Windstar -Windsurf Trip Report 8-15 Dec

[mtlycrew1]

Windsurf Flavors of the Caribbean Trip Report

 

I apologize up front for the length of this post. This is not meant to be an all encompassing report rather just providing answers to questions I spent a lot of time researching on various sites preparing for our first cruise with Windstar and to the Eastern Caribbean. Hopefully this will save someone a lot of time.

 

WINDSTAR AND WINDSURF

 

General

We sailed on the Windsurf and this was the second cruise after the completion of the refurbishment. i don't know what it looked like before but the interior decor is stunning.

 

If you arrive at the port early, Windstar has a large tent where they check in and hold your luggage allowing you time to walk around. There is shopping and places to eat inside the secure terminal area.

 

The boarding process is fast and very efficient. You go through an airport type screening area where carry on items are screened. Once on ship you fill out a couple of forms and are provided your ship ID card used for purchases and going on and off the ship. From start to finish we were done in less than 30 min.

 

There was a weather pattern blowing through the region so during most of our trip the seas were rougher than normal. At times the ship was gently rocking but not uncomfortably so although a periodic larger wave would throw you slightly off balance. Everyone was joking about too much wine at dinner. We took Dramamine daily as a precautionary measure and never had any feeling of nausea or sea sickness at all.

 

During the entire cruise the sails were up for a total of about 60 hours (they give you a report daily).

 

Wi-fi is available on board but you pay for it. There is a 30MB package for $60. There's a larger package but can't remember the details. We have AT&T and opted to get their cellular international roaming package for my iPhone which provided 120MB for $30. We virtually always had cellular service as you sailed so close to the islands you could connect up with the island cellular provider.

 

Each cabin has two 110V outlets and two 220 outlets. Max wattage is 800 so check your items. We took a small extension cord to charge the phones, iPad and my camera battery.

 

Every aspect of the service was extraordinary.

 

Dining

There are four main dining areas on board. Breakfast and lunch are available in "The Veranda" which offers indoor and outdoor dining. A very nice Continental Breakfast is provided in "The Yacht Club" area. The main dining room is now called AmphorA and is beautiful. It has open seating with lots of tables for 2 or 4 people so no pressure to sit with a large group. The second is Stella Bistro which requires reservations in advance and then the outdoor restaurant Candles which also requires reservations. You can make reservations for one night in each restaurant once you board the ship. The outdoors restaurant Candles looks nice in the brochures and web site but it was not an enjoyable experience. It's simply too windy. A number of people left as glasses were being blown over, napkins being blown off tables etc. Check the itinerary and see which nights the ship departs port late (10 pm) and try to schedule those nights for Candles. The big on deck BBQ was amazing. All the steak, lobster and shrimp you can eat. Unfortunately about 20 minutes into the event a torrential downpour started and everyone was running for cover. The crew did an amazing job of quickly covering the food and moved everything indoors to The Veranda. They put a tarp over the grill area and continued cooking. There was supposed to be a BBQ on the beach in St. Lucia but it was cancelled due to rain.

 

Dress Code

Dress on board during the day was swim suits, flip flop, short and t-shirts. VERY casual. This very casual dress code was appropriate throughout the ship during the day and for dining in The Veranda and Yacht Club. Shorts were fine in the evening except in the three main restaurants. Here slacks (khakis are fine) for men are required. They say no jeans but I did see a couple of men wearing them. Short sleeve collared shirts (polo or Tommy Bahama style) were the norm. I saw one older gentleman with a sport coat. Ladies wore short/long dresses(sundress style, not formal), pants or nice capris.

 

Laundry

They offer a laundry package for $109/cabin (2 occupants) or $54.50 for single occupant cabins for the entire cruise. We opted to just pay on an individual piece basis and didn't spend near that much. A sport shirt was $3.50, slacks $3.80, shorts $3.30 and t-shirts $1.80. Bring extra socks and underwear as they each cost $1.80. Turn in your laundry by 9:00 a.m. and you get it back the same day, pressed and on hangers. Laundry only, no dry cleaning. Sign up during on boarding.

 

Beverage Package

You can buy the unlimited alcoholic beverage package for $98 per day per cabin. We're not big drinkers so we didn't elect this. Most mixed drinks run in the $5-$8 range. The wine list was extensive and had bottles as low as $25. Sign up during on boarding.

