This Gorgeous New Ship Is the Only Cruise in the World Sailed by Hand

Watching the tightly choreographed deck crew scale the riggings, swaying slightly in the breeze, to hoist the sails on the fully rigged windjammer a few miles off Nice, France, I felt my stomach knot up. 

An avid sailor, I have never ascended higher than the boom, let alone strap myself in with mountain climber–like safety gear and step up through ropes to “set the sails.” The sails on Sea Cloud Spirit, a three-mast, square-rigged tall ship, measure a whopping 44,100 square feet. It takes 22 professional square-rigged vessel seamen and deckhands around 45 minutes to raise all 28 sails. 

According to Sea Cloud Cruises CEO Daniel Schäfer, this Malta-flagged ship, custom-built in Vigo, Spain, and launched in 2021, is the only sail-powered cruise ship in the world that is “hand-sailed.” That’s with the exception of electric-powered winches, which tighten the sheets (or the ropes that trim the sails). It’s a glorious sight to see and a key reason passengers choose to cruise with Sea Cloud.

“About half of our passengers are sailors or have something to do with the water,” Schäfer told me.

Dennis Carbocci had done his homework before booking back-to-back cruises aboard Sea Cloud Spirit. I met him and his wife, Pamela, on their second week-long Mediterranean cruise, this one tracing the Italian and French Rivieras before schmoozing into the Balearic Sea under the warm October sun. 

“This is, like, real sailing. With all the sails up and heavy wind, it really is exhilarating,” Dennis said.

Sea Cloud Cruises isn’t new to boutique luxury sailing. The small Hamburg, Germany–based company has been around for more than four decades and prides itself on its sophisticated European hospitality.

Christoph Mayer, an occasional sailor, has previously sailed on Sea Cloud II, while his parents have taken five or six cruises on the elegant vessels. It was his first time sailing together with them, along with his girlfriend and aunt.

But Sea Cloud is the flagship; the one that started it all. Wall Street broker Edward Francis Hutton commissioned the vessel in 1931, the world’s largest private sailing yacht at the time, and allowed his wife, businesswoman and philanthropist Marjorie Merriweather Post, to furnish the interiors with lavish antiques. With a long and fascinating history, the 64-passenger ship is still sailing the high seas and has ardent devotees. 

At 452 feet and a 136-passenger capacity with 85 crew on board, Sea Cloud Spirit is the largest of the company’s three vessels — but it still has an intimate feel. More spacious than Sea Cloud and Sea Cloud II, it retains classic windjammer lines and lacquered timber finishes throughout. 

One afternoon, the wind picked up, reaching around the mid- to high-20 knots, and the skies turned overcast. I watched in amazement as Katia Jarosławowna Plewińska, one of two female deck crew, fastened the lower sails. 

Like every bonafide sailing yacht, Sea Cloud Spirit heels (leans) when the sails are up. This makes for a smooth ride, even in choppy seas. All you hear is the water gliding beneath the hull. Powered by two silent diesel electric engines, the only noise is the engine’s generators, which operate intermittently.

Here, everything you need to know about Sea Cloud Spirit — and what it was like to be one of the first on board.

The Staterooms 

My luminous, spacious, 237-square-foot Junior Veranda Suite featured an exceedingly private 65-square-foot balcony with two deck chairs. 

With just enough motion to rock me to sleep, I snoozed like a baby on the firm German-made Dr. Weidner mattress atop a twin bed that can be converted into a double. During the day, I often left the balcony door open to let the sea breeze flow in. 

Glossy mahogany woodwork throughout, from the dual walk-in wardrobes and bathroom cabinets to the vanity dresser, lends a classy Old World ambiance. Judging by details such as 23-karat gold–plated light fixtures illuminating sailing-themed paintings, no expense has been spared. 

Bathrooms in the Veranda and Junior Veranda Suites have Jacuzzi-equipped bathtubs, Villeroy & Boch fittings, and ample storage space. Black and gold mosaics set off bisque-hued marble tiles. 

All 69 cabins offer sea views with ample natural light. Shades of warm apricot, chocolate, navy, ochre, and rust red bring warmth to furnishings and bedding. Grand staterooms on the Lido deck offer unimpeded views to the sea through windows that open, while Deluxe and Superior staterooms have portholes. The smallest rooms are the Superior staterooms, ranging from 172 to 205 square feet, and the Superior Single staterooms, at 140 square feet. Veranda and Junior Veranda Suite accommodations include complimentary laundry service. 

Veranda Suite 318 is the most luxurious, with 301 square feet of space, an 86-square-foot balcony, three arched windows, and an L-shaped sofa that converts into a full-size fold-out bed.

Bars and Restaurants 

The best seat in the house was aft, on the Lido deck, soaking up the Mediterranean sunshine with a flute of Champagne. Indeed, I picked up a pointer or two at informative, fun, expert-led Champagne tastings zeroing in on boutique estates. Beyond the rare magnums, I discovered Sea Cloud places a premium on dining. As part of a gastronome-geared itinerary set to expand in 2024-25, the pièce de résistance was a dinner orchestrated by two guest chefs who helm Michelin-starred restaurants. Tristan Brandt, whose Miami-based Tambourine Room by Tristan Brandt earned its first star in May 2023, and Niklas Oberhofer illustrated their trademark Asian-infused modern French cuisine with an exquisite five-course menu. Carabinero shrimp with celery, miso, and yuzu and poached egg with cauliflower, parmesan, and black truffle triumphed. 

