Fly to Valletta, Malta
My first experience of 'true sail' was in 2022 aboard the brand new Sea Cloud Spirit and it was such a wonderful experience that I returned to sail aboard sister ship Sea Cloud II in 2024
and had an equally memorable 'voyage', not least because of the dreadful weather and floods in Valencia the day before we got there! Nevertheless, I couldn't resist the opportunity to sail again....
Built in 2011, Sea Cloud II is 3,849 gross tons, a genuine 3-masted 'sailing barque' with real sails manned by a crew of 65 for a maximum capacity of just 94 passengers.
However, things were not to be. On what would turn out to be the hottest June day in UK weather records, everything started fine. After a decent air-conditioned night's sleep in the 'Bloc Hotel' atop Gatwick's South Terminal, I checked-out at 4.15am and was checked-in at the British Airways desk and through fast track security in a record-breaking 15 minutes! I still had to wait 30 minutes (along with loads of others!) for the BA Club lounge to open at 5am but I was soon enjoying my first Bloody Mary and a toasted sausage and bacon butty in the spacious and comfortable lounge.
Everything went downhill from there. Arriving at Gate 91, there was no air-conditioning and it was already sweltering as we all waited for over 40 minutes until, 1 minute before the plane's actual departure time, they announced that the flight was cancelled "due to a technical issue"! Amidst the chaos, BA did offer me the next flight but that wasn’t until late afternoon and it wouldn’t arrive in Malta until 1-hour after Sea Cloud II had left, so that was no use to me.
It was dispiriting, trailing back through Passport Control and recovering my suitcase, as if I’d just returned from holiday but I made for the ‘SkyFix’ desk to see if there was a different flight that would get me to Malta in time. Sadly, all flights with other airlines from all London airports were already full, so there was nothing for it but to head home and to consider this holiday a write-off!
This being the first time in 43 years of cruising that this has happened to me, there are a few lessons learned with regard to emergency decision-making in times of crisis but the most important lesson is, Do not fly out to join a cruise on the same day, no matter how short the flight; travel the day before and stay overnight there!
85: Sea Cloud II 2026
Sicily and the Peloponnese
25th June - 3rd July 2026
(CANCELLED!)
Sicily and the Peloponnese
25th June - 3rd July 2026
(CANCELLED!)
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