 

Excursions

We weren't really happy with the excursions we elected except for the snorkeling. This is not to say the other options aren't good. Ours were primarily tours and we felt rushed. In the future we'll likely just go out on our own which we did on two islands and had a blast (more later on this).

 

Disembarkation

Your disembarkation time is based on your flight schedule/plans. We had the 9:55 a.m. flight out on Saturday so we were off the ship by 6:45 a.m. You get color coded tags for your bags so they get the luggage on the dock as needed. Again, VERY efficient. We were at the airport and through security by 7:45 a.m.

 

ISLANDS

 

We arrived at St. Maarten four days early and stayed at the Divi Little Bay Resort which was recommended by Windstar. Very nice.

 

After reading all the websites about horror stories involved in renting a car we initially decided not to but changed our mind at the last minute and were so happy we did. Based on multiple comments we used Unity Rental Car. We tried to make our reservation on line but for some reason it wasn't going through so I called and spoke to Michael. He just took my name, cell phone number, what size car we wanted and where we were staying and that was it. Simple. Rental car companies aren't allowed to be located in the airport terminal so we took a cab to the Divi. The next morning Unity delivered our car to us at the Divi. It was a nice Toyota Corolla in very good condition. On our sailing day, Joseph the owner came to the Divi and drove us to the port. Wonderful service. They pride themselves in taking care of their customers so they get repeat and referral business. Highly recommend them. If you use a taxi, the rates are set by the Island government. The price for gas at all stations is the same as it is also set by the Government.

 

Highly recommend you familiarize yourself with international road signage. It's different than the typical signage you see in the U.S.

 

There are no stop lights in St. Maarten and all intersections are handled with round a bouts. The road signage on most of the islands is poor to non existent. The little maps the rental car company or hotel gives you weren't very helpful except on the main roads. Fortunately my iPhone GPS worked fine and we had no problems. After a day of driving we started learning our way around and by day 3 didn't need the GPS. If you don't have GPS then try to purchase a detailed driving map of any island you plan to drive on.

 

We rented a car for the day with another couple on Dominica. Whew what an experience. Definitely need a street map here. GPS wasn't detailed enough for some reason. We went to the City Information office right at the dock and they recommended Rock and Roll Rental Car and so do I. Ask for Eric. They drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car and controls are reversed. Can't tell you how many times I turned on the windshield wiper when wanting the turn signal. It took some concentration initially but was ok after a while. Definitely helps to have one person as a navigator and another to help the driver stay focused on staying on the correct side of the road on turns and in the round abouts.

 

Most of the island dock areas were touristy stalls like you'd see in Cancun. I'd encourage you to go exploring but go with at least another couple. It's not that we didn't feel safe but there's confidence in numbers. Of all the islands, the city area outside of the dock on St. Kitts was the least inviting and we saw few tourists.

 

Of all the Islands, we fell in love with Les Saints, FWI. It was the smallest and least "touristy" island. There are no cars, a few taxis (we never saw one) and a hand full of mini buses for tours. The main mode of transportation was walking, bikes or small scooters. We rented a scooter for the day for 30 Euros and had a blast. The restaurants were wonderful. Try to check out La Fringale on the main street on the way to Ft. Napoleon. It's unassuming on the outside but our meal rivaled the best French restaurants we've ever eaten in and at a very affordable price. We'd go back to this little island for a vacation.

 

All the islands take U.S. dollars but you may get your change in Euros or Eastern Caribbean Dollars. Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere.

 

I hope this helps.

[dandee2]

Hi there,

 

We were on the same voyage. I agree with what you wrote. We will go back to Windstar in a cinch. We were ST 234.

 

One note I will send to Wndstar is that there should have been a bit of music in the pool area in the late afternoon. Nothing loud but a bit of Carribean flavor would have been nice. But this is just my personnal taste.

 

My favorites: Le Marin (Martinique) and Les Saintes (Guadeloupe). Being canadian, French language was no issue for us which is probably not true for some. We could have spared a few more hours at Les Saintes and have a nice dinner in one of the french restaurant but I understand that operational scheduling made that impossible.

 

the crew is fantastic. I wish to visit Bali one day just because they were real Ambassadors for Indonesia and the Philippines. As for the senior crew, I found them quite accomodating and very approachable. Nice touch.

