11/04-Switch from Volendam Mini-Suite to Wind Surf Back to Back?

[Joanandjoe]

We are booked for a 10 day Caribbean cruise on the HAL Volendam from 11/6 to 11/16/04. Our room is a mini-suite with whirlpool bathtub and a balcony. However, we are on the Windstar email list, and have received a tempting offer by email. 14 days back to back on the Wind Surf, in Europe, from 11/7 to 11/21, with airfare, would cost less than $1,000 more per person than 10 days in the Caribbean. It's very tempting. So why aren't we jumping on the offer? It's not the weather - we're willing to take our chances on southern European weather in November. No, it's the thought that we'll feel cramped with two weeks in the much smaller (than HAL) A and B rooms on the Wind Surf, and will miss having a bathtub. (We take many more baths than showers at home.)

 

We'd appreciate your thoughts - positive and negative - on making the switch.

[lovecruisingtoo]

We are booked for a 10 day Caribbean cruise on the HAL Volendam from 11/6 to 11/16/04. Our room is a mini-suite with whirlpool bathtub and a balcony. However, we are on the Windstar email list, and have received a tempting offer by email. 14 days back to back on the Wind Surf, in Europe, from 11/7 to 11/21, with airfare, would cost less than $1,000 more per person than 10 days in the Caribbean. It's very tempting. So why aren't we jumping on the offer? It's not the weather - we're willing to take our chances on southern European weather in November. No, it's the thought that we'll feel cramped with two weeks in the much smaller (than HAL) A and B rooms on the Wind Surf, and will miss having a bathtub. (We take many more baths than showers at home.)

 

We'd appreciate your thoughts - positive and negative - on making the switch.

 

 

Only you can make that choice. As for cabin size, how much time do you really spend in your cabin? Are you interested in the formality of HAL vs the casual atmosphere of Windstar?

 

Since you feel you will miss the bathtub and worry about the size of the cabin, then your best bet is to probably stay with HAL.

[Joanandjoe]

The small ship, informality, itinerary, and food are what attracts us to Windstar, and we're leaning toward making the switch. If the hot tubs are covered (not outdoors in November in Europe) they could, to some extend, serve the same purpose as bathtubs: a long comfortable soak.

[mmtwrite]

First off, let me admit that the Wind Surf is my favorite ship in the world.

 

As one of my fellow passengers remarked on a recent voyage, "I'd go anywhere on this boat, even down the Ohio River." Therefore, my views are not completely objective!

 

However, for what it's worth:

 

1. Compare the square footage of your HAL mini-suite and one of the A or B cabins on the Surf. If your HAL suite is not on the suite deck, it may not be as big as you think.

 

2. Having been on the Surf in both seas you are considering, I find the ports in Europe to be so much more interesting!

 

3. There are some wonderful values on the October and November Surf sailings if you look around the internet. Some of the deals are so sweet that you might consider a Surf suite — 377 square feet with two bathrooms!

 

Have a wonderful cruise, whichever you choose.

 

Marilyn

[jazzsea]

I would take the back to back Wind Surf in a minute. I love the ship and have sailed on her twice. I have also sailed in a mini suite on Volendam. The Wind Surf cabin will be smaller but the Wind Surf experience will take your breath away.

[jazzsea]

We are all waiting to hear what you have decided to do. I'd love to see your reviews if you do Wind Surf.

[Joanandjoe]

We probably won't decide for another week to 10 days. If I can get the extra time off from work, which is no sure thing, we'll probably take 2 weeks on Windstar. If not, we'll take the 10 days on the Volendam. One week on Windstar is unlikely. Our Volendam final deposit is due 8/23, so Friday, 8/20 is probably our last day to decide.

[Host Walt]

The WindSurf staterooms are better designed and offer more room than a mini-suite on the Volendam. The main difference is that you will not have a balcony. The ship is smaller but the space is fine. So long as a stage show is not important to you, the facilities on WindSurf are just fine.

 

If the balcony is important to you, then the Volendam is your choice.

 

But your WindSurf itinerary is to die for:

 

 

(We own a timeshare in Marbella and can tell you that the Costa del Sol is knock-out gorgeous in November as is the French Riviera.)

 

You can tell what I would choose were I in your position!)

 

Volendam itinerary:

 

[Joanandjoe]

Thanks for your thoughts, Walt and other posters.

 

We're leaning toward the Wind Surf, if we can manage the costs. If we can keep shore excursions to a minimum, that would help on the costs: but maybe we'd be missing a lot. I can see going without an excursion in Porquerolles, St. Florent, Marseille (we'd probably be touristy and take a boat to the Chateau d'If), and perhaps Ibiza; but can one really do without a ship's excursion in Palma, Mahon, or Portimao? In Tangier we would take a ship's excursion: we don't want to wander around Morocco on our own.

