Review: Small-ship sailing through the Aegean on board Star Clippers’ Star Flyer

Combining the comfort of cruising with the glamour of sailing, the Star Flyer is a gorgeous way to see the jewel-like isles of the Northern Cyclades. Alice Barnes-Brown climbs aboard.

Spread out on the bowsprit nets of the Star Flyer, I watch as the clipper’s white keel cuts through the deep blue of the Aegean, swilling directly below. The sailing ship may only be travelling at a few knots per hour, but that doesn’t matter: it’s slow travel at its finest.

At 115 metres long with a capacity of just 166 passengers, the Star Flyer offers a more intimate way to sail, but it’s also more sustainable: up to 70% of the time, it operates solely under wind power, making good use of its 21 sails.

The Northern Cyclades route begins in Piraeus, the port of Athens, then takes a day at sea to reach the bustling city of Kusadasi in Turkey. Then, the Star Flyer calls at the beautiful islands of Patmos, Amorgos, Mykonos and Spetses before sailing back to Piraeus at dawn one week later.

Image: Star Clippers

What’s included?

The moment you check in (the porters will already have put your luggage directly outside your cabin), a party on deck awaits with a welcome cocktail, some savoury snacks and a fruit display to rival Carmen Miranda’s hat. The generosity with food is sustained throughout: the seven-day sailing is full board, with plenty of snacks between the big meals to keep you satisfied.

Watersports equipment is also included: you can borrow and keep a snorkel with you, and when the ship is moored the crew take paddleboards, kayaks and dinghies to the closest beach for guest use.

Image: Star Clippers

What is there to do on board?

The Star Flyer packs a lot onto its three decks. There’s a gorgeous, warmly-lit dining room and two bars: the al fresco Tropical Bar, with plenty of space to spread out and dance, or the plush Piano Bar, where you can serenade yourself with a tune on the grand piano while illuminated by the rippling waters of the glass-bottom swimming pool above your head.

Dining on board Star Flyer (Image: Star Clippers)

In fact, there are two saltwater plunge pools big enough for a few strokes, surrounded by sunbeds for catching some rays. When the weather isn’t playing ball, you can hang out in the Edwardian-style library equipped with a fireplace, velvet armchairs and well-thumbed volumes in multiple languages.

What are the cabins like?

Built in 1991 and modelled on the sleek tea clipper ships of old, the Star Flyer is all teak decking on the outside and polished brass, royal blue carpets and mahogany panelling on the inside.

Cabin decor blends seamlessly with the rest of the ship, with elegant accents, gold-threaded pillows and wall sketches of famous ships harking back to the golden age of sail.

There are six categories of cabin, ranging from the deluxe owner’s cabin at the stern to interior two-berth bunks. All are small yet perfectly formed, fitted with en-suites, dressing tables, TVs with DVD players and spacious wardrobes to store your things in. Beds in most cabins can be transformed from doubles to twins – or even triples – and are supremely soft. Premium cabin categories on the top two decks have more advanced features, like whirlpool tubs and minibars.

A standard cabin on board (Image: Star Clippers)

What’s to eat?

Put it this way: you won't go hungry. Breakfast is a heated buffet serving everything from fried breakfasts to French toast. Don’t fancy that? A live cook means you can have an omelette exactly as you like. Fruit abounds, and waiters pour you tea and coffee as soon as you sit down.

Lunch is another buffet, but the times are flexible to accommodate passengers who want to eat before heading off on excursions. They also frequently have themes: think assemble-your-own chicken gyros on Greek day.

Dinner is the highlight of the ship’s social calendar. Mid-afternoon, the stage is set for the five-course event: the a la carte menu is laid out on a table by the Piano Bar, along with some scrumptious-looking sample dishes, so you can see what you'll be getting. Broccoli patties atop piped mashed potatoes ranks as one of the best-presented meals I’ve ever eaten, but it’s the starters I really found myself looking forward to: the soup du jour is rich and delicious and pairs perfectly with bread and whipped butter – the butter is infused with a daily-changing ingredient, so it never gets boring.

Image: Star Clippers

Steak and pasta dishes can be requested if you don’t like anything on the dinner menu. Vegetarian and vegan options are always available, but the selection can be a little limited.

If you’d like something to wash that all down, there’s a worldly selection of white and red wine, including from famous vineyards like Francis Ford Coppola’s. Bottles start at around £13.80 (€16) and if you don’t finish it, it's saved for your next meal. Plus, the two bars are open all day: the cocktail special is priced at an economical £4.30 (€5).

What’s the entertainment like?

Each evening, I received a retro-looking pamphlet through my door with the next day’s programme. Practically every hour of the day had some activity going on, from history lectures and aerobics classes to cocktail workshops with Clifford the head bartender.

The Star Flyer likes to keep things interesting, so after-dark amusements change every night. On the evening our itinerary took us to Turkey, a troupe of local dancers came aboard to perform a selection of heart-pounding folk dances – and, of course, there was belly dancing.

For a less formal night (that's still lively), the crew put on a talent show featuring karaoke, puppet shows and not-to-be-taken-seriously routines. There's also crew-led stargazing, Champagne sail-away socials and outdoor cinema nights.

The night is always rounded off with some live music and a disco of classic hits at the Tropical Bar, which gets going at around 11PM – the bar doesn’t close until the last person goes to bed.

What are the excursions like?

Easy-going and educational, the Star Clippers excursions are local-led tours of fascinating sites. On the Northern Cyclades sailing, there’s plenty of archaeological interest at the ancient city of Ephesus and the sacred island of Delos (near Mykonos), while visits to lesser-known islands like Patmos and Amorgos mean passengers can dig deep into Cycladic culture without the crowds.

On a trip to Amorgos’ Hozoviotissa – Greece’s second-oldest monastery – the coach wound its way down perilous (yet undeniably stunning) cliff-clinging roads, before a guide took us into the monastery’s inner sanctum and sprinkled insight on the scenery and customs of the monks. She also set us up with puffy loukoumades (Greek doughnuts) and shots of honey raki, so we could sample the island’s most famous products.

Hozovitissa monastery on Amorgos island (Image: Martin M303/Shutterstock)

If you need a day to yourself, the captain makes sure to lay anchor within a tender’s reach of a beach, or you can choose to potter around pretty port towns solo.

What are the best bits?

Being able to stop in under-the-radar locations isn’t the only advantage of small-ship cruising; it’s the convivial atmosphere the smaller group fosters. It’s also easy to chat with the crew: Star Clippers has an ‘open bridge’ policy where you can step inside the control room and learn what an officer’s job involves, plus the captain himself can often be found chatting to passengers on deck.

The crew refer to the Star Flyer as a sailing ship – not a cruise liner – and they’re keen for you to get involved with the sailing aspect of things: whether that’s helping with the rigging, climbing the mast, or even steering the ship. Or, like me, you can sit on the bowsprit nets and watch the crew do the hard work.

Need to know

The price for the seven-night Northern Cyclades route on board the Star Flyer starts at £1,665 and includes all meals and use of watersports equipment, departing on 23 September 2023 and select dates in 2024. An early booking discount of 10% is available. Port charges cost £165 extra. Price excludes flights.

Visit starclippers.com for more information.

Main image: Star Clippers