2026 Sailing Plan

27th April to 1st May 2026

£530 age 25 and under, £636 age 26 and over, including 6% online booking fee. 

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You'll learn how a traditional Lowestoft fishing smack is rigged and sailed, and the work that it takes to get her underway and keep her going. You'll be invited to take part as much as possible in the day-to-day of life at sea including the principles of sailing and what makes a sailing vessel go forward. We don't expect you to have any experience of being at sea and sailing; we will teach you everything need to know. More experienced sailors will appreciate how Excelsior is rigged and how manual it all is compared to modern yachts. The more you get involved, the more you'll take away from this experience.

5th-9th May

£530.18, age 25 and under, £636, age 26 and over including 6% online booking fee

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Open to anyone from age 14 upwards and perfect for the DofE Gold Residential award, this trip will take you across the North Sea to either Belgium or The Netherlands depending on the weather and back again To Ispwich after an exhilirating journey on a traditional Lowestoft fishing smack. The North Sea can be cruel or kind, but either way, you'll be safe on Excelsior's broad deck and under the instruction of our highly experienced professional crew. You'll learn all you need to know to get the most out the trip and have an experience that you'll remember forever and want more of!

24th and 25th May 2026

£159 age 25 and under, £185.50 age 26 and over including 6% online booking fee

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Suitable for ages 14 and over

Always wondered what it would be like to sail on a traditionally rigged vessel but don't want, or can't commit to a long trip? Here is the solution! Step on board Excelsior and we'll teach you all you need to know about  sailing and living aboard a 105-year old Lowestoft fishing smack, all without having to haul an enormous net in. You'll learn about navigation, hoisting and dropping sails, helming, passage planning and as much as you'd like to know about our wonderful boat.

Day sails and short trips from Ipswich in May and June

Excelsior is a training vessel, and everyone is encouraged to take part as much as possible in the sailing and running of her. On overnight trips. this includes assisting below decks with meal prep and taking part in the watch system. Each of the 3 4-hour watches is overseen by a member of the professional crew. A full safety briefing is given at the beginning of the trip with additional training for specific tasks given when required. All meals and refreshments are provided. For day sails, this is lunch and refreshments.

Leaving from Ipswich Beacon Marina at approximately 10am, take a leisurely sail down the Orwell and out into the North Sea where, depending on the wind direction, you’ll take some time to sail along the coast before returning to Ipswich for approximately 4pm.

We have life jackets and wet weather gear for everyone on board. Due to a limited number of small life jackets, we are unable to take children younger than 10 years of age.

Overnight: 2nd-3rd May and 31st May-1st June £318.12 age 26 and over, £265 age 25 and under

3rd June-4th June £371 age 26 and over, £318.12 ages 25 and under

Half-term day sails down the Orwell: Sunday 24th, Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 28th May £185.50 age 26 and over, £159 age 25 and under

3-day Ipswich-Lowestoft 6th-8th June £556.50 age 26 and over, £477 age 25 and under

Prices look a bit odd? They now include a 6% online booking fee so call or email to pay without it!

16th-23rd June

£1,113 age 25 and under, £1,298.5 age 26 and over. Prices include 6% online booking fee

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Join Excelsior's crew for an unforgettable trip up to Denmark for the start of the Sailing Training International Tall Ships Races. Suitable for ages 14 up, no experience is required for this as you'll be on board long enough to really get to grips with sailing and being at sea. Sailing for the whole trip length, you'll be put into a watch system with specific duties; expect to spend at least 4 hours on deck and 8 hours either sleeping or taking care of the domestic duties, including cooking and cleaning. 

DofE Gold Restidential Award eligible

**Call or email to book** 

26th June - 5th July 2026 

Price: age 25 and under £1,431  per person

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Join Excelsior in Aarhus on the east coast of Denmark's central area on the stretch of sea called Kattegat or, Cat's Gate for the first race of 2026's Tall Ships festival. Aarhus has a history going back to the Viking era and is now a vibrant city, the second largest after Copenhagen. While the Aarhus area is rich in history, it is also a modern forward-looking city with museums, parks, a zoo, cafes and restaurants serving excellent local and international cuisine. We know Denmark for hygge, but there is much more to it, and the importance they place on family and society make it a very safe place to visit. Transport links in Denmark are very good; there are flights from London to Aarhus, or alternatively trains run from Copenhagen. The local and national buses are also good with excellent connections and are safe for solo travellers.

