maiden voyage guide sea of thieves

Sea of Thieves Maiden Voyage and Tutorial Key location

How to beat the tutorial in Sea of Thieves and find the Old Sailor's Key

• Tutorial key location
• Do you need to play the Maiden Voyage tutorial?
• What do you do in the Maiden Voyage?

All Sea of Thieves tutorial Commendations

• All Pirate Lord journal locations

The Sea of Thieves Maiden Voyage is a tutorial with a hidden key - the Old Sailor's Key - used to find a secret treasure located somewhere in the area. In fact, the Sea of Thieves tutorial hides all manner of secrets across the Maiden Voyage, including the Key, numerous Commendations, and various journals left behind by the Pirate Lord, the stout old ghost that's guiding you through everything. Our walkthrough below will take you through the Maiden Voyage in Sea of Thieves, reveal everything hidden in the tutorial, and explain how to find the Old Sailor's Key for the best possible payout.

Sea of Thieves tutorial key location

The big prize in the Sea of Thieves tutorial is a hidden treasure that requires the Old Sailor's Key to open. If you're doing the maiden voyage and haven't found it, you can discover the key to earn a one-off prize of 25,000 Gold.

The Old Sailor's Key in the tutorial is at the highest point of the island, overlooking the shipwreck. From the beach, head up the path to the wrecked ship, and climb up until you reach the deck with the fallen mast. 

The mast acts as a makeshift bridge to the Island's topmost point, where there's a little pool of water and a waterfall that drops back down to the shipwreck.

Sea of Thieves crossplay Sea of Thieves Tall Tales How to fish in Sea of Thieves Sea of Thieves Kraken Sea of Thieves change appearance  

In the pool itself, under water just where the waterfall begins, you can find the Old Sailor's Key buried in the sand. Dive in and pick it up.

Once you have the tutorial key, bring it back to the shipwreck you climbed up through. Fairly easy to spot is a trapdoor/hatch with a lock on it . The key will open it, and inside you can find piles of treasure, lootable for 25,000 Gold total!

Keep in mind that the lootable treasure can only be taken once. If you replay the tutorial, you can't get it again if you got it before, though if you missed the chance the first time around, you can get the treasure if you play it through again.

Do you need to play the Maiden Voyage tutorial in Sea of Thieves?

While you don't have to play the tutorial in Sea of Thieves, the "Maiden Voyage" playable from the main menu, I do recommend you try it if you aren't familiar with the game . While Sea of Thieves' combat is pretty simple, ship sailing and repair is a bit more complex, as are its various UI menus. Considering the whole thing takes only 15 minutes and you can get a big load of treasure to bring into the main game if you find the Old Sailor's Key, I'd recommend doing it if you're not familiar with the game - though it's not essential.

What do you do in the Maiden Voyage in Sea of Thieves?

The Maiden Voyage tutorial in Sea of Thieves is basically an on-rails explanation of the game's core systems - finding treasure, fighting enemies, sailing and maintaining your boat, and so on. 

Though the tutorial itself is linear, there are optional secrets you can find along the way, such as the tutorial key and treasure explained above, as well as any number of secret Commendations, which we've laid out below.

There are ten total commendations to collect. Unlocking them all will also net you your first cosmetics in the game and you won't need to spend a single coin to acquire them. Those include the Pirate Lord's stylish jacket and the sails from his fabled (and now splintered) ship, the Magpie's Wing. Here's a full breakdown of the ten commendations and how to unlock each one.

• A Fine Catch. For this, you need to catch a fish. You can do this by heading to the sea or any of the inland pools of water, like the waterfall base behind you when you first begin the Maiden Voyage. Follow the on-screen prompts to learn how to fish and within about a minute you'll have earned your first commendation.
• A Hearty Meal. Now head to the shore where you'll find some wild chickens running around. Sorry to say, but you need to slash one of these feathered friends and collect the raw meat that's left behind. Now take it back to where you began the voyage. There's a campfire there. Place the chicken in the pan and let it cook. Each food item takes a different amount of time to cook. You'll want to cook them to perfection for maximum healing benefits. Hint: chicken takes 60 seconds. Remove the food when it's browned but not charred and enjoy a second commendation.
• Saluting the Pirate Lord. To "salute" the big man, you'll want to head inland to his can't-miss shipwreck. It's cut in half from the crash and you'll want to head to the left (north on your compass) half. Head up the ladder or stairs until you see the red barrel in the corner, behind a ladder. Don't worry, this one doesn't explode. It holds cannonballs. Interact with it and take some cannonballs up to the top deck. Load the cannon, aim, and fire away to earn a third commendation.
• Hidden Secrets. For this, you'll need to get into the Pirate Lord's "secret hold." We laid this out above at the section about the tutorial key.
• Yer Boat. This one requires you to operate a rowboat. You need only to do it for a moment, but it's sort of well hidden. To get there, cross the low-lying bridge separating the two landmasses. One is where you've been the whole time, with the campfire and the ship. Cross to the other side and follow the path through the rock formation which spirals down to a closed door. Pull the level to open the door and continue on the path until you see a capstan. Turn that to lower another door, which then reveals a cave exit where lies your rowboat. Sit in it and begin steering it to get the next commendation. Note that you can also swim into this cave from the point where you're exiting, but you'll want to be familiar with this area to collect some journals anyway, so it doesn't hurt to take the winding road.
• A Storied Crossing. This commendation takes the longest and requires you find all of the Pirate Lord's scattered journals around the Maiden Voyage island. Like the loot stash, we've given these journals their own section below. Look for "Sea of Thieves Pirate Lord journal locations."
• Unto the Horizon. This commendation pops automatically the first time you complete the Maiden Voyage. If you're all set collecting the journals and the hidden loot, head back to the Pirate Lord down by the beach and he'll tell you to go fix your ship. Like in the intro, just follow the on-screen prompts and in a few moments you'll sail through what is essentially a scripted preview of the otherwise unpredictable adventure that awaits you. A megalodon will swim alongside your ship, a skeleton ship will appear, and then a kraken will rise from its inky depths to swallow the skellie ship whole. As your ship sails through the Devil's Shroud and toward the Sea of Thieves, the opening title sequence appears (quite majestically, we'll add) and your commendation for completing the voyage will be unlocked.
• The Adventure Begins. This one is earned for getting all the other commendations shown above, like a Platinum Trophy. The final two commendations award cosmetics and they pop once you've earned Unto the Horizon and The Adventure Begins respectively. You can do this across multiple playthroughs, so don't worry if you didn't finish off the list in one go. Enjoy your new sails and jacket. If you still need help finding the journals or the secret cache, read on.

All Pirate Lord journal locations in the Sea of Thieves tutorial

There are 10 journals in total to find in the Maiden Voyage, and if you're interested in the lore of Sea of Thieves, they're definitely worth reading when you find each one. Here's where you can find the whole collection. They can be found in any order, but we've tried listing them in a way that flows with your playthrough should you be going for all commendations on one run.

1. Regarding Merfolk

The first journal is under water at the sight of a shipwreck right next to where you dig up your first chest as part of the tutorial. Dive in, swim under a bit of wreckage, and you'll find the first journal.

2. The Sea of the Damned

The next journal is behind the waterfall next to where your quest begins. You may have used this pool to fish. Swim behind the waterfall and find the next journal against the rock wall. What kind of adventure game would Sea of Thieves be without a secret behind a waterfall?

3. They Gave it a Name

For the third journal, head to the shipwreck. On the side with the captain's wheel, you'll find the next journal sitting beside the wheel.

4. Lost Secrets

The next journal isn't far at all. Simply climb to the top of the crow's nest to find it.

5. So Near and Yet...

The last of three journals tucked away on the shipwreck is back on the side with the cannon. Look in the lower deck, hidden in a shadowy corner beside a pair of broken barrels.

6. My Secret Plan

This one is found in the secret hold where you found all the loot from before. If you skipped that step, scroll up and follow the steps to find the hidden loot stash to also grab the journal laying beside the riches.

7. Lords of the Sea

Head to the low bridge that connects both landmasses and look below it for a ladder. Climb down that ladder and search along the rocks beside the water for your next journal.

8. Paintings from the Past

Now head back to the spiral path on the other side of the island, only this time keep heading up it, and then over some rocks, until you hit an overlook with the next journal sitting there.

9. Making Camp

Now return back down to the spiral pathway, and continue down to the door with the lever that opens it. If you were chasing commendations, you may have already opened this one. Right on the other side of it is a campfire with the next journal.

10. A Ship That Fits

Head past the campfire and down the trail some more. Again, if you've already been here, the next door is open. If not, turn the capstan to lower the door and head in to where you either used the rowboat, or you now find one there. Turn around to see a ladder. Climb up that ladder and you'll be met with a caged wall. Along that wall is the next - and final - journal.

With all journals, commendations, cosmetics, and a big cache of free loot all collected, you've now successfully completed the Maiden Voyage to 100%. Now get out there and become Legend, or crash into some rocks, whichever comes first.

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Sea Of Thieves: Maiden Voyage Tutorial Walkthrough

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How to get your weapon, how to find pirate lord's treasure, how to repair the ship.

We've all dreamed of living the pirate life at least once, and Sea Of Thieves is one of the best games out there to put this into practice. While playing this game, you're left in a giant open world filled with various islands, and you can choose if you want to play with other pirates or just with your friends in exchange for fewer rewards.

Sea Of Thieves: Beard Errors, Explained

What are Beard Errors in Sea of Thieves? We explain it for you.

Before doing all this, however, the game makes you go through the Maiden Voyage, which is essentially the tutorial. However, it's not a straightforward one and you can easily get stuck in it, which is why we're here to help you.

As soon as you start the tutorial, the first thing you'll see is a ghost of the Pirate Lord appearing in front of you. After a bit of dialogue, he'll ask you to eat something to get in a better shape . To do this, you can simply open your radial menu by showing the button on your screen and then selecting the banana at the top.

Eat the banana and he'll then have a dialogue to dress you up with a weapon, something that's quite important for a pirate. Once this dialogue ends, you'll see a bright shiny spot on a tree in front. Head up to the tree and interact with it to get the cutlass, and y ou'll have to swing it a couple of times afterward to defeat the skeleton .

After getting a weapon, you'll have to meet the Pirate Lord at the beach to get the hardest quest on this tutorial mission. He'll give you a shovel and a map during the dialogue and ask you to locate his treasure . However, this map doesn't tell you your current location, so you have to understand the island's shape.

Treasures can get much more difficult to find in the actual game, but this one is fairly easy. Simply head to the edge of the beach on the left side and dig on the right near the water as soon as you reach a gap between the grass . Your tutorial will also update and ask you to bring out the shovel once you're at the correct place.

You'll have to dig the treasure multiple times with your shovel before you can pick it up and take it back to the Pirate Lord.

Once you get the treasure back, the Pirate Lord will open it and let you claim the equipment inside, which is where you get a Flintlock and various other items . This is where he asks you to explore the island and get back to him when you're ready. However, this is completely optional and you can continue the quest instantly after.

It's recommended to go back inside the island and climb the shipwreck. You can find five Cannonballs in a barrel within, and use it to shoot the cannon at the top . The first shot from this cannon will earn you the "Saluting The Pirate Lord" commendation.

The final part of this tutorial takes you to your ship and asks you to repair the mast. To do this, you first have to head to the topmost part of the ship near the wheel and interact with the ropes connected to the mast . One-click on it and you'll be able to drag the mast upward until it reaches the right position.

Once there, head down to the bottom part of the ship and take wood from the barrel in the middle. Use this wood to repair three spots on the mast . Afterward, you'll have to take your bucket out from the equipment wheel and throw the water inside the ship into the ocean.

