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Name: Brian J. Melrose
Email: brian.melrose@sympatico.ca
Age: Fifty-two
Occupation: CLIA Master 83Cruise Counsellor
NumberOfCruises: 21
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Windstar-WindSpirit
SailingDate: November 27, 1994
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean out of Barbados
FoodDiningRoom: 83
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety: 75
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 40
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 40
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess: 20
ExerciseFacilities: 70
EntertShowLounge: 60
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 60
CruiseActivities: 65
Casino: 75
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 70
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 75
OverallCruiseValue: 75
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 24 Mar 1998
Time: 12:25:41
Remote Name: 206.172.226.183
Remote User:
Comments
Having sailed 21 cruises (I’ve boarded 41 ships all-told which makes me, as a cruise
professional, still feel like a novice).
As a cruiser, I yearn for new, faraway destinations and getting away from throngs (the
Carnival Destiny is not in my travel
plans but, is scheduled for an inspection). Twenty-five years in Information Technology
management (my career before
deciding to sell cruises for a living) made me disciplined and demanding. I must deal with
cruise line District Sales
Managers who expect me to obediently and enthusiastically flog their wares, price and
quality not withstanding. Every
cruise I take (my wife always joins me - one Travel Agent Familiarization cruise was one
too many for me) is more
business than pleasure.
Like many cruise enthusiasts, I held Windstar Line in awe since its inception. Being a
Cruise Counsellor (I am not a travel
agent) required garnering firsthand Windstar experience. If I haven’t sailed in or
inspected a vessel, I’m wary to promote
it to clients, so I cruise or perform inspections as frequently as my operating budget
will permit.
In November 1994, my wife and I spent a week on Wind Spirit sailing to a few less crowded
and less visited southern
Caribbean islands. The weather was poor but that had nothing to do with the vessel, which
is my focus here. We
arranged our own air transportation so I cannot rate the efficiency of the Windstar
Air/Sea programme.
The cabin we were assigned to was being serviced when we boarded so we were ushered into
the idle Owner’s Suite. As
most Windstar passengers will not book this one-per-ship cabin, I will not dwell on it but
for the following few comments.
Approximate size was 225 square feet versus the standard 185 square foot cabins. Large,
attractive head. Readily
noticeable wear on furniture, leather settee and carpeting. Dresser drawers were difficult
to open, would not close
completely. We visited a few standard cabins before leaving the ship and found them also
to be in need of refurbishment.
Keeping in mind that this review documents a cruise taken in November 1994, these maladies
may have been corrected
since. The weather necessitated using the diesel auxiliary engines which droned loudly
through the night, making for
some tired days.
The dining room featured open seating where requests for a table for two were satisfied,
sometimes necessitating a
fifteen minute wait. This room is quite striking as the motif is quintessential nautical
wood paneling. One advantage (for
this critic) to open seating is being served by different staff members each evening. We
found the maitre d’ to be aloof
and the table service personnel friendly and obliging. Holland America Line alumni will be
right at home here as the
same Filipino and Indonesian employees are found on the two lines (HAL was once a parent
of Windstar). Food selection
was varied and quality was generally superior to typical Caribbean mass-market, banquet
fare. Desserts were enjoyable
but, selection was limited. Wine selection was also limited and bore Windstar prices.
There were no late night buffets.
Public rooms and evening activities were limited to an aft cabaret lounge where a duo
performed nightly to a largely
empty house (wife sang and husband played a synthesizer). There is a very small casino, a
library containing a handful
of books and video tapes (every cabin has a VCR and compact audio system with CD player),
a shop selling upscale
merchandise with predictable prices and a gymnasium with limited facilities. Compact discs
were signed-out to
passengers from the one-and-only office which served as Purser’s Desk and Shore
Excursion Desk. There were no shows
or entertainers but for the aforementioned duo. Either you enjoy the tranquillity or
become exceedingly bored each
evening after dinner. By 23:00, the ship’s passengers were in their cabins but, for a
few star gazers on deck at the Lido
bar. Cocktails were priced at $4.75 and beer was $3.50. All onboard expenses were
$American.
Daytime activities becomes the whole Windstar experience. The ship and its passengers come
to life. A sports platform
extended off of the ship’s stern offers many sports activities and generated
occasional small lineups. We found that deck
sunning space is too limited for the passenger complement (148 at capacity, we sailed with
144) and we witnessed, with
surprise, rude passengers reserving loungers for themselves by visiting Lido deck before
breakfast. The deck stewards
were apprehensive to intervene. There is a Lido deck buffet restaurant where breakfast and
lunch is served (the dining
room is closed for both) with commensurate ten minute lineups to contend with. To
exacerbate the lack of
entertainment, the synthesizer man spent his afternoons entertaining on Lido deck.
Conclusion: I always ask myself during and after a cruise if I would sail this line or
ship again, exclusive of tariff, itinerary,
fellow passengers, weather, flight arrangements and assorted, to-be-expected, petty
gripes? With disappointment, the
answer is no. In my estimation, Wind Spirit is an example of the law of diminishing
returns and is too limited in some
respects. Great concept at lofty rates but, poor execution and value. Judging by the
accolades Windstar has received in
prominent journals, it would seem that I am in the minority with this opinion. However, a
dissenting voice alerts other
consumers, empowering them. As a cruise counsellor, my loyalty must be to my clients first
and not to any cruise line.
Having no experience with other Windstar vessels precludes me from further comments.
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