WINDSTAR CRUISES    Cruise Report
Asia, Mediterranean, Florida, Bahamas, Greece, Turkey, Caribbean, Central America, Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific, Transatlantic

WIND STAR; WIND SONG; WIND SPIRIT
Passenger Capacity: 148
Built: 1986; 1987; 1988
Length: 440 ft. including bowsprit
Beam: 64 ft.
Draft: 14 ft.
Decks: 4
Elevator: None
Officers: British
Staff and Crew: 88; European, North American, Indonesian, Filipino

• Itinerary: In the summer all three ships are in the Mediterranean, with many different departures there from April to November. A typical cruise goes from Italy's Amalfi coast from Rome on seven-day sailings with shore excursions exploring Dubrovnik, Croatia and Corfu, Greece. Another goes along the Cote d'Azur with port calls at Portofino, Corsica, Elba, Florence, St. Tropez and Cannes. There are also Greece and Turkey itineraries between Athens and Istanbul. Caribbean seven-day cruises go from St. Thomas roundtrip to St. John, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, Iles des Saintes, and Virgin Gorda. There are also Panama Canal cruises and cruises from Costa Rica to Isla de Cano, Bahia Drake, Quepos, Curu, Tortuga Island, Playa Flamingo and Isla Coiba. A repositioning cruise goes between Barbados or St. Thomas and Lisbon. Other cruises are in Australia and New Zealand., Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam.  


• Cabins: 74. All cabins (188 sq. ft.) are outside and have twin beds that can be converted to queen size and have sitting area, as well as TV/VCR, CD player, radio, a mini-bar/refrigerator, international direct-dial phone, safe, and private bathroom with shower and robe and hairdryer. Storage space is excellent. Each cabin has large portholes and air-conditioning. Ten cabins offer a third berth. Some cabins have adjoining doors.


• Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with large windows with one seating. Breakfast and lunch buffets are available on deck in the Veranda Restaurant, and one evening a casual dinner is served on deck. There is 24-hour room service. Low calorie and vegetarian menus are available and special diets are accommodated with advance notice. Bread is fresh-baked.


• Dress: Casual during the day, jackets for men at night are not required; ties definitely are not seen. Ambience is low-key, but luxurious.


• Facilities and Activities: These are three identical sister motorized sailing ships -- sleek, white, four-masted schooners. They combine the mystique of the old tall ships, but with sleek looks, luxury accommodations, and modern technology. There are 21,000 sq. ft. of sail, but no one needs to climb any yardarms -- there are computer controls at the bridge that furl or unfurl the sails in two minutes. There is no set schedule of activities. There is a lounge featuring live entertainment nightly and evening dance music. A library has books, CDs and videos. There is a watersports platform at the stern of the ship, a piano bar, laundry, small casino, small pool and hot tub, sauna, massage, hairdresser and fitness center. There is a doctor on board. There are no youth activities or special facilities for children, and the cruise line is adult-oriented and does not encourage passengers to bring children. There are a number of theme cruises on such things as gourmet cooking and wine. There is an open bridge policy. Smoking is permitted in designated areas, but no pipes or cigars are permitted except on deck. Officers are friendly and mix with passengers. There is an unobstructed circuit of the deck for jogging (12.5 laps equals one mile). In Costa Rica naturalists accompany all cruises and shore excursions. Tour options include visits to park preserves, a float trip on the Corobici River and sea kayaking the estuary of the Isla De Dama. In the Mediterranaean on Bastille Day, passengers are nestled in the Nice harbor with hundreds of private yachts to view extravagant fireworks. The stern sports platform offers water skis, scuba and snorkeling gear, sailboats, sailboards, sea kayaks and banana boats. Scuba is $70 per dive.


• Typical Rates and Special Deals: The fare for seven-day cruises is $3,910 to $5,279 and for 14-day cruises is $6,810 to $9,409. Transatlantic 14-day voyages start at $2,980. All fares are plus port charges. Single supplement is 150 percent. Shore excursions are extra. There is 35 too 50 percent discount for early booking. Half-price fares are sometimes offered at the end of the season on all itineraries. There are special discounts for past passengers. One or two-night hotel packages are available on all itineraries before or after a cruise.

• Itinerary: In the spring the WindSurf will cruise to the Bahamas and Florida Keys from Ft. Lauderdale. The ship sails from Nice to Rome on seven-day cruises with stops in Portofino, Portoferraio, Portovenere, Monte Carlo, Bonifacio, Cannes and St. Tropez, and between Rome and Venice. Then after an autumn cruise from Nice to Lisbon, she cruises 14 days at sea to Barbados. In Barbados she sails 7 and 14-day roundtrip cruises from Bridgetown to such ports as Tobago, Grenada, Martinique, St. Lucia, Nevis, St. Martin, Barthelemy, Iles des Saintes, and Bequia.


• Cabins: 154. All cabins are outside and have twin beds that can be converted to queen and have a VCR, CD player, a mini-bar/refrigerator, ship-to-shore telephone and bath with shower. Cabins have two portholes. There are 31 suites (376 sq. ft. each) that have a living/dining area and some have two bathrooms. Some cabins will accommodate a third passenger.


• Dining: There is an open-seating dining room for dinner with one seating, plus the bistro. Breakfast and lunch are buffet on deck and in the Veranda Restaurant. Low calorie and vegetarian menus are available and special diets are accommodated. There is no smoking in the dining room.


• Dress: Casual during the day. Casually elegant resort wear at night.


• Facilities and Activities: There is a fitness center and spa with massage, aromatherapy, herbal wraps, and a hair salon. The library has current and classic titles, books about the regions visited, CDs, and videos. Weather permitting, a watersports platform can be lowered for water-skiing, wind-surfing, kayaking, sailing, snorkeling and scuba diving (instruction program offered).You can visit the bridge at any time, including evening hours. A casino is off the lounge. A conference center has facilities for up to 60 people and has internet access for passenger use. There is a dance band. Only entertainment is crew night. Passengers visit historic sites, explore islands, snorkel, shop or relax on a beach.


• Typical Rates and Special Deals: Rates for 14-day cruises in the Caribbean range from $2,980 and $3,180 for cabins to $4,678 for suites. Book early for up to 50 percent discount.The Mediterranean prices range from $4,420 to $4,620; $6,818 for suites. If you book in advance you can get an early bird discount, saving up to 35 percent. Port charges are extra. Shore excursions are not included. Tipping is optional.