Seriously thinking of booking a Windstar cruise, things to know?

[Petoonya]

@Leejnd4

No doubt WS will have their act together once more dining-wise by 11/23. You'll know just in case not. I think this was a problem with post COVID cruising, and also a chef that was just introduced a few weeks on the job. I've yet to see anyone else on other cruises gripe like I have. And we adored our last November 2019 cruise- and the weather was PERFECT too.

Edited August 25, 2022 by Petoonya

[HaveDogWillTravel]

I’ve read thru much of the first 8 pages of the WS boards but haven’t found answers to a couple of questions I still have. We are planning an October sailing Istanbul to Athens potentially on Legend. I’ve read the passenger contract and found the pdf some lovely soul on CC posted about drink/laundry/WiFi/etc packages. I’ve read the WS FAQs. I found a wine list in one post but it wasn’t legible. And I’m aware of the official alcohol and smoking policies.  My questions are about actual on board experiences.  

1. I know there’s no smoking any where inside but where on the open decks is smoking allowed?  I’m worried on a small ship you just won’t be able to get away from it. (Ugh upper aft bar on Celebrity was less than desirable for all the smoke & until recently aft facing private balconies usable at times on Princess due to crew smoking on the aft facing promenade) Especially if there’s someone with a cigar. (Again aft bar area on Queen Mary destroyed by cigar smokers) Smoke really permeates far and wide even under sail. I know it will depend on the specific passengers on any sailing. I could get lucky and have very few smokers on board or get unlucky and have a lot. Knowing where the smokers are allowed will help me decide and also just some anecdotal experiences might be useful. 
 

2. I find it so strange that I am not allowed to bring on more than 3 bottles of wine for an 11 day sailing.  The policy doesn’t allow extra even if you are willing to pay corkage. I like more uncommon white wines that are rarely stocked and if I drink a more main stream white (but never, never Chardonnay ugh) it really has to be a mid to upper range one. If I drink, I want it to be lovely not just something I won’t spit out. Is there really no way to bring my own wine on board?  And I don’t mean sneaking it. I would never do that. I just want to walk on board like an adult with some nice wine. 
 

Thanks in advance for any help or insights you may provide. 

[Ski Mom 2]

So we have brought on more than 3 bottles of wine. Boarding in Venice this past September I'm not sure the port guy (not a WS guy) even cared. We have also bought wines in port and brought them back on the ship on our Med cruise in 2018.

[zentraveler]

We just got off the Star Legend which started on this exact itinerary (after 7 weeks -- LONG story) and never once smelled smoke. Anywhere. And I can smell it a mile away.

 

We found the wine list on the drink package varied and had a fine selection. I suspect your best bet might be to pick up wine at the first shore stop and see if they let you bring it on. The crew seemed fairly relaxed and honestly, they were all great. 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Thanks for the feedback. @Ski Mom 2and @zentraveler  I was told by a Windstar rep that legend has smoking only on aft deck 8. The itinerary is so port intensive I’m sure the wine situation will work out. 
 

thanks again for sharing your experiences 😃

 

 

[zentraveler]

1 minute ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Thanks for the feedback. @Ski Mom 2and @zentraveler  I was told by a Windstar rep that legend has smoking only on aft deck 8. The itinerary is so port intensive I’m sure the wine situation will work out. 
 

thanks again for sharing your experiences 😃

 

 

In 7 weeks I spent a fair bit of time on deck 8 and as I said never smelled a think. I saw one man, once, chewing on an unlit cigar but that was it. We are not night people so maybe the night crowd includes some smokers but you will easily be able to avoid the open part of deck 8. The "yacht club" is the forward part of deck 8 and is a lovely place to hang out far away from any potential smoke. 

 

Great ship; fabulous staff.

[Misty Morning]

We just got of the Pride a few weeks ago following a 16 day cruise.  We had brought 3 bottles of wine when we checked in (stopped at SuperMax on way to San Juan port) and brought 4 other ones on the ship on 3 occasions (San Juan, St Martin and Guadeloupe).  Had 3 of them in the restaurants (corkage fee of $15).  No issues whatsoever.  As long as it's one or two, the crew don't mind.  Hard liquor may be more problematic.

 

As for the smoking, we saw some folks at the back of deck 8 once in a while, but never did we experience any smell of smoke

[marinaro44]

12 hours ago, Misty Morning said:

We just got of the Pride a few weeks ago following a 16 day cruise.  We had brought 3 bottles of wine when we checked in (stopped at SuperMax on way to San Juan port) and brought 4 other ones on the ship on 3 occasions (San Juan, St Martin and Guadeloupe).  Had 3 of them in the restaurants (corkage fee of $15).  No issues whatsoever.  As long as it's one or two, the crew don't mind.  Hard liquor may be more problematic.

 

As for the smoking, we saw some folks at the back of deck 8 once in a while, but never did we experience any smell of smoke

Bringing hard liquor onboard is a no-no.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Thanks again to all for first hand experiences.  We have the all in package included in our booking.  Since there’s a perfectly fine list of gins, vodkas, bourbons listed as included there is no need to lug on hard alcohol.  The list of whites and dry roses on board is underwhelming and I am glad to hear that at least some folks have been able to bring on some wines of their liking on the up and up. 
 

I'm glad to hear that smoke has not been an issue. We changed to just the 8 day cruise without the land part. We added an independent week in Istanbul at the start and an independent week in Greece at the end. So I also added the laundry package while on the ship. That’s a nice option at a reasonable price. 

[zentraveler]

The laundry is fabulous. Comes back the next day with everything appropriate ironed (!) and looking better than it looks at home. Worth every penny. Who wants to do laundry on vacation??