These are some of the most important mechanics in this game, so it's highly recommended to remember them .

As you fix everything, you'll just have to raise your anchor, lower the sails, and touch the wheel to set sail . Keep following the cyan light on your way forward and you'll eventually reach the end. However, while you're doing that, some enemies will spawn around the ship.

While these enemies do hurt your ship in the actual game, they won't do anything during the tutorial. You can simply stand and watch them until they disappear or use some cannonballs to shoot at them and make your aim a bit better.

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Maiden Voyage Tall Tale Guide - All Secrets and Journal Locations

★ SoT PS5 Version and Season 12 are Now Live! ★New Pre-Order and Edition Bonuses for the PS5! ★Check out our Beginner's Guide for new players. ★ Tall Tales | World Events | Trading Companies

A walkthrough guide for the Maiden Voyage Tall Tale in Sea of Thieves. Read on to see a complete Tall Tale walkthrough and guide for Maiden Voyage, including info on how to find all secrets, Commendations, journal locations, and a list of its completion rewards.

List of Contents

• Overview and Location
• Walkthrough
• How to Find All Secrets
• Journal Locations
• Commendations and Rewards
• Related Guides

Maiden Voyage Overview and Location

Tall tale overview, access maiden voyage from the main menu.

You can directly access Maiden Voyage from the main menu. Head over to the Play tab to find the Maiden Voyage on the right side of the screen. Select it and choose Set Sail to start the Tall Tale.

Maiden Voyage Walkthrough

Open the equipment radial menu.

After talking to the Pirate Lord, press and hold the Equipment Radial button. Hover over to the Banana and press the Left Mouse Button on PC or the RT button on the Xbox to eat it and recover health.

Get the Cutlass from the Tree

Head over to the tree on the right side of the Pirate Lord and use the Interact button to take the cutlass.

Defeat the Skeleton on the Tree

Taking the cutlass initiates a battle with the skeleton. Press the Left Mouse Button on PC or the RT button to attack the skeleton with your cutlass to defeat it.

Press the X button on PC or B button on the Xbox to put away the cutlass to proceed to the next objective.

Talk to the Pirate Lord on the Beach

Head to the beach and press the F button or X button on the Xbox to talk to the Pirate Lord. Take the shovel from the Pirate Lord to proceed to the next objective.

Use the Map to Find the Red X on the Island

To open the map, press and hold the Equipment Radial button. Press the Quest button to switch the wheel to show the Quest Items. Select the map from the wheel to equip it.

Find the Treasure Chest Northwest of the Shore

The treasure chest is located northwest of the beach beside the shipwreck on the shoreline.

Use the Shovel to Dig the Treasure Chest

Once you reach the area, use the shovel to uncover the buried treasure chest.

Return the Treasure Chest to the Pirate Lord

Head back to the beach and give the Old Sailor's Chest to the Pirate Lord.

Open the Old Sailor's Chest and take the equipment inside. Use the Mouse Wheel on PC or Y button on Xbox to equip your Flintlock.

After equipping the Flintlock, the Pirate Lord will allow you to explore the island. Use this time to complete all the Maiden Voyage Commendations before setting sail.

View Commendations on the Pirate Log

You can access the Maiden Voyage Commendations on the Pirate Log. Press the Tab key on the PC or the Menu button on Xbox to open the Resources menu and navigate to the Pirate Log tab .

Select Reputation -> Tall Tales -> Maiden Voyage to see the Commendations that you can complete for this Tall Tale.

Catch a Fish to Get A Fine Catch Commendation

Equip the Fishing Pole from the Equipment Radial. Press and hold the Left Mouse button or RT button on the Xbox to cast your rod.

Wait for a fish to bite and reel it in to earn the A Fine Catch commendation .

Cook a Chicken to Get A Hearty Meal Commendation

Find a chicken on the island and kill it to obtain its meat. Head over to the campfire and use it to cook the chicken to get A Hearty Meal commendation .

Use the Cannon to Get Saluting the Pirate Lord Commendation

Find the shipwreck on the island and climb to the third level on the left side of the wreck to pick up some cannonballs from the barrel on the dark corner near the ladder.

Find the Cannon on the Top Floor

Climb to the top floor to find the cannon. Load it with a canonball and use it to get the Saluting the Pirate Lord commendation .

Get the Old Sailor's Key from the Pond

From the cannon, turn around south from it to find a pond with two trees. Use the fallen mast to head over to the pond and swim down to the northeastern side of it to find the Old Sailor's Key .

Open the Secret Hold on the Shipwreck

Head to the ground floor on the right side of the shipwreck. Look on the ground to find the Secret Hold on the floor and use the Old Sailor's Key to unlock the hatch and get the Hidden Secrets Commendation .

Head inside the secret hold and take the gold from the two treasure chests. You should get at least 25,000 Gold and 200 Doubloons from the chests.

Find the Rowboat to Get the Yer Boat Commendation

Head southeast from the secret hold and dive down into the water. You can use the compass to orient yourself to find the rowboat.

Swim East to Find the Cave with the Rowboat

After diving down, swim east around the island until you can find a waterfall and a cave. Swim towards the cave to find the rowboat inside.

Climb the rowboat and use the oars to get the Yer Boat Commendation .

Talk to the Pirate Lord to Set Sail

Once you have found all the journals and completed the commendations, talk to the Pirate Lord at the beach to set sail.

Board the Ship and Repair the Damages

Swim towards the ship and use the ladder to board it. Interact with the sail length to raise the mast.

Use Wood to Repair the Mast

Head to the ship's blottom deck to find the barrels containing wood. Move the wood to your inventory to equip it. Interact with the cracked parts of the mast while holding the wood to repair it. Do this three times to complete the objective

Use the Bucket to Throw Water Overboard

Equip the bucket from the Equipment Radial menu and head to the flooded bottom deck. Use the bucket to scoop the water and head to the side of the ship to throw it overboard.

Use the Capstan to Raise the Anchor

Use the Capstan behind the ship wheel to raise the anchor. Use the Sail Length rope at the back of the ship to lower the sails to start sailing.

Use the ship wheel to move your ship. Follow the green flames as you navigate the fog.

An enemy ship will spawn on your left to serve as a combat tutorial, though the Kraken will automatically defeat it regardless if you fight back or run away from the ship. The game's logo will appear as the fog disappears, serving as the end of the Maiden Voyage Tall Tale.

How to Find All Maiden Voyage Secrets

Find the old sailor's key to unlock the treasure room.

There is a secret hold at the shipwreck in the middle of the island that holds 25,000 Gold , 200 Doubloons , and the My Secret Plan journal . Make sure to search for it before leaving the island in order to have starting funds when you enter the High Seas.

Head southeast from the shipwreck in the middle of the island and dive down into the water. You can use the compass to orient yourself to find the rowboat.

Fire the Cannon to Get Saluting the Pirate Lord Commendation

Find the shipwreck in the middle of the island and climb to the third level on the left side of the wreck to pick up some cannonballs from the barrel on the dark corner near the ladder.

All Maiden Voyage Journal Locations

My secret plan journal.

Head to the left side of the secret hold of the shipwreck in the middle of the island to find the My Secret Plan journal next to the chair. You will need to find all 10 journals in the island to get the A Storied Crossing commendation .

Regarding Merfolk Journal

Head back to the beach where you dug up the Old Sailor's Chest. Head next to the shipwreck lying on the shallow water and look on the ground to find the Regarding Merfolk journal.

The Sea of the Damned Journal

Go back to the Pirate Lord at the beach and equip your compass. Walk south from him until you reach a waterfall on the right side.

Swim towards the waterfall to find a small cave inside that contains the The Sea of the Damned journal.

They Gave It A Name Journal

Climb up to the top floor on the left side of the shipwreck on the island. Find the ship wheel and turn right from it to find the They Gave It A Name journal on the small table.

Lost Secrets Journal

South from the ship wheel is the shipwreck's mast. Climb to the top to find the Lost Secrets journal.

So Near and Yet... Journal

Head to the ground floor of the shipwreck and move towards the eastern side of the wreck. Find the two barrels on the corner after crossing the bridge and find the journal next to it on the floor.

Lords of the Sea Journal

Head to the small opening under the large shipwreck in the middle of the island and follow the path until you reach a bridge that connnects the two parts of the island.

Look at the bottom right from the bridge to find a ladder. Descend the ladder and find the Lords of the Sea journal on the left.

Paintings from the Past Journal

Find the large mountain southeast of the island and follow the path leading to the top to find the journal next to a small chair.

Making Camp Journal

Find the large mountain southeast of the island and follow the path until you find the wooden door on the southwest side. aa Use the lever on the left side to open the door and find the Making Camp Journal on a destroyed wooden crate.

A Ship That Fits Journal

Start from the Making Camp journal location and head down the path on the northwestern side until you come across a blocked path.

Use the capstan to lower the bridge on the left side to lower the bridge. Proceed to the next area and use the pulley near the torch to raise the door.

Head towards the door to find a cave with a rowboat. Head west from the rowboat to find a ladder that leads to a small area with iron bars. Find the A Ship That Fits journal near the rock wall.

Maiden Voyage Commendations and Rewards

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Maiden Voyage campaign guide - Sea of Thieves

A complete walkthrough of the Maiden Voyage, the introductory quest and tutorial in Sea of Thieves.

The Maiden Voyage will be the first thing a lot of players experience in Sea of Thieves. This short yet powerful tutorial introduces new pirates to the world, teaching them the ropes, and showing a glimpse of what’s on offer. There’s a lot to do on the small island, so we’ve prepared this Maiden Voyage campaign guide to aid you in your quest to be a pirate legend.

Maiden Voyage overview

The Maiden Voyage is a short, 15 minute tutorial set on an island just outside the Sea of Thieves. On this island, players will be introduced to the Pirate Lord, receive their weapons and equipment, and learn about how to heal and how to repair and sail a ship.

For new players, the Maiden Voyage will begin immediately after choosing a pirate. Any veteran players can also start the Maiden Voyage by launching it from the main menu.

Maiden Voyage commendations

• Unto the Horizon – You have reached the Sea of Thieves
• A Storied Crossing – You discovered all of the Pirate Lord’s Journals on Old Sailor Isle
• Hidden Secrets – You opened the hold of the Magpie’s Fortune
• A Fine Catch – You caught a fish on the Maiden Voyage
• Yer Boat – You discovered the rowboat on Old Sailor Isle
• A Hearty Meal – You cooked some chicken on Old Sailor Isle
• Saluting the Pirate Lord – You fired a cannon from the wreck of the Magpie’s Fortune
• The Adventure Begins… – You completed all Maiden Voyage commendations

Maiden Voyage guide

The Maiden Voyage will start players in a sandy path leading down to a beach. Ahead of them will be the Pirate Lord, ready to send you on your way. The beginning of the tutorial is pretty straight forward: eat a banana, take the sword from the skeleton and kill it, speak with the Pirate Lord to get a shovel and map.

To look at the map, either hold left bumper on the Xbox controller or Q on PC to open up the map radial. Highlight the map and then release the buttons to equip it. Hold right trigger or left click to bring the map into view. You will need to work out where the treasure is buried based on your location.

Make your way to the sandy point near the shipwreck. Using the shovel, start digging in the sand where the X is marked. Digging in the correct spot will see you digging up a broken treasure chest. Take the chest back to the Pirate Lord.

A few more easy tasks must then be completed including: opening the chest and taking the equipment, swapping between weapons, using any of the equipment from the chest (lantern, hurdy-gurdy, etc). Once this is done, you can explore the island, completing commendations and the tasks found in the Maiden Voyage Tall Tale.

