Travel Guidelines & Rules

Important Information

Dear Guest / Voyage Crew Trainee,

We look forward to welcoming you on board SV Florette in the near future. In order to make your stay on board as pleasant as possible, we have included some important points and tips that should be read before your departure. They can be found below, in the Downloads section.

In particular, you should be aware that you will be taking part in an active holiday on board an old-time sailing ship; therefore, it should not and cannot be compared with a holiday on board a Motor Yacht, Cruise Liner or Turkish Gulette.

Although you will be embarking on an adventure holiday and the emphasis will be on your enjoyment of the experience, you will be on the vessel as a Voyage Crew member. Your role as a Voyage Crew Member will involve you learning about and participating in ship life. Allowances will be made for age and abilities, and no previous sailing experience is necessary.

Very best wishes,
Captain Ron

Safety on Board

On board the Florette you must follow the orders of the captain. Before we leave the port and set sail, all guests on board are instructed about safety. In the event of a storm (wind speed 6 and above) a safe bay or a shipyard is preferred for the wellbeing of our guests. Changes in the trip route due to bad weather are only for your safety.

Florette is a highly seaworthy sailing ship and has withstood a storm without a problem. The ship is refurbished professionally in every winter in the shipyard and is subject to a yearly MMA shipping inspection (comparable with TÜV). In contrast to most other charter ships that are permitted for coastal cruising, Florette has a license for Open Ocean Sailing Class III (Solas B). The ship is equipped just according to the newest Europeans guidelines and standards for historic charter ships and sailing school ships. The ship is insured with Lloyds Underwriter and managed by a professional crew.

If something happens despite all safety precautions, a life jacket (also for children) with a safety belt, TPA and a light are certainly available for every crew member (guest). Space is available for everyone in the 5 life rafts that are located on board.
Florette’s life rafts are capable of carrying 60 people! There are 2 additional tender boats on board.

Seaworthiness

Florette has a unique charm as a historic wooden sailing ship. With its originality and safety she cannot be compared with a Turkish Gulet or the Croatian Double-Decker charter ships. Florette was built with a double-reinforced fuselage design since she was used specially for transporting marble. She has proved her seaworthiness as a cargo ship for decades and is one of the last original brigantines in the Mediterranean Sea precisely for this reason.
Brigantine Florette

Florette was built in 1921 as a brigantine without mechanical drive according to the RINA Directives in the famous Picchiotti shipyard in Empoli, Toscana in Italy. This ship with its double-reinforced fuselage design was used especially for transporting marble – from the port in Marina Carrara to different ports in the Mediterranean Sea.

Her construction class: 100A1.1 Mediterranean Sea