 

Do you have any suggestions for a day in Malaga? November is presumably too cold for the beach, and I'm not really a beach person anyway.

 

This trip is through wine country. Do we get charged a corkage fee if we buy wine (maybe even on a ship's excursion) and then want to drink it in the dining room? Unlike other "luxury" lines, Windstar rates do not include wine or tips (or do they?).

[GracieAtTara]

Joanandjoe, we have never cruised on Windstar so we can not give you any first hand knowledge. However based upon all of the reviews and comments I have read on these boards over the last few months, as well as other information we have gathered, we will be on Wind Surf this Fall back to back 10/31 and 11/7. My only previous cruise was last year on HAL in a very nice SS suite so the smaller cabin and no balcony will be a change. But the ports of call we will be visiting, the casual atmosphere and the service reputation on Windstar helped us make the move to the smaller more intimate ship. At this point we plan to do one or two excursions during each cruise and the rest either winging it on our own or perhaps with others we meet on the ship who wouldn't mind some additional company.

 

We are very much looking forward to the trip! If you decide to go with Windstar then we'll probably see you on board. Good luck!

[lovecruisingtoo]

There have been many discussions relative to the corkage fee on the Windstar ships. On our cruises, the wine steward charged us a corkage fee on the first night but not after that. Of course we gave an appropriate tip at the end of the cruise.

[dakrewser]

Palma, Mahon, or Portimao? In Tangier we would take a ship's excursion: we don't want to wander around Morocco on our own. Do you have any suggestions for a day in Malaga?

In Mahon, its a very short walk to the center of town (but uphill). Just wandering around there is as interesting (if not more so) than any of the ship excursions. Palma, on the other hand, is boring. WE did like the Dragon's Cave, though.

 

Malaga was like a less prosperous Marseilles, a dirty shipping port. Take the excursion to the Alhambra at Granada, its worth it.

 

Here's some pictures:

 

Mahon

Palma

Malaga

Granada

click on any of the thumbnails for a bigger copy...

[Host Walt]

Thanks for your thoughts, Walt and other posters.

 

We're leaning toward the Wind Surf, if we can manage the costs. If we can keep shore excursions to a minimum, that would help on the costs: but maybe we'd be missing a lot. I can see going without an excursion in Porquerolles, St. Florent, Marseille (we'd probably be touristy and take a boat to the Chateau d'If), and perhaps Ibiza; but can one really do without a ship's excursion in Palma, Mahon, or Portimao? In Tangier we would take a ship's excursion: we don't want to wander around Morocco on our own.

 

Do you have any suggestions for a day in Malaga? November is presumably too cold for the beach, and I'm not really a beach person anyway.

The good part about Windstar cruises is that you can hear a port summary the evening before and decide on your shorex's at that time. No pressure.

 

Tangier is not a go it alone city. Believe me, go with a tour guide. Be sure you get a bus tour around the area; Tangier istself, especially the Casbah area, is not that great IMO. If you can, (and you don't need a Persian rug) try to skip the end of your tour- usually a "demonstration" of carpets followed by a medium high pressure sales pitch.

 

Malaga is a rather long way out of Marbella; and there's little to see in Malaga. Marbella, (and next door Puerto Banus) however, is a gorgeous big bucks resort to the wealthy and strolling through the marina was, for us, a kick. Lots of shopping and open beach opportunities in Marbella, and the Med. isn't terrible in November. I'm guessing about 15C.

 

Marbella:

 

However if you want to see something spectacular, I'm guessing that you'll be offered an excursion to Granada and the Alhambra. If you can swing it, it's a nice drive and a great experience.

 

Finally, the area has, by far, the finest offering of golf courses (with greens fees commensurate with the wealth of the guests who flock there every winter from the northern parts of Europe).

 

This trip is through wine country. Do we get charged a corkage fee if we buy wine (maybe even on a ship's excursion) and then want to drink it in the dining room? Unlike other "luxury" lines, Windstar rates do not include wine or tips (or do they?).

We were not hit with a corkage charge the one time we bought a bottle ashore, but that could have been simply a goof by the dining room. No, wine is an extra. Tips were not required as of 5/14/04, but because WindStar is a HAL subsidiary, they may have recently changed their policy.

 

Their website still says:

"TIPPING NOT REQUIRED" POLICY

We sail under a "tipping not required" policy. That means the company policy expressly forbids any form of solicitation. Of course, staff members may accept gratuities when they are voluntarily offered for exceptional and outstanding service.

 

[Joanandjoe]

You've all convinced us, so we've booked the two cruises back to back. Thanks for the help, and keep posting comments.

 

Gracie at Tara, we'll be sharing one week of cruising (11/7 cruise). Let's try to exchange some information. If you send us an email to our semi-public email address, Joanandjoe@vtmail.com , we'll send you a response from our home or work email servers.

[jazzsea]

Can't wait to hear all about your trip!