However, the task of reaching the Sea of Thieves still awaits. Return to the Pirate Lord and speak with him to continue onwards. He will direct you to repair your ship and then set sail. Board your ship, use the pullies and lines to raise the mast. Collect wood from the resource barrel and repair the damage. Now just raise the anchor, lower the sails, and man the helm!

Hidden Secrets – Magpie’s Fortune’s hold and the lost key

One of the Tall Tale commendations in the Maiden Voyage is to open up the hold in the Magpie’s Fortune. This hidden hold is at the bottom of the shipwreck and is locked by a key. The journal titled Lost Secrets reveals that the Pirate Lord has lost the key to this hold somewhere on the island.

We’ve got a detailed guide on the Maiden Voyage key location , but the short of it is that the key is near the top of the Magpie’s Fortune shipwreck. Climb to the top of the ship and jump into the pond nearby. Search under the water near the waterfall to find the key in the sand.

Take the key down to the locked hold and interact with the lock to open it up. With the trapdoor unlocked, you’ll earn the commendation and gain access to some treasure.

Maiden Voyage Journals

There are ten journals to find on Old Sailor Isle as part of the Maiden Voyage. These journals are hidden all over the island. There are journals on the Magpie’s Fortune shipwreck, tucked away in and on the tallest peak, and even scattered around the mainland.

Regarding Merfolk

The first journal can be found in the shipwreck beside where you dig up the chest for the Pirate Lord. Look for the door in the side of the wreckage, the journal will be submerged below the water on the wood. This journal used to be inside the wreckage in the water.

The Sea of the Damned

This next journal is located in a secret cave behind the waterfall near the beach.

So Near and Yet…

Another journal is inside the wreck of the Magpie’s Fortune (the big shipwreck on the hill). Climb the ladders to the next floor and search beside the resource barrels in the leaves.

They Gave It A Name

Search the top of the Magpie’s Fortune, beside the helm, to find this journal.

Lost Secrets

While you’re on the Magpie’s Fortune, climb to the top of the mast using the ladder to find the next journal. This journal mentions the Pirate Lord’s key to the ship’s hold.

My Secret Plan

This next journal is indie the Magpie’s Fortune’s hold (as mentioned in the previous journal). You will need the key (mentioned above) to open the hold (which also unlocks the Hidden Secrets commendation). Once inside the hold, look to the left to spot the book. This hold also contains a lot of gold and doubloons – an excellent way to earn some gold and even a few hundred doubloons !

Lords of the Sea

To locate this journal, go to the back of the island behind the Magpie’s Fortune. There is a ladder leading to the water, the journal is in some vines beside the ladder.

Paintings from the Past

This journal is located at the top of the highest peak opposite the Magpie’s Fortune. Use the cannon to fire over there or use the path to reach the top. Jump up the rocks to find a little stool with the book.

Making Camp

Another journal is found inside the mountain opposite the Magpie’s Fortune. Use the lever on the wall to open a door, revealing a camp. The journal is just inside in a broken crate.

A Ship That Fits

The last journal is inside the mountain behind some metal bars. This book can be reached by swimming into the hidden cave or by going through the lever-controlled door mentioned above.

The Maiden Voyage in Sea of Thieves is a short and sweet introduction to the game’s basics. There are a few different hidden objectives and rewards, so even veteran players should jump in to collect their earnings. Weigh anchor at the Shacknews Sea of Thieves guide and walkthrough for even more pirate tips.

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X:  @SamuelChandler  

• Sea of Thieves

Sam Chandler posted a new article, Maiden Voyage campaign guide - Sea of Thieves

ooo cool, thanks! ive been thinking about getting copies of this game for myself, my bro, my niece and my nephew, and do some coop hijinks on the seas. a little tutorial section would be good. is the tutorial coop at all?

It is a Game Pass title if you want to avoid buying the game outright.

ah, yea good point. i'll have to think about if it's better to get 4 passes, or 4 copies

Unfortunately the Maiden Voyage isn't coop. But it's a fairly short experience that will quickly teach everyone the basics. There's another mini quest when you actually get to the base game. It sends you around an Outpost, talking with people and shows you how to buy things. That one's only available to new pirates though!

Sea of Thieves Maiden Voyage tutorial: Key and journal locations, and how to complete all other Maiden Voyage commendations

How to earn every commendation in Maiden Voyage.

Maiden Voyage is the Sea of Thieves tutorial quest, known as a Tall Tale in-game, which is designed to teach you the basics of being a pirate.

If you take the time to explore the island, known as Old Sailor's Isle, in Maiden Voyage you'll discover that there's far more to this location than a simple tutorial. Hidden in the ruins of a pirate you'll uncover a collection of journals and a key , which will lead you to lost treasure.

Completing all ten commendations for Maiden Voyage will also reward you with cosmetic items for both your pirate and ship.

On this page:

How to access tutorial quest Maiden Voyage in Sea of Thieves

Maiden voyage quest walkthrough in sea of thieves, where to find the key during tutorial maiden voyage in sea of thieves, journal locations during the maiden voyage quest in sea of thieves, other commendations and secrets in maiden voyage in sea of thieves.

If you're looking to learn the essentials of Sea of Thieves, read up on sailing , ship battles , and how to survive fights with skeletons and the kraken .

If this is the first time you've played Sea of Thieves, then, after you've selected a pirate to play as, you'll have to play at least some of the Maiden Voyage quest to access the rest of the game.

If you're a returning player, then you can still play the Maiden Voyage quest to either to refresh your Sea of Thieves skills or to earn the special items available from earning all the Maiden Voyage commendations.

Maiden Voyage can be played at any time by selecting from the bottom right-hand corner of the Sea of Thieves Experience menu, which is the first menu you access upon starting the game.

Maiden Voyage begins with you awakening on an island and the ghostly Pirate Lord appearing in front of you. You need to eat, however, to properly talk to the Pirate Lord.

To do this open your Equipment Radial and then select the food you stored there. Once it's in hand, you can eat it and then talk to the Pirate Lord.

He'll instruct you to retrieve the cutlass that is sticking out of the remains of a skeleton tied to a nearby tree. When you do retrieve this cutlass, the skeleton won't be too happy, so quickly destroy it with a few swipes of your blade.

Blade in hand, meet the Pirate Lord on the shore and he'll give you a shovel, which you should immediately put away. The Pirate Lord will then ask you to retrieve some treasure for him.

To do this open up your maps and select the only one you currently have available. You can now look at this map whenever you like and continue to move about the island as you do so. Keep in mind though, you won't be able to tell where you personally are by looking at the map.

To find the treasure head west along the beach, until you reach the area where it curves out into the sea.

Next, follow the curved beach out towards the ruined ship at its end and stop when you reach the plant with red leaves - it's here that you'll find the buried treasure.

With your shovel, dig up the Old Sailor's Chest and then bring it back to the Pirate Lord.

He'll allow you to open the chest and take the equipment inside, which includes a flintlock pistol, compass, telescope, bucket and lantern.

You can now spend some time experimenting with your new weapons and equipment if you like.

This is also the time to explore Old Sailor's Isle, the island where Maiden Voyage is set, and uncover its various secrets, including a collection of hidden journals.

Once you've found every secret or simply want to continue playing the game, talk once more to the Pirate Lord and he'll open the path to the Sea of Thieves. First, however, you have to get your ship ready for the open seas.

Swim out to your ship and board via the ladder on the side.

Your first task is to raise the mast, which can be done by interacting with the sail length rope that is to the right-hand side of the ladder you used to board the ship with.

Now head to the bottom deck via your cabin and collect some planks from the wood barrel you find down there.

You can use these planks to repair the cracks around the base of the mast. You'll need to do this three times for this task to be complete.

Next, select your bucket and head back back to the bottom deck. Here you need to scoop up some of the water into your bucket and then throw it overboard, until your ship is water free.

With that task completed, head to the topmost deck and use the capstan to raise the anchor, before returning to the sail length rope to lower the sails.

Now you can finally head out into the open seas, using the wheel to steer the ship, so that you can follow the trail of green torches to the Sea of Thieves.

Don't let your guard down as your journey though. There will be a shark that you must avoid and, at some point, you'll encounter a skeleton ship.

To deal with this ship, you must load one of your cannons using the cannonball barrel on the deck and fire it towards your enemy. Don't worry if you miss - a kraken will take care of the ship for you.

Eventually you'll receive the Unto the Horizons commendation, bringing Maiden Voyage and the tutorial to an end.

If you want to access the hull of the destroyed ship in the middle of Old Sailor's Isle in the Maiden Voyage quest, you're going to need to find the key.

To do this head to the pool of water that lies in-between both ships and, once you're there, look to your left to see a pathway. This path will lead you around the left-hand side of the broken ship and up onto the hilltop where one of the broken masts rests.

You will also find a small spring at the top of this hilltop that descends to the ground below as a waterfall.

To find the key you need to dive underwater in this pool and swim to the rocks that form the top of the waterfall.Just in front of these rocks, you'll find the key sticking out of the dirt.

This key may take some time to find due to it being a similar colour to the dirt that lies the base of the pool, but if you take your time, ensuring you swim slowly, you'll be able to find it.

Key in hand, return to the area that sits in-between the two broken halves of the ship. You'll want to head towards the steps that led up to the first level of the right-hand side of the ship, but don't climb these steps. Instead, look at the ground to the right hand side of this ship to see a hatch in the dirt.

Use the key on this hatch to open the hull for the broken ship, so that you climb inside and help yourself to a selection of lost treasure like a true pirate.

Inside the hull, you'll find 25,000 Gold, 200 Doubloons and the 'My Secret Plan' journal, which you need to read as part of the A Storied Crossing commendation.

Entering the hull will also complete the Hidden Secrets commendation.

As you explore Old Sailor's Isle during the Maiden Voyage quest in Sea of Thieves you might come across a journal or two. There are ten journals for you to find in total during the quest and, if you find them, you'll earn the A Storied Crossing commendation.

Remember - you need to read each journal once you've found them to complete this commendation.

Below you'll find out how to find all ten journals in Maiden Voyage:

The Sea of the Damned

Just beyond the campfire where you begin Maiden Voyage, you'll find a small pool with a waterfall.

If you swim towards this waterfall, you'll discover that there's a cave hidden behind it.

Venture to the back of this cave and you'll find 'The Sea of the Damned.'

Regarding Merfolk

Beyond where you dig up the Old Sailor's Chest, you'll see a sunken ship; the hull is at the very tip of the sand dune, while the cabin is on the right-hand side.

To find this book you need to dive into the cabin, entering through the doorway underwater and pay close attention to the sea-bed.

In one of the topmost corners you'll find 'Regarding Merfolk.'

They Gave It A Name

In the middle of Old Sailor's Isle you'll find the remains of a great ship broken in half. Before you reach this ship, however, there is a path leading to the right, following this will bring you to a ladder and, once you've climbed it, you'll find yourself in the remains of a bedroom.

Next, head up the stairs within this room to reach the top deck of the ruined ship and, by the ship's wheel, you'll find 'They Gave It A Name.'

Lost Secret's

After reading 'They Gave It A Name,' walk around the mast until you find the ladder attached to its side.

Climbing this ladder will take you to the crows-nest where you'll find 'Lost Secret's.'

So Near and Yet...

To find this journal, climb the set of steps at the base of the right-hand side of the broken ship and then cross the bridge that connects the two halves together.

Once you reach the other side of the boat, look to your left and you'll see a pair of barrels surrounded by leaves. At the foot of the upright barrel you'll find 'So Near and Yet...'

