SailingSteve77
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Posts posted by SailingSteve77
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On 10/2/2023 at 10:11 AM, Wayfairers said:
Ooooo….is that grilled octopus? Where?
Bar 124 in Lisbon. Great craft cocktails and food and yes, grilled octopus. We will be there Thanksgiving evening. But any seafood restaurant in Lisboa serves octopus. One of the restaurants in Time Out Market (near the cruise terminal) serves octopus hot dogs...
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We have sailed on WS over a dozen times. Several were in suites with two bathrooms (my wife's favorite for some reason...) as well as in cabins on Decks 1, 2 and 3 forward. We are both sailors, so we love the rocking motion for sleeping, even when it's a bit rough.
Excursions: I usually do a bit of research on Trip Advisor before I pull the trigger and book a WS excursion.
We just booked our 7th crossing on the Wind Surf, Lisbon - St Maarten this coming late November. Celebrating Thanksgiving is a challenge since you can't find any restaurants that serve turkey and all of the fixings in Lisbon. So I opt for the Octopus instead...
PS - It's also a challenge finding a sports bar in Lisbon that shows the Cowboys game.
Cheers!
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We are looking at this trip as well Sail4986. We will be sailing on the TA Wind Surf late November from LIS-SXM (our 7th crossing) and these dates for the TransPacific are perfect for us. Yes, we will most likely do the last sailing in Tahiti first as well. Then we'll catch the reverse crossing next April back to LIS.
Cheers!
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We set sail tomorrow on the Wind Surf - April Fools Day, Saint Maarten - Lisbon and I thought to put together this lil movie trailer honoring The Barbie Dolls. I hope you enjoy. Cheers!
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Albertamom -
We have't sailing on Windstar's motor yachts yet, but we love the Wind Surf (5 sailings thus far). One of the most romantic events on the Wind Surf is the Sail Away.
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It was announced last Thursday to Wind Surf's passengers that starting 5 March on the Wind Surf for those passengers embarking or staying on for another segment, masks will not be required. For those that still wish to wear a mask or two or three, Windstar has no problem with want you want to do.
Bravo Windstar.
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Not yet - we board WS on Valentines Day in Colon, Panama - St. Maarten for a 19 day sail. We go home for three weeks and then board her again for the TA crossing in April. We were on board her for 30 days (we had a lot of pent up cruising desire and FCC's...) 28 November - 28 December. Though that cruise did get canceled during Christmas Dinner. The officers and crew really took care of us with their protocols and trying to navigate each countries changing virus regs. We look forward to seeing them all again as we are packing our bags!
Cheers!
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Good to know. We are looking at the Singapore - Papeete sailing on 7 February. Coming out of dry dock all spruced up makes it a bonus! We just hope Australia and other locals will open up by then...
Cheers!
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We have sailed on the Wind Surf TA both ways across the pond. Our first was in 2019 and we talked with fellow passengers who sailed on the same cruise the year prior and were hit by a rouge wave in the middle of the night. The bolted down Grand Piano flipped over and a bit other damage on board. Luckily no one was hurt, since most everyone was in their cabins asleep.
We've had a few rough sea days, but my wife and I are both sailors (inland lakes mostly) and we love the rocking you to sleep each night.
Cheers!
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Yes, it was a well thought out survey and hopefully it will give Azamara a lot of data to help them plan ahead for the future. I was hoping for questions about having an annual world cruise someday, but it was not there.
Cheers!
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Our last cruise was on the Pursuit when the .... hit the fan around South America and our first cruise back is on the Quest in November! We can't wait.
Cheers to Azamara!
PS - here's a pic from our White Night after we got the news that the Pursuit would take us all of the way to Miami.
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I just got this sent to me from a CC friend in Tampa.
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2 hours ago, laurieb said:
It will be relevant to Azamara come November though, when the Quest goes to Miami for its Caribbean cruises 🙂
Good news indeed! We are booked on the Quest from Lisbon - Miami and can't wait to sail again.
Cheers
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32 minutes ago, LewiLewi said:
What about the crew? Will vaccinations and testing be required of them as well?
No idea LewiLewi, but I'm guessing that Windstar Cruises will be taking care of their staff. Just like most other cruise lines.
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I just received this from my TA and note that final payment is not due now until 60 days prior to your sailing date. Good news indeed! Cheers.
