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Is Windsurf Tired?


blackfoot
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I have sailed on Windsurf a couple of times about 10 years ago and enjoyed it. BUT, I am wondering if she is getting too old to provide a 5.5 star experience at a 5.5 price point. I am concerned about booking on a 38 year old ship and getting burned! Opinions are appreciated on your recent experiences.

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We were on the Surf in January and last May. We did not think she was tired. But we do not need chandlers, gold trim etc. The dining rooms are lovely, the Yacht Club remains terrific, we love the Compas Rose, we love the lounge we think it is a lot nicer than the motor yachts. But what we love is the open deck space eating lunch outside on the Veranda and we love Candles,. The ship is kept immaculatly clean and the service is, without doubt the best, and always has been. We love the fact that she is old, remains dignified and has lovely lines. I do not know if this is a 5.5 for you. Of our 22 cruises, 170 days, on WS all but 7 days have been on the sailing ships. We feel fortunate that we have had so much joy on these ships. I guess it is all subjective. If you decide to come back Happy Sailing.

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We were on the Surf in January and last May. We did not think she was tired. But we do not need chandlers, gold trim etc. The dining rooms are lovely, the Yacht Club remains terrific, we love the Compas Rose, we love the lounge we think it is a lot nicer than the motor yachts. But what we love is the open deck space eating lunch outside on the Veranda and we love Candles,. The ship is kept immaculatly clean and the service is, without doubt the best, and always has been. We love the fact that she is old, remains dignified and has lovely lines. I do not know if this is a 5.5 for you. Of our 22 cruises, 170 days, on WS all but 7 days have been on the sailing ships. We feel fortunate that we have had so much joy on these ships. I guess it is all subjective. If you decide to come back Happy Sailing.

 

I remember you from 10 years ago and posted a similar response! Windsurf seems ageless compared to most ships since they are usually decommissioned after 35 years!

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I have sailed on Windsurf a couple of times about 10 years ago and enjoyed it. BUT, I am wondering if she is getting too old to provide a 5.5 star experience at a 5.5 price point. I am concerned about booking on a 38 year old ship and getting burned! Opinions are appreciated on your recent experiences.

 

Blackfoot,

The Windsurf was launched in 1989 so she is not 38 but rather a youngish 29 and still looks great. In putting the bar at 5.5 stars however, you may be setting your expectations a bit high as nothing is always perfect. Windstar is not luxury cruising like Regent, Silverseas, Seabourn or Crystal. First it is certainly cheaper than all these lines (I would say a 4.0 price point), second the cruises tend to be more casual with no jackets required (a big plus) and third, the Surf, while being the largest ship of the fleet is still smaller than any ship on all of the above lines. The ship is old and it does show in some spots, but it is in good shape and the service and food are excellent. It makes for a very relaxed mood onboard which is what we like. No stuffiness whatsoever. Hope you enjoy your cruise

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Blackfoot,

The Windsurf was launched in 1989 so she is not 38 but rather a youngish 29 and still looks great. In putting the bar at 5.5 stars however, you may be setting your expectations a bit high as nothing is always perfect. Windstar is not luxury cruising like Regent, Silverseas, Seabourn or Crystal. First it is certainly cheaper than all these lines (I would say a 4.0 price point), second the cruises tend to be more casual with no jackets required (a big plus) and third, the Surf, while being the largest ship of the fleet is still smaller than any ship on all of the above lines. The ship is old and it does show in some spots, but it is in good shape and the service and food are excellent. It makes for a very relaxed mood onboard which is what we like. No stuffiness whatsoever. Hope you enjoy your cruise

 

Thanks for your reply! I understand -I have made 2 cruises on Windsurf, so I have a sense of the culture.The cruise industry rates Windstar/Windsurf 5.5 and lines you noted are all rated 6.0.

Again the only thing I have to go on whether to cruise Windsurf again are the reports from recent cruises- there are many noting the ships tired condition not to be confused with clean.

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We love the Windsurf. She is by far our favorite ship, and truly unique. Her condition is fine, and the openness and spaciousness of the decks create a casual ambiance that no other ship can duplicate. Add to that the fabulous crew and their tireless service with a smile and the vacation begins. We were last aboard in February, our 21st Wind Star voyage. Anticipating the next!

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Dear Blackfoot, I happy to know you remembered me. I do not knw what to say, we have loved our WS sailing experiences since our first 1999. For the last ten years we have had great travel experiences with friends and family and we have made wonderful, lasting frendships. For us the sailing ships are not tired, older ships well kept have dignity and are loaded with memories from those of us lucky to appreciate the experience. . WS has helped make our vacations and trips memorable. If you decide to go, I mean this, have a great time.

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The Wind Surf is still the flagship of the Windstar fleet. She is not brand new; has no water slides, Broadway shows, formal nights and all the things we are so happy to "miss". What she has is comfort, class, excellent service and generally interesting fellow passengers. We split our time between the Surf and the motor ships. The Surf is our preference and dear to our hearts but there are itineraries that she doesn't do. We have made dear friends on board and wish we had the time and money to do the 61 day European cruise next year. She is not perfect but she is as close to heaven as we have found.

 

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I can feel the love! We've done WS I think 18 times and are very fond of the Surf! Service...familiar faces..the whole deal.. have to say not as impressed with the new ships. In fact our favorite is the Wind Star...enjoy your trip! :cool::cool:

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I agree with the many positive comments above. We were on the Surf for the first time for a NYE round trip Barbados cruise, after sailing SS, Regent, Crystal and PG over the last 7 years. The Surf was great - the dining, gym, open areas and service were superb. We hope to sail her again!

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We are getting on board the Surf July 13 for a B2B cruise! Bringing along two couples that have never cruised before- looking forward to a wonderful time!

Enjoy! Missing the Surf this summer but Alaska calls!

 

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I have sailed on Windsurf a couple of times about 10 years ago and enjoyed it. BUT, I am wondering if she is getting too old to provide a 5.5 star experience at a 5.5 price point. I am concerned about booking on a 38 year old ship and getting burned! Opinions are appreciated on your recent experiences.

 

 

 

We were just on the Surf and loved it! That being said, we did notice things, like deep scratches in the wood floor, thick layers of barnacles on the hull, and areas of frayed carpet. Many of the guests said the same during our cruise. A good dry docking would be helpful.

 

All this said, we loved the understatement of the don’t need brass, neon lighting and flash. We loved the food, the service and the experience overall. We will definitely take another WindStar cruise!! The wear and tear of the ship didn’t deter us at all. We

 

 

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I am on the Star Pride right now. Definitely needs a refurb. Many of the public rooms are nice, but the cabin , although very spacious, seems a holdover from 1965. Evidence of many not very well done repairs, overall seeming a bit tired and dingy. A bit of a shock, considering the high prices. We spent 3 days in a freezing room, before they could fix the thermostat. The service is overall great and the food has been very high quality. The one excursion we have taken, was really well done and lots of fun. I would very definitely not call this a luxury experience and would look elsewhere if that’s what you are looking for.

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  • 1 month later...

Windsurf is nice. I have sailed on her many times. Most venues are in good shape. The public rooms are beautiful. Cabins have a good layout. Some cabins could use new carpeting and mattresses. If anything needs attention, tell somebody. It will happen.

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