 

The CEO of Windstar sailed with us for some time and spoke to the passengers in the Lounge at some point. Nice gesture from him. We appreciated this.

 

Cheers

[cynbar]

Thanks for your review. Can you expand a little more about the food? I've heard that the menus have changed, can you give us some examples? What are the offerings in the Veranda? Stella Bistro? Candles? Room service? We'll be on Wind Surf in April and are eager for all the info we can find.

[dandee2]

I have the menues but I would't want to spoil the surprise:)

 

In essence.

 

Verenda (breakfast). Omlette, eggs, bacon (crisp and soft), cereals, pancake (american and europeen style), yogurt, fresh fruits, French toast,etc. Everything good.

 

Yatch Club (24/7). Sandwich pre-made or made to order, soft drink, Twinning tea, coffee, beer, etc.

 

Amphora (Main dinning room). Almost the same menu as Stella Bistro.

 

Stella Bistro. (Dinning room with reservation)> Osso Bucco, escargots, coquilles St-Jacques, Salmon, Rib-eye steak, surf & Turf, Filet mignon, etc, etc. 3-4 choices of entre, 4 choice of main course, 4 choice of soup or salad, 2-3 choice of dessert, etc. Soft drink are free. Wine starts about 7$/glass. Good selection of american and europeen wine. You can buy your own in the French Island - GREAT selection.

 

Candles: Open air setting in the back of the boat near the pool (closed during diner). Mostly grilled fish (sea bass, etc) and Steaks. They have propane BBQ.

 

Deck BBQ once a week on the top deck. Lobster, roast piglet, steaks, the whole thing. Unfortunately, it started to rain in the middle of the BBQ so it was a mad-dash to the restaurant. Crew got everything under control in about 20 minutes. Part of the game.

 

If you are on a diet, vegan or vegetarian, they will have something for you.

 

My personnal overall rating 8/10.

 

cheers

[Courthorn]

Sounds like a great cruise.

 

What time would you recommend arriving at the ship? Were there ever any issues finding good seating around the pool?

[Strenz]

We like to get on at 1 which is the normal boarding time, to relax, have a bit of lunch, unpack etc. There is never any problem with pool side chairs. For us it is always a no problem cruise. We have done the Europe and the Caribbean, love them equally. Our favorite cruise in the Caribbean is the BVI's and our favorite islands are Bequia, Ils des Saintes and Dominica. Europe, the Spanish coast and we adore the Trans-Atlantic especially Europe home and in Oct. Istanbul-Athens can't wait. Have a great cruise. Susanne

[dandee2]

Same here. We arrived about 14h and by 14h30 we were on the back deck near the pool and touring the ship. No problema. Never an issue finding a spot around the pool.

 

Have a wonderful trip.

[kimiata]

Thanks a lot for this. We're doing this cruise in a few weeks and appreciate having the information!

[Lobes1]

Thanks for your review. Can you expand a little more about the food? I've heard that the menus have changed, can you give us some examples? What are the offerings in the Veranda? Stella Bistro? Candles? Room service? We'll be on Wind Surf in April and are eager for all the info we can find.

 

We were also on this December 8 cruise. We were on the Windsurf last July, and the dinner menu in all three restaurants was identical on both trips, excellent, but nothing new. The only change was that reservations are now required for Stella Bistro. Last summer, they did not do that, possibly because the ship was half empty. The Yacht Club sandwiches were disappointing. The coffee on the ship was not of the quality that I would have expected. All the lunches were mediocre, mostly salads and pasta. The buffet dishes at lunch were disappointing, often cold, with overcooked hamburgers, soggy fish and chips, etc. We asked for all soups at dinner to be served very hot. They were always luke warm. Over all, dinners and breakfasts were great, lunches not so good. Service was varied, but usually very good with some poor episodes.

["Wandering Wino's&quo]

We were also on this December 8 cruise. We were on the Windsurf last July, and the dinner menu in all three restaurants was identical on both trips, excellent, but nothing new. The only change was that reservations are now required for Stella Bistro. Last summer, they did not do that, possibly because the ship was half empty. The Yacht Club sandwiches were disappointing. The coffee on the ship was not of the quality that I would have expected. All the lunches were mediocre, mostly salads and pasta. The buffet dishes at lunch were disappointing, often cold, with overcooked hamburgers, soggy fish and chips, etc. We asked for all soups at dinner to be served very hot. They were always luke warm. Over all, dinners and breakfasts were great, lunches not so good. Service was varied, but usually very good with some poor episodes.

