For travellers seeking an escape from bustling mega-ships and crowded ports, a voyage aboard a traditional tall ship offers a radically different Caribbean experience. One such journey aboard Star Clippers' 166-guest Star Flyer reveals a side of the region defined by empty beaches, uninhabited isles, and profound peace.
Barbuda: The Caribbean's Best-Kept Secret
The adventure begins with a sense of discovery. Alighting a tender onto the shores of Barbuda, the immediate impression is one of glorious isolation. With just 3,000 residents, this island sees a fraction of the visitors of its sister, Antigua. During peak season, it can be a fortnight between cruise ship calls, and those that do visit carry under 200 passengers.
"Barbuda is half the size of Antigua," explains a local guide from The Rendezvous Company, highlighting the close-knit community. The island's serene nature once provided a perfect retreat for Princess Diana in the 1990s. The journey continues past pastel-coloured shacks and grazing donkeys to the Caribbean's largest frigatebird colony, where males display vivid red throat pouches in a remarkable courtship ritual.
Life Aboard a Four-Masted Barquentine
The Star Flyer itself is a key part of the adventure. This four-masted barquentine, with its classic square and fore-and-aft sails, offers an authentic sailing experience far removed from conventional cruising. The vessel's smaller scale means portholes instead of balconies and steep stairs in place of lifts. Newcomers should be prepared for more motion, but the rewards are unique.
Guests can try their hand at nautical skills like tying knots and climbing the rigging. Entertainment is charmingly simple: napkin folding, watching the sails illuminate at night, or enjoying performances from local groups like Antigua's Hells Gate Steel Orchestra. The intimate size allows the ship to access secluded bays and smaller ports that larger liners cannot reach, such as Falmouth in Antigua instead of the busier St John's.
Dominica's Kalinago Culture and Untamed Isles
A call to the volcanic island of Dominica, known as the Nature Island, offers a deep cultural immersion. In the north, a visit to the indigenous Kalinago territory reveals a way of life sustained for millennia. At Touna Aute Carib Native Village, former chief Nanichi Auguiste explains how the community lives directly from the land, using plants for medicine, food, and even natural toothbrushes made from sugarcane.
The itinerary also includes the idyllic French-influenced Îles des Saintes. On Terre-de-Haut, colourful boutiques and cafes line the village streets. A short boat ride away lies the completely uninhabited Îlet à Cabrit, a wild and rugged outcrop with only a driftwood rope swing hinting at human visitation.
The voyage continues to other serene spots, from a private rum distillery tour in Guadeloupe to kayaking in Antigua's ancient mangroves. The contrast is sharp in St Barthélemy, where the tall ship moors among superyachts, yet the harbour can be explored on foot in mere minutes.
The true magic culminates under a blanket of stars on the quiet deck, with the sounds of the sea and the ship's rigging providing the only soundtrack—a fitting end to a journey that proves the Caribbean's greatest treasures are often its quietest.
How to Book the 2026 Tall Ship Adventure
Star Clippers offers an eight-night Leeward Islands cruise aboard Star Flyer starting from £3,599 per person. The package includes a pre-cruise hotel stay in Sint Maarten, all meals on board, yoga sessions, return flights from London, transfers, and port charges.
The itinerary is a return trip from Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, calling at River Bay (Barbuda); Cabrits (Dominica); Terre-de-Haut (Îles des Saintes); Deshaies (Guadeloupe); Falmouth Harbour (Antigua) and Gustavia (St Barthélemy). A departure is scheduled for 20 February 2026. For more information or to book, call 01473 242666 or visit Starclippers.com.