My Secret Plan

'My Secret Plan' is located in the hull of the broken ship, which is unlocked with the key you'll find as part of earning the Hidden Secrets commendation.

Lord of the Sea

Head down the path that goes through the tunnel in-between the two halves of the broken ship and continue following it until you reach a bridge.

Rather than crossing this bridge, go to the cliffedge to your right where you'll find a ladder.

Head down this ladder and search through the leaves to your left; amongst the ivy, you'll find the 'Lord of the Sea' journal.

Painting from the Past

Following the path that begins in-between the two halves of the broken ship to its end will bring you to the top of the second island and there you'll find a campsite.

Amongst the items that make up this little camp, you'll find the 'Painting from the Past' journal.

Making Camp

You'll walk past a wooden door on your journey to the top of the second island. Situated to the left of this door is a lever, which, when you pull it, will open the door.

Beyond the doorway, you'll find another small camp and, on the floor to the left of the campfire, you'll find the 'Making Camp' journal.

A Ship That Fits

After reading 'Making Camp' follow the pathway into the depths of the mountain, until you reach a raised bridge.

Opposite this raised bridge, you'll find a capstan, which you can use to lower the bridge and continue down the path.

Eventually, you'll reach another closed door. This time you can raise the door using the pulley next to it.

This will bring you into a cavern containing the rowing boat used for the Yer Boat commendation. Rather than climbing into the boat, head to your left where you'll see a ladder leading to a small ledge.

Once you've climbed the ladder, look on at the right-hand side of the ledge and, on the ground, you'll find the last journal - 'A Ship That Fits.'

The first season has arrived! Learn about all Season 1 Battle Pass rewards and everything else added in the Sea of Thieves patch notes . New to the game? Learn what to do in Sea of Thieves and take take part in the Maiden Voyage tutorial , which teaches you the essentials of sailing and ship battles . It's also useful for beginners to know how to survive fights with skeletons and the kraken . Elsewhere we have advice on how to get easy gold and doubloons , complete skeleton forts and The Shroudbreaker , take part in fishing in Sea of Thieves and Sea of Thieves island maps .

There are four other commendations for you to complete in Maiden Voyage, the tutorial for Sea of Thieves, and completing these commendations, along with the ones outlined above, will unlock the Magpie's Fortune Sails for your ship.

You can check to see how many commendations you've completed for the Maiden Voyage quest by going to the Reputation tab in the in-game menu.

From there select Tall Tales and then cycling to the next screen, where you'll find the option for Maiden Voyage. Here you'll find a full list of commendations available for this quest and the rewards you'll receive for completing them.

A Fine Catch

To earn this commendation, you have to do a spot of fishing . First, grab your fishing rod from the Equipment Reel, which is located in the second section of the reel.

Once you've got your fishing rod in hand, head to the nearest patch of water and cast out into the sea.

You'll have to wait a short while for a fish to appear, but, when you see a fish swimming and jumping around the end of your line, you'll know it's nearly time to start reeling in a fish.

When a fish does take the bait, you need to angle your rod in the opposite direction to the one it's swimming in. This would be right if the fish is swimming left, upwards if it's fishing directly away from you or left if it's heading to the right.

When the fish gets tired, you'll have the chance to reel it in.

You will have to repeat this process a number of times to catch a fish, but once you do so you'll receive the 'A Fine Catch' commendation.

Just make sure you don't reel the fish in when it's moving or point the rod in the wrong direction - if you do you'll break the line and lose the fish.

A Hearty Meal

This commendation begins with you killing one of the chickens that can be found near the campfire that you awaken by at the beginning of Maiden Voyage. You can do this by using either your cutlass or flintlock pistol.

Once you've committed chickenide, pick up the chicken meat left behind and take it to the nearby campfire.

Now all you have to do is cook it and you'll receive the commendation.

Saluting the Pirate Lord

For this commendation, you need to climb up the left of the broken ship, until you reach the level with the destroyed brig where you'll find a barrel of cannonballs.

Take these cannonballs and then head up the stairs to the top floor of this part of the ship. Here you'll find a cannon and all you have to do now is load, then fire, the cannon.

The best time to complete this commendation is just after you've read the final book, 'A Ship That Fits.'

In the same cavern where you find this book, you'll find a rowing boat. Once you've read the book, climb into the rowing boat, pick up the oars and take it for a spin.

After a couple of minutes of rowing, you'll receive this commendation.

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Maiden Voyage

• View history

The Maiden Voyage is a standalone introductory Tall Tale released with the December 2019 Sea of Thieves Festival of Giving (2019) Content Update.

• 1 Mechanics
• 2.1.1 Pirate Lord Dialogue
• 2.2.1 Cooking and Fishing
• 2.2.2 Cannon Fire
• 2.2.3 The Rowboat Cave
• 2.3 Secrets
• 3 Pirate Lord's Journals
• 4 Quest Items
• 5.1 Commendations

Mechanics [ ]

The Maiden Voyage can always be accessed from the Main Menu.

The Maiden Voyage is very different from any other Tall Tale in game, but it listed as such under the Reputation Menu with its own Commendations , Rewards and Titles .

The main difference is that this Tall Tale is a Solo adventure and cannot be voted on. Instead, Players are tasked with completing this Voyage after creating their Pirate in the Infinite Pirate Generator and before setting sail to the Sea of Thieves . The Maiden Voyage can always be replayed from the Main Menu, where there is a designated button for the Voyage in the bottom-right corner.

The Maiden Voyage [ ]

The voyage [ ].

The Old Sailor's Isle on the Map.

The main NPC related to this Tale is the ghostly Pirate Lord himself, guiding the Player through the main aspects of the game on Old Sailor’s Isle , a Large Island hidden in the Devil’s Shroud .

Players are introduced to Eating Food , fighting with Weapons , using Equipment items and a Treasure Map to dig up an Old Sailor's Chest , maintaining a Sloop ’s Mast , Repairs , Sails , Anchor and Wheel and shooting Cannons .

After all of these actions are performed, the Player can then sail through the Devil’s Shroud towards The Sea of Thieves .

Pirate Lord Dialogue [ ]

Pirate Lord

You look a little worse for wear, my friend. You must be on quite the journey. I should eat something, if I were you. A full belly can do wonders for your spirits. Once you’re in good health, we’ll speak properly.

After eating the Banana

There, you look better already. Maybe even strong enough to reach the Sea of Thieves. These days they call me The Pirate Lord, but back when I discovered this place I was just a bold explorer like you. I dreamt of finding uncharted waters filled with treasures and rife with danger, where every sunrise brought a new adventure… You’ve been brave to make it this far. Not many do. Now you’ve one last crossing to make. You’ll want some trusty steel at your side, though. There’s a sword in those trees whose owner doesn’t seem to need it any more.

After receiving the Cutlass

There’s far more to being a pirate than a blade in your hand and a love of other people’s money. It’s about finding your way through ancient caverns by lamplight, digging up long-lost treasures… … and raising a frothing great tankard of grog when you live to tell the tale! For all of that, you’ll need the right equipment. You can start by taking this old shovel.

After taking the Shovel

I stowed a few belongings around here back in the day. The map will show you the way.

After giving the Old Sailor's Chest to the Pirate Lord

Ah, my old chest! Let’s see if she still hides her secrets.

After switching to the Flintlock

A fine weapon. She’ll serve you well out there.

After you are done with your Equipment

There! Now you look like a true pirate. There’s plenty more to see, so why not stretch your legs and explore? I’ll be here when you’re ready to leave.

Once you are ready to leave

Well now, I’d say you’re as ready as you’ll ever be for what’s ahead. Allow me to show you the path… The Shroud is beginning to part, but you have one more task before your journey continues. You may be ready to sail, but your ship still needs repairs. Go, and tend to her wounds!

Other Interactions [ ]

Cooking and fishing [ ].

In addition to the base mechanics, Old Sailor’s Isle is hiding the introduction to a couple of additional mechanics, hinted at in the Maiden Voyage Commendations , hidden in the Tall Tales section of the Reputation Menu.

Curious players can learn the Cooking of food, by either killing any of the Island’s Chicken for Meat , or catching some Fish with a Fishing Rod (which by itself is introduced when taking out the Fishing Rod Item) and putting these Food items on a Campfire . There are two Campfires on Old Sailor’s Isle , one right by where the Player spawns near the Pirate Lord , and another hidden inside a Cave.

Cannon Fire [ ]

Players are taught how to use the Cannons once they are aboard their Sloop , however attentive players will find an additional Cannon on the shipwreck of the Magpie’s Fortune with a handful of Cannonballs in the Cannonball Barrel below. Here, players are taught that they can not only shoot Cannonballs out of Cannons, but also themselves!

The Rowboat Cave [ ]

At the Island with the tallest Peak, players will find a closed off door with a Lever to open it. This will lead players to a hidden Cave with an additional Campfire and two steps of interactable objects to reveal the Cave’s final secret. The Player will need to drop a drawbridge by using a Capstan and then use a Pulley to lift another wooden door. This will lead players to a lonely Rowboat with a complete tutorial on how to use these small vessels.

Secrets [ ]

Despite being a Tutorial Island, Old Sailor’s Isle has quite a few secrets hidden away, which are all hinted at in the Maiden Voyage Commendations . The most notable Secret is the Rowboat Cave described above, however there are still a few hidden valuables on the Island. Upon careful searching, players can find up to 10 Journals hidden away on Old Sailor’s Isle , which are all documented with their locations at the Journal subsection below.

The ultimate hidden secret of Old Sailor’s Isle, is the Pirate Lord ’s Hideout below the Magpie’s Fortune. A more attentive player can find that there is a locked hatch below the massive shipwreck, seemly requiring a key.

One of the hidden Journals hints to the location of the key.

The Journal you are looking for is hidden on the Shipwreck of Magpie’s wing. Look towards the skies!

The Old Sailor’s Key was dropped in the fresh-water pond that is above the shipwreck of Magpie’s Fortune. It is underwater along the edge of the waterfall.

Once unlocked, Players can find the final Journal and 3 chests of Gold worth 25,000!

Pirate Lord's Journals [ ]

There are 10 Journals written by the Pirate Lord that are hidden on Old Sailor’s Isle during the Maiden Voyage. All 10 of these Journals have to be found and read for A Storied Crossing Commendation . The Journal transcriptions are presented below, with the Expand button showing the exact locations of each Journal. Reading these Journals are also part of Seasons ' Trials.

• Regarding Merfolk
• The Sea of the Damned
• They Game It a Name
• Lost Secrets
• So Near and Yet…
• The Lords of the Sea
• Paintings from the Past
• Making Camp
• A Ship That Fits
• My Secret Plan

Regarding Merfolk [ ]

Outside of the door on the shipwreck on the Northwestern point of the Island.

A new landmark! This stricken ship certainly wasn't here during my last visit. There's no sign of her crew, so perhaps they fell overboard and met their end. Things are very different on the Sea of Thieves — thanks in no small part to my own adventures, I must confess. We have an… arrangement… with the merfolk who live deep under the waves. Should any pirate become lost at sea, stranded, they'll help them back to their ship. If you should find yourself flung overboard, traveler, look for the merfolk's beacon before the sharks get your scent. You'll be glad you did!

The Sea of the Damned [ ]

In the cave behind the waterfall southwest of the campfire .

Not all my journeys to this island are happy ones. Today I stumbled onto this poor soul, map still in their hands. To think, they were so close… No matter how swiftly we sail or how sharp our aim, it is only a matter of time before the Reaper's hand clamps down upon our shoulder. I am fortunate to have had a friend with wisdom enough to know this. Thanks to her, I live on beyond my years… at least in spirit. For younger pirates, another hope presents itself. When they perish, their souls are saved from drifting alone through the Sea of the Damned. If you should die on the Sea of Thieves and find yourself in the Ferryman's company, know this: he deserves your respect, for he has made the greatest sacrifice of all...

