Corsica Dreams! Our Star Clippers Cruise From Nice (Review)

As avid cruisers, we’ve fallen head over heels for small-ship ocean and river cruises – the kind that take you to small ports, villages and coastlines the mega-ships can’t reach.

We’ve sailed with Star Clippers before in the Caribbean and Asia, so when we got a sudden urge for some Mediterranean sun, we couldn’t resist booking a last-minute October cruise to Corsica on the 166-passenger Star Flyer.

This graceful four-masted tall ship – one of three in Star Clippers’ fleet – was inspired by 19th-century clipper ships. Together, the Star Flyer, Star Clipper and Royal Clipper are among the world’s largest and tallest sailing vessels.

For this voyage, we wanted an off-the-beaten-path itinerary, and the line’s 7-day Nice-to-Corsica sailing fit the bill perfectly.

The weather couldn’t have been better – sunny and warm (save for a couple of days), with Mediterranean waters still invitingly swimmable.

Here’s our Star Clippers Corsica cruise review of our trip.

Sailing the French Riviera and Corsica

Star Clippers offers several round-trip itineraries from Nice that explore the south of France and Corsica each spring and again in fall.

What’s different about Star Clippers’ Med cruises

You really sail!

Star Clippers’ vessels actually sail – the sails aren’t just for show.

Whenever the wind cooperates, the captain cuts the engines and lets nature take over. Of course, the ships are equipped with auxiliary diesel engines, used when the wind is too light or when schedules need to be kept.

At the beginning of our voyage, we were blessed (or not?) with barely a whisper of wind – great for smooth seas and comfort, though it meant little true sailing early on.

Later in the week, though, when the wind picked up, the captain unfurled the sails at every opportunity.

And when Star Flyer glided away from port to the stirring anthem “Conquest of Paradise” by Vangelis – her 16 white sails billowing against the blue sky – it was goose-bump magic every time.

Flexible itinerary

We’ve learned that real sailing doesn’t always stick to a script. Wind and weather call the shots, and that’s part of the adventure with Star Clippers!

We knew our ports-of-call in advance, but exact arrival and departure times were “fluid,” changing with conditions.

For instance, we were scheduled to leave Nice at 10 p.m. But on the previous week’s cruise, the captain pushed the departure several hours ahead when strong winds were forecast – once everyone was aboard, off they went!

In our case, we reached Portofino ahead of schedule and could go ashore two hours earlier than expected. (No one complained about bonus time in Portofino!)

From the moment we boarded, this Mediterranean itinerary had a gentler rhythm than our previous Caribbean Star Clippers cruises.

The late-season timing also meant fewer crowds.

The French Riviera towns were pleasantly quiet, with just enough buzz to feel lively but never overwhelming. Only Portofino was packed, thanks to a visiting ship of 2,500 passengers anchored nearby.

Corsica, by contrast, felt blissfully uncrowded.

All tender ports

Every stop on our itinerary cruise was a tender port, with Star Flyer anchoring offshore.

We took “dry” tenders to piers or “wet” tenders straight to the beach. Tenders typically ran every 30 minutes.

Note: No matter your chosen Med itinerary, you can expect more tendering than on other larger cruise ships – as Star Clippers purposely visits small ports where the big cruise liners can’t dock.

Few organized ship excursions

There were only a handful of organized tours on our cruise – just one each in three ports (fewer than you’d find on larger ships cruising the Med).

We’d researched things to do beforehand (we always do!) and, since we like to be active, we sought out local walking trails.

Each morning, the cruise director also gave a short port talk around 9:30 a.m., just before arrival, with tips on what to do independently.

Our Nice-to-Corsica itinerary

Boarding started after 4 p.m. at Nice’s small cruise terminal.

We arrived by taxi from our pre-cruise Nice hotel and joined other guests waiting to board in groups. Ours was the last group, so we waited about 45 minutes.

Once onboard, we were greeted with warm smiles, fruit juice, sandwiches, and sweet treats – a taste of the friendly unpretentious service that defines Star Clippers.

