Tag: Portugal

Setting sail on Star Pride, a week of adventure before us, the excitement was brimming. Normally, all the planning is down to me and our trips can be pretty hectic. On this trip, Windstar Cruises literally took the wheel and our only job was to have a lovely time. Join us, and the president of Windstar (Christopher Prelog) as we pinball across the Canary Islands and up to Portugal in our full Windstar Cruises review.

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The Captivating Canary Islands Cruise

Our 8 day adventure began in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria and took us through the Spanish Canary Islands before turning north and navigating Portuguese waters. Having never been to the Canary Islands, I was very excited to see four new destinations. Plus, I had unfinished business in Madeira so that was a brilliant stop as well.

• Las Palmas, Gran Canaria – We had a real whistle stop visit to Las Palmas. Reaching our hotel at around 20:00, we had just enough time to grab some dinner at a nearby restaurant and enjoy a relaxed morning at the hotel….and what a hotel. We booked a room at the swankiest place in town, the Santa Catalina. As we were checking out, we heard lots of other people mentioning Windstar and it turned out, it was the partner/preferred hotel.
• Arrecife, Lanzarote – The capital of Lanzarote, Arrecife was our next stop. We decided to do our own thing here and just explore the city. Arrecife is the capital of Lanzarote and made a nice place to wander. Being a Sunday., nearly everything was shut but the legendary Gran Hotel was open and grabbing a drink on the 17th floor was a highlight.

• San Sebastián, La Gomera – Lesser visited La Gomera is the least developed of the Canary Islands in terms of tourism. It’s still very agricultural and natural. Its steep ravines and high passes make travelling around tricky. We decided to take a tour here to see some of the island and we will share details of that in a seperate post.
• Santa Cruz de Tenerife – With 28 hours to play with in Tenerife, we managed to combine a bit of independent sightseeing around Santa Cruz with an organised Windstar tour. We wandered Santa Cruz, popping into churches and strolling the parks. The Africa Market had a fish section downstairs with lots of eating counters and it was very tempting to grab a second breakfast. The palmetun is a botanical garden that focuses on a palms. It is built on a huge rubbish dump on the Santa Cruz shore.

• Funchal, Madeira – This was our second trip to Funchal and it was the perfect opportunity to tick off a major bucket list item. We took the cable car up to Monte and the crazy wicker toboggans back down. We attempted a small Rosie-created drinks tour but as it was Portugal’s independence day, many of the bars were shut. We did manage a few ponchas and a visit to the iconic Blandy’s Wine Lodge though.

• Lisbon, Portugal – Our final port of call. Originally, we were going to meet a friend in Lisbon but sadly, he had to work. We made the decision head straight tot airport rather than find luggage storage etc and caught an earlier flight.

Check out our post about how to spend a day in Lisbon

The Windstar Pride

Windstar is a luxury cruise line with six (soon to be eight) small ships. The experience is akin to having a superyacht with a large group of friends, boutique indeed! Extended by a third during Covid, the Windstar Pride holds a maximum of 312 passengers. Our sailing had 272 people, with every suite occupied. However, it never felt crowded, nor were we rushed out of dinner reservations or anywhere actually. Having such a small ship definitely made it feel luxury.

The decor throughout the ship was reminiscent of a yacht with plenty of blue hues, very aquatic. In the two entertainment lounges, the colour scheme was more warm and neutral. We got our first taste of the lounge during the check in process. This was above and beyond our previous cruise check ins. Everyone passed through security and then we were greeted on board with a glass of sparkling wine. The whole check in was in the lounge with the health questionnaire, key allocation and package offerings (spa and drinks). It was so much more relaxed than the normal terminal experience.

Our Star Ocean View Suite

For the duration of the cruise, we were on deck 4 in Star Ocean View Suite 445. With 277 sq ft (25.5 sq meters) of room, this was more than half the size of our London flat. There was plenty of room to sleep, dress, prepare beverages and chill. The colour scheme was light and airy with cream, light wood and grey. It felt classy and modern. It’s no wonder as it one of the newer suites with the seating by the door and the bed by the window. I was so happy that we had it this way around as it makes so much more sense to me, and it is so lush to sit in the bed and look out on the water, sparkling in the moon or the sun.

