Windstar Food

[RBCal]

I am currently on a Windstar cruise in the Caribbean. I previously took a Tahiti cruise which was among the best I have taken of the dozen or so I've done on other cruise lines.  In comparison to my earlier Windstar Tahiti cruise there is a remarkable decline in both the food quality and service. Unless I see a remarked improvement in the next 12 days I doubt I'll take a third.

[HotRoot]

How about more specific about how it has changed.  Menus?  Quality?  Quantity?  On that same note, I am very disappointed to learn they have done away with lobster tails on the deck BBQ.  That was our go to.  We do not like buffets so would just fill a plate with lobster tails.  But our next Windstar cruise will be 55 nights so we will have to go with the no added salt menu.  Anybody know how they deal with no added salt at the deck BBQ?  At the Beach BBQ?

[milepig]

We noticed a steep decline in the food quality. No lobster and horerid dessert display at the bbq. beef was universally inedible. but service was the same as always.

[mnocket]

I've pretty much reset my expectations regarding food on any cruise line.  I took my first Windstar cruise in September and I found the food to be acceptable, but it did not come close to matching the rave reviews I've read on this forum.  On a related note...  I also found the Windstar passengers to be a nice group, but VERY loyal to the cruise line.  A surprising number cruised only on Windstar and this no doubt narrowed their perspective and basis for comparison. 

 

I then took my first cruise on Regent in December (yes, I'm one of those who is stepping up from Celebrity, Princess, etc.).  Once again, while perfectly fine, the food didn't really live up to the high expectations that had been set by posters on the Regent forum.  And once again, I found many passengers to be VERY loyal to Regent, although a greater percentage did sail some other luxury lines.

 

I've come away from this foray into higher-end cruise lines with the impression that although reviewers will often speak in superlatives about the food - even comparing it to fine dining at land-based restaurants, it should all be taken with a grain of salt. As I've said, I've reset my expectations.  I expect good, sometimes very good, dining when cruising, but not something that rivals fine dining on land. Service, lack of crowds and itinerary now drive my choice of cruise lines.  I've just booked a 17-night cruise aboard the Wind Spirit🙂

[wrk2cruise]

We have been Celebrity loyalists primarily due to DW's dietary restrictions.  We have experienced the wild ride of food decline on that line over the last 18 months.  Reduced menus, reduced selection, reduced quality of ingredients, and upcharge items.  Granted some of the most egregious changes have been reversed but the standards are no where near where they were at the restart after covid.

 

We took our first Windstar sailing on Star Breeze in January from Auckland to Tahiti.  We noticed a tremendous difference with inproved quality of ingredients.  Service in the dining room was sort of hit or miss.  Maybe this was because we shared tables nightly and had different servers most nights.  They handled DW's dietary restrictions very well, on par with Celebrity.  The only exceptions was our second meal in Candles, first one was perfect, second one they hadn't prep'ed DW's special order sides and we could hear the chef screaming at the Matre'd.  Then she was served the entry on top of a shmere that she couldn't eat (even though ordered "plain/no sauce".  Matre'd argued  why she couldn't eat it.  Finally took it back and re-prepared.  Just made us feel uncomfortable.  When asked by Amphora Matre'd who had been taking care of everything how it was we described our disappointment.  It ended there.  I would have thought he would have offered another visit to make it right (which we would have declined).  Oh well.   We really enjoyed the ambiance of Amphora.

 

Service elsewhere on the ship was good but I think only 1 crew member called us by name.  He was our waiter on the first night only and the Barista.

 

We are heading off on Star Legend in less than 2 weeks for 23 days.  It will be interesting to see how the quality is when provisioned from a different part of the world.

Edited March 11 by wrk2cruise

[Breckski]

1 hour ago, wrk2cruise said:

Service elsewhere on the ship was good but I think only 1 crew member called us by name.  He was our waiter on the first night only and the Barista.

 

 

Simply pointing out a different perspective - we would not look at this as a negative whatsoever.  We would simply be indifferent.  But these types of differences are likely why folks are loyal to specific brands/lines.

 

[wrk2cruise]

2 hours ago, mwike said:

 

Simply pointing out a different perspective - we would not look at this as a negative whatsoever.  We would simply be indifferent.  But these types of differences are likely why folks are loyal to specific brands/lines.

 

 

I didn't think it was particularly a negative either.  It's just one of those things that everyone here seems to say about Windstar.  I didn't even really think about it until I got home.

[Host Jazzbeau]

47 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

I didn't think it was particularly a negative either.  It's just one of those things that everyone here seems to say about Windstar.  I didn't even really think about it until I got home.

I didn't think I would care, until it started happening [on other small-ship lines; haven't been on Windstar – booked].  It does make your heart flutter a bit.  Especially on Noble Caledonia where the greeting is "Sir X..."

[Strenz]

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

[HotRoot]

We have always been served Caribbean lobsters on Windstar.  Admit we have not been on a ship in a while.  Maybe they upgraded to Maine lobsters.  The Caribbean were fine for us.

[ridethetide]

11 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I didn't think I would care, until it started happening [on other small-ship lines; haven't been on Windstar – booked].  It does make your heart flutter a bit.  Especially on Noble Caledonia where the greeting is "Sir X..."

On the World Traveller, they also call you "Sir X".