Tip: If your ship departs late (ours left at 10 p.m.), it can pay to show up after the official embarkation start time. On past Star Clippers cruises, arriving later meant walking straight aboard, with no waiting.

Day 2 – Portofino, Italy

Pint-sized Portofino needs no introduction. Shore excursions aren’t offered here and they’re not needed. The town is best explored on your own. Truth be told, you can see the whole place in about an hour!

We tendered ashore to the oh-so-pretty harbor with its pastel-colored designer boutiques, chic cafés and mega yachts gleaming in the sun. (Our clipper ship, we were told, gets to anchor closest to town because she enhances the view!)

Then we climbed up the concrete steps behind the port, following signs toward the Faro Di Portofino lighthouse.

The scenic 20-minute walk (all paved) winds past Castello Brown, an impressive fortress with knock-out views of the harbor. It ends at a cliff-top bar, where you can sip an Aperol Spritz while gazing at the lighthouse.

Back in town, a large Celebrity ship (2,500+ passengers) was also in port, making Portofino feel jammed.

To escape the crowds, we hopped on the 15-minute ferry to Santa Margherita Ligure (ferries run regularly; schedule here) and walked back to Portofino along the coastal path.

This gorgeous, mostly flat pedestrian trail (about 3½ miles long) hugs the sea, winding alongside the coastal road and later, higher up through pine forest as you near Portofino.

That evening back onboard, we joined the Captain’s reception on deck for repeat guests. About a third of the guests were returning Star Clippers fans like us.

We met our friendly (and very handsome!) young blond captain and swapped stories over champagne with other guests, as the sun dipped below the sea.

Day 3 – Saint-Florent, Corsica

When conditions permit, Star Flyer’s crew set up water sports from the ship’s side, where you can kayak, SUP or sail a dinghy.

The water was glassy this morning, so I (Janice) grabbed a paddleboard and set off solo. Bliss! I had the entire bay to myself!

Later after lunch, we took a dry tender into Saint-Florent, a sleepy authentic little Corsican port framed by mountains. With the season winding down, cafés were quiet and streets nearly empty.

We strolled up to the Citadel for views, then farther to a pristine pebbly beach – utterly deserted. I couldn’t resist a swim – until a jellyfish sting chased me back ashore! (The welts faded after a few hours.)

Next time, we’d catch a RIB (rigid inflatable boat) out to the Agriates Desert beaches – the main draw here. The boats were still running in mid-October, and those white sand beaches are said to be stunning!

Late afternoon brought one of the cruise’s highlights – a photo safari of the Star Flyer under full sail.

Calvi is a postcard-perfect town on Corsica’s northwest coast. Overlooked by a proud medieval citadel, it boasts a long curve of golden sand, backed by pine trees and a yacht marina.

The beach clubs were packed away when we visited, and the town was near-empty (the end of season). And light rain turned the cobblestones slippery. Still, it was beautiful.

In the afternoon, we joined the ship’s excursion to the villages of Sant’Antonino and Pigna. The scenic bus drive to get there wound along narrow mountain roads, past pine-clad slopes dotted with prickly pear and grazing sheep.

Sant’Antonino dates back to the 9th century and is listed among Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (“most beautiful villages of France”). It perches high atop a craggy hilltop like a stone sentinel.

No cars are allowed, and after a drink of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, we wandered its maze of narrow lanes in near silence, meeting only a few other hardy souls with hiking sticks.

Unfortunately, the planned olive-oil tasting was canceled due to a family emergency on the part of the host. So we detoured to another village for a sampling of local canistrelli biscuits – and cappuccinos, of course!

The outing offered a wonderful taste of Corsica’s wild rugged interior. We left thinking it would be the perfect place to return for a proper hiking holiday.

Day 5 – Plage Saint-Antoine, Corsica

This day took us to a wild remote corner of Corsica, accessible only by tender – Plage Saint-Antoine.

It was a “wet landing” on the beach, meaning we climbed down the tender’s back ladder into ankle-deep water to reach the shore.

The wide gray-sand beach, scattered with dried sea grass, was unspoiled – no cafés, no people, just sea and sky. A few camper vans dotted the parking lot.

