“Mighty Cruise Ships” Takes Viewers Behind the Scenes of the Royal Clipper

The lure of cruising lies as much in the grandeur and majesty of the ships as the destinations to which they travel. Sailing enthusiasts can get a real-life, behind the scenes view of the world’s largest squared-rigged ship—Star Clippers’ five-masted Royal Clipper—on Smithsonian Channel’s newest episode of “Mighty Cruise Ships” when it airs this Sunday, September 24 at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT. The episode is slated to be repeated on Sept. 24 at 11 p.m., Sept 27 at 8 a.m., Sept. 28 at 4 p.m., Sept. 29 at 5 a.m. and 10 p.m., Sept. 30 at 1 a.m. and Oct. 1 at noon.

Built in 2000, Royal Clipper preserves and celebrates the traditional seagoing ways of the late-1800s, calling to mind the grand age of sailing. Her design was based on the Preussen, a famous German five-mast windjammer built in 1902. This modern-day tall ship boasts five masts that soar 190 feet in the air, and 42 sails spanning nearly 56,000ft² that can catch even the slightest of breezes. The upcoming episode of Mighty Cruise Ships follows the guests and crew aboard the Royal Clipper as it sails a 12-night voyage along the western coast of Italy, then heads east to Greece and north into the Adriatic Sea.

“Mighty Cruise Ships,” which airs on the Smithsonian TV in the US, explores some of the world’s mightiest, most remarkable cruise ships around the world. The audience is transported to remote spaces and historic places aboard these unique vessels, visiting breathtaking destinations from tropical Caribbean oases to the frozen Northwest Passage to idyllic and storied places in the Mediterranean.

For more than 25 years, Star Clippers has been introducing travelers to the thrill of modern tall ship sailing to remote ports in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Indonesia, and Far East. The company operates three of the world’s largest and tallest sailing vessels: Star Clipper and Star Flyer are traditional clipper ships with modern amenities carrying 170 guests, while the 227-guest Royal Clipper holds the Guinness World Record for being the largest and only five-masted, full-rigged sailing ship in service today. All three ships have expansive teak decks, swimming pools, informal dining, convivial tropical bars on deck and piano lounges. The brand’s newest vessel, Flying Clipper, will debut in Fall 2018. For more information, visit StarClippers.com.

Image © Linda Coffman, CruiseDiva.com