The “Living Room”

The minibar was completely stacked with drinks. Above was a drinks station with space for wine, an ice bucket and above that, a cupboard with several kinds of glasses. As part of my drinks package, the mini bar was included (which is insanely generous for a package). Mr Fluskey, without the package could enjoy the soft drinks and the two bottles of wine that we were entitled to bring on board with us. We needed to clear out some room for the wine so we ditched the beer and whiskey, neither of which I like. We also had bottles of filtered water every day and at night, these were popped by the bed at turn down (such a sweet touch).

The Windstar Pride is an all suite ship so everyone has a seating area in their stateroom. We had a lovely comfortable sofa, two chairs for if we decided to entertain and a large coffee table (with a stunning flower arrangement). we enjoyed sitting and having a rest here, and had quite the breakfast set up here when we ordered room service…more on that later.

The “Bedroom”

The double bed was two singles pushed together (pretty normal for cruise rooms). I love how big this made it. The mattresses were marshmallow soft, Mr Fluskey’s actually softer than mine which always caught me off guard when I sat on it to use the TV.

As a standard there are two types of pillow provided, a feather pillow and a microfibre one. They are both very soft and that doesn’t suit me. I like a pillow with a bit of resistance because I sleep weirdly. Well, our wonderful room steward Tri somehow sourced a memory foam pillow and it was a game changer! After two nights of strange sleep, I rejoiced when my head didn’t sink into it. I am aware that I am strange in my pillow preference and I really didn’t mean to cause a fuss but this is a great example of how the amazing Windstar staff will go the extra mile.

We each had a couple of US plug sockets and a couple of USB-A sockets next to the bed and a reading light. Each bedside table had three proper drawers, no scrimping here.

Across from the bed was a long, granite vanity/desk. There were four plugs here, two American and two European. We had a nice big mirror here so it was the perfect spot to do hair and make up. Did you notice the rose? ow lovely to have these fresh flowers! To the side were three large drawers and Wi star obviously agrees with me as this is where the hairdryer was kept. The TV was perfectly placed for a night in, watching a film from the bed. There was a very good selection of preloaded movies and we finally got to watch Oppenhaimer. There were also TV channels that were live streamed but we ended up listening to music rather than having the TV on for background noise. We also used the TV to watch the safety video, check the daily schedule, the restaurant menus and the live cameras. It was fun to spot if the whirlpool was empty before dashing down.

The Wardrobe

To the back of the suite was a walk in wardrobe, a luxury we have never had before. It was so nice to shut a proper door and keep the noise of the hangars at bay (my least favourite thing about cruises). It was also at the far end from the bed so this really helped with this too. we had plenty of room for all my dresses and all of Mr Fluskey’s too. We used the small drawers for our undies and gym gear. The top cupboard was the safe but as Windstar was holding our passports, we didn’t really need to use it. On the left were some triangular shelves and I popped my bags here but we didn’t really use them other than that.

The Bathroom

The bathrooms have all been redone recently and you can tell. I was so surprised at the size of the bathroom. Everyone always said the bathrooms on Virgin were tiny but I don’t think I knew any better. I could stand in here and swing my arms at wide ins. Big circle without touching anything.

We had huge his and hers sinks which was such a treat as we didn’t get in each others way at all. There were large cubbies under each side of the vanity and some shelves to the left. I’m not sure how anyone would fill all of this space?!

The products provided were all L’Occitane, a rather fancy brand. The soap, hand cream, shampoo, conditioner and shower gel all smelled delicious and I didn’t end up using my own toiletries as they were all so lovely.

Windstar Star Pride Facilities

The Pool

The pool deck, complete with teak decking sits on the 7th floor. The small pool is raised above the level of the floor and has a nice glass front, and little cascade which was a nice touch. There were shaded sun loungers on deck 7 and a row on each side of the partial deck above. We enjoyed the four clam shell day beds which meant we could hide in the shade whilst also feeling like we were sunbathing. Once we were cooked up nicely, the pool was a cooling relief. I think in summer it will feel nice and warm but slightly off season it was still a bit chilly. Not cool enough to keep us out though!

The Whirlpools

There were two hot tubs available. The first sat directly above the pool and it was really lush to go between the cool pool and hot bubbles. (Quick note – This was perfect for me but too hot for Mr Fluskey. Lots of people were sat with just their legs in). The kind staff came and took drink orders as we sat in the soothing heat and brought drinks back to the hot tub. Bubbles and a mojito? Now it’s a holiday!

