Outside

Suite

Windstar Cruises

Luxury Cruises

Gay & Lesbian Cruises

Romantic Cruises

Singles Cruises

Senior Cruises

Fitness Cruises

Gourmet Food Cruises

St. Maarten

Rome (Civitavecchia)

Lisbon

Barcelona

Venice

Barbados

Dublin

St. Martin

Stockholm

Edinburgh (South Queensferry)

Athens (Piraeus)

Nice

Oslo

Istanbul

London (Greenwich, Tower Bridge, Tilbury)

Copenhagen

Europe - All

Caribbean - All

Mediterranean

Caribbean - Eastern

Europe - Western Mediterranean

Caribbean - Southern

Italy

Europe - Eastern Mediterranean

Europe - British Isles & Western

Spain

Croatia

Portugal

Europe River

Douro River

France

Baltic Sea

Africa

Denmark

Morocco

Sweden

Transatlantic

Panama Canal & Central America

World Cruise

Europe - River Cruise

Greece

Ireland

Germany

Norway

Scotland

Turkey

Caribbean - Western

Mexico - All

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Asia

Canary Islands

Netherlands

Excellent

Very Good

Average

Poor

Terrible

Wind Surf

Star Pride

Star Legend

Star Breeze

Wind Star

Wind Spirit

Great Family Cruise

Izmir

I have sailed on the Wind Surf many times, and have 4-Star Yacht Club privileges. But my past voyages have always been with my wife and sometimes with another couple. I have planned many group travel adventures for my sports club (Ski Club of Washington, DC) and decided to give Windstar a try. I contacted Amy Conover, who is a Director of Charter and Incentive Sales, whom I had previously met on the inaugural cruise of the Star Pride. Amy referred me to Jennifer Brewster, who was my Planning Coordinator. Jennifer did an amazing job for us, and I cannot recommend her highly enough!

We had 20 in our group, including 6 that flew in from Portugal to attend. There were only 3 couples in our group; the rest were single travelers, some of whom had never met previously. Jennifer arranged a private cocktail party for us, and the ship's Maitre d' Hubert coordinated our table seatings. The entire crew seemed to know who we were, and greeted us by name whenever possible. Several passengers asked me "who ARE you guys? " Everyone in our group greatly appreciated the attention and gracious service.  

The Wind Surf also offers a small private party just for single travelers, as well as receptions for new and repeat customers. 

Dining on the ship was superb. I enjoyed breakfast and lunch on the Veranda, with different versions of Eggs Benedict every morning, and grilled fish at lunch. I tried to avoid too many servings of bread pudding, but failed. I took all my dinners in the Amphora dining room, but many in our group preferred to dine al fresco at Candles. I was invited to join the Hotel Manager James Deering for dinner at the Stella Bistro one night, and enjoyed his tales of life at sea. 

Garetz (sp?) was the  Director of Entertainment on board.  He was simply amazing --- a fantastic singer, dancer and showman. He was very friendly, engaging and easy to talk to, and turned the afternoon Trivia contests into a comedy show. The musical entertainment in the Lounge and Compass Rose was also very good. 

Windstar offers several different excursions at every port of call. I did the "Twelve Metre Yacht Race Experience", which I have done previously. Over half of our group also decided to join me, based on my recommendation. We were all able to be on the same boat (True North) and won our race handily.  What a great way to endo our cruise!

Great experience with a great group!

First, we are a French-Canadian couple in our late 50’s/early 60’s from Quebec. We have sailed numerous times with Windstar since 2013 (4 Star Yacht Club members). All our cruises have been in the Caribbean with cruises on the Wind Star, Star Pride, Star Legend and Wind Surf. What we love about Windstar (and still do after 11 years of cruising with them) is the small ships, the fact you can do things independently easily, the relaxed dress code, the food (which continues to be excellent), and last but not least the great service staff which goes out of its way to make your cruise memorable.   

This time around we did the 14-day Caribbean Explorations itinerary from Jan 6th to Jan 20th.  The weather was mostly fine, however there were regular short and sometimes inconvenient showers which, luckily, did not impact any of the Deck and Beach BBQs.  Seas were calm although trade winds were strong out of the East (Christmas Winds) for most of the cruise which prevented us from going into Falmouth Harbor, a recurring issue for us, a much more interesting port than the alternate and busy port of St. John’s we were diverted to (there were 3 other large ships with 10,000 pax on that day in town).  Demographics on this cruise were mostly in the 70’s and 80’s (70% of clientele) with the rest in the 40-60 range plus a few honeymooners.  On the second leg there was a corporate group of approx. 40 people which brought in a slightly younger crowd, but their presence did not affect the overall vibe of the ship.   Windstar’s clientele is energetic and well-travelled, and we always meet interesting people onboard.  We travelled as a couple this time around. Overall, another great cruise with Windstar 

