Live from the Star Legend by a brand new to Windstar sailor. Menus, wine lists, bar menus included. Istanbul to Athens Oct

[HaveDogWillTravel]

My husband and I are fairly new to cruising with my first exploratory sailing out of my home port of San Francisco to Mexico on the Grand princess in Dec. 2015. We have since sailed Cunard, Oceania, Celebrity and Princess. Princess has gotten a lot of our business as it is the best option out of SF. 

We chose this itinerary as we wanted to spend time in both Istanbul and Greece. The itinerary in between changed a couple of times since we booked but we are now back on track to go thru the Corinth canal. We are going to be very happy if that actually happens but we do understand the canal is steep, narrow and can be closed due to falling rocks from the canal walls. 

 

We stayed at the Seven Hills Palace Hotel’s Hagia Sophia view room on the 3rd floor for 5 nights pre cruise. This was a great decision as the room, while not cheap, was very comfortable with a large balcony including table and chairs that had water views in addition to Hagia Sophia views. We were within an easy 5-15 walk from Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, Archeological Museum, Museum of Islamic Art, Hagia Sophia Museum, Hippodrome, Basilica Cistern and a Michelin Star restaurant that we ate at 3 times. We also went on the Tram to Galatea Tower and a winery tasting room near it. We felt 5 and a half days was the perfect amount of time here.  

 

The Star Legend docked at the cruise terminal in the historic district area. This was a 30 min walk from the hotel but with all the luggage we had the hotel arrange a taxi. Windstar is so different than any other line we’ve sailed. Maybe it was that we embarked in a very small port area. There were a few of those pop up shades with plastic chairs to sit in while we waited. The terminal was a small building.  We arrived at 12:30 and after going thru customs were welcomed by the Captain and other senior officers as we boarded. We were directed to the aft lounge where we were given a glass of champagne (thank you!) and this is how we were checked.  

 

On the Galata tower side there was the Enchanted Princess, a Norwegian Ship and a Holland America one on our embarkation day. 

 

The buffet was open until 4 pm for embarking passengers and we quite enjoyed our great big salads with chicken. DH had a nice big slice of roast beef with some fingerling potatoes that were very good as well. 

 

We are in a French balcony room on deck 5.  It has a great living room next to the balcony and the bedroom is separated by a curtain. The bathroom has two sinks and the shower is large & extremely nice.  Rain shower head and a shower wand. While there is a walk in closet there really isn’t a lot of drawer or shelf space. I struggled finding a place for everything. Ultimately it worked. 

 

One thing that really impressed me about the room was the cabinet of quality glassware in the living room cabinet. I really like having the right glasses to drink wine, beer, cocktails and so on.  

 

The room service menus are very impressive as are the dining room menus.  We ordered a chicken quesadilla, Cobb salad and a bowl of plain buttered spaghetti last night to the room. It came within a half hour and piping hot.  Everything was excellent.  The quesadilla was really delicious with a spicy pico de gallo.  

 

This is our first day and we are on the Greek island of Lemnos. DH hiked up to the castle while I’m sitting by the harbor typing up this review. We don’t have internet on the ship but we have cell service in all the ports. I’ll try and type up my review on the ship on notes and post while in port. Here’s hoping!  My iPad and iPhone haven’t shared their photos yet so I’ll try and post photos as I can. On this post I hope my photos of the event planners and such and my screen shots of all things menu (available thru a QR code on your device or TV) load. I’m also attempting to post the deck 8 Star Bar menu.  
 

I will post this text and then try to start loading pictures. 

 

If you have any questions I’ll do my best.  

[HaveDogWillTravel]

[HaveDogWillTravel]

[HaveDogWillTravel]

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Seven hills Hagia Sophia room 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Checking in 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Our deck 5 French balcony cabin 

[hamrag]

Following with great interest, scheduled to board our first Windstar cruise on the Pride next month. Do they have a captains welcome aboard event on the first evening? We are undecided whether or not to go with the all in package, or pay as we go, and wondered if there are drinks provided at any such events?

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Lunch and our Maitre d’Hotel 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

The yacht club and our most excellent barista , Cindy. All teas, smoothies, cans of soda, specialty coffees, filtered water are included. 

[Gambler458]

Thank you so much for sharing.  I'm sailing on the Pride Nov. 11.  

 

 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

We really enjoyed Lemnos. It was very low key and the shop keepers are not pushy and there were lovely items for sale. DH hiked up to the castle ruins. He said the trip was mostly paved but at the end it became loose gravel. the picture of dirt is what the trail was like towards the top. 
We found an atm with the option for English. Equipped with euros we stopped for coffee, a cookie and a piece of orange cake. 

They had two tenders running. The first one left at 11:00 and when we went at 11:30 the tender was barely a third filled. Coming back at 2 there were maybe a dozen folks. What a difference from the madhouse on most all of my (30 plus) princess sailings. 

Our fellow passengers are mostly physically fit with a mix of ages from I’d guess 40’s something on up. Only one wheelchair,  no scooters, no walkers but a few with walking
There’s one area for smoking aft deck 8 starboard. 4 chairs, a table & 2 pipes to use as ashtrays. I’m pretty sure there are no smokers on board though. I’ve been up there during the times I’d usually see them on other ships and no one has been smoking.  

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Smoking area 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

20 minutes ago, Gambler458 said:

Thank you so much for sharing.  I'm sailing on the Pride Nov. 11.  

 

 

You’re welcome. This board has a very small number of posts. I found it frustrating not to find more live from threads with this kind of information. I know a lot of people lurk and don’t post but will find menus, bar prices and wine availability useful. We walked on with 9 bottles of lovely Turkish wine from our winery tasting room visit. No one batted an eye. Getting back on from Lemnos we walked thru a metal detector but there was no X-ray machine.  No signs saying yo report alcohol. 
 