The second was at the front of the ship on deck five. I remembered watching a YouTube video which called this a secret that hardly anyone knew about but the secret is well and truly out. It was very popular. This was definitely a whirlpool rather than a jacuzzi with gentle jets rather than bubbles. We did manage to catch it all to ourselves once by using that bow camera. Sneaky!

The Gym

For such a small ship, the gym was quite impressive. They had four running machines, three ellipticals, a rowing machine and plenty of weights. The whole thing is as Technogym so it is all rather swish. The running machines had videos and workouts to follow. You can even scan QRs on the weight machines for workouts and guidance on how they work. So cool, Next door was the workout studio but we never made it to a class.

I had great plans to use the gym but actually we only ended up going on the sea day. The ship was rocking badly so we just used the running machines to power walk as we hung onto the heart rate monitoring bars. I also hopped onto the chest press and arm curl machines as these involved staying sitting upright and we were trying to ensure we didn’t succumb to sea sickness at all.

The Compass Rose

The enclosed bar at the back of deck 6 was a nice place to relax before and after dinner. There was live music from some very talented performers. The Top Society Band in particular were brilliant. The lead singers voice was gorgeous! Cocktails were served at the bar or with table service so you could really chill out. In was really nice to have the view here as well as the entertainment and at night, the dance floor did get some use!

The Lounge

This was the other spot for presentations and entertainment. The slightly racked seating all looked down at the stage area and there was a proper place for a band set up or a screen for port talks. It wasn’t somewhere we chose to sit unless something was going on as it wasn’t designed as a social space. It made me giggle when I realised the columns were padded. I wonder how many people bump into them when it is rocking.

The Yacht Club

At the front of the ship, on deck 8 is a gorgeous lounge called the Yacht Club. Decked out in royal blue and lined with books and curios it is just how I imagine a private yacht. There are 180 degree views and you can stroll outside as well. We took in the views from out here and even spied on the crew from the bridge as they took us out of port one day which was really fun.

The seating in The Yacht Club was all really comfortable with a mix of chairs and sofas, but the best seta in the house was a big cream armchair and footrest that was someone’s favourite spot. We never got there first! In one corner there was a large board game section. Many of these involved more than two people or were so far beyond our skill level that we played Connect Four on one chilled out evening. They also had jigsaw puzzles out periodically that anyone could have a crack at. For the true gamers, official Mahjong and Bridge tournaments were scheduled. I don’t think they would have appreciated our amateur efforts and the regular exclamations of “Go Fish!”.

In the other corner was the coffee spot. There was a little counter serving good barista coffee and snacks. Arriving back from a tour at an awkward time, we grabbed some coffee, sandwiches and cakes before relaxing on a sofa with them.

The World Spa

We decided not to have any treatments during our cruise but we did make two visits to the spa. The thermal suite was open everyday and included in the cruise. Our first visit was very spontanious and we didn’t bring our robes but we were in swimwear so 50% appropriate. The changing rooms were nice and spcacious for the size of the area, with lockers that used our room keys. Inside the spa area there was:

• A sauna – I had this all to myself and stretched out across one of the benches. I think you could fit four people in here if everyone was sat or but it might be a bit awkward.
• A steam room – The small steam room wasn’t too hot which was nice but it was very small. Being in here on the rougher sea day was a little unpleasant but when the ship was steady, it was lovely. I might add some sort of essential oil to make it smell nicer but that is a very personal thing.
• Heated relaxation beds – We spent most of our time on these. They were so pretty with their mosaics and the heat was divine.
• An experience shower – From a waterfall setting to side jets and a cool mist effect, this was fun to mess about in and had lovely L’Occitane again.

The World Spa was an excellent idea and a brilliant place to reatreat to for some alone time or just to lose an hour before getting ready for dinner.

Star Boutique

Shopping isn’t really a priority for us on cruises but we know other people enjoy it so we took some snaps. There was a decent selection of high end watches, jewellery and sunnies. I was tempted by the cool sail material bags but they were a little above my price range. I dpotted plenty of Windstar branded clothing items and I tried to convince Mr Fluskey that he needed a polo shirt but he wasn’t having it.

Dining

Windstar Cruises loves food and knows that it is a huge part of the trip. If you are stuck with a mediocre buffet, you aren’t going to have a good time. If, however, you are excited about every meal on the sahip, it is another story. Windstar have partnered with the James Beard foundation which really makes them the foodies cruise line! If, like Mr Fluskey, you don’t watch far too many American cooking shows you may not have heard of it. The James Beard foundation awards people in food and hospitality that not only promote or crete amazing food, but also do so in a sustainable away that celebrates diversity, the cultures the food is from and their community.