They Gave It a Name [ ]

On the railing to the right of the shipwreck Magpie's Fortune's wheel .

'The Sea of Thieves'. That's what they're calling it nowadays. The genie is out of the bottle, and more pirates are finding their way there every day. Some are looking to hide — from their enemies, from their pasts, from the Grand Maritime Union - while others have heard the call to adventure. It's only a matter of time before they reach this island, too. Maybe they'll be dreaming about the Sea of Thieves has to offer, just as I was. If that's the shape of things to come, I'd be a fool to complain. Instead, I'll stow a few supplies around the place for those who need them. Things work differently beyond the Shroud. Better, for the most part, but newcomers will have to think on their feet if they're to survive.

Lost Secrets [ ]

On the railing of the shipwreck Magpie’s Fortune's crow's nest .

Blast it all! The key to my ship's hold is missing. It must have slipped from my pocket at some point in my time here. Between this and that business with Rathbone, I'm developing a bad habit of losing the keys to my belongings. Perhaps it made its bid for freedom from my jacket when I climbed up for a drink of fresh spring water. It's another lost treasure now.

So Near and Yet… [ ]

Resting next to the broken barrels on the lowest level of the front half of the shipwreck Magpie’s Fortune.

You've really done it this time, Ramsey. It's one thing to return to your favorite island and quite another to wreck your ship at the heart of it! I was bound to get careless sooner or later. This place has been my little secret for so long now. I couldn't wait to get back here. To dream… I'm so close to the Shroud, I feel like I could reach out and touch it. I'm not ready to sport a hook for a hand, though. Not yet, anyway! What lies on the other side? Piles of glittering gems? Huge leviathans the size of galleons? Even better… Might there be a future for pirates like me? Next time, things will be different. I'll visit Magpie, the Shipwright, and buy a new vessel. Take my time, find a crew. We shall sail together.

The Lords of the Sea [ ]

Resting on a rock in foliage to the left of the ladder under the bridge below the shipwreck’s bowsprit.

Once, long ago, I was standing atop these cliffs and staring out to sea, quite lost in my own thoughts. Suddenly, there was an almighty crashing sound. It was a kraken, and one of the largest I'd seen for quite some years! I was so startled, I couldn't help but take a leap backwards in surprise. Once I'd picked myself up, battered and bloody, I decided to install this ladder in case any future visitors took a tumble in the same way. Nowadays, thanks to that fool Merrick, krakens aren't the only sea monsters to watch for. Megalodons are once more roaming freely beneath the waves. They can prove quite the challenge even for experienced pirates. Why, I once battled a monstrous pale skinned beast at—well, I'll save that tale for another time.

Paintings from the Past [ ]

At the camp near the peak of the second island.

Of all the unsolved mysteries that haunt my dreams, none are more tantalizing than the long-lost people known to pirates as 'The Ancients'. Their legacy can be felt all across the Sea of Thieves, from ruins that lurk under deep waters to clifftop paintings that shame my humbler efforts. They clearly had a great wealth of knowledge and had mastered many curses and other arcane powers… and yet, something drove them to leave. Maybe some great war or calamity struck their civilization? Perhaps it was simply time for them to move on. The truth, as it always has, eludes us all.

Making Camp [ ]

In a crate by the campfire inside the cave below the tallest peak. Follow the path up from the bridge and use the lever by the portcullis to access the cave.

Even with all the wonders I've experienced, it's the simple things in life remain the most enjoyable. Tonight, that's a hot meal roasted over a roaring fire. Fresh fruit's all well and good, but if you take the time to properly prepare a meal, you'll feel all the better for it. The trick is to keep an eye on the dish and serve it up when it's perfectly cooked. No amount of grog can wash away the taste of burned food. With care and a bit of practice, even a humble splashtail can keep a pirate in good health with a full belly. At least they're good for something!

A Ship That Fits [ ]

Follow the path past the campfire down into the Rowboat cave. The journal is up near the grate to the left upon entering the cave.

We've all seen what happens when huge armadas try to make it through the Devil's Shroud, and it's not pretty. Screaming sailors and splintered ships. I learned long ago that smaller crews have a better chance of making it along the twisting routes that provide safe passage to the Sea of Thieves. A lone traveler is best served by a sloop. They're small and nimble, though their size comes at the expense of firepower. Larger crews must learn to sail a brigantine, or even the mighty galleon - a commanding sight with her eight cannons and three great sails. Then, of course, we have the humble rowboat. These tiny craft can be carried by the other larger ships and are perfect for retaining the element of surprise…

My Secret Plan [ ]

Resting on a stool inside the Pirate Lord’s Hideout. See the Secrets section above on how to access the Hideout.

If you're reading this, you've broken into my strongbox, which makes you a worthy pirate indeed! Worthy enough to hear my plan. Transforming this old stomping ground of mine into a safe haven for travelers has sparked something deep within my soul. It is the flame of an idea — a great tavern, far more magnificent than the usual pubs and alehouses, known only to truly legendary pirates. A den that sold only the finest plunder, where hardened adventurers and cunning sea dogs could meet to swap stories of gold and glory. If you make it to the Sea of Thieves, and should your heart desire a real challenge, heed my words: seek Athena's Fortune. I shall be waiting.

Quest Items [ ]

• Old Sailor's Chest
• Old Sailor’s Key

Commendations, Rewards and Titles [ ]

Commendations [ ].

The following Title can be equipped at the Vanity Chest after finishing the Maiden Voyage:

• Maiden Voyager - After braving the journey through the shroud you have reached the Sea of Thieves!
• When the player finds and sits in the Rowboat , a rendition of "Row Row Row Your Boat" starts playing.
• Therefore it can be determined that Old Sailor Isle is south of Thieves' Haven, just beyond the Devil's Shroud.

Gallery [ ]

The Player finally arriving at the Sea of Thieves, towards what's supposedly Thieves' Haven

• Sea of Thieves
• 1 Commendations

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Maiden voyage.

The Maiden Voyage is a standalone introductory Tall Tale released with the December 2019 Sea of Thieves Festival of Giving (2019) Content Update.

• 1 Mechanics
• 2.1.1 Pirate Lord Dialogue
• 2.2.1 Cooking and Fishing
• 2.2.2 Cannon Fire
• 2.2.3 The Rowboat Cave
• 2.3 Secrets
• 3 Pirate Lord's Journals
• 4 Quest Items
• 5 Commendations
• 9 Patch history

The Maiden Voyage is very different from any other Tall Tale in the game, but it is listed as such under the Reputation Menu with its own Commendations , Rewards and Titles .

The main difference is that this Tall Tale is a solo adventure and cannot be voted on. Instead, players are tasked with completing this voyage after creating their pirate in the Infinite Pirate Generator and before setting sail to the Sea of Thieves . The Maiden Voyage can always be replayed from the Main Menu, where there is a designated button for the voyage in the bottom-right corner.

The Maiden Voyage

The main NPC related to this Tale is the ghostly Pirate Lord himself, guiding the player through the main aspects of the game on Old Sailor's Isle , a large island hidden in the Devil's Shroud .

Players are introduced to eating food , fighting with weapons , using equipment items and a X Marks the Spot Map to dig up an Old Sailor's Chest , maintaining a Sloop 's mast , repairs , sails , anchor and wheel and shooting cannons .

After all of these actions are performed, the player can then sail through the Devil's Shroud towards The Sea of Thieves .

Pirate Lord Dialogue

Pirate Lord

You look a little worse for wear, my friend. You must be on quite the journey. I should eat something, if I were you. A full belly can do wonders for your spirits. Once you're in good health, we'll speak properly.

After eating the Banana

There, you look better already. Maybe even strong enough to reach the Sea of Thieves. These days they call me The Pirate Lord, but back when I discovered this place I was just a bold explorer like you. I dreamt of finding uncharted waters filled with treasures and rife with danger, where every sunrise brought a new adventure... You've been brave to make it this far. Not many do. Now you've one last crossing to make. You'll want some trusty steel at your side, though. There's a sword in those trees whose owner doesn't seem to need it any more.

After receiving the Cutlass

There's far more to being a pirate than a blade in your hand and a love of other people's money. It's about finding your way through ancient caverns by lamplight, digging up long-lost treasures... ... and raising a frothing great tankard of grog when you live to tell the tale! For all of that, you'll need the right equipment. You can start by taking this old shovel.

After taking the Shovel

I stowed a few belongings around here back in the day. The map will show you the way.

After giving the Old Sailor's Chest to the Pirate Lord

Ah, my old chest! Let's see if she still hides her secrets.

After switching to the Flintlock

A fine weapon. She'll serve you well out there.

After you are done with your Equipment

There! Now you look like a true pirate. There's plenty more to see, so why not stretch your legs and explore? I'll be here when you're ready to leave.

Once you are ready to leave

Well now, I'd say you're as ready as you'll ever be for what's ahead. Allow me to show you the path... The Shroud is beginning to part, but you have one more task before your journey continues. You may be ready to sail, but your ship still needs repairs. Go, and tend to her wounds!

Once you set sail

Other Interactions

Cooking and fishing.

In addition to the base mechanics, Old Sailor's Isle is hiding the introduction to a couple of additional mechanics, hinted at in the Maiden Voyage Commendations , hidden in the Tall Tales section of the Reputation Menu.

Curious players can learn the cooking of food, by either killing any of the island's chicken for meat , or catching some fish with a fishing rod (which by itself is introduced when taking out the fishing rod item) and putting these food items on a campfire . There are two campfires on Old Sailor's Isle , one right by where the player spawns near the Pirate Lord , and another hidden inside a Cave.

Cannon Fire

Players are taught how to use the Cannons once they are aboard their Sloop , however attentive players will find an additional Cannon on the shipwreck of the Magpie's Fortune with a handful of Cannonballs in the Cannonball Barrel below. Here, players are taught that they can not only shoot Cannonballs out of Cannons, but also themselves!

The Rowboat Cave

At the island with the tallest peak, players will find a closed-off door with a Lever to open it. This will lead players to a hidden Cave with an additional Campfire and two steps of interactable objects to reveal the Cave's final secret. Players will need to drop a drawbridge by using a Capstan and then use a Pulley to lift another wooden door. This will lead players to a lonely Rowboat with a complete tutorial on how to use these small vessels.

Despite being a tutorial island, Old Sailor's Isle has quite a few secrets hidden away, which are all hinted at in the Maiden Voyage Commendations . The most notable secret is the rowboat cave described above, however, there are still a few hidden valuables on the island. Upon careful searching, players can find up to 10 journals hidden away on Old Sailor's Isle , which are all documented with their locations in the "Journals" section below.

The ultimate hidden secret of Old Sailor's Isle is the Pirate Lord 's Hideout below the Magpie's Fortune. A more attentive player can find that there is a locked hatch below the massive shipwreck, seemly requiring a key.

Pirate Lord's Journals

There are 10 journals written by the Pirate Lord that are hidden on Old Sailor's Isle during the Maiden Voyage. All 10 of these Journals have to be found and read for A Storied Crossing Commendation . The Journal transcriptions are presented below, with the Expand button showing the exact locations of each Journal. Reading these Journals is also part of Seasons ' Trials.

Regarding Merfolk

Inside the cabin of the shipwreck found on the northwest point of the island.