Booking: 

No issues with booking. We deal directly with Windstar and have never had an issue with the Reservations Dept (we have been dealing with the same person for our last several cruises). Each got $300 OBC ($200 promo plus $100 Yacht Club). Assigned stateroom 119 and did not get an offer to be upgraded like we did the last few cruises.  Given I drink more than my wife, I took the Beer/Wine package which also allows you to buy wines by the bottle at a 30% discount (these were “her” wines).  It may take a bit more logistics, but it worked well for us.  As a 4-star YC member, we also got free laundry (we sent in approx. $100/week based on menu prices) and free internet (which thanks to Star Link is now excellent although it does not allow iCloud back-ups and other data heavy sites). 

Embarkation:

We stayed in St. Martin (Orient Bay, very enjoyable) with some friends for a week prior to the cruise. Had one from our group drop us off at the terminal at 1h30pm. Left the bags in the terminal, took the golf cart to the ship, got on (with 3 bottles of wine bought in St Martin) and waited about 15 minutes in the Lounge (with a drink) to finalize credit card and photos. Booked the Beverage Package and Week 1 reservations for Candles (on late night in port in St Barth) and Stella (on my birthday). Then had lunch (buffet with carving station and some à la carte items) on the top deck at The Veranda (open until 4pm on embarkation day only) with a glass of delicious Sarah Jessica Parker Rosé. Then we went down to the room and our luggage had already arrived. Overall, a hassle-free check-in. There were 290 pax on the 1st leg, 300 on the 2nd leg and 59 passengers doing both like us. Ship never felt too busy or crowded (even at the pool) save for some peak breakfast and lunch times at The Veranda. Had dinner in main dining room Amphora and it was nice to see Maître d’ Merrick again as he was on the Surf on our previous cruise.  He is very present, always wanting to make sure everything is fine.    

Cabin: 

Cabins are well designed with plenty of storage if required (we had 2 large suitcases that fit under the bed and 2 carry-ons). Cabin was quiet, with no tender or gangway noise as was the case for 309 last year. It is also far enough to avoid engine noise (as was also the case in 309 last year). What was the same as 309 however was the # of times we had to call maintenance (5 times, mostly in the second week) to come and fix our vacuum toilet.  This is an old system that hopefully will get looked at in the upcoming drydocks. In all cases, problem was promptly fixed by maintenance staff. We did get water sloshing on our portholes at night a few times but nothing to prevent us from sleeping well. Mattresses are firm, so no issue for us. Older but well-designed bathrooms with Occitane toiletries. Shower has lots of pressure and always plenty of hot water. No major rocking at night as we mostly sailed west of the islands. Our room attendant Ronni was helpful and even surprised us with great decorations in the room for my birthday. Reusable water bottles we refilled every day (one with flat water, the other sparkling) and our ice bucket was kept full of ice every day. Note the small safe was not working well. 

We had unlimited laundry service and took full advantage of it with pants, shorts, shirts polos etc. coming back in tip top shape. Coming from our week in St. Martin, it was great to send all our clothes on embarkation day to get cleaned. Clothes sent for wash on a given morning came back the following evening. This Laundry Service (and a relaxed dress code) make it definitely feasible to sail on a 2-week Caribbean cruise on a carry-on only.  Did not spend much time in the room (why would you) nor did we use Room Service.  

Bars and Entertainment: 

Again, we continue to favour the Compass Rose over the Lounge given it opens to the stern of the ship with a view of the sea.  We went to the Lounge a few times including one time for the Crew Talent Show, but that was it. Bar service was always good wherever you went (Lounge, Pool, Compass). Sometimes the Compass Rose was quiet but on more than a few evenings, in-house band Top Society got the place rocking (I mean rocking) with everybody having a fun time dancing.  By 11h30-0h00am things usually slowed down and we would go to bed.  The place is also busy at cocktail time for Trivia and for Sail Aways. Speaking of SailAways, I must say that even after 11 years of sailing, we still get goosebumps when hearing the Vangelis 1492 Song (I wish it could be louder for an even greater impact).  Yes, SailAways are very ceremonial on the Star Ships, but it is on the Sailing Ships that they take on their full meaning, with billowing sails unfurling into the wind. While there were plenty of SailAways, sails were up for around 50% of the time due to the Christmas Winds, which is not bad given how strong these winds were.  We always have lots of fun at this back of the ship bar (or the Star Bar on the Motor Yachts) where we have had many memorable evenings. Do not miss it.   

