Windstar Cruises’ newest upcoming yacht, Star Seeker, will sail in southeast Asia in 2026. The ship will offer two core itineraries in the region, combinable in 17 different variations including inland pre and post-cruise tour programs.

Star Seeker‘s southeast Asia program offers an in-depth exploration of the cultures, cuisine, and history of Thailand and Vietnam, improving on the typical cruise experience in the region. Unlike most cruises that start and end in Singapore or Hong Kong, make stops at industrial ports far from key attractions, and spend just two or three days in each country, Windstar will take advantage of Star Seeker‘s small size to offer a more immersive experience.

Itineraries begin in-country, in Hanoi, Bangkok, and Phuket, allowing guests to maximize their time on land before and after sailing. There will be options for pre and post-cruise tours to inland destinations such as Angkor Wat. The small size of Star Seeker enables exclusive access to ports and docking locations that larger ships cannot reach, including sailing up rivers to dock in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok, stopping at Ko Kood for the Windstar Signature Beach Party — a port visited by only select small ships — and traveling to Krabi and Ko Yao Noi.

The Southeast Asia program features two core cruise-only voyages:

• 10-day Vietnam, Cambodia, & Thailand: Vietnam country intensive cruise stopping at three to four Vietnam ports including overnights in Ho Chi Minh city and Hanoi (Halong Bay), with an additional visit to Cambodia, where guests can book a three-day/two-night shore excursion to Angkor Wat.
• 11-day Thailand, Singapore, & Malaysia: Thailand country intensive cruise stopping at six Thai ports including small destinations like Krabi and Ko Yao Noi, plus an overnight in Singapore, a highlight of the sailing.

These itineraries can be enhanced by adding cruise tours that extend the trip before or after the cruise:

• Hanoi: three-night trip for cruises embarking and disembarking in Ha Long Bay, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the local life of Hanoi with street food tours in the old quarter featuring traditional Vietnamese phin drip and Vietnamese coffee; morning tai chi lessons like the locals do; history tours of the Hanoi Hilton Prison and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum; culture attractions like a traditional puppet show, cyclo tour, and a visit to a local pottery village.
• Angkor Wat: three nights extension on cruises that start and end in Bangkok with a bucket-list visit to Angkor Wat; explore Siem Reap to learn about the Khmer people who were responsible for constructing the temples and see their modern-day craftsmanship; visits to the Tonel Lake Stilt village and floating markets.
• Chiang Mai: three nights exploration of Northern Thailand’s cultural capital, available on cruises that start and end in Phuket. Visit the cultural capital of Thailand and explore the famous mountain temple Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and new and old temples with monk ceremonies; enjoy the opportunity to visit an Elephant Sanctuary where guests can interact with and help feed and care for the elephants, an animal that carries great significance to the people and country of Thailand; and explore lively night markets tasting local specialties like Khao soi.

Guests also have the option of combining cruises into back-to-back Star Collector sailings. Itineraries ranging from 20 to 41 days are available, with the longest cruising between Tokyo and Phuket. As a bonus, free daily laundry is provided on these journeys so guests can still pack light.

Star Seeker is set to debut this December, and features 112 suites. Nearly all feature a full private veranda or a floor-to-ceiling infinity window that opens to let the breeze in.

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Windstar Cruises has announced a new complimentary specialty restaurant debuting across the fleet this year: Basil + Bamboo. The innovative new dining venue will blend Mediterranean and Asian cuisine for a unique culinary experience.

Basil + Bamboo will take the place of Cuadro 44 across the line’s fleet in 2025, starting with Star Breeze this month. It will also debut as the new dining venue aboard Windstar’s upcoming Star Seeker, which is scheduled to launch this December. The venue will have limited seating, providing an intimate dining experiences for passengers.

“As the Official Cruise Line of the James Beard Foundation, we continue to prioritize bringing exceptional dining experiences to our guests,” said Windstar Cruises’ Chief Operations Officer Stijn Creupelandt. “The introduction of Basil + Bamboo will further enhance and diversify the culinary offerings available aboard. This new dining venue perfectly complements the elevated ambiance of Star Seeker and the exciting destinations she will visit.”

