Teri West
With their nearly endless variety of amenities, dining and entertainment, mega cruise ships are considered a destination unto themselves, regardless of where they may be sailing that day.
But the same can be said of much smaller vessels, like the Star Clipper, which I sailed on in Turkey and Greece last week. (The Star Clipper is operated by Star Clippers -- not to be confused!) Even without a theater, waterslides or sports courts, the ship drew me back on port days despite the calls in destinations I'd never been to.
During our single day in Turkey, I visited the ruins of the ancient city of Pergamon and enjoyed a local lunch. But I made sure to get back to the ship early to take advantage of a unique opportunity for Star Clippers guests: the chance to climb the mast.
I lined up with passengers of all ages to be strapped into a harness and climb the rope ladder, making the mistake of looking down halfway through the climb but persevering to the top with sweaty palms. From there, I took in the stunning views of the city of Dikili and the ship itself.
On a long port day in Skiathos, Greece, I returned by tender to the ship midday where the sports team crew was offering water activities. My friend and I tried our hand at stand-up paddle boarding, first on our knees and then graduating to balancing on our feet.
We fought the current, paddling back and forth along the span of the ship. It was a workout, and a moment of imbalance that led to a fall in the water felt refreshing and welcome.
When we got back onboard, we laid in the rope netting directly overlooking the water at the ship's bow. It was reminiscent of childhood playgrounds.
Without a full cast of performers -- the ship had just one musician who did triple duty as guitarist, pianist and DJ -- the Star Clipper still produced one of the most entertaining evenings I've experienced at sea: a talent show, largely made up of performances by the crew.
Our waiters danced to "Gangnam Style," the ship's nurse performed a cover of "Material Girl" in drag and a bartender proved to be a skilled guitarist. There were also comedy sketches and opportunities for a couple of guests to flex their vocals.
There may have been fewer activities available overall than larger ships I've sailed on, but what the Star Clipper lacked in breadth it made up for in uniqueness and simplicity.
The ship also offers guests snorkel gear. On our final day of the cruise, the line offered two tender destinations on Poros: the town and an isolated beach area. Despite clouds, my friend and I hopped on the tender to the beach. I threw on the snorkel and flippers and plunged into the Mediterranean for one final time this year.