A new landmark! This stricken ship certainly wasn't here during my last visit. There's no sign of her crew, so perhaps they fell overboard and met their end. Things are very different on the Sea of Thieves — thanks in no small part to my own adventures, I must confess. We have an... arrangement... with the merfolk who live deep under the waves. Should any pirate become lost at sea, stranded, they'll help them back to their ship. If you should find yourself flung overboard, traveller, look for the merfolk's beacon before the sharks get your scent. You'll be glad you did!

The Sea of the Damned

In the cave hidden behind the waterfall found southwest of the campfire along the starting path.

Not all my journeys to this island are happy ones. Today I stumbled onto this poor soul, map still in their hands. To think, they were so close... No matter how swiftly we sail or how sharp our aim, it is only a matter of time before the Reaper's hand clamps down upon our shoulder. I am fortunate to have had a friend with wisdom enough to know this. Thanks to her, I live on beyond my years... at least in spirit. For younger pirates, another hope presents itself. When they perish, their souls are saved from drifting alone through the Sea of the Damned. If you should die on the Sea of Thieves and find yourself in the Ferryman's company, know this: he deserves your respect, for he has made the greatest sacrifice of all...

They Gave It a Name

On the railing to the right of the Magpie's Fortune' s wheel .

'The Sea of Thieves'. That's what they're calling it nowadays. The genie is out of the bottle, and more pirates are finding their way there every day. Some are looking to hide — from their enemies, from their pasts, from the Grand Maritime Union - while others have heard the call to adventure. It's only a matter of time before they reach this island, too. Maybe they'll be dreaming about all the Sea of Thieves has to offer, just as I was. If that's the shape of things to come, I'd be a fool to complain. Instead, I'll stow a few supplies around the place for those who need them. Things work differently beyond the Shroud. Better, for the most part, but newcomers will have to think on their feet if they're to survive.

Lost Secrets

On the railing of the Magpie's Fortune' s Crow's Nest .

Blast it all! The key to my ship's hold is missing. It must have slipped from my pocket at some point in my time here. Between this and that business with Rathbone, I'm developing a bad habit of losing the keys to my belongings. Perhaps it made its bid for freedom from my jacket when I climbed up for a drink of fresh spring water. It's another lost treasure now.

So Near and Yet...

Resting next to the broken barrels on the lowest level of the front half of the Magpie's Fortune .

You've really done it this time, Ramsey. It's one thing to return to your favourite island and quite another to wreck your ship at the heart of it! I was bound to get careless sooner or later. This place has been my little secret for so long now. I couldn't wait to get back here. To dream... I'm so close to the Shroud, I feel like I could reach out and touch it. I'm not ready to sport a hook for a hand, though. Not yet, anyway! What lies on the other side? Piles of glittering gems? Huge leviathans the size of galleons? Even better... Might there be a future for pirates like me? Next time, things will be different. I'll visit Magpie, the Shipwright, and buy a new vessel. Take my time, find a crew. We shall sail together.

The Lords of the Sea

Resting on a rock in foliage to the left of the ladder by the bridge below the shipwreck's bowsprit.

Once, long ago, I was standing atop these cliffs and staring out to sea, quite lost in my own thoughts. Suddenly, there was an almighty crashing sound. It was a kraken, and one of the largest I'd seen for quite some years! I was so startled, I couldn't help but take a leap backwards in surprise. Once I'd picked myself up, battered and bloody, I decided to install this ladder in case any future visitors took a tumble in the same way. Nowadays, thanks to that fool Merrick, krakens aren't the only sea monsters to watch for. Megalodons are once more roaming freely beneath the waves. They can prove quite the challenge even for experienced pirates. Why, I once battled a monstrous pale skinned beast at—well, I'll save that tale for another time.

Paintings from the Past

On the ground atop the peak of the second island, near a stool and rock painting.

Of all the unsolved mysteries that haunt my dreams, none are more tantalising than the long-lost people known to pirates as 'The Ancients'. Their legacy can be felt all across the Sea of Thieves, from ruins that lurk under deep waters to clifftop paintings that shame my humbler efforts. They clearly had a great wealth of knowledge and had mastered many curses and other arcane powers... and yet, something drove them to leave. Maybe some great war or calamity struck their civilisation? Perhaps it was simply time for them to move on. The truth, as it always has, eludes us all.

Making Camp

In a crate by the campfire inside a gated-off cave found along the tunnel through the tallest peak. Use the nearby lever to access the cave.

Even with all the wonders I've experienced, it's the simple things in life remain the most enjoyable. Tonight, that's a hot meal roasted over a roaring fire. Fresh fruit's all well and good, but if you take the time to properly prepare a meal, you'll feel all the better for it. The trick is to keep an eye on the dish and serve it up when it's perfectly cooked. No amount of grog can wash away the taste of burned food. With care and a bit of practice, even a humble splashtail can keep a pirate in good health with a full belly. At least they're good for something!

A Ship That Fits

Found by following the path past the campfire where "Making Camp" is found down into the lowest area with the rowboat. The journal is up on a ledge near a grate and ladder to the left if entering the cave from the gated path.

We've all seen what happens when huge armadas try to make it through the Devil's Shroud, and it's not pretty. Screaming sailors and splintered ships. I learned long ago that smaller crews have a better chance of making it along the twisting routes that provide safe passage to the Sea of Thieves. A lone traveller is best served by a sloop. They're small and nimble, though their size comes at the expense of firepower. Larger crews must learn to sail a brigantine, or even the mighty galleon - a commanding sight with her eight cannons and three great sails. Then, of course, we have the humble rowboat. These tiny craft can be carried by the other larger ships and are perfect for retaining the element of surprise...

My Secret Plan

Resting on a stool inside the locked hold of the Magpie's Fortune . See the secrets section above on how to access it.

If you're reading this, you've broken into my strongbox, which makes you a worthy pirate indeed! Worthy enough to hear my plan. Transforming this old stomping ground of mine into a safe haven for travellers has sparked something deep within my soul. It is the flame of an idea — a great tavern, far more magnificent than the usual pubs and alehouses, known only to truly legendary pirates. A den that sold only the finest plunder, where hardened adventurers and cunning sea dogs could meet to swap stories of gold and glory. If you make it to the Sea of Thieves, and should your heart desire a real challenge, heed my words: seek Athena's Fortune. I shall be waiting.

Quest Items

• Old Sailor's Chest
• Old Sailor's Key

Commendations

The following Title can be equipped at the Vanity Chest after finishing the Maiden Voyage:

• When the player finds and sits in the rowboat , a rendition of "Row Row Row Your Boat" starts playing.
• With this in mind it is quite possible that Old Sailor Isle is south of Thieves' Haven, just beyond the Devil's Shroud.

The final scene of the player entering the Sea of Thieves, sailing towards what's Thieves' Haven .

Patch history

• The parting sequence and passage through the Devil's Shroud during the Maiden Voyage have received a suite of improvements to visual fidelity, enhancing the visuals of the Shroud itself and clarity of direction for players.
• There is no longer an invisible wall blocking the path when exploring Old Sailor Isle during the Maiden Voyage.
• During the Maiden Voyage there should now be a ‘Climb Ladder’ prompt while on the crow's nest of the fallen mast.
• Introduced.
• Pages using Tabber parser tag
• Pages with broken file links

• Sea of Thieves Achievements
• Sea of Thieves News
• Walkthrough *

4. Sea of Thieves Maiden Voyage, Commendations and Outpost Tutorial

Maiden voyage.

When Sea of Thieves first launched, you were dumped into the game with little instruction and had to work out a fair amount on your own. Luckily now, Rare added the Maiden Voyage

The Maiden Voyage give you some background into the Sea of Thieves and also introduces you to all the basics.

You can access the Maiden Voyage from the home screen of the game, once you go to "Play", select the Maiden Voyage Option.

Within this voyage, you'll be given step-by-step guides by the Pirate Lord, a recurring character who's the first pirate in living memory. He'll be guiding you through this voyage and a great many other things throughout the game.

This voyage is an excellent way to introduce many aspects of the game. It also secretly introduces commendations. I'll give you a full walkthrough of this, although more to make sure you don't miss anything, rather than to restate the tutorials given.

Once you load in, you'll see the Pirate Lord materialise in front of you and teach you how to restore your health. Follow the instructions to eat a banana and upon doing so, you'll earn your first achievement;

You ate a banana, skin and all.

Continue to follow the instructions that the Pirate Lord gives you. As these are simple and spelled out for you, I won't give you explicit instructions about what to do. You'll eventually reach a point after gathering all your basic pirate gear where the Pirate Lord will invite you to explore the island.

At this point, I want to introduce you to commendations.

Many of the commendations are liked directly to achievements, and they keep track of your progress in all areas. For many of them, once you hit the highest grade in a commendation (usually grade 5) you'll unlock the associated achievement, although be aware that not every commendation will unlock an achievement.

From here, you'll want to choose the middle option, Reputation . In this section you'll find a number of selectable squares over multiple pages, like so;

(Your screen will have fewer number and squares right now, this is just an example)

Here, you can monitor all the commendations related to each trading company, Guilds, the Bilge Rats and Tall Tales.

The Bilge Rats tab opens out to even more, as this is where the vast majority of the miscellaneous commendations are tracked.

For now, go to the Tall Tales tab, and select the Maiden Voyage. You'll see 10 selectable squares. 8 of these are commendations.

During Tall Tales, you'll unlock 2-3 of the commendations for simply following through the story and completing each stage. The others are unlocked by performing extra actions or finding secret areas.

For the Maiden Voayge, only one commendation is earned by normal play; Unto The Horizon , the others are extras that I'll guide you through here.

For the Maiden Voayge, you don't need to do all the commendations, but they are good for learning and all the other tall tales in the game require you to complete all the commendations for achievements

Now you're able to explore the island, we're going to complete all the Maiden Voyage commendations. While doing these, you'll also get some tutorials that you may have otherwise missed. One also rewards you with 25,000 gold to get you started on your journey.

From the Pirate Lord, return to the location where you dug up his chest. Turn to the right and look at the section of a wooden ship in the water. Find the closed door and on the floor in front of it, you'll see a small book underwater.

Journals like this are found in all around the Sea of Thieves, and every Tall Tale requires you to find at least 5 of them. This Tall Tale requires you to find 10. Read this journal, "Regarding Merfolk" to get your first Journal (#1/10) .

Return to where the Pirate Lord is stood and face out to the ocean. We need to catch a fish, and fishing is also related to a number of Hunter's Call achievements later in the game, so it's important to know what to do. After completing the tutorial, you'll unlock the commendation A Fine Catch .

Grab the fish from the hook. While here, you may be able to hear some clucking (if not, wander around the island a little until you do). You'll find a few chickens chilling out on the island, although if you approach them, they'll flee. You want to hunt down at least 2 chickens and pick up the meat they drop once you kill them.

You vomited for the first time.

Now, take the second bit of chicken and place it into the metal pan above the campfire just up the path from the Pirate Lord (this is the area you spawned in). You should have a cooking tutorial start. Once the chicken is cooked and fully browned (it takes about a minute), pick it up and you'll unlock the commendation A Hearty Meal .

From this fire turn around and face into the island. You'll see a waterfall just ahead on your right, jump into the pool in front of it and you'll find a small gap behind the waterfall that you can enter. Inside, you'll find a skeleton on the floor and your second journal (#2/10) called The Sea of the Damned .

Leave this cave and return to dry land. Turn right and continue up the path to reach a shipwreck, The Magpie's Fortune. You'll see that the shipwreck is split into two halves. First, go to the right half, containing the wheel and the mast. Take the stairs and ladders to the top and next to the wheel, you'll find another journal (#3/10) called They Gave It A Name .

