Sea Cloud: Lindblad
- capacity
- 58
- year built
- 1931
- remodeled
- 2011
- crew members
- 60
- length
- 360 feet
- beam
- 50 feet
- draft
- 17 feet
- cruising speed
- 10 knots
- flag
- La Valletta/Malta
The 58-guest Sea Cloud: Lindblad is the historic Marjorie Merriweather Post sailing yacht, chartered by National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions for select Caribbean and Mediterranean itineraries. Although the ship is enormously elegant, she is also friendly and informal, making for a relaxed time. Interiors are paneled in carved oak, fitted with Italian marble and elegantly furnished with period antiques. Enjoy the grace and class of an extraordinarily luxurious ship while relaxing in the casual atmosphere and informal style of expedition travel.
This version of Sea Cloud’s cabin categories and amenities is for her charter by National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. The Sea Cloud also sails with a slightly different deck plan for other itineraries. To see this version of the vessel, visit Sea Cloud.
Sea Cloud: Lindblad Review
AdventureSmith Explorations’ detailed review of the Sea Cloud: Lindblad offers a complete small ship description including deck plans and a photo gallery. An AdventureSmith Explorations crew member has been aboard the Sea Cloud in the Mediterranean. Please read our Sea Cloud review below then contact our experts to compare the Sea Cloud with other small cruise ships, catamarans, expedition ships, tall ships and yachts offering Caribbean small ship cruises, small ship Mediterranean cruises, Greece small ship cruises and Croatia small ship cruises.
Choose Sea Cloud for her history, elegance and extravagant charm. Sailing on a traditional square rig this smartly has not been done since the British Empire, making this ship ideal for travelers looking to experience the past along with the modern comforts of the twenty-first century. Sails are raised by hand by a spirited crew, who scramble up and down the masts to get the rigging done. When the sails are open, she’s just magnificent. She carries 30 sails measuring a total of 32,000 square feet, with a main mast height of 178 feet. For guests willing to participate, the Sea Cloud sometimes offers a unique tour of participating guests’ rooms, so everyone can see and learn the history of the different cabins available. There is truly no other ship like it!
History Aboard Sea Cloud: Lindblad
Built in 1931 by Wall Street businessman E. F. Hutton for his wife, Marjorie Merriweather Post, Sea Cloud embodies true elegance and poise. There is no ship afloat that can compare to her grace, fine service and sheer joy of sailing. The ship has played host to royalty, known service in wartime and sailed the world over. Her exquisite original cabins stand as a testament to Marjorie Merriweather Post’s indulgence in luxury. She loved the best of everything—Carrara marble, golden bath fixtures, polished teak and antique furniture. Today many suites embody that elegance with their large marble baths, fireplaces, overstuffed armchairs and walk-in closets.
Common Areas Aboard Sea Cloud: Lindblad
The top Lido Deck is perfect for watching the orchestration of hand-raising and reefing Sea Cloud’s 30 sails, visiting the bar and listening to lectures and presentations. Marjorie Merriweather Post nicknamed the cushioned semicircle at the stern of the ship the Blue Lagoon, a perfect place to relax while gazing up at the masts and sails. The Monkey Deck, perched above the bridge, is ideal for observing up-close the web of rigging 180 feet overhead. An open bridge policy offers the chance to watch the calm business of navigation and sailing unfold. Ever-ready binoculars are available for scanning the horizon and five brass chevrons fixed at the front of the bridge stands for half-a-year of active military service during WWII. Because Sea Cloud is a truly historic vessel, it is important to note that some passageways are tight and stairwells can be steep. Such original design aspects were made to leave more square footage for cabins and common areas and add to the historic charm of the sailing experience.
Wireless internet is available on the Lido Deck for an extra charge, with a laptop available for use on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is a telephone in each private room, with calls billed at an additional charge. The ship’s laundry, available at an additional charge, handles personal laundry and pressing, making it easy to pack light. A doctor is aboard Sea Cloud and available 24 hours a day free of charge.
Dining Aboard Sea Cloud: Lindblad
While Sea Cloud’s dining room and lounge are suitable for black-tie formality, there’s a certain lighthearted delight in enjoying it in casual dress. There’s no assigned seating and no need to dress up. Sea Cloud’s dining room is paneled in warm woods and hung with original oil paintings and located on the Promenade Deck, in Sea Cloud’s former salon, where Marjorie Merriweather Post received her guests.
An array of fresh fruits and delicious fresh juices are key components of the breakfast buffet. Wines from well-known regions are served with lunch and dinner and are included in the expedition price. There are fish or meat choices at every meal and the chefs happily accommodate special diet requests (dietary restrictions should be made known prior to departure). The chefs come from renowned, first-class restaurants and offer fresh, contemporary cuisine inflected with regional flavors and locally sourced ingredients from sustainable providers whenever possible. Coffee, teas, cappuccinos and coffee drinks are available for order.
Swimming from Sea Cloud: Lindblad
Swimming from Sea Cloud is more than an average jump into the sea. Like everything aboard, it is a special event unto itself. Site selection is important, as the captain looks to anchor the ship where it will provide a calm but sunny lee with a spectacular view. Down go the safety lines, to which a dozen or so floating mattresses are strung as a boundary. The gangway is lowered into the water and the hotel manager lifeguard calls out with exuberance, “The pool is open!” The sea fills with smiling, laughing bobble-heads, buoyed up by the clear ocean’s salinity. Guests swim leisurely or lay on a floating mattress, looking up in awe at the towering masts and rigging above.
Cabins & Deck Plan Aboard Sea Cloud: Lindblad
Sea Cloud accommodates 58 guests in 28 cabins, including two Owner’s Suites. All accommodations are outside facing with a window or porthole with private views of the sea. Every cabin is exquisitely furnished, has temperature controls and a minibar stocked with soft drinks and bottled water. Ice is delivered twice daily. Each cabin is equipped with a telephone and small safe. Slippers, bathrobes and umbrellas are provided, and each bathroom is stocked with shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, a shower cap, sewing kit, nail file and a hairdryer. Closet space and under-bed storage should fit most luggage. Otherwise staff will store excess luggage as needed. Some rooms have dressers.
