Portugal & Spain · April 2027
The Douro with Mike & Sheila Ingram
Porto, the port-wine valley and Salamanca aboard AmaSintra, with El Dorado Holdings
- Dates
- April 22–30, 2027
- Ship
- AmaSintra
- From
- $5,990 pp
The voyage
Hosted voyages since 1992 · Family-owned
Sail the sea roads of the First Century
SEA CLOUD SPIRIT · Photograph: SEA CLOUD CRUISES
A growing, family-owned company, we have run more than 100 full-ship charters since 1992, with thousands of travelers aboard. Each voyage is planned down to the last harbor, and hosted from the first evening to the last. All that is left is to come aboard.
Planned before you book
The ship, the route, the hotels, the coaches and the guides are chosen before a voyage opens, from years of sailing these waters. You choose a cabin; we look after the rest.
Hosted, and taught
Every voyage travels with its hosts and with teachers we choose for it, who open the history and Scripture of each place before you walk into it.
A small ship, all ours
We charter the whole ship, so everyone aboard is part of the voyage. The ships are small and voyages usually sell out, so the widest choice of cabins goes to those who reserve early.
- Sailing since
- 1992Sailing since
- Full-ship charters
- 100+Full-ship charters
- On Google, from 72 reviews
- 4.9On Google, from 72 reviews
SEA CLOUD CRUISES
Türkiye & Greece · July 2027
Travels of Paul: Istanbul to Athens
Philippi, Pergamum, Ephesus and Patmos aboard SEA CLOUD II, with St. Andrew Methodist Church
- Dates
- July 19–28, 2027
- Ship
- SEA CLOUD II
- From
- $8,990 pp
The voyage
Netherlands, Germany, France · December 2027
Christmas Markets on the Rhine
Amsterdam to Basel aboard AmaLucia, with Christopher J. H. Wright, Andy Crouch and Malcolm Guite
- Dates
- December 8–16, 2027
- Ship
- AmaLucia
- From
- $4,750 pp
The voyage
Host a voyage
Your group’s voyage
Churches, ministries and schools charter the whole ship. Tell us who you would like to travel with, and where, and we will plan the rest.
Talk to us about a charter
The sea roads of Acts
Paul crossed these waters by ship, harbor to harbor.
Much of the New Testament moved by sea: letters, messengers and the apostle himself. Follow his journeys as Acts tells them, then the route we sail in the same waters.
Routes after the narrative of Acts; unnamed turns keep the line off the land. Dashes mark travel overland.
01 · c. AD 46–48
First journey
Acts 13–14
With Barnabas from Antioch's harbor to Cyprus, then to Pamphylia and inland to Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. They retrace their steps and sail home from Attalia.
- Salamis. They preach in the synagogues of Salamis. Acts 13:5
- Paphos. Sergius Paulus, proconsul of Cyprus, believes. Acts 13:7–12
- Lystra. A man lame from birth walks; the crowd hails Barnabas and Paul as gods, then Paul is stoned. Acts 14:8–19
02 · c. AD 49–52
Second journey
Acts 15:36–18:22
The crossing into Europe: Troas to Neapolis and Philippi, south to Athens and Corinth, home by Ephesus.
- Philippi. Lydia is baptized by the river outside the gate. Acts 16:13–15
- Athens. Paul speaks on the Areopagus. Acts 17:22–31
- Corinth. Eighteen months in Corinth; he works at tentmaking with Priscilla and Aquila. Acts 18:1–11
03 · c. AD 53–57
Third journey
Acts 18:23–21:17
Years in Ephesus, then the island-by-island passage home: Assos, Mitylene, past Chios to Samos, Miletus, Cos and Rhodes, and on to Tyre.
- Ephesus. The riot of the silversmiths in the theater. Acts 19:23–41
- Miletus. Farewell to the Ephesian elders, who go with him to the ship. Acts 20:17–38
04 · c. AD 59–60
The voyage to Rome
Acts 27–28
A prisoner's passage in autumn weather: Crete, fourteen days of storm, shipwreck on Malta, and on to Rome.
- Fair Havens. Paul warns against sailing on. Acts 27:8–10
- Cauda. In its lee they haul in the boat and undergird the ship. Acts 27:16–17
- Malta. Shipwrecked; the islanders show unusual kindness. Acts 28:1–10
- Puteoli. Seven days with the believers there. Acts 28:13–14
05 · July 19–28, 2027
Travels of Paul: Istanbul to Athens
Aboard SEA CLOUD II
The same waters, under sail: Byzantium, Neapolis, Pergamum, Ephesus, Patmos, Naxos, Athens.
See the voyage
The ships
Three tall ships, sails set by hand.
We sail most often with SEA CLOUD CRUISES: the 1931 SEA CLOUD, SEA CLOUD II and SEA CLOUD SPIRIT. Compare the three, then step aboard for decks, cabins and history.
SEA CLOUD CRUISES
Three-masted barque · in service since 2001
SEA CLOUD II
FCV's ship for the Travels of Paul: about ninety guests, 47 cabins and 32,150 square feet of canvas set by hand.
- In service
- 2001
- Length
- 117 m (384 ft)
- Beam
- 16 m (52 ft)
- Sail
- 32,150 sq ft (about 3,000 m²), set by hand
A ship that is yours for the week
Teaching as the ship sails
Your hosts and guest speakers teach in the lounge and on deck, so each site is read before you reach it.
Swim stops and sail sessions
Weather allowing, the gangway becomes a swimming platform, and guests can take a line when the sails go up.
Guides we know by name
Expert national guides, chosen over many years; at Ephesus, access to the terrace houses most visitors never see.
Care in the details
A ship's physician, an FCV tour manager every day, gratuities for the crew included on SEA CLOUD voyages.
As always, two distinctive features make our travel opportunities unique: the means by which we travel, and the mentors we select to lead us on our journeys.
The people who plan them
Karl & Julie Johnson
Karl and Julie Johnson met at Cornell University. After raising five children in Ithaca, New York, they now live in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Karl founded Chesterton House, a center for Christian studies at Cornell, and serves as Executive Director of the Consortium of Christian Study Centers. Julie is the Managing Director of First Century Voyages.
Our storyThey keep coming back
“We spent our thirtieth anniversary on a First Century Voyages trip to the Aegean. It was SO fun and educational that we’ve done eight more and have signed up for another this summer!”
“Julie is the master at quietly taking care of every detail, and adding the fun. And Karl is the calm, steady one giving directions and running interference when needed with guides and bus drivers.”
Robert & Donna McArthur, Oklahoma
“My husband and I recently completed the “Travels of Paul” cruise, including the prelude in Turkey and extension in Greece. It was the trip of a lifetime for us! … Our tour guides were knowledgeable and did a great job of sharing the historical and Biblical significance of where we visited.”
Beth Littlejohn · Google review
“Three cruises on the Sea Cloud II with First Century Voyages have all been fantastic! … The intimacy of a ship of this size is wonderful.”
Bill Refvem · Google review
A few of the voyages behind us
Host a voyage
Bring your church, school or ministry aboard.
We help non-profit groups advance their work through trips with their supporters and partners. Tell us who you would like to travel with, and where, and we will plan the rest.