Turn around from the wheel and climb up the ladder on the mast behind you. Once you reach the Crow's Nest at the top, you'll find a journal (#4/10) called Lost Secrets .

Climb down the ladder (if you fall, it hurts) and then drop down to reach the bridge leading to the other half of the wreck. Once on the other side, look towards the two barrels on the left side of the ship. Laying on the ground next to these is another journal (#5/10) called So Near and Yet...

Climb up the ladder behind you, then a set of stairs. Before climbing up the last ladder to reach the top level, you'll spot a red barrel with three circles labelled on the outside. This is a cannonball barrel. Go to it and grab the 5 cannonballs from inside.

Take the ladder to the top, spin around and take the small set of stairs up to find a cannon. Follow the instructions on how to load and fire a cannon, and do just that. You'll get the commendation Saluting the Pirate Lord . From this cannon, turn around and look for the fallen mast that leads off the ship. Run down it and then look at the small pool on your right. Dive into it then on the far side, buried in the sand near the rocks that look like steps, is the Old Sailor's Key. Grab this.

Return to the shipwreck and drop to the ground. Look to the side that has the wheel and mast, then on the floor just right of the stairs is a trapdoor in the floor. Use the key on that and drop inside to unlock Hidden Secrets . Have a look around in here as you'll find both another journal (#6/10) called My Secret Plan and 25,000 gold!

Leave this secret area and take the path up to the left. Look over the edge of the cliff and you'll see a wooden bridge connecting the island you're on and another island. Jump down to that. Before crossing the bridge, face it and look right. You should see the very top of a ladder dropping down to the edge of the water. Take this down and then look left. In the greenery against the rock is a journal (#7/10) called Lords of the Sea .

Return to the bridge and cross it. Follow the path up the island and partway along, you'll find a wooden door. Flip the lever on the wall left of the door and head inside. In a small open box, left of the campfire, you'll find another journal (#8/10) called Making Camp .

Follow the path up higher and at the end, you'll find a large red-leaved plant. Jump up the rocks to the left of it to reach a platform with a couple of empty bottles, a symbol on the wall and your next journal (#9/10) called Paintings from the Past .

Return to where you grabbed the Making Camp journal and follow the inside path on the right, down through the rock. You'll be blocked by a large wooden bridge. This can be lowered by using the capstan just behind you. Do so, then continue on the path. You'll be blocked once again by a door. Use the pulley system to open it. Once inside, you'll see a rowboat. Ignore that for now, instead turn left and you'll see a skylight covered by a metal grate. Approach it, climb the ladder and then against the wall on the right is your final journal (#10/10) called A Ship That Fits .

Jump back down. climb into the rowboat and go to the front seat, where you'll find an option to use the oars. Do so and you'll grab the commendation Yer Boat .

With those all done, return to the Pirate Lord and board your ship when he commands. Learn how to repair your ship and prep it for sailing

When you're ready, drop the sails and steer your boat out in between the green flames, and onwards into the Sea of Thieves. On the way, you'll be loosely introduced to some of the emergent threats you'll face out on the seas. Once you arrive, you'll unlock the final commendation, Unto the Horizon along with a snazzy new set of sails for your ship and a costume for your pirate.

Once you complete the Maiden Voyage, you'll unlock;

You completed the Maiden Voyage

Outpost Tutorial

You'll be taken back to the main menu after completing this voyage then it'll be up to you to dive into a game. You can choose to go for Safer Seas or the more dangerous High Seas. After that, select your ship. For your first voyage, a sloop with a closed crew might be a good choice so you can get a feel for the game without the risk of a crewmate messing you around, unless you're starting with friends.

Once you load into a game, you'll find yourself in the tavern, one of the handful of taverns found around the Sea of Thieves. Each Outpost has a tavern, and it's where you can find the bar, the Pirate Code, and the Athena Emissary table. You can't access that at all until you're a Pirate Lord, so ignore all that for now.

Leave the tavern and you'll find Larinna just outside the door. She's a representative of the Bilge Rats. She accepts Doubloons, one of the three forms of currency in the Sea of Thieves. You earn these by turning in specific types of loot. You can buy letters of commendation, which will give you one level of reputation with the corresponding trading company (these can only be bought once a month), along with exchanging doubloons for gold and a couple of previously limited-time emotes (the barrel hide emote is well worth getting and the Rolling Dice emote is tied to an achievement). You'll get these at some point.

You're now free to explore the Outpost.

Every Outpost has the same mix of characters, including a tent for the Gold Hoarders, a spooky building for the Order of Souls and a stand on the pier for the Merchant Alliance. You'll also find the Castaway's Camp, where you can start the Pirates of the Caribbean Tall Tales, and Capsize Charters, for the Legend of Monkey Island Tall Tales. Additionally, you'll find a General Clothing shop, the Weaponsmiths and the Equipment shop. Above the Order of SOulds room, you'll find the Pirate Emporium, where you can buy cosmetics for Ancient Coins (the currency bought with real-world money, although there is at least one rare way of earning them in-game, covered later).

To get one more quick achievement here, go into the general clothing shop and with the 25,000 gold you got from the Maiden Voyage, buy the cheapest eye patch, pegleg, hook and hat, then find the clothing chest outside and equip your new threads. This will unlock;

You purchased a new hook, peg-leg, eyepatch, and hat from the Clothing Shop.

Along the pier, next to the Merchant Alliance outlet, you'll find the Shipwright, where you can purchase items for and customise your ship with any sails or other decorations you may already have. You can also pay her to fully repair your ship if desired/needed.

Next to her, you'll find a wooden board with a skull and a couple of daggers holding paper to it. This is the Quest Board, and you'll be using that later on for a number of achievements. Briefly, you can bury treasure that you find around the world. This treasure is marked on a map, and you can choose to donate that map to this board. You get a small bit of experience when it's found, but most importantly, it's tied to a couple of achievements.

If you look around the Outpost, you'll find a second pier with a tall building on it. This is the Sovereigns, but we won't worry about this until you're Captain of your own ship, as they can't be used before then.

With that, We'll go on to the Trading Companies and their tutorials.

Sea of Thieves – The Maiden Voyage Tall Tale Guide | Gaming Instincts

• December 15, 2019

Sea of Thieves introduced its last update for 2019 with the Festival of Giving. With new Christmas-themed events, Ashen Chests, and a new Tall Tale, this new update will give players every reason to stick together and scavenge the Sea of Thieves for both treasure and gifts.

There are new commendations added to the Ashen Treasures Reputation tab, which adds more commendations to unlock more of the Ashen Dragon set through Tomes of Power found through Skull Forts, Fleet Battles, and Ashen Chests. Additionally, there are three Skeleton Lords that may be guarding these treasures: the Two-Faced Scoundrel, The Mutinous Helmsman, and the Duchess that must be defeated at least 25 times each to get the full commendation.

In Mercenary Voyages found in the Taverns, people can do Gift-Seeking voyages to find Humble and Generous gifts found throughout Sea of Thieves . The gifts can be given to the Masked Stranger, who is hiding out in the new Reaper’s Hideout island. Players must deliver 50 of each gift while allowing other players to deliver 30 gifts left on the chairs next to the Masked Stranger. Both parties will get the rewards, if a gift is left for someone else to deliver.

The Maiden Voyage

The Maiden Voyage is the new tutorial voyage that introduces novice players to Sea of Thieves with the help of a Legendary Pirate Lord. The tutorial is straightforward, as the Pirate Lord simply tells the player what to do as he leads them around the island and eventually helps players sail out on their way—but there are other secret commendations and journals to gather in order to unlock everything.

“A Fine Catch” commendation is simple. The Pirate Lord Ramsay gives the player the Old Sailor’s Equipment. Whip out the Fishing Pole and start fishing near the shore or on the nearby ship. Follow the tutorial prompts, catch a fish, and the “A Fine Catch” commendation will be completed.

“A Hearty Meal” requires the player cook a chicken. Since chickens are abundant, go and kill one. In order to cook it, players will have to go back to where they woke up and roast the chicken over the campfire. When the chicken is brown with some steam coming up, it will be ready to pick up along with the “A Hearty Meal” commendation.

“Saluting the Pirate Lord” requires that the player fire a cannon from the top of the shipwrecked Magpie’s Fortune. Players will have to venture to the third level of the wreck, and find a lone barrel full of cannonballs hidden in a corner. Afterwards, climb up the ship’s bow and shoot a cannon over or at this mountain to get the commendation.

Next up is finding the Pirate Lord’s Secret Hold that’s locked up and needs a key. From the Magpie’s Fortune, look west and use the mast bridge to head toward a pond. There will be some water overflowing from the side, creating a little waterfall. Search in the waterfall-corner of the pond to grab the old Sailor’s Key.

After grabbing the key, head to the broken hull of the ship and look for the staircase to continue. Now stop and look to the right of the hull’s staircase to find the trapdoor, which should give players a total of 25,000 Gold Coins and 200 Doubloons.

“Yer Boat” is one of the last commendations, and it’s southeast from the Secret Hold. There’s a waterfall that heads down into the sea revealing another part of the island. Swim along the left side of the island to find some waterfalls covering a cave entrance. Head to the entrance to find the rowboat and receive another tutorial. After completing the tutorial, players should have their commendation.

Hidden Journals

The hidden Journals are one of the more tedious of the commendations to look for as there are 10 scattered all over the island:

• Regarding Merfolk – In the northwestern section of the island is where the Captain’s Cabin of the Magpie’s Fortune was left. Swim into the cabin and on the floor lies the first journal.
• The Sea of the Damned – From the North Beach where the Pirate Lord is located, head south by southwest towards a small pond filled with a small waterfall with a cave entrance. Head into the waterfall and a skeleton should be next to the journal.
• They Gave it a Name – the Magpie’s Fortune has one of the books right near the ship wheel.
• Lost Secrets – Still on the Magpie’s Fortune is a mast standing straight up; climb the mast to find “Lost Secrets”
• So Near and Yet… – Still on the Magpie’s Fortune is another journal found on the lower levels on the eastern part of the ship. There will be a journal near two resource barrels.
• My Secret Plan – Head into the secret hold in the Magpie’s Fortune and the journal will be seen near a chair.
• Lords of The Sea – Head to the bridge that connects the two southern parts of the island near the Magpie and go down the ladder at the end heading that way. The book should be found in the corner after climbing down.
• Paintings from the Past – Head up the giant rock mountain that is found on the south east side of the island. There will be a path leading up, which will lead to a stool, some drinks, and a journal.
• Making Camp – In the southeast of Old Sailor’s Isle, there will be a path that leads to a door with a lever next to it. Use the lever to open up the door and the journal can be found in the open crate.
• A Ship that Fits – After continuing along the path of the previous journal, there will be a cavern with a rowboat. There is also a ladder that leads to an iron gate with a journal leaning against the wall.

After all is said and done, players can go back to the Pirate Lord, sail their ship, and head off into the Sea of Thieves. That’s everything that players need to know about completing the Maiden Voyage. Tune in next time for the next Tall Tales Guide for Sea of Thieves .

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Sea Of Thieves: How To Complete A Sea Fort

Quick links, how to complete a sea fort encounter, what to do with a sea fort.

Sea Of Thieves has so many destinations for pirates to sail to, and each one comes with new opportunities for adventure and plunder. Much like the Skeleton Forts that are scattered across the world, Sea Forts are full of treasure and violent, sword-slashing, trigger-happy phantoms.

Sea Of Thieves: How To Obtain Every Curse

So, what's the deal with these Sea Forts? How do you clear them out and get all the treasure that's stashed away inside their various nooks and crannies? Well, we're going to tell you everything that we know about Sea Forts so you can maximize your haul of ghostly gold.

