Windstar Cruises Reviews

We loved our recent trip on Windstar> They had a very special birthday celebration for my husband

My wife and I had an amazing time with another couple on our 2 week Windstar adventure from Melbourne to Aukland. The crew was outstanding in every way possible - always helpful and cheerful and genuinely friendly. It is obvious that they all work very hard to attend to each guest. Also, the ship and our room were very clean and had many features to make our trip enjoyable. Our room attendant, Arifin, was excellent. He was quick and thorough cleaning our room every morning and evening while we were out and was available whenever we had a question. The food was exceptional and never seemed to stop coming. We looked forward to each night’s menu - not to take anything away from breakfast or lunch - and the staff did an excellent job preparing and serving the meals. We must specifically name Nurpuadi, Thalia, Rudi, Vijay, and Edwin who made our dining experience memorable. The same can be said for the bar service which was available all day with top shelf liquors. Again, we have to mention Nenita, Edgar, Jocelyn, Kenneth, Althea, Rose, and Tannie who kept us laughing and lubricated! The drinks/laundry/internet/gratuities package deal is a must have - no signing slips for each drink you order and being able to pack lighter made things much easier. At times, we had trouble reconnecting to the WiFi but once connected, the signal strength was very good. The one negative from this trip was the variety of entertainment. On most nights, there were 2 bands that alternately played several songs each per set. They both did a great job playing a variety of music and getting people to dance / engaging the crowd. Generally, however, that was the only ship activity option before and after dinner. The Activities Director did host a few afternoon trivia contests which were fun. There also were a couple of nights when the crew got involved and that was great - Officer Kuba was outstanding on the harmonica, and we will never forget Thalia’s and Tannie’s dances, Rudi as Elvis , and Edgar’s Sinatra!

Ship was wonderful, great cabin, food terrific, staff lovely. However an engine broke down and a port that was the reason we chose this particular cruise was cancelled due to the engine failure. It was very disappointing despite the otherwise high-quality experience. Engine failure does not seem like something that should happen with no warning on a well-maintained ship.

We spent 50 days on Windstar's Breeze, and enjoyed every day of it. We got to see Japan from OK soccer to Yokohama all the way down the islands onto Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Indonesia, the northern islands of Australia, and we finally get off in Canberra. The breeze is a small ship, so we got into a lot of the ports that large ships can't enter that made for really varied sightseeing and tours. It was a great way to get oriented to Asia now we know where we'd like to go back and spend some time.

Absolutely loved the cruise. Superb cabins, service and attentive crew. Our first time on Windstar and it will not be our last!

Overall OK, but clearly not as good as the previous 3 cruises we have done with Windstar. * The ship has been enlarged it seems and can add an additional 100 passengers. but it seems that the board personnel number is not increased in line with the increased numbers of passengers. * Personnel was clearly more stressed out, and that sometimes affected the interpersonal interactions. * The renewed cabins were excellent and spacious. That was an improvement. * The quantity and quality of the food was somewhat on the low side. The good news of course is that there was no weight gain. * The breakfast area had not expanded, and this caused "traffic jams" during the breakfast peak hours. * Not yet 100% convinced that our next cruise will be with Windstar.

The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars - the food and wine list . The food was at best 3.5 and the wine list 3 ish. The menu execution of several dishes missed on many counts . The wine list lacks sophistication, quality of its appellation's. The staff is superb, the small boat ambiance superb . Don’t miss all the glitz of the bigger boats and absolutely love the excellent itineraries of Windstar . While the ship has been nicely refurbished recently, these ships are are older than some of the slightly larger so called luxury cruise lines . The suites are spacious and window view rooms perfect for us- just a short walk to the bow of the ship. The gift shop is a bit sorry but … not a bid deal.

Staff overall was very friendly, cabin steward was excellent. Our cabin was spacious and bathroom was nice size, really enjoyed the double sinks. The only negative was the dining on a couple of occasions. Candles restaurant was disappointing for steaks, we had a NY Strip that was really tough, and on a second occasion paid extra for a 30oz bone-in porterhouse that was poorly cooked. Amphora was the best venue in our opinion. The Spanish restaurant, Quadro 44, had some good dishes, some were misses. Enjoyed that we only had 212 passengers in our sailing so there were no busy venues onboard.

Everything was beyond our expectations! The captain and crew were amazing and the service was extraordinary! Thank you Sherry from Avoya Travel for all of your extra efforts to insure a wonderful trip! I really appreciate you so much!

The cruise was our first. It was a incredible experience. The ship food etc was magnificent. I did not enjoy the tight timing of the shore excursions. I would have booked a private tour instead. The airfare was a nightmare. It was not the travel agency fault. It was Air Canada. We had an 18 hour layover on the trip there and another 5 hour delay coming home. Tip: Don’t use Sir Canada especially through Toronto Would Inuse another travel agency again. Probably not. There is little control over your interaction with either the cruise line or air carriers. Everything needs to go through the agent. Our agent Lily Rubin went above and beyond.

Very god cruise. The officers and grew were outstanding.A special shout out for Joseph at Reception , and the entire kitched and wait staff , particularilly the friendly lady from Ukraine.

Windstar and small ship sailing is such a pleasure compared to the mega ships. You and the crew quickly get to know each other by name and it is like travelling with many friends. The selection of ports and the ability of the ship to dock right where the action is makes these journey's great. Loved sampling many of the top Med destinations, great weather this time of year, and the Med is a lot smoother then an open ocean voyage. Highly recommend.

It was superb itinerary and outstanding food as from the best French restaurants. But the ship is a bit old and requires maintenance of plumbing system.

Good trip & enjoyed Captain of Wind Surf & crew....

Trip was fabulous in spite of some nasty weather in and around Sicily. The Dalmatian Coast was remarkably beautiful and Venice amazing. The crew of Wind Surf were wonderfully hospitable, friendly and professional. Thanks to all.

Ship needs updating. DVR in room are usless. Not hooked up into TV. No heat for three days, then only very hot in cabin. Woest cruise I have everr been. Also I was not given credit for my previous cruises on Windstar bwcause I did not have the dates!

Our 15-day cruise was wonderful. The onboarding and disembarking experiences were smooth and well organized. The cuisine for all meals was exceptional as was the professionalism and personalization of the attending staff. The ship itself was a unique experience and one that my wife and I will forever treasure.

Disappointed that not able to go thru the Corinth Canal but happy about the alternate route and locations.

Had a great trip with little wind and very calm seas. The service on board was very good as always and it was nice meeting people again ,we had met before on the Wind Surf. For us living most of our time in Sint Maarten , a perfect way to go to our other home in the Netherlands

I loved the ship, the crew, and being on the water for two weeks! Thank you!