Windstar Cruise Reviews

Windstar is not your average cruise company and this is not a cruise line with a lot of history, founded as it was, by the Anders family, who, by the 1980's, had bought and were operating New York City's Circle Line. They enjoyed sail, and thought many would agree with them. They knew from the experiences from Windjammer Cruises and a handful of charter sail ship operators based in New England that there was a market for sail cruisers....the difference with this company was that this would be more of a silk stocking operation, geared to people more interested in creature comforts and fancy cabins. Market or not, by the time the third ship came out, they were all too happy to accept a buy out by Holland America Line, which operated Windstar as a totally autonomous division, until they sold them last year. Because Holland America owned them, key on-board figures are from that line, and hotel crews are Indonesian and Filipino. 

Gentle service, excellent food, interesting fellow travelers, cozy but complete accommodations....and itineraries that can't be beat. Windstar is a line to consider if you are a traveler who appreciates the good things in life, but wants it all in a casual atmosphere....leave your fancy clothes at home...unless you're planning a special evening ashore....there are no formal nights or themed events. 

When a shipboard kitchen has 1,500 mouths to feed in two sittings, you can be sure that much of the food will be on par with banquet fare.....intricate recipes will fall by the wayside. But when a kitchen has but one tenth the number of meals to produce, the food ought to be outstanding....and on the Windstar Cruises, it is! This company, no different from their competitors, has been forced to cut back a little.....the high end perishables....caviar, lobster and such, are served less frequently than a few years ago....but don't let that deter you from traveling on the Windstar Cruises....because what they do prepare for you is delicious....and satisfying. Fewer passengers also means more attention will be paid to your personal preferences. It also means that if you're not in the mood to dine with others, there will be available staff to serve your meal course by course in your cabin. The Windstar Cruise's restaurant is designed for open sitting service.....you can get a table for yourselves or a table for many....don't be like me and get into a rut, insisting on the same table day in, day out....go ahead and experiment.....change table partners.....it's encouraged here. 

The in spot for daytime fuel stops is the Veranda, up on Deck Four......lots of large windows, a very casual atmosphere, but with tables set as pleasantly as in the dining room. The Veranda requires that you come in dressed in just about anything but a bathing suit.....and with a location so close to the outdoor deck, it's great for sun bathers....no major troop movements from outdoors to indoors are necessary to get fed. 

Every single cabin......except the coveted number 107.....are identical.....and they all have the same price for any cruise. Cabin 107, with roughly 50% more space, carries a surcharge of 30% above the standard cruise rate. With the cabins located on only two decks, there seems to be a preference for Deck Two accommodations.....the only advantage to them is that there's one less flight of stairs to climb when going topside. Each room has two portholes, and twin beds that convert to a queen......and all have a TV/VCR, CD player, a safe, and a minibar stuffed with water, juice and wine. The cabins have tons of storage space...you'll find more drawers and cupboards than on other ships....the only thing the rooms lack is a real sitting area....the best place to watch TV is from the bed. The bathrooms are masterpieces of efficient use of space.....with large mirrors, more storage space, and a perfectly serviceable shower....they're also pretty, with their teak floors and wood trim. 

To feel at home on the Windstar Cruises, you should be.....a good sailor....these vessels can get their share of movement in a heavy sea. You should be interested in making your own fun.....you won't find group games, large casinos, and grandiose floor shows here. And you should be a lover of good, unobtrusive service.....nothing here is loud or vulgar....except for the occasional misplaced passenger! Windstar gets well traveled, active people......those who simply must be near the ocean, and who love to swim, snorkel, scuba, waterski etc. will find they are not fish out of water on Windstar Cruises. Children are not encouraged to sail on Windstar Cruises.....there are no facilities for their entertainment....However, kids are accepted for passage, but they should be the type of children who can make their own fun....quietly...there really aren't that many places on board for them to go and act like children. 

The Windstar Cruises will spend the remaining summer months in the Mediterranean, offering cruises from Civitavecchia...the port for Rome. In October, after completing her transatlantic sailing, she'll head though the Panama Canal to set up shop in Costa Rica...offering weekly sailings from Puerto Caldera to Coiba Island in Panama, Drake Bay, Caņo Island, Quepos, Playa Flamingo, and Tortuga Island. These cruises are an outstanding way to visit out of the way Costa Rican towns and islands.