ÝE SOCIETY OF INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY TRAVELE
Clipper Cruise's
Exploring the Yachtsman's Caribbean
January 18-25, 2003
Itinerary
Day 1, January 18 - St. Thomas/Crown Bay (Embark)
Upon your arrival in St. Thomas this afternoon, transfer to Crown Bay and embark the yachtlike Yorktown Clipper.Day 2, January 19 - Jost Van Dyke/Sopers Hole
Enjoy a relaxing morning at sea, cruising through the Sir Francis Drake Channel. Frigate birds, pelicans, and brown boobies will circle and soar around the ship as we head for beautiful White Bay, located in a secluded setting on the island of Jost Van Dyke. Named after a Dutch pirate, the island is sparsely populated and provides some of the finest deserted beaches and swimming in the Virgin Islands. Enjoy a lovely afternoon here before we make the short run to Sopers Hole at the western end of Tortola, where the ship anchors for the night. Tonight, meet new friends at the captain's welcome reception and dinner.Day 3, January 20 - Road Town, Tortola
The Yorktown Clipper ties up in Road Town, Tortola ("The Turtle Dove"), just before breakfast. Dutch buccaneers arrived here in 1648 as the first European settlers in the British Virgin Islands. With its 21 square miles, Tortola is the largest of the British Virgin Islands and offers lush rain-forest terrain, friendly inhabitants, and pristine white-sand beaches.
Explore the quaint lanes of the island's capital of Road Town on your own. Alternatively, join an optional excursion this morning to 92-acre Sage Mountain National Park for a hike through the rain forest accompanied by a local guide and the ship's naturalist. Mount Sage rises more than 1,780 feet and is covered with undisturbed rain-forest vegetation, including mahogany trees.
You may also join an optional snorkeling expedition to nearby Peter Island, where guides will present interesting underwater attractions and help first-time snorkelers master this easy-to-learn activity. This evening, enjoy local entertainment.
Day 4, January 21 - Virgin Gorda
We'll depart early this morning and make the crossing to mountainous Virgin Gorda where our destination, the Leverick Bay Marina, is reached through a narrow entrance in Gorda Sound. An optional beach bus to The Baths at Spring Bay takes you past the highest point of Virgin Gorda, which reveals a sweeping vista of small islands. At The Baths at Spring Bay, see enormous granite boulders perched on top of each other, lying in white sand and surrounded by blue seas.Weather permitting, snorkelers may join optional excursions to "The Dogs," a series of angular islands northwest of Virgin Gorda, or protected Long Bay, where the shallow waters make observing fish at close range quite easy.
This evening, enjoy the entertainment at Pusser's Bar, located right at our marina.
Day 5, January 22 - Salt Island/Norman Island
This morning, the Yorktown Clipper anchors off Salt Island. Once an important source of salt for passing ships, the island still pays a symbolic rent of one sack of salt to the Queen of England at the beginning of each year's harvest. Weather permitting, enjoy snorkeling here. An optional excursion allows you to explore the wonderful coral habitat that has grown up around the shipwrecked HMS Rhone, which sank in a hurricane in 1867 and now lies in 30-80 feet of water, attracting scuba divers, fish, and other sea creatures to the area.In the early afternoon, sail to Norman Island -- reputed to be the setting for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. We'll anchor at The Caves, an outstanding snorkeling area. The water is perfect here, with colorful corals, sponges, and algae carpeting the sea floor and rock walls of the caves. Join an optional excursion to The Indians for snorkeling along the impressive coral reef. Enjoy the beautiful Caribbean sunset as you spend the night at our quiet anchorage.
Day 6, January 23 - Cruz Bay, St. John
This morning, sail from Norman Island and cruise leisurely off the island of St. John. From our anchorage in a remote cove, enjoy a refreshing swim in the crystal-clear, blue water. From here, we'll travel to the small port of Cruz Bay, St. John. More than two-thirds of this lush, green island comprises the Virgin Islands National Park, of which 5,000 acres were donated by Laurance Rockefeller.Join an optional excursion along the island's curvy, mountainous roads with special stops for photo opportunities and a visit to the Annaberg Sugar Plantation. This site is one of the best preserved of several such sugar-processing plants that existed in the early 19th century, when sugarcane virtually blanketed the island. Swimmers may want to visit Trunk Bay, where the white-sand beach provides easy access to first-time snorkelers. Cruz Bay offers shopping opportunities at Mongoose Junction -- a short walk from our ship -- with excellent selections of jewelry, perfume, and boutique items.
