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Which Caribbean cruise?


Doh15
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So just idly thinking about next year and noticed for a week in late March (when we might be interested in a cruise) there is the "Yachtsman Caribbean" (RT from St Maarten on Wind Surf) and "San Juan and Virgin Islands" (RT from San Juan on Star Pride).

 

The trips look pretty similar (they don't go to exactly the same ports but there is overlap). I noticed Yachtsman Caribbean is on a sail yacht, has a sea day, and is a bit cheaper (although airfare to St. Maarten would probably eat up any saving on the cruise).

 

I was curious if anyone has picked between those cruises, or has advice for picking between them.

 

PS there is also a Costa Rica and Panama Canal that same week for a bit more so if anyone has thoughts on that cruise (esp. the CR portion) that would be interesting too.

 

thanks

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I am thinking of taking my first Windstar cruise next year and these are the itineraries I am looking at as well:D.....will be

looking to see what replies you receive. I have never been to Costa Rica or Panama so I am looking more closely at that

one.

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I have sailed all of WS itineraries in the Caribbean, like them all but love sails, BVIs, day at sea the best which is Yachtsman. Great cruise, something for everyone. Happy Sailing

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We just returned from the Celebrity Equinox where we visited St Maarten, Antigua and went over to Jost Van Dyke. It was my BFs first visit to both and he loved both stops as much as I did. Seeing the Yachtmans Caribbean itinerary this morning immediately caught my eye as we longed for more time in the BVIs, on Jost Van Dyke and St Maarten!

 

Going to be watching rates for Feb and March but we plan to do Yachtsmans Caribbean with the killer itinerary.

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We sailed on the Classic Caribbean and loved it! We choose it over the Yachtsman Caribbean due to the sail dates. I do thing the YC looks really nice too; it does have a sea day which might help you make a decision.

 

We have also sailed on a Panama Canal/Costa Rica cruise with WS although our stops were different than the ones offered now. We did have a stop in Quepos where we booked our own excursion to Quepo Canyoning which was the most fun zip lining and more trip! I highly recommend this company. We flew in early to Panama City and stayed in the old part of the city for a few days prior to the cruise. We then took a private car to Colon and the ship for boarding. We really enjoyed those few days in the old city.

 

I had always wanted to cruise through the Panama Canal and with WS it was a very special occasion. We were able to walk from the bow to the stern and back again as we cruised through the locks. It was an incredible adventure!

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest Nellsmom58

Hi all,

We are considering Windstar, and have been reading CC reviews to get an idea of which to book for us. DH and I are avid ex-sailors, so we want as much sail time--and less motoring--as possible. Is the Yachtsman cruise best for that?

Also, what age group attracts Windstar voyagers? DH will be 80 (and I'm not telling mine, lol!) We are a bit worried this line may require more physical ability than other lines (does every ship have an elevator, for example?) I've had two hip replacements but so far, so good...

Ultimately we are looking to sail Tahiti but want to do the Caribbean first to see if we like Windstar, since they have other competitors in the South Pacific that we're considering (Paul Gaugin, for one). We love sailing, so this seemed a happy compromise.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks ahead of time for anything you can tell us.

 

 

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The Windsurf has an elevator. The two smaller ships with sails, the Windstar and the Windspirit, do not. Since the Windspirit does the Tahiti itinerary, you might be better off with their main competitior, Paul Gauguin, which does have an elevator (but no sails, sorry!).

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We are avid sailors, we love the sails. We have been on all the ships, many times we have met people in their low eighties up to nineties who have been on the Star and Spirit. For Tahiti the sailing was spectacular. Only way to go in my opinion. If you are suspect not having an elevator get on the higher decks for your room. If you love sailing you will love the sailing ships.

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We are avid sailors, we love the sails. We have been on all the ships, many times we have met people in their low eighties up to nineties who have been on the Star and Spirit. For Tahiti the sailing was spectacular. Only way to go in my opinion. If you are suspect not having an elevator get on the higher decks for your room. If you love sailing you will love the sailing ships.

 

Having sailed on Paul Gauguin in Tahiti (about which I have nothing bad to say), and on Windstar elsewhere, I agree with you that Windstar is the way to go. Next time we do Tahiti it will be on Windstar. Good advice to the OP to get a room on an upper deck.

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The Wind Surf does have an elevator. The issue you may have was that we tendered in every port on the Yachtsmen's Caribbean itinerary. The large lines would have cancelled a port or two based on how the tenders were bopping up and down. You really have to be ready to almost "jump" in from time to time. I saw a few elderly passengers having some trouble. There are also a few areas where you have to step over a separation in the doorway to get to a certain area of the ship. The itinerary is fantastic otherwise. You just need to need ready for the tendering. They are very frequent and never crowded, but I wanted to point out the stepping down in a moving boat can be troublesome for some.

 

By the way, we loved our first Windstar cruise on the Yachtsman's itinerary four months ago. Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda are worth the trip.

 

s

Hi all,

We are considering Windstar, and have been reading CC reviews to get an idea of which to book for us. DH and I are avid ex-sailors, so we want as much sail time--and less motoring--as possible. Is the Yachtsman cruise best for that?

Also, what age group attracts Windstar voyagers? DH will be 80 (and I'm not telling mine, lol!) We are a bit worried this line may require more physical ability than other lines (does every ship have an elevator, for example?) I've had two hip replacements but so far, so good...

Ultimately we are looking to sail Tahiti but want to do the Caribbean first to see if we like Windstar, since they have other competitors in the South Pacific that we're considering (Paul Gaugin, for one). We love sailing, so this seemed a happy compromise.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks ahead of time for anything you can tell us.

 

 

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Guest Nellsmom58

Thank you, psbhappy. That is very good to know and worth considering, especially with our situation. I hadn't thought about that part of the trip.

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I like both the Windsurf and the Star type ships. The Star ships have all suites that are huge. The Windsurf has nice cabins with portholes. The Windsurf is larger and is more elegant. It has 2 specialty restaurants, a nice aft pool deck, more outdoor space, and better entertainment. Windsurf lounge area and Yacht Club are great spaces. Tendering from the Windsurf is easy. Short flight of steps off deck 2. Tendering on the Star ships is a hike down 2 long flights of stairs. Both types of ships have elevators. I wouldn't hesitate to sail on either type of ship.

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Hi all,

We are considering Windstar, and have been reading CC reviews to get an idea of which to book for us. DH and I are avid ex-sailors, so we want as much sail time--and less motoring--as possible. Is the Yachtsman cruise best for that?

Really, most ships will usually spend very little time sailing, so don't plan your cruise around that. The aft sail (not sure of the technical term) on the Wind Star has been broken for ~seven months now.

I'm sure someone will post they spent most of their time under sail, but this has not been my experience.

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Guest Nellsmom58

Good to know, thank you for the input. We were wondering about that.

 

 

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Guest Nellsmom58
Recently on the Wind Surf and was told that she is due for totally new sails this summer, I assume they mean this fall.

 

 

 

Good to know, thank you! [emoji4]

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