Daily Examiner: Daily Examiner

STAR Clippers have taken out top honours in three categories at the 18th annual World Travel Awards in Doha, Qatar: World's Leading Luxury Sailing Cruise Company, World's Leading Green Cruise Line and World's Leading Small Ships Cruise Line.

The World Travel Awards were launched in 1993 to celebrate excellence and achievement in the world's travel and tourism industry.

Star Clippers director of sales and marketing Andy Lovering said that to be recognized by agencies and consumers around the world for its green initiatives validated Star Clippers efforts to be responsible corporate citizens.

"To also achieve honours for our overall product confirms the strong relationships we have with both our travel agent partners and those who sail with us," he said.

Star Clippers' three luxury sailing ships, the flagship Royal Clipper, and sister ships Star Clipper and Star Flyer, follow the sun in the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and the Baltic, the Caribbean, and Costa Rica/Panama.

The ships combine the pampered luxury of mega-yacht cruising with the thrill of sailing aboard an authentic clipper ship visiting intimate ports of call often untouched by larger cruise ships.