March 30, 2021
Dear Travel Advisor partner,
We hope you are as excited as we are to send your clients off to sail again after a year plus without cruising while hunkering down at home waiting for the pandemic to let up. During this pause in operations, we’ve been busy researching and collaborating with experts for guidance on creating a safer environment on board, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cruise Lines International Association and through our partnership with the Senior Medical Director at the UC Health Infection Control and Prevention Department at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.With the knowledge and science available to us today, until further notice we have made the decision to require a current COVID-19 vaccine for all guests sailing aboard Windstar’s yachts . As you can imagine, we came to this decision after much thought and expert consultation, as well as after surveying our own guests. The vast majority of our guests are in favor of requiring a vaccine to cruise. In looking at the science behind the virus and how it spreads, we see consistent recommendations for mask wearing, social distancing, testing, enhanced cleaning, safer HVAC systems, and now that they are available, vaccinations. We are not alone in our thinking. We’ve seen many countries, other cruise lines and airlines require vaccines. A vaccine is the ultimate (though still not perfect) layer of safety for all of us. Combined with our Beyond Ordinary Care protocols, we believe requiring vaccinations of guests and crew is the right thing to do to create a healthier and safer environment on board. This Windstar standard is subject to change as CDC guidelines change. Windstar will periodically review this and all other COVID-19 policies for updates as the pandemic evolves.
At the cruise terminal prior to embarkation, guests will be required to provide proof of a completed vaccine course (one or two shots depending on the brand) finished at least 14 days prior to their embarkation date. For example, if they are boarding on July 17, then they should have their second shot (or first if it’s the Johnson & Johnson single shot) by July 3 at the latest. Our first sailing date is June 19th, nearly three months away. Recent news reports about increased vaccine availability in the United States and abroad give us confidence that guests who wish to sail with us will have time to be vaccinated before travel. To provide you with more confidence, we have moved the final payment date from 120 days to 60 days prior to cruise departure.
Additionally, proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before embarkation will be required and Windstar will test guests again at the pier prior to boarding. There also may be country and airline specific requirements for testing prior to travel. Guests should monitor these requirements as well so they may make appropriate arrangements for this pre-travel / pre-arrival testing.
Much thought and planning went into this decision. We realize not everyone can or will receive the vaccine for differing reasons. If this is the case for your clients, please know that we sympathize with their feelings of disappointment, perhaps tinged with frustration. We are sorry and will miss seeing your clients on board while the pandemic continues.
If your clients are unable to meet the COVID-19 vaccination requirement, we will gladly provide them a refund for cancellations that occur greater than 60 days prior to sailing, and a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) will be issued for cancellations occurring within 60 days before sailing. They may contact Windstar guest services to request a refund. Windstar will process the refund to the original form(s) of payment at 100% of the amount paid to Windstar Cruises. Please note Windstar does not reimburse third party (non-Windstar) travel expenses or fees.
In preparation to return to sailing, we continue to review and update our health and safety practices including enhanced sanitation protocols, health screenings, pre-embarkation testing for guests and crew, additional medical staff on board, flexible indoor and outdoor dining, and crew training. Our Beyond Ordinary Care program is a multi-layered strategy with key hospital-grade elements: HEPA filters and UV-C germicidal irradiation to filter and disinfect circulated air, plus electrostatic sprayers to sanitize all surfaces throughout our yachts. Learn more about these measures here.
We are excited to get back on the water and deliver that extraordinary experience you expect from us. Our first sailing dates are as follows:- June 19, 2021: Star Breeze in the Caribbean and Wind Star in Mediterranean
- July 15, 2021: Wind Spirit in Tahiti
- August 8, 2021: Wind Surf in the Mediterranean
- September 4, 2021: Star Legend in the Northern Europe
- November 3, 2021: Star Pride in the Caribbean
Please be advised that we anticipate longer hold times due to high call volumes. We appreciate your patience.
It’s important to encourage your clients to check back for updates to policies and procedures before they travel to embark on their Windstar cruise. Pay special attention to these items:- COVID-19 vaccine requirements
- Testing policies including a timeline to present a negative COVID-19 test and type of tests accepted
- Mask wearing rules
- Shore excursion policies
The health and well-being of our guests, crew, land-based employees and people in the communities we visit is always a top priority. We have taken extraordinary measures in an effort to safely operate our yachts for our guests and crewmembers and will continue to do so once we resume operations.
Our mission has always been to create exceptional private yacht-style cruises so that our guests may experience and gain a personal understanding of the world. We appreciate your patience as we navigate these new measures so that we can get back to what we do best – cruising and exploring.
We wish you and your family good health. We look forward to welcoming your clients on their Windstar cruise for a 180 degrees from ordinary experience.
Very truly yours,
Christopher Prelog
President
WINDSTAR CRUISES
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I just got this from my TA and note that final payment is now due 60 days prior to your sailing date. Good news indeed.