Updated December 25, 2023, by Sean Murray: The Ancient Gold Fortress in Sea of Thieves is calling to adventurous captains just waiting to plunder it. That's why we've updated this guide with improved formatting, more breakout tips, and links to other helpful Sea of Thieves topics. Arr.

As of this writing, there are currently 6 Sea Forts with the Ancient Isles , Shores Of Plenty , and Wilds regions of the map each containing 2 apiece. This is the full list of them so far:

• Ancient Gold Fortress
• Old Brinestone Fortress
• Imperial Crown Fortress
• Royal Crest Fortress
• Mercy's End Fortress
• Traitor's Fate Fortress

The key difference between Sea Forts and Skeleton Forts is that Sea Forts don't require a world event to be active . When you sail to a Sea Fort, it will always be full of enemies to fight and treasure to loot unless another crew gets to it first.

When you arrive at a Sea Fort, you'll immediately be shot at by multiple cannons . Their aim is usually pretty terrible, but be ready to repair your ship's hull and bail out some water just in case. Once you get into the fort you'll be attacked by mobs of phantoms . Shooting them with a Blunderbuss or slashing them with your sword are effective ways of dealing with them.

There's a good chance that they'll drop ammo pouches when they're defeated, so you shouldn't have difficulty keeping your guns loaded.

You'll have to fight multiple waves of phantoms before the Captain Of The Fortress - which is the Sea Fort boss - will show up. There doesn't seem to be much difference between a regular phantom and the Captain other than it has more health and is slightly stronger . Continue to blast it with guns or wail on it with your sword, and you should eventually beat it and hear the triumphant music indicating that you've captured the fort.

Sea Of Thieves: How Captaincy Works

Upon defeat, the Captain Of The Fortress should drop the Fortress Treasury Key that you can use to open the treasury full of phantom treasures. Inside you should find multiple Chests Of The Damned, Skulls Of The Damned, and Ashes Of The Damned that can be sold to their corresponding trading companies. There will also be various regular chests, skulls, crates, and artifacts along with piles of gold that you can pick up.

In addition to the treasury, the top floor of these Sea Forts will have a store room with extra treasures that can only be opened if you have the Fortress Store Room Key . To find this, you need to rummage through the fort and locate it . There will be many cupboards, storage chests, and other hidden compartments that you can open that may contain stashed away treasures or gold pouches. The Store Room Key will either be in one of these or will be lying on a table.

Once it was even found just sitting on the ground .

You'll also notice a prison cell near the treasury that's currently locked. It'll tell you that it requires the Prison Cell Key to open, but as of right now, no one has been able to find that particular key at any of the Sea Forts. Sea Of Thieves is due to have a pirate legend voyage added sometime later, so we're assuming that that voyage may be related to these jail cells. For now, there doesn't seem to be a way to get inside .

After you've cleared all the phantoms and looted all the treasure, Sea Forts can be used as a makeshift base for your crew . Here you can cook multiple pieces of meat on the grill, refill your tankards with grog, fire at other ships using the fort's cannons, sleep in one of the beds, and use the map that's located on the wall. Several barrels are filled to the brim with food, cannonballs, and wood.

It's a good idea to have a storage crate handy , so you can fill it up with everything that the Sea Fort has to offer.

Finally, as with most activities in Sea Of Thieves, there are commendations that you can receive for completing certain tasks . Here's the list of commendations that you can get that are related to these Sea Forts:

Sea Of Thieves: Safer Seas, Explained

Why the journey is the destination when it comes to Alaska cruises

They say getting there is half the fun. Usually, I disagree. When I travel, I want to get to where I’m going as quickly as possible to make the most of my time there. However, sailing Celebrity Edge on its maiden Alaska voyage from Seattle, I was all about the journey.

Staring up at the snow-capped mountains through the ship’s floor-to-ceiling windows and watching for wildlife in the icy waters below, I was mesmerized by the famed Last Frontier. And I realized that on an Alaska cruise , the journey is a destination.

Here’s why and what travelers should know about cruising Alaska.

Why is Alaska a popular cruise destination?

Alaska is a bucket-list destination for many people. Some may wait their whole lives for the trip. While Alaska Airlines and other carriers fly throughout America’s largest state , it isn’t as easy to navigate as the Lower 48.

Cruises allow travelers to visit multiple destinations without taking separate flights, renting a car or moving from hotel to hotel. My Edge itinerary included stops in Ketchikan, which is surrounded by the lush Tongass National Forest ; the state capital of Juneau, which is only accessible by air or sea; and Skagway, home of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park . The ship also carefully navigated the stunning Endicott Arm fjord toward Dawes Glacier, a highlight of the trip.

The easy trip can also be more accessible for people with mobility issues and other disabilities. Like other cruise lines, Celebrity has a team dedicated to accessible cruising . Numerous guests on board my sailing used walkers, canes or wheelchairs. Plus, it’s just nice to be able to take in the dramatic coastlines from the comfort of a cozy cabin or lounge when it’s chilly outside.

Are cruises to Alaska worth it?

They can be. At last check, the lowest price on a seven-night Celebrity Edge Alaska Dawes Glacier sailing, roundtrip from Seattle, for the remainder of this summer is listed at $778 per person on the cruise line’s website, based on double occupancy in an inside stateroom. That does not include travel to or from Seattle nor any taxes or fees, which can balloon the bottom line on any cruise. Nor does it include promotional discounts, which are pretty much always available. After taxes and fees, that works to about $2,212 for two people or $1,106 per person. 

The cheapest seven-night Southbound Glacier sailing on the Edge’s sister ship, Celebrity Summit , is much less at $249 per person, based on double occupancy in an inside stateroom. It’s worth noting the Southbound voyage goes from Seward, Alaska, to Vancouver, British Columbia, not a round trip. Also the Summit is not an Edge-class ship , The Celebrity Edge is the first Edge class ship to sail Alaska; it was also the first ship in Celebrity’s most recent series, which also includes the new Celebrity Ascent . Edge-class ships were designed to bring guests closer than ever to their destinations, with their signature Magic Carpet cantilevered platform that extends beyond the ship’s edge and other features that bring the outside in. After taxes and fees, the Summit sailing adds up to about $1,231 for two people or about $615 a person.

Both are cheaper than flying between cities and staying at hotels for a week in Alaska, but they're also cheaper than other popular vacations. For example, seven nights at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort , a value resort at Walt Disney World , costs $955 for the room alone, including taxes and a summer promo deal. Adding seven days of park tickets, without park hopping, and the total becomes $2,195 for two people or about $1,098 per person, excluding food.

Meanwhile, cruises include all onboard meals – except optional specialty dining and alcohol. There are also a boatload of included activities, like nature talks, tai chi classes, guided arts and crafts, trivia, games and childcare. There’s live music available through the day and nightly stage shows. I sampled a little bit of everything, but for me, the best part of the ship was the views.

Inside Ascent: 3 takeaways from Celebrity Cruises' new ship

Do you see wildlife on an Alaskan cruise?

Yes. I saw whale spouts three times from the ship, though the whales didn’t breach above water. I also saw a handful of harbor seals and a dozen eagles from the ship and from shore. Bald eagles are so common in Alaska that a tour bus driver jokingly called them bald seagulls. There are 30,000 bald eagles in the state, according to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. 

I kept an eye out for bears on an excursion to Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. I didn’t see any walking along the paved, wheelchair-accessible Nugget Falls Trail, but I did spot all sorts of spring buds and the most beautiful moss.

The ship’s onboard naturalist gave us a heads-up on what to look for and taught us about various species in presentations in the ship’s theater. She also broadcasted live on the ship’s TV channel and inside speakers while traveling through the Endicott Arm. However, her voice wasn’t carried on outside speakers to avoid potentially disturbing wildlife.

What is the best month to go on a cruise to Alaska?

The Alaska cruise season runs from late April to early October, though dates vary by cruise line. Guests who sail early or late in the season may find lower rates than during the height of the summer, but they may miss out on warmer weather.

It was in the 40s to 50s most days of my May sailing, and it rained on our Juneau day. The onboard naturalist warned that there is no bad weather in Alaska, only poor clothing choices.

How much should I budget for an Alaskan cruise?

You should pad your budget with several hundred extra dollars for excursions and dining off-ship. Both can be pricey but enriching. My Mendenhall Glacier excursion was just under $130, including transportation and an off-site Gold Creek Salmon Bake , with all-you-can-eat fresh salmon cooked over a wood-burning fire.  I’ve never had better fried fish than the local halibut at The Alaska Fish House in Ketchikan, and I will be dreaming of the sweet, plump red king crab at Tracy’s King Crab Shack in Juneau for years to come.  If you want freshly caught Alaska seafood, you’ll want to get it at port.

You may be able to spot whales from the cruise ship, but if you really want to go whale watching, salmon fishing, dog sledding, or get up close to glaciers, that’s generally going to require an excursion. Excursions offered through cruise lines tend to cost more than those booked independently, but booking through the cruise line can streamline payment and ensure that the ship won’t leave without you if the excursion runs late.

One port you can enjoy on the cheap is Skagway. You can explore several exhibits and historic buildings on your own, as part of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. However many visitors splurge on a scenic train ride on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway up to the Canadian border and back.

Is it worth getting a balcony on a cruise?

Yes and no. The views throughout Alaska are breathtaking, and being able to enjoy them from your cabin any time of day feels luxurious. I loved waking up to mountains, thick with trees, outside my window and scanning the waters for marinelife before bed.

Just over 80% of Celebrity Edge’s staterooms have a balcony. I had an Infinite Veranda , which is unique to Edge-class ships. Rather than a traditional balcony with a sliding glass door, Infinite Verandas incorporate what would be exterior balcony space into the interior of the cabin and have a window that slides halfway down the exterior wall with the push of a button. I loved how much bigger it made the cabin feel and appreciated the extra climate-controlled living space. It was still chilly during my early season sailing, so I rarely put the window down and think I would have enjoyed a non-balcony, oceanview room just as much.

Of course, if you book an inside cabin, you can still enjoy the scenery from public areas of any ship. The Celebrity Edge brings the outside in with tons of windows, including in the buffet restaurant, Oceanview Cafe, where I spotted my first whale spout. In the back of the ship, there’s a relaxing mixed-use space called Eden with three stories of windows that I found myself drawn to daily. The solarium, with its tall windows and rows of lounge chairs, also offered expansive views. 

Do I need a passport for an Alaskan cruise?

Maybe. For a closed-loop cruise that starts and ends in the same U.S. port, like the one I was on, all you need is proof of citizenship. 

“According to U.S. Customs & Border Protection, this includes an Enhanced Driver’s License, which is a state-issued driver’s license that provides proof of identity and U.S. citizenship; a government-issued birth certificate (issued by the Vital Records Department in the state where the person was born) or passport; and if 16 or older, a government-issued driver’s license or picture ID denoting photo, name, and date of birth,” according to Celebrity.

Of course, not all Alaska cruises are closed-loop cruises. Some start or end in Vancouver, Canada. There are also cruises on several smaller U.S.-flagged cruise lines like Alaska Dream Cruises and Uncruise Adventures , which may not require passports depending on the itinerary.

Can you see the Northern Lights on an Alaska cruise?

It’s possible, but because daylight hours are so long during the summer in Alaska, the best chance to see them would be on a cruise late in the season.

I woke up in the middle of the night a few times to look for Northern Light. I didn’t see any, but I heard passengers on a previous sailing spotted them. Then again, so did people all across the country during the solar storm earlier this month.

The reporter on this story received access from Celebrity Cruises. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of reviews.

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