Food: 

Again, food was a highlight. We ate at Amphora 7 times, 3 times at Stella Bistro and 2 times at Candles plus 2 Deck BBQs on the late nights in St-Kitts and Jost Van Dyke. Menu was varied with improving gluten free and plant-based items. Breakfast was good although selection of fruits seems to have suffered a lot with melons, pineapple (particularly good) and some canned fruit being the staple on the buffet with a kiwi here and a banana there but not much more. No papayas, mangos, sliced oranges, grapefruits, or berries of any kind, not to mention the OJ, which, while feeling somewhat fresh-squeezed, tasted more like it was diluted with other juices. I even mentioned this to the chef early on and he said the oranges are not as sweet. Oh well! Otherwise, the remainder of the buffet offers an excellent selection of breads, croissants, cheeses, cold cuts, smoked salmon, yogurt, and several hot dishes including delicious crispy bacon.    There is also an egg and omelette station (which my wife used every morning) and à la carte items such as French Toast, Eggs Benedict, pancakes and waffles are also available from the kitchen. Finally, caffe lattes taken here were also excellent and always free. 

We also had good lunches at the Veranda when we made it back in time from the islands as the venue is only open from 12h00 to 14h00. Lunch is same format as breakfast with buffet items coupled with a station of some sort (pasta, carving) and à la carte items (burgers, hot dogs, fish & chips). Service is good but sometimes a bit disorganized as is the case during breakfast rush. Also went to Yacht Club to either pick up excellent latte from Miko in the morning but also to enjoy their tasty sandwiches and energy bars in the afternoon.     

Service in the dining rooms at night was fast and efficient (sometimes too fast) with meals lasting 1.0 to 1.5 hours. We mostly had dinner around 8pm and never had to wait more than a few minutes for a table (for 2) and by the time we were finished, we were one of the last tables in the dining room. Menus were varied with several fish, meat and vegetarian dishes and we continue to be impressed by the quality and presentation of the dishes. Deck BBQ food was good with seafood paella, suckling pig, lamb chops, grilled fish and chicken together with salads, cheeses, shrimp, prosciutto, breads, desserts, ice cream. Crew really puts a lot of effort into this event, and it is always a great evening under the stars which all ends with some line dancing by the crew...and guests on Pool Deck and then some more dancing up at the Compass Rose (lots of fun both times).    

Beach BBQ was held on Pigeon Island week 1, our least favourite Windstar Beach BBQ location. Week 2 was held at Prickly Pear, Virgin Gorda (much better). For us, Mayreau is the nicest one, although few itineraries stop there. While food was good (burgers, hot dogs, pasta, hot dishes, chicken, salads, desserts) and the area where we dined is nice at the back of the beach under the trees, the beach itself is too small for 300 guests and not necessarily the nicest. 

A couple of evenings, we saw too few canapés at Compass Rose before dinner (never got to taste them). I suspect these were also served in the Lounge. Had canapés at Captain’s receptions as well as at the Yacht Club receptions.  

Also had dinner one night with the Hotel Manager and another Canadian couple. It was a fascinating evening, and based on his comments, it certainly looks like the Anschutz family (owners of the company) really have big plans for the cruise line and want to increase the number of ships in the fleet. Good news 

Bar service was good and Sommelier Gordana and Erica at the Compass Rose were familiar with our “Package for me/Bottle for her” arrangement. Also brought wine on board which we used in the dining rooms and Compass Rose (corkage $15). We also brought some wine (not liquor) back from St Barth and there was no issue at gangway. The Wine by the Glass list is quite extensive with over 35 wines for all tastes and the actual wine list is also impressive and has wines for every occasion at any price point (from the low $30’s all the way up to $1,200 or more for a Chateau Lafite Rothschild). We drank a lot of Rosé, and they had 2 good ones onboard and never ran out (Domaine Houchart Côte de Provence and Sarah Jessica Parker Rosé Southern France).  

Marina 

We used the marina three times, but it was open every day save for when we were docked (Roseau and St-John's) or on Beach BBQ Day, when the water toys are brought to the beach. We also saw several people using it when it was open.  

Spa: 

There is a spa raffle on the first day and we won a $100 gift certificate which my wife used for what she called “one of the best massages of her life”. The spa looks clean and inviting and was busy throughout the cruise.  You can also get a massage on the beach on the day of the Beach BBQ 

Gym: we did not use gym, but it looked clean with new equipment and did not look very crowded. 

