Sea Cloud Cruises has announced that it is now taking firm bookings for its newest ship, the Sea Cloud Spirit. Sea Cloud CEO Daniel Schäfer announced that, following careful inspection of the current status of the newbuild, the company is convinced that “the Sea Cloud Spirit will be delivered on time.”
“In the interest of our guests, we wanted to be sure she would be delivered on time before starting official bookings,” Schäfer said.
The ship’s inaugural voyage is scheduled to depart August 29 from Lisbon to Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy. The cruise line has extended the deadline for the ship’s early booking discount to January 31.
Marking the first newbuild for the line since the Sea Cloud II in 2001, the Sea Cloud Spirit is a three-masted yacht that will hold 136 guests. Like its sibling vessels, the Sea Cloud and the Sea Cloud II, the Sea Cloud Spirit will aim to offer a private yacht-style, “casually elegant” sailing experience. The 453-foot-long, fully rigged ship has approximately 13,500 square feet of sail area – twice the size of the current U.S. Coast Guard training ship, the Cutter Eagle. Since sailing is not possible all the time, the newly built ship is also equipped with two diesel-electric drives. Sea Cloud Cruises operates all of its ships with low-sulphur marine diesel, which reduces emissions versus heavy oil.
Upon completion, the Sea Cloud Spirit will have outdoor space, an exclusive wellness and spa concept and an interior design that aims to recall the style of a classic yacht. Out of the 69 outer cabins, 25 will have their own balconies and, in what Sea Cloud says is a first for a sailing ship, there will be an elevator connecting the various decks. Guests on Sea Cloud Spirit will have the choice between fine dining in the restaurant and a casual dining experience on the lido deck. Like its sibling vessels, the food concept will focus on local fresh food and wine.
Related Stories
This Week in Cruise: Itinerary Updates for 2020 and Beyond
The Coolest Cruise Awards: Cruise Ship Shows