Seattle Sails

You will have an amazing time. If you are active, the excursions will be no problem. Including the Tuamotu Islands was a good call. Everyone's different but we just snorkeled our brains out because the water is incredible.  Fakarava, rangiroa and huahine were the best snorkeling and we preferred open water snorkeling versus the drift snorkeling.  The crossings were smooth as glass. 

Hi Brooke--we did the Windstar Tahiti cruise five years ago and we're sailing again in August for our 30th anniversary. As far as excursions, we booked from the boat to ensure we would never be left behind if the excursion was late but I've heard the tour operators all have a very good adherence to the ships' schedules. For excursions, we liked the open water snorkeling versus the drift snorkeling. We had one drift snorkeling tour--I think it was the coral garden but unsure--where the water depth was so shallow that we were right on top of the coral and it was rough. You are snorkeling in a line behind someone else and if they stop--you have nowhere to go but on top of them or on top of the coral due to the current. But a lot of people really liked it. We stick to open water. Fakarava, Rangiroa and Huahine were the best snorkeling for us; we had one tour operator take us snorkeling and then to a small lagoon where he cooked us lunch and then off to more snorkeling again--amazing.  There's really no bad snorkeling experience there really, Enjoy!  

Oh @Petoonya I am SO sorry!  I just got done sending you a message and then hopped on this board and saw your note. That is truly heartbreaking. You have been so helpful to my husband and I when we first sailed on Windstar to celebrate our anniversary.  I only hope the decades of amazing trips with your husband bring you joy and gratitude. So glad to see you sailing again!  

Hi All-- Hubby and I sailed the Wind Spirit on a 10-day cruise in Tahiti in 2018 for our 25th wedding anniversary and we'll never sail any other cruise line again except Windstar.  That said, they're spendy.  My husband and I want to go on another 10 day cruise, but between the cruise and airfaire from Seattle, it's tough to do it under $15K.  So, we're looking at the last-minute cruise deals because our work schedules have changed and we have that flexibility now.  We're trying to stay under $10K including cruise, hotel, airfare and wifi pkgs.   

My questions are: 1) are these last minute deals really a good deal i.e. what's the downside of the last-minute deals? Clearly they're trying to fill the ship and that's fine. We stayed in an interior cabin with a porthole (level B?) last time and were just great.  2) Are there any last minute deals in the spring or are we chasing a dream at that time of the year? 3) Any tips to know?  We're snorkelers so we typically spend our days in the water on local excursions and enjoy the incredible dining on the ship.                              

Also, I LOVED Tahiti--could easily return again and again but Hubby would like to try Fiji but we'd definitely want to do ten days at least.  Any tips or suggestions?  We're flying from Seattle and can hop flights from LAX or SFO.  Thanks in advance!  

We sailed the Wind Spirit in August of 2019 and the weather and seas were perfect! Water was amazing.

I have to say, we did 10 days on the Wind Spirit last August and I agree—you won’t want to get off the boat. Fakarava was some of the best waters we saw. Between the waters, the crew, the food and the range of experiences, it’s all good. You’ll love it.


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Petoonya--I am so sorry I have not circling back to thank you for all your insight and advice!  We came back from the cruise and life got in the way the minute we returned, so I apologize for my tardiness.  

Thank you so much for all your advice and recommendations; you were 'spot on' on every point and suggestion.  We took the trip with Ato and it was the highlight of the cruise!  The cruise was so amazing; I can't imagine going anywhere else and with any other cruise line! The crew was exceptional and the experience was very relaxed and intimate.  

All the tours were great. We did not care for the drift snorkeling; the current was moving really fast so we all kept crashing into each other and the coral so not the best experience but that was just a situational issues--not reflective of the guide at all.  We found some of the best prices for pearls in Bora Bora; and we bought pendants and got the silver necklaces back in the US which seemed to be better.

I have not had a chance to write a review but need to get to that. The cruise was expensive but worth every penny.  Thanks again for all your advice; it truly was the trip of a lifetime!

Jacque Coe

Thanks Ducklite!  This is helpful.  Can I ask about what you estimated you paid for a single pearl on Moorea?  That sounds like the place to buy and we’re on a limited budget. Also, where did you find Ron Hall?

Thanks in advance! 

Hubby and I are excited to embark on our first Windstar cruise for 10 days through the islands of Tahiti.  We've cruised before, but never that area.  We're curious if anyone else who has taken that specific cruise and has thoughts or advice on which excursions were best, or not.  We plan to do a ton of snorkeling.  Also, any advice on pearl shopping and what we can expect to pay for a single pearl?  We've heard there are deals to be had off the main path, but unsure if that's true.  Finally, we plan to use our debit card with supplement with a little local cash.  Thoughts on that?

Thanks in advance!