[tnm6217]

The food on Star Legend last month in the Med was truly exceptional--the best I've had on any cruise. In my opinion, it exceeded the cuisine I've previously enjoyed in Celebrity's Luminae as well as on Crystal Serenity last fall.

[Misty Morning]

We were on Wind Surf for 2 weeks in January and would say there was probably a dinner or two that were OK but the rest was great.  Well cooked steaks and veal chop at Candles, French onion soup, rack of lamb, Coquille St Jacques at Stella Bistro, Beef Wellington (cooked to perfection), lobster bisque and scallops in Amphora.  Deck BBQ food is fine.  Paella is good, so are the suckling pig, lamb chops and a great selection salads.   Desserts are somewhat weak but they had a huge blueberry pie/cobler with ice cream that was delicious.  We have sailed Celebrity and the food is certainly a step above Celebrity.  You can't cook for 3,000 people with the same care and quality as when you cook for 300.

[Strenz]

9 hours ago, HotRoot said:

We have always been served Caribbean lobsters on Windstar.  Admit we have not been on a ship in a while.  Maybe they upgraded to Maine lobsters.  The Caribbean were fine for us.

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

[avalong]

On 3/11/2024 at 6:13 AM, RBCal said:

I am currently on a Windstar cruise in the Caribbean. I previously took a Tahiti cruise which was among the best I have taken of the dozen or so I've done on other cruise lines.  In comparison to my earlier Windstar Tahiti cruise there is a remarkable decline in both the food quality and service. Unless I see a remarked improvement in the next 12 days I doubt I'll take a third.

What ship are you on?

[HotRoot]

14 hours ago, Strenz said:

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

You grew up with fresh lobster.  Most of us did not.  I grew up on a vegetable farm.  I will not eat frozen or canned vegetables.  I need something harvested preferably within the last couple of hours.  I eat lots of vegetables in the summer.  Avoid them the rest of the year.  There is nothing like an ear of sweet corn an hour after it is pulled.  That could compete with your just caught lobster.  Happy Sailing!

[ridethetide]

15 minutes ago, HotRoot said:

You grew up with fresh lobster.  Most of us did not.  I grew up on a vegetable farm.  I will not eat frozen or canned vegetables.  I need something harvested preferably within the last couple of hours.  I eat lots of vegetables in the summer.  Avoid them the rest of the year.  There is nothing like an ear of sweet corn an hour after it is pulled.  That could compete with your just caught lobster.  Happy Sailing!

I agree 100% that there is nothing better than corn that was just harvested. And no animal was harmed for its sweetness!

[Strenz]

2 hours ago, HotRoot said:

You grew up with fresh lobster.  Most of us did not.  I grew up on a vegetable farm.  I will not eat frozen or canned vegetables.  I need something harvested preferably within the last couple of hours.  I eat lots of vegetables in the summer.  Avoid them the rest of the year.  There is nothing like an ear of sweet corn an hour after it is pulled.  That could compete with your just caught lobster.  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

 

 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

On 3/12/2024 at 11:23 AM, tnm6217 said:

The food on Star Legend last month in the Med was truly exceptional--the best I've had on any cruise. In my opinion, it exceeded the cuisine I've previously enjoyed in Celebrity's Luminae as well as on Crystal Serenity last fall.

We sailed last October on Legend. Joesph was our executive chef. He (and everything out of his kitchen) was simply outstanding.  Was that who you sailed with? 
He told me all wait staff did tastings of the menus every day so they would be able to discuss the dishes intelligently with PAX. Brilliant!  
 

[tnm6217]

4 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

We sailed last October on Legend. Joesph was our executive chef. He (and everything out of his kitchen) was simply outstanding.  Was that who you sailed with? 
He told me all wait staff did tastings of the menus every day so they would be able to discuss the dishes intelligently with PAX. Brilliant!  
 

Shame on me for not remembering the chef’s name, but I believe our sailing was his first. It certainly bodes well for Star Legend to have two chefs in a row who knocked it out of the park! I have five more Star Legend sailings booked so I’ll have plenty of opportunities for further culinary study 😉

[avalong]

The quality of the food can differ greatly from ship to ship depending on who's doing the cooking, so to speak. 4 out of 6 Windstar ships are in the Caribbean currently. I'd love to know WHICH ship the OP is on, so I can manage expectations, if necessary, for our upcoming Wind Surf cruise.

[Strenz]

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. 

[RBCal]

After eating in Stella and Candles I have changed my mind. Those restaurants are excellent though some entrees and desserts are more to my taste. For longer cruises the menu is a bit repetitious too.  The Windstar staff are all excellent. I don't know how they can work so quickly and efficiently. Windstar's best selling point is it's flexibility in going to smaller and more interesting ports. The giant cruise ships are best suited to young families who want a Disney theme park like experience.

[avalong]

OK, if you've eaten in Stella you must be on the Wind Surf. I think Wind Surf is the only ship with Stella.

Glad to hear you've changed your mind about the food, at least in Candles and Stella. Still not liking Amphora?

[HaveDogWillTravel]

15 hours ago, RBCal said:

The Windstar staff are all excellent. I don't know how they can work so quickly and efficiently. Windstar's best selling point is it's flexibility in going to smaller and more interesting ports. The giant cruise ships are best suited to young families who want a Disney theme park like experience.

Exactly