Tenders:  

Tenders were used in all ports except Dominica, St. John’s and Sint Maarten where we were docked. Tender service was good and regular while the tenders themselves look better. 

Bridge: 

Went to the bridge a few times to chat with officers which is always nice. 

Stops and excursions: 

We are usually not the type to book ship excursions as we feel they are overpriced and like to do things on our own. I typically like to do my own research and do not like to plan too long ahead. 

Nevis:  

We were there on a Sunday, so everything closed in Charlestown. Took a cab ($25 return for 2) to Pinney’s Beach. Beach is nice and not too crowded.  A few beach shacks on site. Went to Hamilton House and wish we could have gone to Nisbet Plantation Beach Club but understand it is under renovations. No other ship in town 

Dominica:  

We had been to Titou Gorge and Trafalgar Falls before so we opted to walk around town. Walked around for about an hour (not much to see in Roseau) and returned to the ship, grabbed lunch, and stayed around the pool which was quiet. No other ship in town  

Pigeon Island: 

This was our 6th time on Pigeon Island, and it is our least favorite spot for the Beach BBQ. The beach is small and crowded, although the area in the back where they actually serve the BBQ is nice. The water toys were brought to the beach, as well as paddle boards and kayaks. Weather looked grim in the morning, and I thought for a while it would not happen, but things cleared up and it ended up being a beautiful day.  No other ship in town 

Les Saintes: 

This was our 5th time in Les Saintes, and we continue to enjoy this stop. This is a quaint village with some interesting shops and a Fort (Fort Napoleon) from which the views of the bay and our sail ship are simply breathtaking. Note the Fort is only open until 12h30 and bring €6 cash if you want to get in. We did not rent seat electric golf cart like we have done in the past and simply walked around town. Had a drink at Cafe de la Marina, which has a pleasant view of the port while spouse shopped at Mahogany across the street. SeaDream II was also in town.

Basseterre St-Kitts:  

My wife had never been to Brimstone Fortress, so we came out around 10AM and hired taxi with another couple from the ship ($100 return for the 4 of us) to take us there. Great well preserved historical UNESCO site.  Beware, the drive up and down is not for the faint of heart. Stayed at the fort for about an hour and came back to the ship in time for lunch. Ship left late at 10pm and this was night of deck BBQ. 2 other big ships docked 

St-Barth (part 1): 

Had been to St Barth’s several times so we just decided to walk around town for a while and do some shopping. Bought a bottle of wine from Celliers des Gouverneurs which we brought back onboard with no issues. Weather was a bit unsettled, so we opted on not going to Saint Jean. We would go next week when we came back. 

Change over day Sint Maarten: 

Got off the ship and tried to get loungers at Holland House but they were already full, so we went next door to NuLove. 2 chairs, umbrella and 5 beers for $25. Did a bit of shopping and came back to ship for lunch. Enchanted Princess next to us on Pier.  Monstruous

Anguilla: 

Our favorite island. Took a cab from Road Bay to Trattoria Tramonto ($50 return) on Shoal Bay West. Free chairs, great lunch, rosé wine and just a few of us on this great beach (not to be confused with the more popular Shoal Bay East). 

Soper's Hole, Tortola:  

There was also a Seabourn ship with us on that day (plus 2 larger ships in Road Town), so it was busy in Soper’s Hole. Bought a linen shirt and a few cold beers at Pussers while the rain passed. Could have gone to any of the great beaches on this stop (Smugglers Cove, Long Bay, Cane Garden) but with the cloudy weather, we decided to go back to the ship. SailAway at around 6PM for the crossing over to Jost Van Dyke (1hr and ship stayed there overnight).  Deck BBQ was held under beautiful weather that night 

Jost Van Dyke 

Took a cab (6 to 10 people in each) to go up and down to White Bay ($5 each way). Taxi drop-off is at Soggy Dollar Bar, which is too busy for us. Instead, we went next door to Hendo’s Hideout.  Quieter, chairs are free like everywhere else. Lots of shade if required. Great lunch with a nice bottle of rosé wine.  The place also has one- and two-bedroom villas for rent which look fantastic.  A great beach day that we ended with a swim at the Marina at the back of the ship. 

Virgin Gorda: 

Beach BBQ day. Nicer spot and much wider beach than Pigeon Island. Food again was great.  Did not do the Baths tour as we had done a couple of times already, but this is certainly something one should do on this stop (you cannot do this independently and must take a Windstar excursion to get there) 

St. Barth (take 2)  

Got off the ship and went to Saint Jean (a 5-minute cab ride that costs Euros 40 each way, welcome to St. Barth!!). Did some shopping and went to St Jean beach for an hour, then had Panini lunch and beer at KikiéMo. While this is certainly not as swanky as the Nikki Beach (where we have been a few times), which is right across the street from where we sat  it was just as enjoyable this time around. St. Barth does not need to be complicated, but it is getting increasingly expensive.  

