people full of joyful, communicative cheerfulness, dressed all in white: "I am sailing, I am sailing... To be near you, to be free. I am flying, I am flying, Like a bird, 'cross the sky". These few words echoed, saying why I was there: it was this free- dom of spirit that I was looking for aboard Sea Cloud Spirit. I met some wonderful people and had a great time making new acquaintances, which is what a cruise is all about: this one had a convivial feel to it, where the affinities between guests are revea- led and shared around a nice table, at dinner (there's no room service), and you never get the impression that there are a lot of people on board. In fact, we weren't. With a capacity of 136 pas- sengers, Sea Cloud Spirit is a large, luxurious sailing vessel, desi- gned and fitted out to provide guests with a sailing experience in conditions of luxury and well-being. Some of the passengers have been sailing for a long time and wanted to experience it in a dif- ferent way; others were there because they don't like the 'floating cities' that many cruise ships are, and prefer a more intimate and convivial experience. For Georg and Sielke Leicht, jewellers (page 8, bottom right), who have a sales outlet on board Sea Cloud Spirit, "the number of guests on board allows just the right amount of privacy and good company. We particularly enjoyed the open-air lunches and dinners on the Lido deck with barbe- cues and freshly caught fish, and the friendly and professional international crew, who were very attentive." I was meditating for a long time on board, sounding the ocean from my balcony, alone in the world, finding myself with myself: suddenly the surface was agitated, fish were jumping, disturbing my peace! At other times, seabirds would follow us, hunting and diving all around the ship, then one or other would land on the bow, taking advantage of the opportunity to rest. So there were the magnificent days of sailing, where you marvel at the spec- tacle of twenty or so sailors manœuvring at the top of the rig- ging, and the technical crossing of the Panama Canal, and the stopovers to discover the regions of Costa Rica and Panama where we were. In my experience, it's best to opt for the 'simplest' excursions: discovering a plantation, lazing on the beach, and staying as close as possible to the Sea Cloud Spirit: the zodiacs offer great flexibility in terms of movement between the vessel and the shores... Instead of hiking in the forest or discovering the natural parks on excursions, opt for a stay in a lodge before or after the cruise, as a short incursion is bound to be frustrating. Come aboard the Sea Cloud Spirit for the Sea Cloud Spirit, a great 21 st century sailing ship, with its warm atmosphere, fine catering and the chance to swim often in the ocean, which is much better than in a swimming pool. Nicole Kania, Cruise Director (page 8, bottom centre): "I feel fulfilled in my job, becau- se we have the pleasure of offering our passengers an almost family atmosphere in a very professional setting. Our guests include real travellers, but also people who just wanted to treat themselves to a unique cruise experience." Captain Heiner Eilers: "Transatlantic cruises are particularly good for sailing day and night. You can save 40% on fuel, which is fantastic. Some passen- gers come on board with a suitcase full of books and are surprised, on arrival, to have read just one in a fortnight. They've let go.“
twenty-eight taut sails, I can see it in our wake, that feeling of peaceful indolence that you don't get when you're motoring is very relative, we're making good speed. From my wide balcony, unexpected on board a sailing boat (all 25 cabins on Panorama Deck have one, which is unique in the world on this type of ves- sel), I scan the surface of the Pacific Ocean, my gaze fixed on the horizon and my mind freeing: the conditions for a beautiful medi- tation are met. Twilight arrives, setting the sky ablaze on an inky sea: I daydream, the lyrics to "Sailing" playing over and over in my head. Rod Steward has been singing this song with me since I was a teenager, and the emotional charge has grown with the years and the memories associated with it. "Sailing" was in the repertoire of the crew of the Sea Cloud Spirit last night, young
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