Strenz

Perhaps wrong word, the stairs move with the water, for people with gait or balance issues or people who need walking sticks/ canes they can be challenging. The hand rails are firm, the space between stairs going from one to the other is shorter than regular stairs. The platform goes with the water swells, but the crew are obviously well trained, patient and safety first with WS. It all depends on the fickle ocean but in the Carib. and Med. most of the time it is smooth sailing. Enjoy.

We have been sailing on WS since 1999. I recognize that differences in food likes and dislikes are as different as humanity itself. We like the element of surprise knowing after all these years it will different and with always something good. Happy Sailing.

Hi, You are completely correct. Here on CC we have a lovely sumner garden, warm nights for great tomatoes and a wonderful farmers market that adds to the deliciousness of the summer and where folks can use their food stamps. We eat no processed foods with the exception of once or twice a year potato chips. Getting back to WS we can always find fresh, appealing food. I have talked to many a chef that a flash frozen fish can great, I agree. 100% + agree fresh corn is truly the best it is hard to get here but we try. It is all really about where things are grown, example Italy the tomatoes, the olive oils. The beauty of traveling finding that home grown morsel. Enjoy

The stairs going to the tenders are still a bit rickety. The platforms on the motor yachts are a bit more sturdier. Nature of the beast I guess. The crew in assisting boarding the tenders are fantastic. Happy Sailing

When I see lobster I assume, perhaps incorrectly, they mean New England. If indeed they were Caribbean then that is probably the reason they did not taste like NE plus being frozen. I did not think they tasted all that great all this time thought it was because they were frozen. Lobsters like oysters need to be from cold water, that is my opinion, to get that sweet, briny taste.Happy Sailing

For a For a person who only drinks espresso drinks, I think it is great. Yacht Club is open early morning 6/6:30, for us it is dreamy to go out on deck early with our espresso latte. What can be better. Happy Sailing

Going to chime in here. The lobsters: I live in Lobster land, Cape Cod, the lobster we get extends from here North to Maine. I understand not having the frozen lobster tails because lobsters here on Cape Cod about 18.95 per pound, not much cheaper in Maine. I think the reason for this is there are less lobsters and Right Whales now have "right of way", with the new regulations on lobster trap ropes. Lobster fishing is more regulated and if you think the US is strict the regulations in Canada are far stricter. Living here we get it and we are protective of these massive beautiful sea creatures. I love my lobster do not get me wrong. I remember when lobsters went from 25 cents a pound to 50+ cents a pound my mother said she will never eat one again, lasted about 2 weeks. I think that is where the problem is lobsters, due to the warmer waters and regulation regarding the whales, have become far more harder fish for and not as plentiful therefore wildly expensive. Personally a frozen lobster tail is not something I would be thrilled to eat, fresh yes. We love WS dining, love the lamb, we love the salads, my husband thinks the beef has always been great. We are a bit bothered by " plant based " because that can be very processed. We think Stella Bistro is authentic French, Candles has excellent meat and Amphora great choices. We are basically healthy eaters, love food and I am very educated about food. We also realize that food is subjective and people are different. As for service for us has always been perfect. We are also easy, grateful, uncomplaining people who happen to love the WS experience. Happy Sailing

We love the Surf, the rooms are 188 sq feet, very well thought out, storage, easy access, etc. We are neat people who travel lightly, only carry on, so the storage is great for us with left over, even the small but compact bathroom, very well organized. We love the Star Pride too, with the motor yachts we always get a balcony even though they are very small, one person standing. We love the old layout, walk in to bedroom and the living area has the balcony. We love fresh air but not directly on us like when we took her to Greenland. Despite the weather in the afternoon would sit by the balcony with the doors open, glorious. Again lovely bathroom and great storage. A difference in both ships is the tendering easier on the Pride with a more protected platform, than the Surf. If getting on and off in a tender is physically difficult then the Pride but I must say the crew is extremely helpful and safety conscious on both. However, I do think the Caribbean screams sails, our prejudice, the sail aways,dinner outside at Candles under the sails going out of the harbors, the huge decks where can find alone space even when the ship is full, finding shade is easy, we love the deck life. Nothing like it. Have a great first journey and I hope you get hooked, we have been hooked on Wind Star since 1999. Happy Sailing.