That said the quality and prices of wine and alcohol on board had been outstanding. I have one of my favorite bottles of Alsacian white wines being delivered at 4:30 today at a very reasonable price.
 

We are extremely happy with the Windstar product. Our fellow passengers are polite, kind, friendly and interesting. It’s been a wonderful experience so far.  

[HaveDogWillTravel]

2 hours ago, hamrag said:

Following with great interest, scheduled to board our first Windstar cruise on the Pride next month. Do they have a captains welcome aboard event on the first evening? We are undecided whether or not to go with the all in package, or pay as we go, and wondered if there are drinks provided at any such events?

We are going to the captain’s reception at 6 tonight. I’ll let you know what they serve, ifanything. Our fabulous Bombay sapphire martinis last night were $23 for two (tip included). We don’t find value in the all in package on port intensive sailings as we don’t buy ships internet and only use the internet while we are in port on cell service.(Hence my apologies for lapses in replies.) For us we would need to drink $83 per person ($168 per day) EVERY day to break even. That just won’t happen for us. 

 

One reason I posted the menus from the star bar and the wine list is so you can judge for yourself what it will cost to pay as you go based on what you drink and how much.

 

Given that we were able to bring on our own wine and that all specialty coffees, teas, smoothies (yummmmmm) filtered water, fresh juices, canned soft drinks & lemonade is included we don’t find value in the All in or the beverage package.  But each person would need to decide for themselves. Hopefully I’ve provided the information you need to do so. ☺️

Edited October 13, 2023 by HaveDogWillTravel

[Cruise Raider]

3 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Seven hills Hagia Sophia room 

 
That room looks amazing!  
loving your review 

[ssawjo]

Thank you for the live review.  We will be on the Star Pride on Nov. 18-Dec.2 (Caribbean) of this year.  I am sure, or someone can correct me, that the menus are basically the same for both ships.  The wine list is interesting.  The beer selection, not so much.  I may have to bring my own beer on board.

 

 

[new_cruiser]

8 hours ago, hamrag said:

Following with great interest, scheduled to board our first Windstar cruise on the Pride next month. Do they have a captains welcome aboard event on the first evening? We are undecided whether or not to go with the all in package, or pay as we go, and wondered if there are drinks provided at any such events?

They usually have a captains welcome reception on the evening of the first full day - i.e. the day after boarding. Usually wine is served without charge at that. 

 

After your first Windstar cruise you will be Yacht Club members and there is a Yacht Club cocktail party. They have wine passed at that, but will also serve you a cocktail without charge if you ask for one. 

 

Most alcoholic drinks are between $9 and $14, beer and the cocktail of the day are less than that. The beverage package is $65/day. So breakeven is over 5 drinks a day - how much over depends on your preferred drinks. We are way under that so don't get the package.

Edited October 13, 2023 by new_cruiser

[Rosroz]

Thanks so much for this posting ,very informative .My husband and I are on the Legend this coming Feb around the Middle East, this post is certainly giving us an insight into this line .Have been on many cruises over the years,  but never Windstar, so looking forward to it.

Now go and enjoy your holiday to the full.

[hamrag]

8 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

We are going to the captain’s reception at 6 tonight. I’ll let you know what they serve, if anything. Our fabulous Bombay sapphire martinis last night were $23 for two (tip included). We don’t find value in the all in package on port intensive sailings as we don’t buy ships internet and only use the internet while we are in port on cell service.(Hence my apologies for lapses in replies.) For us we would need to drink $83 per person ($168 per day) EVERY day to break e

Great information and, yes would be good to hear what is offered at the Captains' reception. Also, is it clear what size a single measure of spirits is either in ounce or mls please.

TIA.

Edited October 13, 2023 by hamrag

[oakridger]

@HaveDogWillTravel this is excellent information and very welcome as a future first time Windstar cruiser myself!  Continue to have a great trip and whatever you feel like sharing with us will be very much appreciated!!

 

Thank you!

~Nancy

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Wow I’m so happy to see there are actually people out there reading this!  I started my update for today but we are on the tender going to Mykonos now. I’ll update tonight. 

Still can’t get used to the ease of tendering. There are only 9 people with us. 
 

We had a great hour long chat with the captain this morning over our coffees before sunrise in yacht club. What a refreshing change. Adam and I still had our bed heads. So. Very. Different. He said (tongue in cheek)  the reason there’s not a lot Windstar social media is bc folks want to keep it a secret. 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

19 hours ago, ssawjo said:

Thank you for the live review.  We will be on the Star Pride on Nov. 18-Dec.2 (Caribbean) of this year.  I am sure, or someone can correct me, that the menus are basically the same for both ships.  The wine list is interesting.  The beer selection, not so much.  I may have to bring my own beer on board.

 

 

If having your preferred beer is as important to you as having my preferred wine is to me, I would bring it and deal with whatever happens at embarkation with grace knowing that the stated policies don’t allow it. In the worst case scenario you’d have to give it up and get it back at the end. Not a bad end game.  But even though I’m a nobody with this line I simply can not imagine that happening!

[HaveDogWillTravel]

On 10/13/2023 at 1:40 PM, hamrag said:

Following with great interest, scheduled to board our first Windstar cruise on the Pride next month. Do they have a captains welcome aboard event on the first evening? We are undecided whether or not to go with the all in package, or pay as we go, and wondered if there are drinks provided at any such events?

Yes! Lots of free flowing wine and bubbly! See todays post! 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

14 hours ago, hamrag said:

Great information and, yes would be good to hear what is offered at the Captains' reception. Also, is it clear what size a single measure of spirits is either in ounce or mls please.

TIA.

I will ask my bartenders up at the Star grill later tonight.