 

:(Oops sounds like the Windsurf is not a good fit for you.

[Lobes1]

:(Oops sounds like the Windsurf is not a good fit for you.

 

Actually we have enjoyed sailing with Windstar all three times. There are areas that could be improved, however. We will probably do it again.

[stcruise]

mtlycrew1 - Thanks for the review. Sounds like an enjoyable cruise. Maybe you should also post it in the Cruise Reviews section, it would be a great addition.

[Strenz]

On all 12 of my Windstar trips I have found to be of very high quality and I appreciate the fact that when I ask where thr food is purveyed, the food is from very good distributors/coutries. Most of the time the meat is organic. I appreciate the variety and feel there is aways something for everyone, I always feel that people can make good food choices for themselves. The coffee is the Yacht Club is excellent. As for service I have never had such consistently amazing service in all aspects of the cruise. I feel very grateful that I can experience such a wonderful ship and I have never had a complaint. Have a great cruise. Susanne

[dandee2]

We met some people who are Vegan(sp?) and they had no problem on board. They were served vegan food in the different restaurant. I>m sure it was not like home cooking but it was OK.

 

Windstar installed new propane warmer/burner to keep the food hot in the Verenda Restaurant in the middle of the week.

[KirkNC]

Welcome home, thanks for the review.

[mtlycrew1]

I'm reluctant to get into the details about food as it's so subjective as you can see by the posts of several people who were on this same cruise. Everyone's palate and expectations are different. If you are expecting 1-3 star Michelin dining then you're going to be very disappointed. Remember this is a small cruise ship not the French Laundry. All in all I was very pleased with the quality of the food, but that's my opinion and opinions are like belly buttons...we all have one and they're all different. :-) The menus in all the areas are varied. You'll have a good choice of beef, chicken, seafood and vegetarian.

 

In regards to an earlier post, we love the sandwiches in the yacht club and felt the coffee was wonderful...belly buttons. :-) The meals in the Veranda for the most part are buffet so I don't think it's realistic to expect fresh food of the same quality as made to order right off the stove or oven. If you didn't like the buffet you could always order off the menu. I had eggs benedict each morning and it was great.

[PirateWife]

Thank you for the info about sailing on the Windsurf. My husband and I are off on our first cruise ever and you have given us valuable info.

[Redtravel]

I will be on the Windsurf in a few weeks. First time on Windstar. I enjoyed your review. I do have a few questions that I hope you can answer.

 

My agent only sent me a letter stating that I am booked on a cruise. I did call Windstar and they do have me booked and paid. I have not received luggage tags or any brochure. Was this your experience? You mentioned securing luggage at the beginning of the cruise. Why? If you embarked in the afternoon, weren't the cabins ready for you? I will be staying in St. Martin prior to the cruise. What would be the latest/earliest you would suggest I arrive at the ship? My plane home is late. Does Windstar have any place to secure luggage at the end? It would be nice to have time to walk around Pburg instead of sitting at the airport.

 

Also, is the bottled water complimentary? You mentioned buying wine. Can I bring liquor on board and use it during the cruise in my cabin?

[mtlycrew1]

Piratewife - Thanks. I'm glad this helped. You'll have a blast.

[dandee2]

I will be on the Windsurf in a few weeks. First time on Windstar. I enjoyed your review. I do have a few questions that I hope you can answer.

 

My agent only sent me a letter stating that I am booked on a cruise. I did call Windstar and they do have me booked and paid. I have not received luggage tags or any brochure. Was this your experience? You mentioned securing luggage at the beginning of the cruise. Why? If you embarked in the afternoon, weren't the cabins ready for you? I will be staying in St. Martin prior to the cruise. What would be the latest/earliest you would suggest I arrive at the ship? My plane home is late. Does Windstar have any place to secure luggage at the end? It would be nice to have time to walk around Pburg instead of sitting at the airport.

 

Also, is the bottled water complimentary? You mentioned buying wine. Can I bring liquor on board and use it during the cruise in my cabin?

