I sailed on the Poly in In the mid 80's.First solo travel. Nothing can beat the sight of so many stars, sleeping on the deck.The Captain was a scallywag, and had a different "dessert" every night (not too picky!, remember this was the 7'0s). The thing I will most remember, was how kind and friendly the people on the different Islands we went to were. Even though it was just a couple of weeks after a huge hurricane hit directly, large areas were just swept away. The Captain put it to a vote should we stay' or should we go! Every port we stayed and spent. Support the economy as best we could. Lots of stories,(don't get me get started on the Count. He was the most charming man I ever met. Put the move on me, and when I said no' That was it. No more come on, had one of the best nites, (EVER).The total cost' including air, was around $900.Never forget it!!!
SAD TO SEE the Windjammer Cruises go out-of-business. Now, all you have is MEGA Cruise ships will thousands of people - they're like floating Disney World's ! Sure, there are still smaller cruise ships available, but the prices are way higher - only for the rich.
when i was a kid I took a barefoot cruise 2 times with my parants. The first was on the flying cloud when I was 12 in 1984 and the second was on the Polyneisa in 1986
I worked for Burke on The Fantome in 1977. I later worked for a real cruise company , NCL. Night and day. Burke was NEVER free of law suits while he was in business, He sold an ILLUSION! Those ships NEVER sailed except the very smallest one, The Yankee Clipper. The Sea Cloud (not Burke's) DOES sail. She is square rigged and carries 90 crew and 20 HIGH PAYING ultra wealthy passengers. The health and safety standards were so bad on Burke's vessels (non existent really) that ALL his ships were banned from all US ports unless it was being towed in for repairs to a ship yard. The Fantome went to WPB, FL in February 1977 for months of rebuilding and refititng after her wreck in January. His business model did work, sort of. It bit him in the ass big time in 1998. Get the passengers drunk starting with a GIANT bowl of Bloody Marys at 6AM. Encourage them to pass out on deck so they would not be reminded how cramped and unsanitary their cabins were. Pay the crew $100.....a MONTH. Even the captains did not make much. Burke sold cheap booze and a promise of a life stlyle. I almost died in 1977. So, I did things the right way. Got MY Master Dive Instructor and USGC captains licenses, and bought a live aboard boat in St Barts (screw the Bahamas. Its cold there in the Winter) . I ran other peoples boats free lance. Private and charter. I only took out special people vising St Barts on my sweet live aboard Gaff Rigged Yawl. I lived the life for 15 years before eventually going back to real 1000 foot ships in The US Merchant Marine. MUCH more fun on my OWN boat in St Barts, St Martin and the British Virgin Islands.
Back when the world was a bit more civilized and normal and lefties weren't as obvious or violent .Great ad and beautiful women in it. Like the music a bit like my own!
No disappointment, my early 80s cruise on the Fantome was great. I now have 55 on many types of ships. Doubt that it will happen but I so hope that a great guy who was with Westen Airlines might see this. He saved my life while scuba diving. I thanked him but not enough.
Where was the Dive Master? There was supposed to be one. I sailed as Dive Master on The Fantome in January 1977 right before she ran up on a reef and almost sank in a horrific Winter storm.
Love how much this promo doesn't say. Deserted beaches because the ship only goes to deserted islands or third world countries because the Coast guard won't pass the ship for SOLAS inspection, so there were limited places the ship could go. Dancing is the high light of the lame entertainment on the ship. Hot dogs and hamburger picnics on the beach, with very little to do on most of these islands. Unless you want to snorkel or just lay on the beach, you could be very disappointed.
Just reliving a wonderful part of my life! Glad I was not there to see the end of that era, but this person was dead wrong! I would never call St. Maarten, St. Bart's, the BVI, Grenada, etc. a deserted island or 3rd world country! Very little to do in these islands? What? Insane! Obviously this person had never been on a real Windjammer (Burke) line of great sailing ships! I am now a Viking fan but if I had a choice to do again - any Windjammer, any day!
