Sea Cloud Spirit has been delivered to its owners. The new ship combins the tradition of sailing with modern comfort and luxury.
As cruising slowly makes its return, Sea Cloud Cruises has taken delivery of Sea Cloud Spirit. The ship has passed all necessary tests and her maiden voyage, a 10-night roundtrip Rome to Rome, has been set for September 14.
The Sea Cloud Spirit is built as a three-mast full-rigged ship. A tallship is called a full-rigged ship when it has at least three masts with complete square rigging. The ships are easily recognized by the sails that are attached at right angles to the ship.
The newbuild, with a capacity of only 136 guests, is expected to become a nice alternative for younger guests looking for a smaller cruise experience. Sea Cloud Spirit is a modern sailing ship, offering guests plenty of space under the open sky, flexible dining times (both inside and outside), balcony cabins, an exclusive and spacious spa/wellness area, and an elegant interior-design combined with a classical yacht-style feel. However, like her sister ships, she will also incorporate a traditional sailing experience, sailing the way it was always meant to be done, by hand.
Sea Cloud Spirit Joins a fleet rooted in American history
The Sea Cloud Spirit is the third ship for Sea Cloud Cruises, who currently sail the Sea Cloud and the Sea Cloud II. The Sea Cloud is the oldest sailing passenger ship in the world and has a history unlike any ship ever built. First, as a private yacht for American socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post, then a floating diplomatic palace for leaders from all over the world. Later the ship became a warship ship for the Americans during WWII. The story of the Sea Cloud is more exciting than a novel.
This year she celebrates her 90th birthday, and it is fitting that the new Sea Cloud Spirit launches the same year. The new ship’s name is fitting, since the deep rooted “spirit” of the Sea Cloud welcomes in a new era of sailing!
Luxury and elegance on the Sea Cloud Spirit
Like her sister ships, Sea Cloud Spirit offers upscale cruising. 25 of the 69 outside cabins are equipped with balconies, including the three owner suites. The spacious wellness area will impress guests with three treatment rooms, a Finnish sauna, a steam bath, and a hairdressing salon. A separate fitness area is located on the sundeck of the ship.
Protecting and preserving nature under full sails
The experience of nature is at the center of every journey on the Sea Cloud Spirit. Roughly 4,100 m² (44,100 square feet) of sails will billow under the sky, surrounded by wind and waves, bringing guests up close to nature. The new ship represents environment-friendly, gentle eco-tourism at the highest level. Eco-friendly marine-diesel is already used on both existing tall-ships, and a low consumption hybrid machine (diesel-electric) will be used for the Sea Cloud Spirit.
And like its sister ships, the majority of each trip is conducted under the sails, engines off, the cleanest way to travel. It takes the crew almost one hour to hoist the sails by hand, and it is a fascinating spectacle each and every time.
Sea Cloud Spirit will spend the fall in the Western Mediterranean and the upcoming winter season in the Canary Islands. For more information visit seacloud.com.