.
Indeed, there is tiramisu. But the best dessert of all that day is called a “cappuccino” and it’s a coffee-flavored mousse served in a little coffee cup. It is SENSATIONAL.
12:30 PM: Set Sail for Bequia
Since we’re visiting two different ports today, the ship is setting sail at midday. Our next destination is Admiralty Bay, Bequia.
Many people hang out on the Sun Deck to watch the sails go up, but since we’re in the middle of lunch, we’ll catch it next time.
2:30 PM: Into the Tender
We have two options for our destination today, the crew tells us: we can take the tender to Port Elizabeth, the main town on Bequia, or we can take it to Princess Margaret Beach.
Hmm. Elizabeth vs. Margaret. Is it even a question?
Obviously we’re going to Princess Margaret Beach! Charlie and I hop in the beach-bound tender, along with four of our friends, and we admire the colorful wooden homes tucked into the hills as the tender pulls up to the pier.
We land right in front of Jack’s Beach Bar, and I’m already wondering — would I be a regular here if I lived in one of those stunning clifftop homes?
2:45 PM: Princess Margaret Beach
Now THIS is what I’ve been waiting for. Princess Margaret Beach might be pretty close to perfect. Sure, the sand is golden and soft; sure, the sea is calm and vibrant, ranging from cobalt to aquamarine.
But what sets this beach apart most is that it’s edged with big, lush trees, whose branches actually provide a good amount of shade. It’s so rare to find shade that good on a Caribbean beach!
Add in some little rum punch stands and views of the wooden bungalows perched above cliffs, and you’ve got bliss.
Charlie and I befriended two of the younger couples on board and have been calling ourselves “the young’uns.” (Most people on the Royal Clipper are around 55-75. Wonderful people, for sure, but it’s definitely nice to spend time with people closer to your age!)
Erika and Norm are from the US and close to Charlie’s age; Cat and Ben are from the UK, the youngest ones on board at around 30, and are on their honeymoon!
We float in the water; we hang out on shore; we drink some extremely potent rum punches from a local seller. I can’t think of a better way to honor Princess Margaret than day drinking on a beach name after her.
As the sun peeks out from behind the clouds again, I grab my cameras and take tons of photos and videos. Soon I end up chatting with a local man sitting underneath the trees. He worked in the UK for most of his adult life, but is now retired and back to living on Bequia year-round.
“Man, you’ve got it figured out,” I tell him. “Make your money in the UK, then come back to paradise.”
He laughs and agrees.
4:30 PM: Back to the Royal Clipper
Boy, is it hard to leave Bequia! This is one destination where I’d love to come back for at least a few days. Maybe even a week. While we didn’t get to see a ton of it, this island just has the most wonderful vibe.
We board the tender and zip back to the Royal Clipper. Back on board, I shower before our next activity.
5:30 PM: Engine Room Visit
A few days earlier, Captain Sergey told us that he doesn’t understand why everyone always wants to visit the engine room — but apparently Star Clippers passengers LOVE this. And I’m one of them! I love a peek behind the curtain.
Chief Engineer Hitesh from India gives us a talk about the ship and how it works. Apparently we’ve been using wind power for 40% of our trip.
And then we head below deck to walk through the engine room itself. No photos are permitted, but my main takeaway is just how loud it is down here, and how tough it must be to work there. I leave with an even deeper appreciation for our hardworking crew.
6:00 PM: Maritime Story Time with Captain Sergey
After the post-engine room discussion, I excuse myself and head into the Piano Bar for Maritime Story Time with Captain Sergey from Estonia. I don’t know what to expect — stories of pirates? Crazy guest antics that make Below Deck look like The Love Boat?
No. This time he’s going to talk to us about The Maltese Falcon — one of the most modern, luxurious sailing vessels in the world.
This ship could be a bond villain’s lair. It has that vibe. And pretty much everyone in the room is drooling as Captain Sergey shows us photos of the ship from every angle.
7:00 PM: Set Sail for Martinique
Tonight is pirate night! We didn’t bring any costumes, so I just throw on my black Camellia dress and wind my pink and black sarong around my head. That’s quite piratey! The ship brought out plenty of props for us to play with.
Charlie wears his flashiest shirt, with swirls of blue and brown, and tops his head with the black bandana he bought in Kingstown.
And while I was downstairs, Charlie was teaching one of the bartenders how to make his favorite cocktail: the almond cigar.
I need to spotlight this couple from the UK, whom we dined with a few times — not only did they bring awesome pirate costumes, they had the best style out of everyone on board.
Every day, he wore a cool patterned shirt. Every day, she wore a funky pair of sunglasses. And they were always the first ones on the dance floor!
7:30 PM: Dinner
When it comes to dinner, you can be seated with other guests or put together a table of your own choosing. Tonight we’re sharing a table with our four friends, the young’uns.
At dinner, you’re offered the choice of two appetizers, one soup, one sorbet, four main dishes, one salad, one cheese plate, and three desserts. Additionally, you can always order a steak frites, pasta dish, or bowl of consommé.
I’ve never seen anyone ask for one of EVERYTHING, but I’m sure it’s happened! Most people have three or four courses.
This evening, I choose:
For my appetizer, crab balls. Little fried balls of crabmeat served in a garlic dill sauce. Very nice.
I usually choose either the soup or sorbet for the second choice, and tonight I chose pumpkin ginger soup.
For the main course, rack of lamb. I’m not the biggest lamb fan in general, but I wanted to try it on board, and it was delicious and perfectly cooked. (Charlie, a huge lamb fan, asks for a second plate and our server obliges!)
And for dessert, dark chocolate woven baskets filled with strawberry mousse and topped with strawberries.
10:00 PM: Pirate Party
It’s party time! By the time we make it up to the Tropical Bar, the games are in full swing, led by cruise director Monja from Italy and the sports guys, Jakub and Tino.
People are throwing darts when we walk in. Charlie and I try our hand, and nope — turns out we’re really bad at darts!
We head to the bar for a drink. Every day, there’s a cocktail of the day available for €7 rather than the usual €8 — usually a basic cocktail like a Mai Tai or a Tequila Sunrise.
Today it’s the Singapore Sling, something that I’ve never actually tried. I take a sip. Apparently it’s made with gin and cherry liqueur. There’s a reason I’ve never had one. Time for a piña colada!
The games continue. There’s a ring toss competition, a “guess the weight” contest, and soon four men line up to see who can drink a beer through the straw the fastest. We laugh and I think to myself, surely I did this in college at some point.
11:00 PM: Off to Bed
For being one of the younger people on board, I’m not lasting very long into the evenings! Charlie and I say our goodnights and head back to our cabin.
It was a very good day — one of many days on the Royal Clipper. And the fun continues! Tomorrow, we have a busy day planned in Martinique.
- Star Clippers Grenadines Review: A Royal Clipper Adventure
More on the Caribbean:
- Puerto Rico Seriously Has it All
- What’s it like to travel to Curaçao?
- A Weekend in St. Croix, USVI
- Can Americans go to Cuba? Yes, plus what it’s like
- 18 Cool Places to Visit in Cuba
- What’s it like to travel to Antigua and Barbuda?
- Rocking out on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua
- Caye Caulker, Belize: A Good Place to Go Slow
Does Star Clippers look like your kind of cruise? Share away!
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