St. John’s Antigua 

This is the 2nd time in a row for us that the ship cannot go into Falmouth/English Harbour due to swells and gets deviated to St. John’s. Very disappointing as Falmouth/English Harbour is so much nicer and quieter than the zoo in St John’s (There were 3 other large ships in town with us). Going to English Harbour is an hour ride from St. John’s, so not worth it, especially given the congestion generated by the 3 other ships in port.  Given the additional distance from St. John's to Falmouth, maybe the answer is the ship leaves later (8pm vs 5pm) when they divert to St. John’s so that people who go down to Falmouth are not rushed into come back by 4h30.  

Debarkation 

Trouble free. Had breakfast around 8h15am after picking up our passport. Got off the ship at 9AM and took a cab (30 minutes) to airport ($12 each). Got there around 10AM. No issues with check-in and Security and we were plane side by 10h30. Had early direct flight to Montreal which was uneventful.  And so concluded another wonderful Windstar cruise.

Great Times on the Wind Surf

We have been sailing with Windstar Cruises since 1999, 28 cruises, 282 days.  Windstar Cruise' s ships fit us, it is as easy as that. We love the smallness, the Wind Surf has huge roomy decks even on a full ship it is easy to fine a private, quiet spot.  Being a foodie with lots of knowledge we love that the buffets are really not, they are a small fruit bar in the morning with a few sides and at lunch a small salad bar with a few sides, breakfast and lunch have menus. Eat inside or out. Dinner is lovely and on the Surf you have 3 venues to choose from: Stella Bistro , French that is French, Candles is the outside venue that is a grille  with incredible meats and fish, I love the lamb and I love this restaurant sailing out of harbors at dusk,  the main restaurant, Amphora, delicious choices. No assigned seating, make friends or sit alone your choice.   There are never lines, maybe 5 minutes after cocktails and the port talk at 7 for Amphora or for a tender to shore and back at most 10-15 minutes which is rare. The service is supreme, wonderful, dedicated, kind,  people.  Great Laundry, so great indeed, we have never check luggage.  For neatnicks like us,  the storage in the cabins and suites is great even in the small size bathrooms. I love hot water and huge water pressure,  I wish  I could replicate the hot water and water  pressure in my home. Small ports, especially in the Caribbean, we find them  more culturally interesting, having great beaches, nice touring and lovely markets. No casinos, lots of little things like trivia at 5, open jigsaw puzzle, lectures, music in the open air bar of Compass Rose, dancing up there after dinner, in the lounge nightly theme music by the band Top Society. Not a large pool but a nice cool off pool, two roomy hot tubs and in calm anchorages the water platform with toys in the stern of the ship. Something for almost everyone. I have written here before and I must say we love the WS experience now as much as we did in 1999. We are grateful for WS Cruises for it has enriched our vacations, it has shown us a fascinating world on trips, we have met lovely folks and eaten delicious meals. WIndstar has given our life joy and for that we are thankful. Our favorite ship is the Surf, it is simple, we love sailing and sails, we love the Sail Away to the music of 1492 with the Caribbean sunsets, nothing more beautiful, we love sailing with the Surf in the Caribbean in the winter and touring in Europe in the fall.  This was a fabulous two weeks in the Eastern Caribbean  and my favorite the BVIs. If you go: let loose, enjoy, have fun, embrace the beauty.

Life is Great on the Wind Surf

Saint-Tropez

We sailed on the Windsurf Pride in 2018. A delightful trip with fond momories of ports of call and the people and staff we met on the Pride. Fast forward to 2023 Wind Surf sailing expecting a wonderful sailing experience with friends we invited to come along and join in the smaller ship luxury experience that Windstar had offered in the past.

Pro's of this trip:

Stateroom is comfortable and A/C worked well

Food in dining room was amazing.

Ports of call were interesting

Embarkation and debarkation were stream lined.

Cons:

 The level of service provided while in the pool/ lounge area to the boarding of tenders to get to shore was terrible. We were on the ship for 8 days and spent every afternoon and or evening poolside. We had 2 servers stop by our table to inquire if we wanted anything the entire time. Otherwise for any type of drink you needed to go to the bar and get it yourself. 