Day 7, January 24 - Christmas Cove/St. Thomas
Sail this morning for Christmas Cove, where you may snorkel off the north shore of Great St. James Island. Private yachts frequent this area for its wildlife -- seabirds, sea turtles, and plenty of unusually shaped fish, some that can change color before your eyes.Following lunch, return to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Crown Bay Marina on St. Thomas. Join an optional excursion on the submarine Atlantis, which dives to depths of 150 feet, for a firsthand look at the underwater world. You may also choose to visit Coral World, a beautifully landscaped marine park that offers a wonderful view of a natural coral reef and other impressive exhibits.
This evening, enjoy the captain's farewell reception and dinner.
Day 8, January 25 - St. Thomas (Disembark)
Disembark the Yorktown Clipper after breakfast. You may join an optional tour through the historic landmarks of St. Thomas, visiting the Estate St. Peter Greenhouse Botanical Gardens, which offers attractive scenery nestled high in the peaks of the island. Following our excursion, you'll transfer to the airport for your return flight home.Rates per person:
Category Deck(s) Description Price 1 Main Deck Outside, two lower beds, private shower and toilet $2,020 2 Lounge & Promenade Decks Outside, two lower beds, private shower and toilet $2,500 3 Promenade Decks Outside, two lower beds, private shower and toilet $2,760 4 Main Deck Outside, two lower beds, private shower and toilet $3,080 5 Lounge and Sun Decks Outside, two lower beds, private shower and toilet $3,300 6 Lounge & Promenade Decks Outside, two lower beds, private shower and toilet $3,570 Rates per person are in U.S. dollars and are based on double occupancy (except where stated otherwise).
Reservations and Payment: A deposit of $200 per person is required to confirm reservations. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure.
Here's What Your Voyage Includes:
- Seven nights aboard the Yorktown Clipper in fully air-conditioned, outside staterooms with lower beds, individual temperature controls, and private bathroom facilities.
- All meals, starting with dinner on Day 1 and ending with breakfast on Day 8, served at single leisurely seatings and prepared to order by chefs trained at some of the most prestigious culinary institutes in America.
- Included excursions at Jost Van Dyke, Norman Island (The Caves), and Christmas Cove; choice of optional excursions (at additional cost) in Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Salt Island, Norman Island (The Indians), St. John, and St. Thomas.
- Onboard marine biologist to enhance your enjoyment of the places visited.
- Snorkeling equipment provided free of charge throughout the voyage.
- Captain's welcome aboard and farewell receptions and dinners.
- Services of Clipper's hospitality staff, including cruise director and hotel manager.
- All transfers between airport/ship for Clipper air-ticketed passengers traveling on scheduled dates of departure and return.
- Automatic $250,000 travel insurance policy for each Clipper-ticketed passenger, subject to policy terms and limitations.
About the Yorktown Clipper
The Yorktown Clipper is registered in the U.S. and boasts an all-American crew. Measuring 257 feet long, 43 feet wide, and with a draft of just eight feet, the Yorktown Clipper was specifically designed for cruising in coastal waters; the ship's easy maneuverability and shallow draft enable exploration of secluded waterways beyond the reach of bigger ships. A fleet of motorized landing craft can be launched in minutes for spontaneous landings on small islands and deserted beaches. The spacious Observation Lounge and elegant dining salon are window-lined so that the outside world is always in view. American cuisine - served in leisurely single seatings - is healthful and nutritious, influenced by regional culinary traditions and prepared freshly to order. An onboard naturalist and historian explain and recap each day's events in informal talks.The Yorktown Clipper was built in 1988 in Green Cove Springs, Florida, by American craftsmen. Power is provided by two Detroit diesel propulsion engines rated approximately 900 SHP each, and maneuverability is increased by a 300 HP bowthruster. This ship is equipped with an Electronic Chart Precise Integrated Navigation System (ECPINS), which combines navigational data on one screen and meets the stringent requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). She was one of the first cruise ships to be equipped with this advanced system.
The Yorktown Clipper is classified +A1 Passenger Vessel +AMS by the American Bureau of Shipping and is certified for coastwise and international service by the United States Coast Guard. The ship carries a Passenger Ship Safety Certificate issued under the provisions of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and a Certificate of Sanitary Construction issued by the FDA.
Please call us with questions, bookings:
800-478-4881 or 502-454-0277
www.irtsociety.com