This is a 8-day/9-night voyage on board Excelsior and will take you up and around the top of the Jutland Peninsula and down the eastern reaches of the North Sea along the Friesian Islands and between them into Harlingen in The Netherlands. Both Aarhus and Harlingen will be hosting a festival celebrating not just the tall ships, but also their culture with special events, local food, music and the opportunity to visit the other ships taking part. Some have open days when you can go on board for a tour, make friends with their crew and find out for yourself how other ships are sailed. You’ll also take part in the Crew Parade and attend the Crew Party.

Eligible for DofE Gold Residential Award

You will be sent a kit list after signing up, but we don’t expect you to buy expensive sailing kit. We have wet weather gear on board, and a life jacket for everyone. Please get in touch if you have any questions.

Please remember that many European ports will need some biometric information – fingerprints and a photo - from you upon arrival, so make sure you calculate extra time for that when making your travel arrangements and leave enough time to get to the boat. You should plan to embark Excelsior at 5pm on the first day of the trip and disembark by 10am on the final day.

Due to racing requirements, this is open to 15-25 year olds only

**Call or email to book** 

5th July – 13th July 2026

Prices: age 25 and under £1,272 per person

age 26 and over £1,484 per person

Prices include 6% booking fee

Call or email to book without the fee!

Leg 2 of the Races is an 7-day/8-night Cruise-in-Company leg. From Harlingen to Antwerp, Belgium, this is where the Tall Ships lives up to its name as a friendly race with ships being encouraged to sail together, perhaps swapping some crew members and generally take things at a slower pace to appreciate coastline and take to easy up the Scheldt river into the diamond capital of the world, Antwerp. Getting here is very easy from the UK with flights, trains and buses all options and something for all budgets.

This 8-day voyage is perfect for really getting to know how to sail, you’ll have time to learn some navigation, passage planning and getting to know some other ships. Time allowing, you may be able to stop in somewhere, meet and enjoy time with the crew and trainees from another ship and country - this is an international event, and Excelsior has made many friends over the years!

Ater your arrival in port, you’ll be able to explore the port and festival area, take part in the Crew Parade, attend the Crew Party, and visit other boats and swap stories of your adventures. For fans of chocolate, Belgium is famous for it and there will no doubt be plenty to purchase at the festival and in the local shops. The city also boasts some spectacular Gothic architecture, great shopping, and their famous waffles, and moules frites!

Eligible for DofE Gold Residential Award

You will be sent a kit list after signing up, but we don’t expect you to buy expensive sailing kit. We have wet weather gear on board, and a life jacket for everyone. Please get in touch if you have any questions.

Please remember that many European ports will need some biometric information – fingerprints and a photo - from you upon arrival, so make sure you calculate extra time for that when making your travel arrangements and leave enough time to get to the boat. You should plan to embark Excelsior at 5pm on the first day of the trip and leave by 10am on the final day.

**Call or email to book**

13th July – 24th July 2026

Price: £1,749 per person, inc 6% online booking fee

Call or email to book without the fee!

Norway is well known to Excelsior having spent some of her life on a small Norwegian island, ploughing up and down the coast, so she is familiar with the waters. Stavanger may be quite far north, but in the summer, it is warm and bathed in glorious, clear sunshine. A stunning mix of traditional buildings and embracing the low-key Scandinavian lifestyle and respect for history, the city is a very pretty example of Norwegian living, combining the old and new in great style. Travel to Stavanger from the UK is from Manchester, Gatwick, Newcastle and Aberdeen, it may be easier to fly to The Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark or another Norwegian airport and take a connecting flight. In common with other Scandinavian countries, Norway can be considered safe for solo travellers.

After a 11-day/10-night passage, expect a very warm welcome in Stavanger from people whose cultural history is steeped in making a living from the sea and the appreciation of the ships that sail on it. The festival here will be all about local customs, food, music and hospitality, whilst not ignoring the modern world and all its benefits. A popular summer destination for Norwegians and visitors arriving on cruise ships, it’s likely to be a lively few days! The Crew Parade and Crew Party will of course take centre stage for the trainees, just don’t forget to look around this beautiful port and city.