The seat cushions on most of the chairs had black mechanics grease on them. After watching the sail away expedition where they raise the sails we watched as grease dripped from the gears on several of the masts onto the chairs below. This observation came to light when we couldnt figure out how we kept getting black grease on our clothes after sitting on the deck. 

As other reviews have noted the ship is a bit tired. The sink on our bathroom had been painted over with white paint that chipped and peeled off onto the counters.

 A leaking ceiling above the main stairway where the water was captured by a bucket was left unrepaired for 4 days. 

We stayed on deck 1 where every evening the hallways wreaked of sewer gas. Staterooms did not smell but the walk to our room was uncomfotably smelly. 

Tender service absolute nightmare. There were 300 guests on board. We tendered at all but one port. At each port they took anyone with a shore excursion booked thru the ship first. 

All others had to wait. The 1st port it took 90 min to get off the ship. 2nd port 75 min to get off ship. all others a min of 60 min before you could get off the ship after tender procedures had begun. We had tours booked thru private vendors as did others on the ship. Tours were missed with money lost because of the massive delay. We were told after the 1st port they would stagger 1 tender for ship tours then 1 tender for others. This never happened. there were supposed to be 3 boats to tender however only 2 were operational the entire cruise. Guessing these also doubled as life boats so the fact that 1 was inoperable for the entire trip is wreckless. 

Gluten free options other than the food  prepared for dinner is disappointing. A loaf of packaged white bread was the only bread option at all times. When I inquired I was told that because of the limited space on the ship they can't bake fresh GF options. Completely understandable, however pre packaged bagels,muffins,rolls etc are all commercially available and would be a welcome change. 

Needless to say we were quite disappointed in our ship experience. The staff is friendly but seemed to be spread quite thin. We have sailed on cruise lines from Carnival, Princess,Celebrity,Azumara,Royal Caribbean and Sea Bourn. This Wind surf cruise was by far the most disappointing when it comes to tendering proceedures and ship maintenance.

Standards changed since last cruise

Venice-to-Athens cruise, with stops in between, very enjoyable, Made a lot of sense to tack on a few days in Venice and Athens, at beginning and end. 

(Note to self: take lots of shorts and polo shirts, long pants not so much, given summer high humidity. Skip jackets as small umbrella suffices. Also, seriously consider Premium Economy, at a minimum, for daylight flight back. Since we procrastinated over booking hotels, could have made better and more optimal choices, booking earlier.) 

Concerned at first that we were younger (early 60s) than the average (mid-70s) and the ship had minimal activity/amenities (compared to a RCI), once we rested and relaxed, however, we fit right in, making acquaintances, and  enjoying each other’s company. 

On the plus side, cabin, bed, pillow, steward, all excellent; on the negative side, food very hit or miss. Default Amphora dining room dinner menu descriptions not matched by food quality (in a word, terrible--are they cutting costs?). Ditto French-themed restaurant, Stella, food served never hit the mark, regardless of evening or menu choice.  

On the other hand, buffet lunches and breakfasts at Veranda (outside deck), and Compass Grill dinners in same location, were high quality. We worked the reservation system to have as many meals as possible in the Compass Grill, five dinners, I believe. 

BTW, ‘James Beard’-inspired meals cruise theme a joke: single item on menu taken from JB recipe book, normally the worst entrée choice. On-board visiting chef never graced or sweated in the kitchen, cooking demo equally a joke. (Perhaps others don’t notice or care?) 

The few tours booked were ok, guides not exactly world-class, and let’s be honest, Croatia, Montenegro, Peloponnese: solid tier-2 (vs. a tier-1 Rome or London) so worthy of visit, say, every 15 years? Outings and strolling on our own with digital guides was just right. 

Plan to skip sketchy and expensive ship Wi-Fi and use 15G of 5G data supplement to monthly US cellular plan, paid off. Good connection in ports, and often off the coast, and definitely available for essential google maps navigating in ports. (Google Maps and Tripadvisor has everything you need: where to go, what to see, and how to get there, and walk back. Apple Pay or contactless Visa works a charm, too. Best to use bank-affiliated ATM for cash withdrawal, stand-alone ATMs rake in fees.) 

In sum, great to get away for a full two weeks, cabin was excellent and low-key aspects of Windstar we turned into positives. Ship needs refurbishment (Spring 2024?), however. 

Since dining and food served are seemingly important to us, a consideration for a next cruise. Personally miss the corny aspects of Royal Caribbean: shows, obnoxious cruise director, late-night comedian, extensive spa rooms, serious pool and lounge areas, etc., perhaps opt for a larger vessel next time? 