We took an awful lot of pictures of the food so I have popped them into slideshows. Have a scroll through and check out what we ate if you fancy it.

Breakfast – The Veranda

Although you can grab quick bites in the Yacht Club and Star Grill, the main breakfast takes place in The Veranda. Seating was in four sections, two side areas with big windows straight out, the inside tables that were quite tight and not my fave, and those outdoors which I loved. This is at the back of deck 7 and it was lovely to start the day with some fresh sea air with views of our next port or of the open sea.

The Veranda had a nice big buffest selection as well as an a la carte menu that changed every day. We could pick from hot breakfast, freshly made omelettes, cold cuts, fresh fruits and yogurts, smoothies and carbs. There was also a section with American style biscuits and gravy every day so I finally got to try those. I wasn’t entirely convinced by the combo but the hash browns that made an appearance nearly every day were top notch and I had far too many over the course of the cruise. The best food was the fresh omelette and the a la carte options for sure. The French toast was chef’s kiss!

Breakfast – Room Service

On one occasion (our lazy morning) we opted for room service. This is included in the price of the cruise and incurs no extra charge which is a real treat. It also means you can order right up until 11:00 so you can have a lie in. We ordered over the hone and then realised there is an order form that you can fill out the night before but either way, it was really easy. Of course we ordered too much; pancakes, a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, a parfait, and cereal, and coffee…and juice…and pastries. You know what? We munched our way through it, knowing that this was definitely brunch and we wouldn’t eat again until the evening. We should have made mimosas with our fridge wine but that only occurred me as I was writing this.

Lunch – The Veranda

The Veranda is open again for lunch and is themed every day with a different cuisine. Particularly noteworthy were the Indian dishes (well flavoured and with a reasonable spice) and the sushi. Did we stuff ourselves silly on raw fish and pickled ginger? You know it!

We could also order a cocktail, some wine or the Windstar burgers and hotdogs from the Star Grill.

Speaking of the Star Grill…

Lunch – The Star Grill

At the back of deck 8 is the open air Star Grill. There are proper tables, high tops and comfortable low tables too so it can be as fancy or as casual as you like.

A haven for carnivores, the Star Grill serves two different kinds of meat everyday. Generally, this was one was slow roasted and one rotisserie. There was also the burgers and hot dogs on offer, as well as a nice selection of sides.

After lunch shuts down officially, there is a build you own burger bar which Mr Fluskey took advantage of as we were running a little late on our day. I just stole his sweet potato fries (of course). To the side, there was a soft serve, self-serve ice cream machine. On one occasion, I made myself a small bowl of vanilla ice cream and asked the bar to slosh a shot of amaretto it. It was a childhood treat that went down very nicely.

The Star Grill is open again for dinner but it was quite chilly in the evenings so we opted for indoor options. We didn’t get here as much as we would have liked so we will have to sail with Windstar again! That being said, we had the most delicious ribs here on the way to another dinner. I just couldn’t resist so we had one each and they were perfect.

Dinner – Amphora

The main dining room for dinner is Amphora. The room is dark and elegant with a huge wine wall at the back (very appropriate given the name is a vessel that was often used for storing wine). On our first night, we arrived at peak dinner time and were seated with another couple but our next two dinners here we had our own tables. The service was impeccable and our drinks were topped up regularly. The food is a la carte and it is in the Amphora menu that will discover the James Beard chef’s dishes.

The menu at Amphora was an interesting blend of traditional and intriguing. Every night there was the option of steak, salmon or chicken and the same sides. Around that was a changing menu of dishes with influences from Asia, France, Greece, Spain and beyond. It was hard to choose what to have because so many things sounded so good. The presentation was so pretty, especially of the starters and desserts. Particularly noteworthy dishes were the snails which were absolutely swimming in garlic butter (in a good way), a very cute cheese tart, the parmesan truffle fries and anything at all that had apple in.

We were also given a full wine list and the rose prosecco served here was too yummy!

Dinner – Cuadro 44

Speciality dining is included with Windstar, another brilliant addition. We wewre so exctied to eat at the Spanish restaurnt, Cuadro 44. Strange name you are thinking. Well, nice restaurants around the world often have their address as the restaurants name. Ships are divided into sections and you will find this spot in frame 44 so it is the street address on the ship. Cute right?! The decor in here is warm and inviting with pretty tiles and big mirrors. They have an open kitchen and we had two stool at the bar here so we could watch the service.

