Windsurf Critique

[commander courageous]

Recently returned from the Caribbean, aboard the Windsurf, from Barbados.

 

Having read other threads of the January 13th departure, I wanted to share my

observations, that I hope will be both objective and constructive.

 

This is our second sailing aboard the ships of Windstar, having sailed previously aboard

the Windspirit last year. As many of you know, there was a change of ownership of the line

last year, which is "beginning to push at the seams" a little.

 

First, there is a demonstrable difference in a ship of 300+ passengers versus 108, in a

variety of areas. While the entire crew was both cheerful and friendly, some of the service in

the dining rooms and lounges was a little disjointed. Not true last year.

 

If you have read the other threads of this sailing, you have noted the comments about the food.

Most of it true. The quality and presentation was not up to last year's . Having said that, I am not

suggesting that the food was inedible, simply that in terms of variety and quality, the food was

wanting.

 

I would echo others comments about the cruises' (social director). Most of her presentaions were

rote and perfunctory...and left people wanting as to choices they might avail themselves of at the next

port. The entertainment was stiff and too repetitious ...learn some more tunes!.

 

Anyway, none of this should discourage anyone from booking Windstar. By paying a little more attention

the "little things", the cruise company still has room to add "yet another star"

 

P.S. We're off on the Sea Dream I in March (or fourth) and will draw another comparison

 

 

[laurelguy]

Haven't checked the Boards in a while but thought I might. I am BLOWN AWAY by the negative reviews of Windstar since the changes. Was on Nice-Rome summer of 2006 and LOVED it. Am going with family again this coming May and am honestly SCARED after reading some of these posts. Short-staffed service, even less appetizing food, crew being fired, etc, etc..loud GROUPS. Has this line really gone to the dogs? And just a smaller version of the BIG TACKY ships?

:confused:

What a shame and too late to get a refund.

[Snow cat]

I have only been on the Wind Surf once (last October in the Med) so I don't have a previous experience on the ship to compare to, but I can't imagine how it could have ever been better.

 

Great food, wonderful crew; simply a perfect trip. I can't wait to go again.

 

ps: I should mention as well that I was bumped off the week I originally wanted due to a charter (while Windstar was still under the previous ownership), so that's not an exclusive feature of the new owners.

[6rugrats]

that's not an exclusive feature of the new owners

 

 

So true, Windstar has always chartered its ships and cancelled cruises. I was on a cruise on the Windsong in 1991 and at least half of the ship's passengers was a large group of, shall we say, alternative life style people. The only problem with this is that they dominated all the ship's facilities and were quite loud at times. It's always happened on Windstar and this is nothing new.

[Xoe]

The negative reviews have been of Wind SURF. Wind STAR and Wind SPIRIT continue to get good reviews -- certainly from me for Wind Spirit in January, and also in a recent report on Wind Star's Costa Rica itinerary.

 

I too am concerned about Wind SURF based on recent reports, but would go again on Wind Spirit or Wind Star at any opportunity. I saw NO loss in service or anything else, and had NO complaints for my Wind Spirit experience in Jan. 2008, as compared to Wind Star in Jan. 2007.

[maztoz]

Let me second that opinion!

The food aboard Windstar was generally excellent. The cabin upgrades made the experience very comfy. The staff was pleasant and efficient. The passengers were classy, well dressed and well behaved.

We had a lengthy conversation with a high ranking employee of the new owner, Ambassadors. He reported that for the past 3 years the previous owners, Holland America, had woefully neglected the Windstar brand. He felt that the commitment toward excellence was much stronger under the new management.

We are already making plans for another Windstar cruise, possibly a two week back to back.

[Capt. Mike]

We have cruised the Spirit three times and booked again for Istanbul in October. Two of the cruises were alumini as well as the one in October. My 2 cents worth is that everyone is different, everyone has a perception of what they expect and some people are never happy with reality. No cruise is pefect and based on alot of the chatter on this forum, people expect it to be. My wife and I are in our sixties and world travelers, we probably have vacationed more than most, both cruises and land and guess what, not one of our trips has been perfect know matter how well we planned. Some of the highlights of our travels have been when we made bad times into good times just because we did not let the kind of stuff reported here get under our skin. RELAX, things go alot smoother. If you are one of those who had a less than perfect trip; don't cruise with Windstar anymore, that will open up a space for the few of us that know how to set back on the stern with a adult beverage in one hand and a Arturo Fuente Maduro in the other watching the sun sink in the west.

Life is too short to be a sourpuss.

Windstar is not for everyone, just a chosen few who GET IT!

[Capt. Mike]

We have cruised the Spirit three times and booked again for Istanbul in October. Two of the cruises were alumini as well as the one in October. My 2 cents worth is that everyone is different, everyone has a perception of what they expect and some people are never happy with reality. No cruise is pefect and based on alot of the chatter on this forum, people expect it to be. My wife and I are in our sixties and world travelers, we probably have vacationed more than most, both cruises and land and guess what, not one of our trips has been perfect know matter how well we planned. Some of the highlights of our travels have been when we made bad times into good times just because we did not let the kind of stuff reported here get under our skin. RELAX, things go alot smoother. If you are one of those who had a less than perfect trip; don't cruise with Windstar anymore, that will open up a space for the few of us that know how to set back on the stern with a adult beverage in one hand and a Arturo Fuente Maduro in the other watching the sun sink in the west.

Life is too short to be a sourpuss.

Windstar is not for everyone, just a chosen few who GET IT!

[commander courageous]

Don't quite understand how you can disagree, as you haven't even sailed on Windsurf.

 

Could it be that there are legitimate differences in the smaller versus larger ships.

 

Sorry, Captain, we do get it but don't think you do!

[blackfoot]

Captain Mike, I don't think you read the orginal post carefully: the post was about the Windsurf OWNED by Windstar.Based on my personal experiance of my Windsurf Jan cruise and the company's complete lack of professionalism,I will never book on ANY Windstar cruise!