Eligible for DofE Gold Residential Award

You will be sent a kit list after signing up, but we don’t expect you to buy expensive sailing kit. We have wet weather gear on board, and a life jacket for everyone. Please get in touch if you have any questions.

Please remember that many European ports will need some biometric information – fingerprints and a photo - from you upon arrival, so make sure you calculate extra time for that when making your travel arrangements and leave enough time to get to the boat. You should plan to embark Excelsior at 5pm on the first day of the trip and leave by 10am on the final day.

Due to racing requirements, this is open to 15-25 year olds only

**Call or email to book** 

24th July – 1st August 2026

Price: £1,272 per person, inc 6% online booking fee

Call or email to book without the fee!

The final leg and the third race of 2026’s Tall Ships Races leaves Stavanger to go around the top of Denmark’s Jutland Peninsula, into the Kattegat (Cat’s Gate) and up the Limfjord river to the busy Port of Aalborg. Aalborg is small enough to walk and cycle around and large enough to have all the amenities you need for a fun visit; like so many others, you can see the respect for the history sitting comfortably alongside the new. It has its own airport with flights from European cities, many from the UK with a transfer via Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. Once in Aalborg, there is a bus into the city which drops you close to the port area. Safe for solo travellers, most people speak enough English to help you out if you need directions.

The final Crew Parade and Crew Party will be a big affair accompanied by a festival of music, food and culture introducing you to Denmark and the Danish way. This  will be the last chance to see the other ships up close and take advantage of the tours some of them provide and all the ships will be bidding each other a fond farewell before setting off on their next adventures.

Eligible for DofE Gold Residential Award

You will be sent a kit list after signing up, but we don’t expect you to buy expensive sailing kit. We have wet weather gear on board, and a life jacket for everyone. Please get in touch if you have any questions.

You should plan to embark Excelsior at 5pm on the first day of the trip and leave by 10am on the final day.

Due to racing requirements, this is open to 15-25 year olds only

Baltic Odyssey

10th-13th August

Prices: £636 age 25 and under/£742 age 26 and over, inc 6% booking fee

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A 4-day introduction to the Baltic Sea and its simply stunning sailing area. This taster sail will whet your appetite for more sailing – and maybe even to stay on board for our passage home through the Keil Canal and across the North Sea back to Lowestoft! Meet us at Rostock, Germany and sail to Keil via the coasts of Germany, Poland and Denmark, stopping when time allows to see this beautiful part of the world that many UK pleasure and training vessels don’t visit; with hot summer sun, ideal sailing conditions and warm welcomes, you will fall in love with area as much as we have!

Suitable for ages 15 and up.

Kiel, Germany to Lowestoft

14th-21st August

Prices: £1,272 age 25 and under/£1,484 age 26 and over, inc 6% booking fee

Call or email to book without the fee!

Are you looking to add to your mileage and want to go through the famous Kiel Canal before crossing the North Sea? Something a little different for your logbook? Or want an adventure to kickstart your sailing pastime that’s a bit more of a commitment? Then this is ideal for you! Like all our other trips, you don’t need any experience to join our intrepid crew on this adventure; we’re a training vessel so you’ll be given all the training you need to participate fully in life on board and at sea. You’ll be put into one of the 3 4-hour watches which rotate through the day and night to keep Excelsior sailing all the time. The responsibilities vary from being on deck helming, raising and lowering sails – not as easy as a modern yacht - cooking for the company, cleaning, filling in the logbook, getting grips with passage planning and navigation, and helping with sail work if extra hands are needed on deck. Excelsior thrives with a full and helpful crew and the satisfaction of completing a longer passage is worthwhile.

Eligible for DofE Gold Residential Award

Day sail and short trips from Lowestoft in September

Excelsior is a training vessel, and everyone is encouraged to take part as much as possible in the sailing and running of her. On overnight trips. this includes assisting below decks with meal prep and taking part in the watch system. Each of the 3 4-hour watches is overseen by a member of the professional crew. A full safety briefing is given at the beginning of the trip with additional training for specific tasks given when required. All meals and refreshments are provided. For day sails, this is lunch and refreshments.

We have life jackets and wet weather gear for everyone on board. Due to a limited number of small life jackets, we are unable to take children younger than 10 years of age.

Overnight: 26th-27th September £286.20 age 26 and over, £233.20 age 25 and under

Prices look a bit odd? They now include a 6% online booking fee so call or email to pay without it!