Now to the food. The glorious, glorious food. I loved every dish we had from the intensely fresh tomato-topped bread to the incredible Iberico ham with intensely favoured marbling. The sear on the tuna was perfection and we swapped dishes halfway trhough so enjoy both. We actually preffered each tohers so it was a good shout. The desserts were both delightful and I was so happy as Spanish desserts aren’t always my bag.

I wanted to finish on the pulpo (both in this paragraph and during the meal, I wanted to order it again as a dessert). The cooking of octopus is a notoriously difficult thing. Low and slow or quick and dangerous are your two options. We saw the tentacles on the planchette across the kitchen and prayed as they sizzled. What resulted was the best octopus I have ever had and I have been thinking about it ever since. Honestly, I would sail again and try and blag my way into Cuatro 44 every day for that starter.

Dinner – Candles

The Veranda is not open as a buffet in the evening. Instead, the area is converted into a high end steak and seafood restaurant called Candles. Sadly, our dinner was during the cold, rainy and rough sea day so we were not able to sit outside but we did still have a nice view through the large wraparound windows of the setting sun.

We sat down and the internal debate began. I adore seafood BUT we never go out for steak at home. This was my chance to have a good one and the dilemma of sea vs land was a toughie. We spend a long time debating what to eat and decided to share starters, fixed firmly on seafood, and then I would opt for meat whilst Mr Fluskey kept going with the fish. Let me say that the steak, requested rare was perfectly cooked. The small number of diners in Candles meant every care could be taken and this was evident in both the food and the service. My dress was so slippery and I couldn’t keep my napkin on my lap. The poor wait staff offered me a new one every time another fell to the floor. I insisted that I didn’t need a new one and totally gave up on the napkins so that they could relax. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the salt. We had three kinds of salt!

• Black Hawaiian salt
• Pink Himalayan salt
• Smoked applewood salt

That is when you know this is a classy place. It was reminiscent of one of our favourite meals out when we got three kinds of butter.

Dinner – Room Service

Knowing that room service was included, and feeling very tired after a long day tour, I convinced Mr Fluskey that needed a night in. Room service is available 24 hours a day and the menu has some favourites on it (quesadillas, sandwiches and popcorn or sweets for movie nights…another cute touch). However, during the opening hours of Amphora (usually 19:30 – 21:30) you can order from that menu. We checked out the options on the TV and decided that we would opt for those.

We set up a little dining station and popped on a film. When placing our order they said 30 minutes or so, but it was all there are piping hot within 18. I ordered beef wellington. I am trying to bring mushrooms into my world after years of avoiding them and the mushroom duxelle layer between the beef and pastry had always put me off it. However, trying in the privacy of our suite meant if I wasn’t keen, I could peel it off away from the gaze of anybody else. Turns out, it was delicious and I ate the lot. Mr Fluskey demolished his duck a l’orange and apple pie with gusto so i believe it was top marks all round. When we finished we gave room service another call and they were there within two miutes to pick up the tray. It was so impressive.

Dinner – The Signature BBQ

Once on every Windstar Cruise, there is a huge BBQ up on deck 7. It was so fun to see everyone out in the same spot, ready and raring to eat too much. We dashed up to secure a sunny table before making our way to the food tables. We couldn’t believe how much food there was, the variety of that food and when we sat down to eat, the incredible cooking of that food.

Starting at the salad and charcuterie sections, I loaded up on cured sausage and many prawns. In terms of hot food, There were two whole pigs which were so tender and the crackling was divine. It was another of those, “I could never cook this at home” moments that I have dreamed of. Along with this, there was a grill with lamb, squid, prawns and more. There was also a giant paella and fresh fried local fish which I fully inteded to go back to but couldn’t squeeze in. The prawn skewers were lush and we went back for seconds before we even made it back to the table. It was so fun to be out in the sun, sharing a table with some new friends and enjoying food together.