I sailed on the Poly in In the mid 80's.First solo travel. Nothing can beat the sight of so many stars, sleeping on the deck.The Captain was a scallywag, and had a different "dessert" every night (not too picky!, remember this was the 7'0s). The thing I will most remember, was how kind and friendly the people on the different Islands we went to were. Even though it was just a couple of weeks after a huge hurricane hit directly, large areas were just swept away. The Captain put it to a vote should we stay' or should we go! Every port we stayed and spent. Support the economy as best we could. Lots of stories,(don't get me get started on the Count. He was the most charming man I ever met. Put the move on me, and when I said no' That was it. No more come on, had one of the best nites, (EVER).The total cost' including air, was around $900.Never forget it!!!
Polynesia and Mandalay 81-86
SAD TO SEE the Windjammer Cruises go out-of-business. Now, all you have is MEGA Cruise ships will thousands of people - they're like floating Disney World's ! Sure, there are still smaller cruise ships available, but the prices are way higher - only for the rich.
I was on the Fantome in 1995 . Amazing voyage and crew.
when i was a kid I took a barefoot cruise 2 times with my parants. The first was on the flying cloud when I was 12 in 1984 and the second was on the Polyneisa in 1986
That synth patch tho
Those boats use to be in St. Vincent as well not the Grenadines alone.
I worked for Burke on The Fantome in 1977. I later worked for a real cruise company , NCL. Night and day. Burke was NEVER free of law suits while he was in business, He sold an ILLUSION! Those ships NEVER sailed except the very smallest one, The Yankee Clipper. The Sea Cloud (not Burke's) DOES sail. She is square rigged and carries 90 crew and 20 HIGH PAYING ultra wealthy passengers. The health and safety standards were so bad on Burke's vessels (non existent really) that ALL his ships were banned from all US ports unless it was being towed in for repairs to a ship yard. The Fantome went to WPB, FL in February 1977 for months of rebuilding and refititng after her wreck in January. His business model did work, sort of. It bit him in the ass big time in 1998. Get the passengers drunk starting with a GIANT bowl of Bloody Marys at 6AM. Encourage them to pass out on deck so they would not be reminded how cramped and unsanitary their cabins were. Pay the crew $100.....a MONTH. Even the captains did not make much. Burke sold cheap booze and a promise of a life stlyle. I almost died in 1977. So, I did things the right way. Got MY Master Dive Instructor and USGC captains licenses, and bought a live aboard boat in St Barts (screw the Bahamas. Its cold there in the Winter) . I ran other peoples boats free lance. Private and charter. I only took out special people vising St Barts on my sweet live aboard Gaff Rigged Yawl. I lived the life for 15 years before eventually going back to real 1000 foot ships in The US Merchant Marine. MUCH more fun on my OWN boat in St Barts, St Martin and the British Virgin Islands.
I had the wonderful experience of a Windjammer cruise aboard the ill-fated Fantome. I'll never forget it!
Thanks for your video.
Back when the world was a bit more civilized and normal and lefties weren't as obvious or violent .Great ad and beautiful women in it. Like the music a bit like my own!
I worked on Fantome, then Yankee Clipper and Flying Cloud in 1988/89
I worked on the Fantome in the 90s
No disappointment, my early 80s cruise on the Fantome was great. I now have 55 on many types of ships. Doubt that it will happen but I so hope that a great guy who was with Westen Airlines might see this. He saved my life while scuba diving. I thanked him but not enough.
Where was the Dive Master? There was supposed to be one. I sailed as Dive Master on The Fantome in January 1977 right before she ran up on a reef and almost sank in a horrific Winter storm.
Ride the fantome,,lads,into a cat 5,hurricane
Love how much this promo doesn't say. Deserted beaches because the ship only goes to deserted islands or third world countries because the Coast guard won't pass the ship for SOLAS inspection, so there were limited places the ship could go. Dancing is the high light of the lame entertainment on the ship. Hot dogs and hamburger picnics on the beach, with very little to do on most of these islands. Unless you want to snorkel or just lay on the beach, you could be very disappointed.
a very big no.... I worked for Windjammer and this might have been the case later on but in 1992 such was not the case.
Just reliving a wonderful part of my life! Glad I was not there to see the end of that era, but this person was dead wrong! I would never call St. Maarten, St. Bart's, the BVI, Grenada, etc. a deserted island or 3rd world country! Very little to do in these islands? What? Insane! Obviously this person had never been on a real Windjammer (Burke) line of great sailing ships! I am now a Viking fan but if I had a choice to do again - any Windjammer, any day!