We were on the Surf in January. We adore that ship and we are also not fussy. We found the cabins simply fine. The hall floors the carpets in some places a spot or two, our cabin the floor had a spot. On the decks there was a bit of damage but not dangerous and only in some places. That was it. Everything else perfect. I wrote a review. Happy Sailing

Hi, Happy Sailing, on the sailing ships even if the ship is full because the outside deck is so spacious you never feel crowded. If you like lamb highly recommend it they do a great job. Enjoy

WS has both, you can purchase an all inclusive package or pay as you go. We are thrilled WS ( 28 cruises with WS) has pay as you go because we drink so little and why should we pay for other's drinks. We do not need WIFI either getting it on shore for a few minutes is fine with us. Due to our status we get their outstanding laundry service. On WS cruises all special non alcoholic coffees and teas, sodas, bottled water, comes with the cruise fare. The Yacht Club makes great espresso drinks starting at 6:30 am, part of the fare. HappyvSailing

I agree with you wholeheartedly. I simply do not need WIFI on an hourly basis, going ashore does it, we drink no more than 3 glasses of wine/ beer a day sometimes nothing between the 2 of us. Given my status we gratefully get the terrific laundry. Why should I pay for others. I am really glad WS does not have inclusive tours, my interests are different and touring on a bus is simply not for us, sometimes maybe but hardly ever. We hope WS stays the way they are giving people choices on what they pay for. Happy Sailing.

Good way to cruise and diet! I open mindedly tried it on WS, not my cup of tea to say the least. I do not eat processed food felt it was overly processed, each to our own.

Agree, the best of the best food tour we did was a private tour in Croatia organic milk, yogurt and cheeses, truffles grow abundantly in that area they did different aged cheeses with truffles, unbelievable. They build a tasting room, we drank milk in Reidell glasses. It was really fun, plus learned a lot. Happy Sailing

Hi, I wish they did more food tours with the chefs. Once years ago there was a food tour to a fish market, off we went no fish, poor chef, embarrassed, it was very funny. We called it the no fish, fish tour. Hope you are well and sailing haven’t see you on this lately. Happy Sailing

I agree, smaller ship, we went in May the first time WS went back to Tahiti, we crossed the Pacific on the Spirit, sad they took the sailing ship out because we thought the Tahitian Lagoon screamed sails. I think on the WS motor yachts it will be very beautiful. Enjoy.

If you are concerned about sea sickness, middle ship and fresh air helps so room with the balcony, they are not big but the air is helpful. We like the old cabin configuration, bed when you enter the room, sitting area near the balcony, think this would be a much better configuration if you tend to get sea sick. Have a fabulous trip, we did Tahiti on the Spirit, all so beautiful. Happy Sailing

Dear Nearpost, We did your 14+day trip in January we met Misty Morning on board. We have been to the Caribbean on the Surf many, many times and more and I with my father sailing as a young person. When I go I am simply interested in going to the beach for my daily swim. We go to the beach almost everyday in the am, back to the ship by 1, afternoon on ship reading, exercise in the pool, etc. I will concentrate on beaches for you. BVI's Jost we love White Beach, open air vans meet you ashore to take you there 10 minutes 5-10 dollars pp pending on how many people in the van, we love Gertrude's because less crowded, the best conk fritters anywhere. Easy to call a van to return, long walk up a huge hill and down. Virgin Gorda: great beach for the Barbecue, all the toys. Sophers Hole Cab it, lots of good beaches Anguilla:Road Bay the beach is where you land, lots of places to rent chairs and umbrellas. St.Kitts: Carmbola Beach Club, lovely beach, about 15-20 minutes Taxi, about $25, small entrance fee comes with chairs and umbrella Ils des Saints: Terre -De - Haut Lovely island, Plage de Pompierre, about 1 mile from town, sometimes you are walking with goats and cows, up hill going, lovely beach, lots of trees for shade, picnic tables, no chairs to rent lovely bay beach for swimming. In the town on the main street to the right from where you get off, a great crêpe maker, better than Paris, he is grumpy, however he was not there in Jan. but the crêpe was still outstanding, 5 E. St. Barts: walk to Shell Beach , need water shoes, lots of shells, nice bar, St. Barts is so pricey plan on cabs $50 one way, nice walk along the marina and town to beach, good beach for swimming.I French grocery shop there, example chicken bouillon cubes just beware of expiration, seafood bouillon , cheeses ( can't bring in to US nice to eat with a glass of wine on return to ship ) Pigeon Island St. Lucia: nice beach day in park, all the toys are there beach is not huge but good swimming Antiguia Falmouth Harbor: cab it to beaches again nice beaches Dominica: Not great beaches but a fabulous island lots to see in nature, the island to take a tour, terrific, gritty market 1/2 mile from ship, great herbs, I hope this helps. Great 2 weeks, we love every second. Happy Sailing