 

I did not received luggage tag or brochure. All I got is the EDOCK TICKET forwarded by email by my travel agent. It shows the Voyage #, and all personnal information, etc.

 

When we got to Pointe Blanche (that's the name of the area where the cruise port is), the taxi left us near the entrance of the tourist area (shops, restaurant, etc). DO NOT go directly to the ship (we did and got turned around by security). There will be a big tent (with the name Windstar on it) and you will leave your luggage to the attendant who will tag them. Don't worry, there are a few attendant present. They will take your name and make sure you are on the list.

 

You will then be directed to go see the security guard at the dock where he will check your passport, your EDOCK ticket and check his own list. You will then be waived thru. BTW, you can bring your carry-on with you.

 

At the ship, there is another security building (like a construction trailer) with X-Ray machine. They will pass your carry-on thru the machine one last time. Then you can go aboard. There will be many people to help you inside. They will ask you to fill some form (waiver, etc), take your picture for your ship pass (they will keep your passport for the duration of the trip) and then your off to do whatever you please. Your luggage will be in your room VERY shortly. Your cabin will be ready don't worry.

 

It was our first cruise ever (and not the last on Windstar) and we did arrive by 13h30 at the cruise terminal. By 14h30, we were in our room.

 

WindStar do not have place to put luggage at the end. However, they have an Island Tour (69$) and will tour the island and drop you off (and your luggage) at the airport at the end. Or you can arrange same with an independant taxi. We elected to go to the airport at 9h30, check our luggage (US AIrway) and took the taxi again to the Beach nearby at Sunset Bar & Grill ($3 beer, $12 hamburger) to watch plane lands near the beach ($7 taxi). Our plane was leaving at 15h30 so we stayed around the beach until 13h.

 

Bottled water complimentary, so is soft drink, tea, coffee and any fancy drinks without alcool (virgin mary,fruit punch, etc). You can bring liquor aboard but they will take it from you until the end of the cruise (you cannot consume it in your cabin). They checked our bags when we boarded the ship at some destination (50% of the time). You are free to bring wine or Champagne. You can either drink it in your room or you can have it on deck or at the restaurant with a $15 corking fee. If you do not finish your bottle, they will keep it for you with your room # wrriten on the bottle). Best place to buy wine if you are on the southern cruise is Le Marin (Martinique) at the Carrefour supermarket (15 minutes walk) were there is a large selection, Les Saintes (Guadeloupe) and St-Kitts. I suggest you bring some Euro in the French destination. Wine cost between 6 and 15 Euro for a good bottle.

 

Have a great time.

 

dandee2

[Redtravel]

Thanks for answering my questions. I will be staying in St. Martin a few days before sailing. I can buy wine there. I'll buy my liquor at the airport after I clear. Luckily I am on the nonstop home. Also, I wasn't aware that you could check your luggage in at the airport early. Which airline did you fly? I am on USairways.

[dandee2]

We were scheduled to be on the American Airline 757 flight from SXM to New-York at 14h35. We droped our luggage at the airport about 9h30-10h.

 

However, our plane had mechanical trouble so we were put on a USAirway flight to philadelphia instead (with another flight home). They told us the news when we arrived back at the airport around 12h30. No biggy (fur us) but some people had to spend an extra night in St-Maarten because there was no space on other flights. The airline paid their extra night. AA arranged to retag our luggage to the proper destination.

[dandee2]

Here are some photos of Windsurf during our sailing. Hoping that the link works. Mostly ship photos as I usually try not to include people in my public photos.

 

http://s303.photobucket.com/albums/nn132/danield007/Windsurf%20Flavors%20of%20the%20Carribean%202012/?albumview=slideshow

[folala]

Four of us ( 2 couples ) will be traveling on the Wind Surf Jan 26. WE have been looking at the tours - some are laready waitlisted. In past travels we have booked private tours in advance and are thinking about doing the same for this trip.

 

Just wondering also if the island Style Hot Springs in Roseau ( Sunset Trip) is worthwhile. that one is only $59 p.p. Also what is your overall view of the tours and the spa? Are the spa prices the same in port as at sea on the one day at sea?

 

Thanks

[PirateWife]

Some tours are good, some our bad. Some never happened either because people didn't sign up for them or the the local tour guides were ill. Several passengers booked private tours, especially for those areas thay had previously visited. I believe the spa's price list was for at sea and at port.