Grateful for much-needed get-away Adriatic cruise. Despite high airfare costs, hope it's a welcome spur to more regular European vacations.

06/17/23 Adriatic: Comfortable cabin, hit-or-miss dining, more restful than stimulating.

Rostock (Warnemunde)

My husband and I have traveled a lot, but never cruised.  We weren't interested in large ships, so our first cruise was on the Wind Surf in May, 2023, Italy and Croatia.  In spite of very bad luck with the weather, we loved the experience and are already planning our next Windstar trip.  The ship is older and shows signs of wear if you look for it, but that didn't bother us a bit...we loved the really nautical feel and particularly the layout, light and spaciousness of the public spaces.  As everyone always mentions, the crew is just fantastic...whatever they're paid, I'm sure it's not enough. Their attitude goes a very long way towards making the experience relaxed and enjoyable.  

It was very easy to meet other passengers, but you could also get alone time if you wanted it.  Apparently, there were 240 passengers on board so around 80 under capacity.  Never stood in a line for anything other than very short lines boarding the tenders.

We found the food to be very good, most of the time not anything exceptional.  But more than fine.  Seemed that, for dinners, there was always one or two elements - maybe appetizer or dessert- that excelled if the main dish didn't.

We booked a suite and I'm glad we did because the size of regular cabin would have seemed confining to us.  Lighting in the suite and the bathrooms was great, and more than enough storage. Yes, there's a shower curtain, but plenty of room for my 6'2" husband.  Almost every other passenger we met was in regular cabin and had no issues, so paying for size upgrade is just our personal preference.

Particularly loved the quiet on the side decks and other public spaces.  So happy there was no piped in music in anywhere.

If we had better weather, cruise would have been perfect.  Had to skip Dubrovnik altogether because of weather, which was a major disappointment.  And ship excursion to Pompeii was also pretty awful because of steady rain, but obviously, had nothing to do with Windstar.

First Timers - Now Hooked!

This was our 5th cruise with Windstar and our 2nd on the Wind Surf. Took this 4/30/23 sailing as it was as far out as our FCC would take us on the schedule. We knew the Spring weather could be a mixed bag (and it was) but that didn't damper our spirits or Windstar's casual elegance. Windstar consistently excels at great staff; they call you by name by the second day, excellent dining options; never a disappointing meal, and the size of ship that makes for a very relaxing atmosphere. Our cruise was only 3/4 full with 265 passengers so all areas of the ship were never over crowded. It is this small yacht feel that sets the Windstar's sail ships apart. 

A nice advantage with Windstar is that both occupants of a stateroom don't need to purchase the all inclusive drink package. On this sailing I did and my wife did not. It was perfectly catered to the individual's preference. Very few cruise lines do this, nice touch.

Excursion options are numerous at each port and are of high quality but seem to be a tad on the pricey side. We did 3 of them and were very happy. 

Ship was repairing a section of the teak deck while we sailed that led to the outdoor BBQ being moved to the rear of the ship around the pool and Compass Rose bar areas. Windstar should make this a permanent move, was a great atmosphere with the band front and center with everyone dancing the night away.

Overall Windstar knows who they are, know what their customers want and do it all very well.

Windstar keeps excelling 

I know all these ships do pretty much the same thing…travel overnight to the next destination & drop you off for a land excursion that’s just long enough t give you a little taste of the local flare. What made this smaller ship stand out was the AMAZING staff. Not just welcoming, but vibrant and funny personalities that truly made the trip. To name the standouts; Anthony (thanks for your hilarious dry humor & wonderful food service), Jearve (thanks for making my Lemon Drops perfect every time served with your sweet demeanor), Shelley (thanks for my four shots of espresso every morning with your gorgeous smile), Aaron (thanks for your all around great hospitality and getting the small crowd going till the bar closed down), Hicham (thanks for the above & beyond on seating & everything else), Michelle (thanks for the never ending cheerful organizing of the shore excursions & dealing with us with humor), Russ (thanks for hustling in the breakfast hours to make hungry cluster of tourists happy), Zarko (thanks for serving us in gift selection & the swing dance) and the infamous Gareth…thanks for the entertainment & knowing who could be joked with and ribbed a bit more with expertise! Our housekeeping was swift and impeccable & I apologize for not recollecting the gentleman’s name who was in charge of our floor. He never forgot my name and I feel terrible for spacing out while writing this months later. To all onboard Terima kasih again and again! 

THANK YOU to the never seen cooking staff who made remarkable food for the dinners in the various restaurants. I ate at Michelin restaurants in Italy prior to boarding the ship and surprisingly my tastebuds were more impressed with what was served on the Wind Surf. 

