2026 Sailing Plan
A challenging and exciting season afloat
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Departure Date: 05-Jul-26
Arrival Date: 13-Jul-26
Remaining Places Available: 12
Departure Location: Harlingen, Friesland, Netherlands
Arrival location: Antwerp, Belgium
Cost of trip: £1,272 per person age 25 and under £1,484 per person age 26 and over All online bookings are subject to a 6% booking fee Call or email to book without the fee!
Bursaries & Sponsorships:
TALL SHIPS RACES: LEG 2 C-in-C: HARLINGEN, THE NETHERLANDS TO ANTWERP, BELGIUM
**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.
About your destination: Why sail with Excelsior for Tall Ships Races? As a smaller vessel with 17 crew (5 responsible crew and 12 trainees), you form a tight-knit community from day 1. You work together to achieve all elements of the voyage, from cooking to sail handling to helming to navigating. Everyone gets to experience everything, and you form a close bond with everyone in the crew. The professional team is friendly and accessible, and highly experienced in handling their ship. Since Excelsior is still authentically rigged and sailed as she was when she was built in 1921, she's a dream for traditional boat geeks (and wannabe geeks) who really want an experience of historic sailing. You get a close-to-the-water small boat sailing experience, whilst still feeling safely cradled in a large strong sea-going voyager. You don't need any sailing experience to join the Tall Ships Races, just enthusiasm and a thirst for adventure.