The Bars

The Star Bar (next to Star Grill) and the Compass Rose both had the same full menu. There was lots of wine on offer but you know me, I am a cocktail girly. I didn’t make it through the menu, not even a fraction of it in fact, but that was probably because Mr Fluskey didn’t have the drink package and as he was on the soft stuff, I reduced my boozy in take a bit. There was an impressive range of spirits on offer, especially for the price of the drinks package. I had about 10 cocktails over the week and can highly recommend the Espresso Martinis, Twisted Mules, Strawberry Pimms (yes, I did get some Americans onto Pimms) and the French 75. I don’t think the rose prosecco at the bars was the same as it didn’t taste as nice, but maybe it was all about the surroundings?

Windstar’s Entertainment

It’s such a small ship you won’t find big Broadway style performances or an entertainment team. Instead, the incomparable entertainment director Renata organised many of the daytime activities and compared to most of the evening shows.

Here were some of our favourite ways to stay occupied during our sailing:

• The Open Bridge – Incredibly, cruisers are welcome to visit the bridge at most times. Ofcourse, if they are at a point they need to concentrate, this shuts. We popped by when we had half an hour to spare before dinner and had a really nice nose around. We saw the plotted course, including where they had steered out of the wind to give the cocktail party an easier time. It was lovely chatting travel and career paths with the officers.
• Local Artists – Something fun that you will see on Windstar and not many other cruise lines, is the chance to see local performances. The two that we were treated to were very memorable. After a day exploring the island of La Gomera we learned all about the island’s unique language. Many residents speak Spanish as a first language and whistling as a second. The terrain of the island meant villages were isolated and whistles carried well on the wind. So cool. The second was an eevening of fado music, the traditional Portuguese music that developed in Lisbon in the 1920s. The performers played guitar and sang of love, loss and wine.
• The Deck Party – After the signature BBQ, the staff took to the deck to bust out some moves. Apparently, earlier in the day there was a linedancing class that we had missed. However, I cannot resist the lure of group dance that you can learn on the fly so we watched a few dances and then joined the growing number of passengers on the floor for the Macarena, Gangnam Style and YMCA. Such fun!
• Sail Away / The Flag -As the ship departs port, a flag raising ceremony takes place. Orignally, the Windstar fleet only had sail ships and this was the unfurling of the sails. It is a nice adaptation. As the flag goes up, the very stirring Conquest of Paradise by composer Vangelis plays. Even if you are just sunbathing nearby on the open decks, you are immediately transfixed.
• Yoga – Bright and early, stretching classes and yoga sessions were offered. I never got up to do these because I have no willpower in the morning but I think it would have been a lovely start to the day.
• Market Visits – One of the activities that we meant to take part in that sort of forgot about until it was too late, is shopping with the chef. Windstar likes to buy local ingredients in the courts that it stops at and as such, the chef needs to go and find them. Guests are allowed to join them for the adventure. The amazing octopus that we ate was picked up just at morning by the chef and some of our fellow cruises… And I must commend them on the excellent choice.
• The Crew Show – On our last evening, it was time for the crew to show us the other side of themselves in a talent show. I was ready to cringe but oh my goodness, this was a talented bunch. We had amazing singers, fun bands, a girl group (the Spice girls could never), traditonal dances and a synchronised swimming team…don’t ask. The whole evening was such fun and I wish we could all do karaoke in the screening room afterwards!

The Windstar Pride Crew

Finally, a word about the crew. I cannot tell yo u what an absolute delight the entire staff were. Every person we interacted with was friendly, engaging and they knew our names on day one! It was next level customer service. Tre, our room attendant was super smiley and he added such gorgeous touches. He secured my long phone cables with Windstar loops. The bar staff greeted us by name the whole time and were experts at making the whole cocktail menu (rather extensive) from memory. Renata the Entertainment Engagement Officer was gorgeous inside and out and Andreas the Hotel Manager was so much fun! We loved seeing Nicole winning the employee of the month as she and her fellow breakfast crew gave us the best welcome every morning. I know they were all over the ship all day but this was our first interaction everyday and we were given such huge smiles every day! All in all, top marks for everybody in the Windstar family.

Final Thoughts for Our Full Windstar Cruises Review

Small ship cruising is another world. No fights at the buffet, no queueing to get on and off and the staff know your name. It feels so special and like you are all VIPs. With their smaller ships able to explore more unusual destinations, combined with excellent food and stellar customer service, Windstar Cruises offers that exclusivity that really speaks to us. They are planning to have a ship in the Canary Islands so run don’t walk to book your spot. We would love to sail with them again, this time in their home of French Polynesia. Maybe you can join us there too!

Rosie xx