March 30, 2021
Dear Travel Advisor partner,
We hope you are as excited as we are to send your clients off to sail again after a year plus without cruising while hunkering down at home waiting for the pandemic to let up. During this pause in operations, we’ve been busy researching and collaborating with experts for guidance on creating a safer environment on board, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cruise Lines International Association and through our partnership with the Senior Medical Director at the UC Health Infection Control and Prevention Department at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.With the knowledge and science available to us today, until further notice we have made the decision to require a current COVID-19 vaccine for all guests sailing aboard Windstar’s yachts . As you can imagine, we came to this decision after much thought and expert consultation, as well as after surveying our own guests. The vast majority of our guests are in favor of requiring a vaccine to cruise. In looking at the science behind the virus and how it spreads, we see consistent recommendations for mask wearing, social distancing, testing, enhanced cleaning, safer HVAC systems, and now that they are available, vaccinations. We are not alone in our thinking. We’ve seen many countries, other cruise lines and airlines require vaccines. A vaccine is the ultimate (though still not perfect) layer of safety for all of us. Combined with our Beyond Ordinary Care protocols, we believe requiring vaccinations of guests and crew is the right thing to do to create a healthier and safer environment on board. This Windstar standard is subject to change as CDC guidelines change. Windstar will periodically review this and all other COVID-19 policies for updates as the pandemic evolves.
At the cruise terminal prior to embarkation, guests will be required to provide proof of a completed vaccine course (one or two shots depending on the brand) finished at least 14 days prior to their embarkation date. For example, if they are boarding on July 17, then they should have their second shot (or first if it’s the Johnson & Johnson single shot) by July 3 at the latest. Our first sailing date is June 19th, nearly three months away. Recent news reports about increased vaccine availability in the United States and abroad give us confidence that guests who wish to sail with us will have time to be vaccinated before travel. To provide you with more confidence, we have moved the final payment date from 120 days to 60 days prior to cruise departure.
Additionally, proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before embarkation will be required and Windstar will test guests again at the pier prior to boarding. There also may be country and airline specific requirements for testing prior to travel. Guests should monitor these requirements as well so they may make appropriate arrangements for this pre-travel / pre-arrival testing.
Much thought and planning went into this decision. We realize not everyone can or will receive the vaccine for differing reasons. If this is the case for your clients, please know that we sympathize with their feelings of disappointment, perhaps tinged with frustration. We are sorry and will miss seeing your clients on board while the pandemic continues.
If your clients are unable to meet the COVID-19 vaccination requirement, we will gladly provide them a refund for cancellations that occur greater than 60 days prior to sailing, and a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) will be issued for cancellations occurring within 60 days before sailing. They may contact Windstar guest services to request a refund. Windstar will process the refund to the original form(s) of payment at 100% of the amount paid to Windstar Cruises. Please note Windstar does not reimburse third party (non-Windstar) travel expenses or fees.
In preparation to return to sailing, we continue to review and update our health and safety practices including enhanced sanitation protocols, health screenings, pre-embarkation testing for guests and crew, additional medical staff on board, flexible indoor and outdoor dining, and crew training. Our Beyond Ordinary Care program is a multi-layered strategy with key hospital-grade elements: HEPA filters and UV-C germicidal irradiation to filter and disinfect circulated air, plus electrostatic sprayers to sanitize all surfaces throughout our yachts. Learn more about these measures here.
We are excited to get back on the water and deliver that extraordinary experience you expect from us. Our first sailing dates are as follows:- June 19, 2021: Star Breeze in the Caribbean and Wind Star in Mediterranean
- July 15, 2021: Wind Spirit in Tahiti
- August 8, 2021: Wind Surf in the Mediterranean
- September 4, 2021: Star Legend in the Northern Europe
- November 3, 2021: Star Pride in the Caribbean
Please be advised that we anticipate longer hold times due to high call volumes. We appreciate your patience.
It’s important to encourage your clients to check back for updates to policies and procedures before they travel to embark on their Windstar cruise. Pay special attention to these items:- COVID-19 vaccine requirements
- Testing policies including a timeline to present a negative COVID-19 test and type of tests accepted
- Mask wearing rules
- Shore excursion policies
The health and well-being of our guests, crew, land-based employees and people in the communities we visit is always a top priority. We have taken extraordinary measures in an effort to safely operate our yachts for our guests and crewmembers and will continue to do so once we resume operations.
Our mission has always been to create exceptional private yacht-style cruises so that our guests may experience and gain a personal understanding of the world. We appreciate your patience as we navigate these new measures so that we can get back to what we do best – cruising and exploring.