[Piaa]

15 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Thanks again to all for first hand experiences.  We have the all in package included in our booking.  Since there’s a perfectly fine list of gins, vodkas, bourbons listed as included there is no need to lug on hard alcohol.  The list of whites and dry roses on board is underwhelming and I am glad to hear that at least some folks have been able to bring on some wines of their liking on the up and up. 
 

I'm glad to hear that smoke has not been an issue. We changed to just the 8 day cruise without the land part. We added an independent week in Istanbul at the start and an independent week in Greece at the end. So I also added the laundry package while on the ship. That’s a nice option at a reasonable price. 

 

Do you have the link to the brands of hard alcohol and the wine lists please (I have searched and can't find it)  Thank you 

[marinaro44]

4 hours ago, zentraveler said:

The laundry is fabulous. Comes back the next day with everything appropriate ironed (!) and looking better than it looks at home. Worth every penny. Who wants to do laundry on vacation??

If you have the laundry package or are entitled to free laundry and put the bag out by 9 am, it comes back the same day by 4 pm.  Amazing.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

19 hours ago, zentraveler said:

The laundry is fabulous. Comes back the next day with everything appropriate ironed (!) and looking better than it looks at home. Worth every penny. Who wants to do laundry on vacation??

Not me!  We will have spent 6 days traveling by the time we board.  I’m hoping sending that much laundry first day is ok. Would it be better to send it spread out over a few days? 

[zentraveler]

42 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Not me!  We will have spent 6 days traveling by the time we board.  I’m hoping sending that much laundry first day is ok. Would it be better to send it spread out over a few days? 

It should be fine. There are laundry bags and the papers to fill out in the drawer underneath the safe (at least in the new rooms; we were in both new and old so just look in the drawers in the closet). Stuff as much you can in the bag, or send two bags. Give them to the room steward early and they came back for us later that day, although that won't work on the first day since you won't be on until 1 or so. So don't count on them coming back until day #3.

[r&rd]

We are on board the Legend now. Sent laundry out the first evening and got it back by 5 pm the next day,

[schmidlapp]

6 hours ago, r&rd said:

We are on board the Legend now. Sent laundry out the first evening and got it back by 5 pm the next day,

We're boarding the 27th, who's the current chef onboard?

 

 

 

 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

On 12/11/2022 at 1:31 PM, Piaa said:

 

Do you have the link to the brands of hard alcohol and the wine lists please (I have searched and can't find it)  Thank you 

Yes the person I’ve been talking to at Windstar sent it to me as a pdf. I’m attaching it as 2 pictures as it’s the easiest way right now for me to share here. 
 

thanks @zentravelerand @r&rdfor the insight on laundry. 

Edited December 13, 2022 by HaveDogWillTravel

[Piaa]

8 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Yes the person I’ve been talking to at Windstar sent it to me as a pdf. I’m attaching it as 2 pictures as it’s the easiest way right now for me to share here. 
 

thanks @zentravelerand @r&rdfor the insight on laundry. 

Thank you 

 

[new_cruiser]

On 12/12/2022 at 8:18 AM, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Not me!  We will have spent 6 days traveling by the time we board.  I’m hoping sending that much laundry first day is ok. Would it be better to send it spread out over a few days? 

We've come on board after spending 4 or 5 days traveling and sent everything into the laundry right away with no issues. At the end of the cruise, we left with everything clean except the penultimate day's clothes to spend a few more days on land before flying home.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

18 hours ago, new_cruiser said:

We've come on board after spending 4 or 5 days traveling and sent everything into the laundry right away with no issues. At the end of the cruise, we left with everything clean except the penultimate day's clothes to spend a few more days on land before flying home.

That’s really good to hear thanks. We have a week in Istanbul at the start and a week in Greece at the end and I really don’t want to pack more than 8 days of clothes. 

[M.Travels]

On 12/12/2022 at 1:07 PM, zentraveler said:

It should be fine. There are laundry bags and the papers to fill out in the drawer underneath the safe (at least in the new rooms; we were in both new and old so just look in the drawers in the closet). Stuff as much you can in the bag, or send two bags. Give them to the room steward early and they came back for us later that day, although that won't work on the first day since you won't be on until 1 or so. So don't count on them coming back until day #3.

We are boarding the Pride a couple of days from now and I am realizing our all inclusive did not include laundry, but I would love for us to add this … can I do it when we Board or do I need to call? We don’t have phone service on the island we are on now but I think I can call when I get to San Juan.

[ridethetide]

2 hours ago, M.Travels said:

We are boarding the Pride a couple of days from now and I am realizing our all inclusive did not include laundry, but I would love for us to add this … can I do it when we Board or do I need to call? We don’t have phone service on the island we are on now but I think I can call when I get to San Juan.

You sign up after you board.

[SaltyHeart]

We’re doing the Tahiti trip the end of the month, on Wind Spirit. It’ll be the 2nd Tahiti tour on their ship with sails. That’s how much we liked it. Also: Panamá Canal, Barbados, Ireland-Portugal with Windstar sailing ships.

Barbados: nice wind, but their pre- and post- not great back then.
Atlantic Ocean waters choppy, with sights inland.

Panamá Canal: again in a heartbeat !

[M.Travels]

We are getting off this cruise this morning and it is absolutely our new fave cruise line! We loved the whole experience and cannot imagine not sailing with them again. Everything was nice and the crew was amazing. 

[Strenz]

We agree. We can not seem to jump ship. We love the sails the most but looking forward to Reykjavik to Montréal via Greenland next Sept. Happy Sailing.