Great late night entertainment in the bar with brother and sister musician team. I danced every night until they closed.

While he Wind Surf is clean and comfortable, I noted that the old girl is in need of a renovation, modernization and facelift! She is dated and a few things appear as if they’ve been touched up too many times. Lots of boo boos on the exterior too. 

Overall a great experience.

The staff onboard made the trip great and the dining was truly exceptional! Bigger isn’t better on cruises.

Prepandemic planning found a great cruise  combining three back to back itineraries to fulfill many of our bucket list places to visit - Caribbean to the Mediterranean, with a TransAtllantic Crossing! We have traveled WindSong, WindSpirit and WindStar ships in the past and enjoyed the casual atmosphere of the Windstar Cruise line, great cuisine and most importantly, attentive attention only these smaller ships can offer.  We particularly enjoyed WindSurf’s slightly larger size, especially on a two week ocean crossing and if the weather cooperates, the aspect of traveling with those beautiful sails up!!

Public spaces on these ships are second to none, no casino or large scale show productions, but quiet nooks on the promenade decks to read, nap and disconnect from this fast paced life we all lead.  Open bridge deck to visit with the captain and/or first officer, walking up to the aft deck bar for a sunset cocktail with the staff greeting you by name and have your preferred cocktail ready.  Friends that have traveled with us on this cruise line agree with this type of vacation lifestyle.  We also love the opportunity of anchoring in smaller harbors, quiet pier destinations and providing the water sports platform to enjoy the areas via the water, especially in tropical destinations.

Our age is 69 yeats old and we also like the cultural enrichment this cruise line provides!

Can’t wait to plan our next adventure

Adventure at second home on WindSurf!

This was the third trans-Atlantic cruise we have taken on Windsurf.  She remains our favorite ship - she's not young but elegant, graceful, and really just about perfect.  Embarkation in Sint Maarten was seamless and we quickly got checked in.  Found many familiar faces from past crossings - some come back every year.  Staff just as welcoming and helpful as always.  After a brief muster drill (no need to bring lifejackets) we went up to the Captain's reception - lots of champagne, and an introduction to the department heads.  The signature SailAway was not possible because of wind conditions, but they eventually had 2 more.  Out of a possible 342 passengers, our sailing had 153.

Dining was as delicious as we remembered and everything about the ship looked well cared-for.  They take time to do some needed refreshing during this 2 week voyage and Stella Bistro was closed for a few days for carpet replacement, but it was no bother.

You really make your own entertainment getting acquainted with the interesting people on board.  There was a terrific duo in the Compass Rose - we have found the duos are always good and often superior to the bands and this was no exception.  The crew show varies because of who is performing - all are very talented!

Since this cruise does not stop until it reaches the Azores, there are interesting things to do offered every day, if you choose to take part.  Trivia is always hilarious and there was an author aboard discussing his latest book and the writing process.  Very knowledgeable photographers gave mini-workshops for taking photos with cameras and phones.  A couple of crew-led programs included navigation, the use of charts and sextants, stargazing, and bridge and galley tours, etc. It's all very low key on this cruise and if you just want to sit, knit, read a book and look at the ocean, you aren't bothered.

We did go to the fitness center and found some excellent weight machines, treadmills and bikes.  Of course, there's also a nice circuit of the teak deck to walk and plenty of deck chairs.  Windsurf's pool is more of a dip pool as it is small, but flanked by 2 large hot tubs.  The average age of the passengers is about 55 and we would say kids would probably be bored silly on this particular route (children under 8 are not allowed anyway), but older children especially those with an interest in nature, navigation, and ships would fit right in, assuming they aren't addicted to Internet pursuits.

The WiFi is quite limited: slow, inadequate for streaming videos, and expensive (determined by the number of cruising days).  It's all too easy to use data without realizing especially if you have more than one device.  Well, you are out in the middle of the ocean, after all.

Tours in Sao Miquel, Azores were interesting and ranged from a minibus tour to a hike.  Or there's plenty to see in the town of Ponta Delgada where the ship docked for the day.  The SailAway from there was magical!  Passing under the 25 de Abril Bridge in Lisbon is quite an experience too.  The Captain announced that even at the lowest tide there is only about 7.5 ft (2.2m) clearance for the masts.  Several passengers were up at 5:30 AM to see it.  Disembarkation is always sad, but we were all made comfortable with a nice breakfast and send-off to our next destinations.  We will be back on this beautiful ship again soon.

Windsurf - Our Favorite Ship

Filters

1-10 of 259