The weather wasn’t as warm as we would have liked for a beach day. Still, I couldn’t resist going stand-up paddleboarding again. (The ship’s watersports team had set up SUP boards, kayaks and sailing dinghies on the beach.)

George opted for quiet reading time on deck.

Then the skies opened up in the afternoon – torrential rain, followed by a rainbow as the ship departed under sail. That night, the seas were rough, and while we slept fine, some guests unfortunately didn’t fare as well.

This morning, we were scheduled to tender to Pampelonne Beach, Saint-Tropez’s famous strand. But the swell was too strong for a safe beach landing.

No matter. We enjoyed a lazy morning onboard under bright sunshine and also eyed a pop-up sale on deck of beautiful linen shirts – the Star Clippers boutique is dangerously tempting! Other guests enjoyed a cooking demo.

By early afternoon, conditions had improved and we tendered to the actual town of Saint-Tropez. Here, we were greeted by rows of enormous yachts in the marina, designer shops (like Jimmy Choo, Balenciaga and Miu Miu) and impeccable cobbled streets.

Visitors sipped rosé at waterfront cafés, watching the parade of visitors go by.

But we had to return to the ship to get ready for the Captain’s Dinner of lobster and flaming Baked Alaska, complete with a champagne toast!

Day 7 – Saint-Raphael, French Riviera

Stylish Saint-Raphael, with its palm-lined seafront promenade and yacht-filled marina, turned out to be one of our favorite stops on the Cote d’Azur.

We could easily imagine renting an apartment here for a few weeks in future!

The town blossomed into a fashionable seaside destination in the 19th century, when elegant villas, luxury hotels and a casino sprang up – spurred on by the arrival of the railway.

There’s also an atmospheric old town. But the beaches are its biggest draw.

To the west, Saint-Raphael blends seamlessly into neighboring Frejus, known for its Roman ruins, long sandy beaches and lively waterfront promenade. You can stroll from one to the other without even realizing you’ve crossed into a new town!

We started by hopping aboard Le Petit Train, a fun 30-minute narrated ride around the port and town.

Afterward, we wandered east along the coast to Port Santa Lucia (about 1½ miles away), where we picked up the Esterel coastal walk (part of the Sentier Littoral we’d hiked in Saint-Tropez the day before).

We cooled off with a swim at a small pebble cove (Plage des Fournas) before heading back to the main road to catch the #21 bus to town.

It was a perfect day – and a wonderful finale to our Star Clippers cruise!

Life onboard Star Flyer

A Star Clippers cruise isn’t about glitz or traditional cruise ship luxury.

A true sailing experience

These are genuine working tall ships. You’ll find yourself ducking under ropes, stepping over lines on deck and sharing space with the crew as they go about their work.

Communal dining

There’s just one dining room (no specialty restaurants). Meals are open-seating at communal tables – relaxed, friendly and sociable.

The food on Star Flyer is good (though not gourmet). And the central buffet area on Star Flyer can get a bit crowded during breakfast and lunch.

Cocktails and wines are very reasonably priced.

Cozy cabins

Cabins are compact (er, small!) but cleverly designed, with nautical brass fittings and smart storage solutions. And there are no private balconies (except for a few suites on the larger Royal Clipper).

We booked a Category 4 cabin on Star Flyer’s lower Commodore Deck, near the engine (one of only two cabins left) – and definitely heard a nighttime rumble!

Tip: Light sleepers will prefer a Category 2 cabin on the higher Clipper Deck (they’re a touch larger too). Or go for a premium Category 1 cabin, where doors open right onto the Main Deck.  

Where to stay in Nice before or after your cruise

Star Clippers’ Corsica cruise review: Final thoughts

This was our fifth Star Clippers voyage, and somehow, the magic never fades. There’s something timeless about traveling under sail – the golden light on the rigging, the canvas sails catching the wind, the sense of belonging to an age-old maritime tradition.

Our Nice-to-Corsica voyage, late in the Med season, felt authentic, adventurous and unhurried.

For us, Star Clippers remains one of the most special – and soulful – ways to cruise the seas, discovering lesser-known corners of the world along the way.

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