Hi, The Surf is our favorite ship and I have sailed the Caribbean my entire life with my father as a child and my husband and I have cruised the Caribbean since 1999 with Windstar Cruises. The roughest time, hardly rough just more sea movement in Dec. and January. March is pretty calm. Of course you are on an open sea, not in hurricane season but weather is weather. Sea sickness can be in dinghies or huge ships. If you are worried, remember center of the ship and on the Surf go to the lowest floor. Given it is a sailboat there are no balconies the lowest floor gives you less rock and roll. It is such a beautiful ship you will want to spend most of your time on deck, outside. The renovation will not take place when you are on board. We have sailed with our Swedish friends on the Surf, she gets sick but on the Surf no, in the dining she sits in the part that is center ship. I think she is a example how well the Surf takes the seas. We have never had a/c issues. We have cruised 28 times with WS Cruises most on the sailing yachts. Happy Cruising.

I have a WS story that started in Marseille. We first saw the masts of the Surf at the ferry port of Marseille, we were going to Corsica, April school vacation 1989. We saw the masts, were over taken by them, had not a clue what they were attached to. We figured could have been Club Med, no interest in Club Med but the masts sent our curiosity flying. We never forgot the masts, jump to August 1999 out of nowhere we get a 2 for 1 on the Wind Surf, on a postcard! I flew home from my post office showed my husband, 15 minutes later reserved, out of Barbados, Caribbean, 7 days, Sat. after Thanksgiving 1999,( was on a years leave for study from teaching ) we pinched ourselves everyday on the Surf, now 28 WSs later, the 29 th in April 2025 Canary Islands, N. Africa, my husbands 80 th. We have been thrilled ever since. Happy Sailing.

I agree with Redtravel, We do all our own tours as well because our interests are so different than others. I am not in any way say better simply different. We have taken many tours with WS and they have generally been good. Also it depends where WS takes us: Caribbean it is beach, Med. it is art, culinary, history and avoiding crowds. I am well a where that some tours can be awful when done privately as well. I usually go into a deep dive in my research. Our Reykjavik tour, we were not on with WS at that point, grim, horrid guide etc, on the WS trip down the St. Lawrence from Greenland in Newfoundland WS's tour was one of the best we had. Careful, ahead study on all group tours with or not with WS requires research. I cheaped out in Reykjavik not getting a private driver, my fault. Do I regret it! Yip! I think a river cruise, all inclusive, mystery ports would not be my cup of tea. I had a private tour in Malta, waited, due to Covid, 2 years, I seriously went to see the Caravaggio, my guide was awful, I knew more than she did. Yet, on the Amalfi Coast we had a driver who was supreme. I really regret not taking the WS tour to Herculaneum. What I am saying research for me onboard a WS or not requires study. The Malta Cruise was fabulous with WS. I generally blame myself. I agree Redtravel WS needs to up the quality of their info and maps. Happy Sailing

We love the original design, bed then the living room with the tiny balcony. Great to read and look out. I really love being out on deck. Happy Sailing.

30 C is 82-84 F., 25 C is Fahrenheit 75 approx. I use Centigrade all the time, I lived in Europe and Centigrade simple makes more sense to me think 28 C is 82 gives you an approximation, a math teacher speaking, don't worry the weather will be great. Have a great trip.

I think the beds are a bit bigger than a queen. We like the original configuration. The bedroom part is first as you enter, the living room is by the FR balcony. We actually love that configuration. It does not bother us that the sailing ships have no balconies, we simply love those ships, but motor yachts we need a balcony even if it is tiny. Happy Sailing

Great idea! Happy Sailing April 2025 we are on the Star Pride Canary Islands, N. Africa 18 days. My husbands 80 th hard to believe!