We wish you and your family good health. We look forward to welcoming your clients on their Windstar cruise for a 180 degrees from ordinary experience.
Very truly yours,
Christopher Prelog
President
WINDSTAR CRUISES
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On 3/11/2021 at 9:52 PM, Petoonya said:
One question I have is if (hopefully) we are required to show proof of vaccination, my county/state did not even require a drivers license to check in or register for it. A card was issued with my name on it, the date, vaccine type, "HP" which I assume is health professional, and return date. ( I covered my name in the photo) Looks like it could easily be forged. I've heard that some states have more stringent requirements and official documentation. Do you have something more?
I'm bringing my yellow shot record card issued by the CDC that has all of my vaccinations for traveling in the Amazon (yellow fever, malaria, etc.) and other third world countries and have them stamp that card when we get our 2nd shot on 1 April. Trying to keep it simple with only one shot record card to deal with in our travels.
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Us too - our 2nd booster shot is April fools Day...
We will be in the Austin area with our RV and head back to Fort Worth for that shot. Then we turn around and head down to the Big Bend Wilderness in South Texas for a week.
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We both got our moderna shots last Thursday and can't wait to get out there sailing.
By the way, a surgeon friend of mine in LA will not get vaccinated at all. We've had a good discussion on that subject...
Cheers!
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Here you go MNgardens. By the way, I grew up in Duluth.
Cheers!
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And here's a picture of the sailing vessel...
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On 2/7/2021 at 1:08 PM, TeaBag said:
We were watching the Pursuit while we, too, sailed around in rings on Eclipse pleading with the San Antonio people to let us dock. Nope. We liked having a companion ship out there in the deep. it was lonely to see you sail away. We sailed on to Valparaiso where we were provisioned and we wonder if that was where we contracted COVID. We were reassured we were in a safe little bubble as we sailed on to San Diego. In fact we were not, as we learned in an email upon arriving home.
we are booked on the Journey next year and I can hardly wait to experience Azamara.
I'm glad you made it home A-OK and you will love Azamara. Here's a pic of your Eclipse off of San Antonio and the Pursuit (mini-me) and the Eclipse in Ushuaia, Argentina...
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On 1/30/2021 at 3:13 PM, ECCruise said:
If you are looking for a brief look at the "Azamara experience" here is a look at it from the perspective of a very difficult situation (Quest last sailing in midst of a deepening COVID situation). We were on the same sailing and we heartily agree with this sentiment. And a look at Captain Magnus' leadership as well.
VACATION INTERRUPTED: An unexpected adventure on the high seasThank you for sharing. Like you, we were on the last sailing of the Pursuit - Buenos Aries to Lima. Our last port of call was Punta Arenas, Chile when the ports in South America started closing to cruise ships. Our cruise was canceled as we sat anchored off of Santiago, Chile for several days. Everyone was booking flights and they would cancel and then rebook and cancel again. Just like Captain Magnus, Captain Carl Smith showed his leadership skills to passengers and crew alike. When he announced that we would now sail to Miami, the whole ship erupted in cheers and many tears. We then stayed anchored for another couple of days while the ship was reprovisioned by one tug. Going back and forth 24/7. We then set sail for Miami and I've enclosed a pic from our White Night Party. This was our first experience with Azamara and we were impressed indeed by the professionalism, care and hard work by the crew. We are booked on the Pursuit for their T/A sailing next November in the same cabin.
Cheers!
Steve & Cindy
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On 1/21/2021 at 6:13 PM, Tennessee Titan said:
Has anyoue seen what the laundry facilities will be?
Dress code in the dining room?
I just did a search on their site and nothing comes up about laundry facilities/services. But, I would think that they would take care of us.
Dress code is county club casual. No jackets required, but I still like to wear one with an open collar shirt from time to time.
Steve & Cindy
Live from the Star Legend by a brand new to Windstar sailor. Menus, wine lists, bar menus included. Istanbul to Athens Oct
in Windstar Cruises
Posted
Thanks for the good write up HaveDogWillTravel. After 50+ cruises (NCL, RCCL, Celebrity, Princess, Azamara, Atlas) over the years, our TA suggested that we watch on Youtube, National Geographic's Amazing Ships particular episode on Wind Surf (approximately 45 minutes). We watched it and called our TA and told her - Book it Dano! We fell in love with Windstar Cruises back in 2019 and we are Four Star now. Windstar is truly 180 degrees from Ordinary - starting with the Captain (Yes, he asked us if he could join us for lunch one day) to all of the ships company. And all of our fellow passengers are well traveled and fun to engage with. We hope to see you two on another Windstar cruise again someday soon.
Cheers!