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However, Holland America Line (the previous owner of Windstar Cruises) cancelled these plans. The building project, supported by the French government, resulted in two new ships for the Club Med cruise line under the names Club Med I and Club Med II. In 1998, Windstar bought back Club Med 1, and renamed it to "Wind Surf". At night, the relaxed theme continues, with the ship enforcing just a few stipulations in the restaurants during dinner. At AmphorA and Stella Bistro, the dress code is always casual elegant. Think stylish two-pieces for women and a shirt paired with smart pants for men.
Windstar Knows the Way to the Caribbean
But marketing quibbles aside, our Wind Surf journey offered a refreshing change of pace from typical cruises. Learn how Windstar Cruises' staff and crew take care of your every need with an extensive list of onboard services. Wind Surf cruise ship was built with a modern design, but still features sails on masts that are handled via a sophisticated computer program.
Open Bridge aboard Wind Surf
Although only a small percentage of Wind Surf's guests seemed to use this spot, there are only just a handful of tables, and we found them full for periods during breakfast and, especially, lunch. Fortunately, few tend to linger long, so finding an open seat wasn’t too difficult the times we were here. Bridge SuitesAll staterooms have ocean views, queen beds, flat-screen TV with DVD player and Bose SoundDock speakers for Apple iPods. Bridge Suites offer the additional luxury of a spacious private living room and relaxing whirlpool spa. Next to the bed was a wall cabinet that had a shelf for an alarm clock, and additional empty enclosed shelves for storing small items like books.
Welcome Aboard
This is relatively bigger tall ship with 5 masts, while Wind Star and Wind Spirit have 4 masts each. The age range skews toward 60-plus, though you'll find families and couples of all ages onboard. (Windstar makes it clear that its fleet is not geared toward children.) Expect to meet repeat passengers who are loyal to Windstar.
IF YOU COULD DESIGN THE PERFECT ISLAND itinerary it would look a lot like these. Ports of call would include tiny towns and hidden harbors known only to private yachts and small ships like ours. Schedules would allow for dropping the Watersports Platform in turquoise bays and raising sails on the way to your next island rendezvous. And the laid-back island vibe would continue on board with a mouthwatering Signature Onboard Barbecue by the pool.
Learn More About Windstar Cruises
The bar itself was indoors, and there was a good amount of seating here as well. At night a vocal-guitar duo performed here, and on a couple nights engaged us in a very competitive pop music trivia contest. As the ship’s de facto coffee bar, the Yacht Club was open from 7 a.m. The bar opened onto the Library, where there was seating, but most days we didn’t see many gathered here. The lunch selection changed daily and would include cold choices from the buffet such as seafood, curried chicken or pasta salad, cold cuts, cheese and fruit, marinated vegetables.
The package covered unlimited alcoholic drinks (except top shelf spirits such as Remy Martin and Hennessy x.o. cognac), beer and wine priced under $12 per glass. Guests were asked to sign up for the package by the end of the first day onboard. No one went away hungry—in fact, overall the food was better than what we experienced at Candles. The tables were covered and napkins were linen, and there was live music.
Three Cruise Ships With Sails to Receive Multi-Million Dollar Upgrades - Cruise Hive
Three Cruise Ships With Sails to Receive Multi-Million Dollar Upgrades.
Posted: Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Other Windstar Cruises deckplans
Although bathrooms aren't particularly spacious, they don't feel cramped and serve their purpose well. There's some storage space around the sink area, including a shelf and a small hanging shelf in the shower. All cabins feature L'Occitane toiletries, including a large bar of soap and mini bottles of shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion. There's a low-level waste bin below the sink, a magnifying mirror and a container filled with cotton balls and swabs, plus a handy shower cap for when you want to keep your hair dry. We found lighting better in the bathroom than in the rest of the cabin. Windstar Cruises’ unique small ships sail all over the world from a wide array of departure ports.
Star Collector: Lovely Leewards
The stunning five-mast, seven-sail Wind Surf takes the prize of largest vessel in the Windstar fleet. Built in 1990 as Club Med I, the ship joined Wind Star in 1998 and most recently received an update -- including light cosmetic work -- in November 2016. Dining was as delicious as we remembered and everything about the ship looked well cared-for.
All other venues were closed on this evening, and in the event of rain, the event is moved indoors. The spread included salads and appetizers such as roasted marinated vegetables, poached shrimp, hearts of palm salad, grilled eggplant and chipotle corn salad, avocado stuffed with seafood, and various breads. Hot dishes included moussaka, spanakopita, pineapple fritters, baked potatoes, paella, and an Asian style suckling pig with applesauce.
There are watertight doors on those floors that are closed when the ship gets underway or when it's entering a port, and people in midship cabins cannot get to the elevator bank during this time. There's a similar color palette running through all cabins, with muted shades of cream, and stylish soft furnishings in royal blue and cream. They feel light and airy and, though they may not be large, you don't feel short of space.
A $12 per day, per guest gratuity was added to our checkout bill, to cover wait staff, our cabin steward as well as behind-the-scenes crewmembers. Additionally, a 15-percent service charge was added to all bar charges and wine purchases. Windstar recommends that guests dress as they would at an elegant resort, but we’d say the dress was a little less refined than that. On sea days, the ship’s breezy outdoor atmosphere is conducive for light fabrics such as cotton, linen and silk. Also available were acupuncture and salon services for men and women.
Heading to your cabin with a DVD from the library is the best bet. A galley tour was offered on one afternoon, and it was fairly interesting to see how our satisfying meals were prepared under Wind Surf’s constrained conditions (much smaller than what most cruise ships work with). The chef also organized a visit to a local market at one port, where he stocked up on fresh fruit, produce and other goods for the evening meal. In addition to serving coffee, the Yacht Club is an alternative buffet option for quick meals, though most of it is served cold.
Enjoy a preview of the completely unique and utterly luxurious Windstar cruising experience in the following photo gallery. You’ll quickly see that Windstar Cruises’ fleet is like no other, with some ships boasting towering masts with billowing sails. You’ll also catch a glimpse of Windstar’s amazing destinations, many of which can only be experienced by the fleet’s intimate yachts.
The all-suite accommodations, restaurants, pool deck, and public spaces were upgraded in the move. For years, Windstar Cruises’ fleet traditionally consisted of three majestic motor-sail yachts with billowing sails, but in 2015 the line doubled in size with a trio of 212-passenger luxury yachts. All of the upscale yachts often visit ports of call inaccessible to huge, traditional cruise ships and offer a unique perspective of any cruising region. Windstar’s sailing ships seldom depend on wind alone to sail, but if conditions are perfect, as they sometimes are, the complete silence of pure sailing is heavenly.
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