Deputy Prime Minister/Tourism Minister Chester Cooper was on hand for a first-call plaque exchange with Capt. Heiner Eilers and Sea Cloud Cruises North America President Mirell Reyes.
The tall ship is sailing round-trip Nassau on a March 4-12 cruise to boutique ports including the Exumas and Eleuthera. Guest lecturer Les Standiford, best-selling author and historian, will also be on the 2025 trip to share his passions for Florida, The Bahamas and trains.
'This voyage on Sea Cloud Spirit symbolizes not only the strength of our cruise industry but the enduring allure of The Bahamas as a destination of choice for travelers around the world,' Cooper said.
And Mike Maura Jr., regional director of Global Ports Holding (Americas) and CEO of Nassau Cruise Port, said the Bahamian itinerary 'will certainly charm' Sea Cloud Spirit's passengers. He added: 'We look forward to many more visits from this exceptionally crafted vessel and others from the Sea Cloud Cruises fleet.' Maura noted further luxury ships are booked, including those of The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Scenic.
Miami round-trip with Palm Beach stay and Brightline
In 2025 Sea Cloud Spirit will operate a Bahamas-intensive voyage round-trip Miami. The March 27-April 4 trip features a pre-cruise hotel stay at The Breakers Palm Beach and a Brightline Premium transfer option.
The trip relates to Sea Cloud's Marjorie Merriweather Post history — she and husband E.F. Hutton built what is now the company's original yacht in 1931 and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach — and two of Standiford's books. 'The Last Train to Paradise' is a definitive history of Henry Flagler and the Florida East Coast Railway, which is closely connected to Brightline, and 'Palm Beach, Mar-a-Lago and the Rise of America's Xanadu' includes Post and Hutton.
Standiford will share tales throughout the journey that includes stops at Eleuthera, the Exumas and Key West, with multiple days under full sail.
'Our guests are continually enamored with the earliest chapter of Sea Cloud’s history and there is no more charming expert and storyteller of this golden age than Les Standiford,' Reyes said.
The Brightline connection
Brightline is the new train system on the same corridor as the Florida East Coast Railway. It connects Orlando and Miami including a stop at Palm Beach. Travelers who book the pre-cruise stay at The Breakers can experience Premium service (including door-to-door transfers) en route to Brightline MiamiCentral and PortMiami to embark Sea Cloud Spirit.
'Brightline’s Premium service is the ultimate experience for discerning travelers to combine a pre-or post-cruise luxury hotel resort in Central or South Florida,' said Brightline’s SVP Partnerships and Sales Johanna Rojas.
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