Chef de cuisine Florian Schneider’s in-house culinary team proved near faultless, both at the refined indoor restaurant in the evenings and the open-air Lido deck, where rather epic breakfast and lunch buffets were served. On separate days, hotel manager Elias Stamatopoulos prepared divine ceviche from whole tuna and swordfish sourced from Naples, Italy. 

Departing Marseille, I had my French onion soup prayers answered. While docked at Barcelona’s city-center harbor, I tucked into terrific tapas, better than those I had ashore the last time I was in the Catalonian capital. That evening, Sea Cloud veteran bar manager Anton Campos whipped up a lush piña colada for me.

Where Sea Cloud Spirit Sails 

In November, Sea Cloud Spirit made its 16-night Atlantic crossing to the Caribbean, drawing sailing purists yearning to catch the famed trade winds and switch off. Through early January, the ship will cruise in the Caribbean, calling in at small ship destinations like Bequia, in the Grenadines; Dominica; and the BVI’s Jost Van Dyke. 

In February, chef Cindy Hutson, of Coral Gables, Florida, restaurant Ortanique, and naturalist Stephen Weston will be on board for an 11-night cruise through Costa Rica’s wildlife-rich national parks and Panama’s remote Coiba National Park followed by a daylight Panama Canal crossing and a jaunt to the San Blas archipelago. From May to June, a culinary-themed cruise will take in destinations such as Bilbao, Spain; Bordeaux, France; and La Rochelle, France, followed by a late summer sojourn in Portugal’s Azores, which should be pretty spectacular. 

From September to October, Sea Cloud Spirit will sail between Malta, Italian destinations including Syracuse, Taormina, Salerno, and Amalfi; Sardinia; Corsica; and St. Tropez, France, among other Mediterranean ports. The vessel will return to Barcelona when it hosts The America’s Cup in early October 2024 and fans of yacht racing’s biggest event won’t want to miss out on the action. Learn more about the sailings here.

Shore Excursions 

It was tough choosing shore excursions. I envied fellow passengers who opted for adventurous options like hiking the Camino de Ronda along rocky trails in Spain’s Costa Brava. Instead, I delved into the history and culture of provincial towns and cities like Girona and Tarragona with walking tours led by enthusiastic on-the-ground guides. With its mix of Romanesque, Baroque, and Gothic architecture, Aix-en-Provence, reached via Marseille, was a revelation. A little rain failed to dampen guide Annette Orru’s in-depth introduction to the vibrant cobblestoned university town, with its Roman Empire origins, stately 18th-century mansions, and stories about the city’s most famous son, Paul Cézanne.

Tour guide Patty Witzigmann’s intriguing onboard Salvador Dalí presentation had me pining for a visit to the museum-theatre dedicated to the eccentric artist in his home town Figueres, Spain. In Barcelona, I lucked out with guide Evgueni Agaltsev Kosmata, whose passion for Antoni Gaudí was palpable. Whisking our small group through the Gothic Quarter’s narrow streets, away from the crowds, we reached Palau Güell for a private, after-hours tour. Kosmata proceeded to show us this architectural wonder, a mansion designed by a young Gaudí who masterfully melded Gothic, art nouveau, and Islamic elements, in mind-blowing detail. 

Amenities and Entertainment

With the weather still warm, the sun loungers on the top deck were a popular spot for a post-breakfast or -lunch snooze and, of course, to admire the sails harnessing the breeze and propelling us to our next destination. Also on the top deck: a decently sized gym with sea views and all the equipment you could need. 

On the Lido deck, above the bow, is a stately, well-stocked library. One day, when the wind was howling, I retreated to its sunlight-strewn interior and leafed through books like "Fifty Places to Sail Before You Die," while daydreaming about my future sailboat. 

In the evenings preceding a sea day, I joined impromptu parties deejayed by David Hoffmann on the Lido deck that promptly turned somewhat surreal. One night, the ship’s gentle rolling motion saw us involuntarily and hilariously line-dancing till late. Sea Cloud Spirit is one solid vessel though; our shenanigans failed to disturb fellow sleeping sailors.

One afternoon, I slipped away for a deep-tissue massage in the spa, where therapist Adriana got to work, quietly pummeling away deep-seated knots from my shoulder blades with butterfly-like techniques I hadn’t felt before. I couldn’t even drag my body to the Finnish sauna after.

Family-friendly Offerings

Children, from the age of 12 months, are more than welcome on board Sea Cloud Spirit, but the truth is it has more of an adults-only feel. There are no children’s facilities on board. Certainly, the ship works well for a multi-generational cruise vacation for those with children in their 20s and up and, particularly, for special occasions like milestone birthdays and anniversaries. Sea Cloud Spirit is also available for private charter. 

Accessibility

Given the nature of this ship, there are no ADA-compliant rooms on Sea Cloud Spirit. There is, however, an elevator between decks and bathrooms are equipped with rubber shower mats and handrails.