Some of the offerings guests can expect at Basil + Bamboo include:

• Miso soup
• Tuna tartare
• A sampler of sashimi, nigiri, and maki
• Miso black cod with pea purée, jamon ibérico de bellota, and pickled wood ear
• Free-range young chicken served with Jerusalem artichokes and yuzu kosho
• Crispy brussels sprouts glazed in Korean honey-soy
• Citrus olive oil cake with lemon cream aside Greek yogurt ice cream
• Chocolate caramel crémeux paired with ginger-cinnamon hibiscus ice cream and sake caviar

Basil + Bamboo joins four other dining options on the upcoming Star Seeker:

• Amphora: A reimagined main dining room serving a variety of upscale and inventive dishes, including rotating items from James Beard Foundation–affiliated guest chefs
• The Yacht Club: A casual cafe for breakfast and lunch, offering a blend of traditional and modern flavors along with specialty coffee drinks
• Star Grill: A casual restaurant for lunch and dinner, featuring smoked, grilled, and barbecued meats, seafood, and vegetables
• 24-hour room service: Complimentary room service menu in addition to Amphora’s full dinner menu during dinner hours

Basil + Bamboo will only be open for dinner and reservations are required.

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Windstar Cruises’ flagship Wind Surf has emerged from a renovation with transformed common spaces and suites. The 342-guest sailing yacht is setting out after these updates during her prime Caribbean season.

Highlights of the renovation include updated designs for the main lobby and reception area, Yacht Club Café, Compass Rose Bar and Lounge, Amphora Restaurant and Wine Room, Pool Bar & Deck, the Owner’s Suite, Star Boutique, and public restrooms, along with new TVs in all guest staterooms.

“Wind Surf has always been a guest favorite, and this refurbishment honors its legacy while elevating the onboard experience to new heights,” said Stijn Creupelandt, chief operating officer of Windstar Cruises. “From refreshed design elements to modern technology upgrades, this transformation sets the stage for an unforgettable journey on our flagship sailing yacht.”

Joining Windstar’s all-suite Star Class yachts, Wind Surf‘s refurbishment also features the addition of Broadmoor and Sea Island Suites, inspired by luxury sister resorts The Broadmoor in Colorado and Sea Island in Georgia. The Sea Island Suite features coastal and airy touches that evoke the property’s Addison Mizner design including a sea-glass green color palette, curved arches, light walls, and sophisticated wood furnishings. The Broadmoor Suite boasts a more traditional space with classic furniture, floral motifs, wide crown molding and white trim with gold finishes. It also features striking custom wallpaper, which is an exact replica of the wallpaper used at The Broadmoor Main Building designed by Julie Penrose, wife of resort founder, Spencer Penrose.

During the final phase of the refurbishment, Wind Surf‘s staterooms will receive new furniture, soft goods, and décor. The second phase will also see updates to Stella Bistro, Veranda, and the fitness studio. The full project will be completed in December 2026.

All of Windstar’s three Wind Class sailing ships — Wind Surf, Wind Star, and Wind Spirit — are undergoing redesigns and updates as part of a multi-year initiative. In addition to Wind Surf, Wind Star has already completed phase 1 of improvements with phase 2 slated for April 2026. For Wind Spirit, phase 1 will take place in April 2026 and phase 2 in March 2027.

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Windstar Cruises has announced its 2026-2027 Caribbean and Latin America schedule, which includes 13 different itineraries.

Many popular itineraries will return for the 2026-2027 season, taking place aboard the sailing yacht Wind Star and the all-suite yacht Star Pride. In addition to returning guest-favorites like the 18-day Star Collector: Reefs & Rainforests and seven-day Costa Rica & Panama Canal sailings, Wind Star will also operate a 25-night Southern Caribbean Thanksgiving Jubilee voyage departing November 10, 2026 from Lisbon. The cruise will be a transatlantic itinerary to Barbados and other Caribbean islands before heading to Colombia and Panama.

“Windstar embraces a laid-back, yachting vibe in the Caribbean. We focus on relaxing beaches and the more exclusive islands like Jost Van Dyke, St. Barths, and Virgin Gorda. We layer on our signature experiences like a beach barbeque on a remote island and swimming from the ship’s stern platform,” says Jess Peterson, Windstar’s director of destination experience and itinerary planning. “A small-ship Caribbean cruise is a totally different experience.”

The Watersports Platform, located on the stern of Windstar’s ships, will be in action on nearly every itinerary in the region — weather and ports permitting. It offers guests free access to various water toys and gear including kayaks, paddle boards, and floating mats. These sailings also include Windstar’s signature deck and beach barbecue experiences.

All Caribbean and Latin American cruises offer an array of curated shore excursions that range from lounging at iconic beach clubs (like the Le Barthélemy Resort and Spa) to a more active selection of snorkeling adventures, deep sea fishing, jungle hikes to waterfalls, and even sailing America’s Cup Race sailboats in St. Maarten.

Cultural outings, such as visiting the Embera Indigenous Tribe in Panama allow cruisers to immerse more deeply in the region with a special connection to local life. Additional guest favorites include foodie walking tours in Bequia, cruising to the Pitons in St. Lucia, and rum master classes in Martinique.

Early Booking Offer

Those who book one of these newly-announced sailings before May 31, 2025 will receive a complimentary upgrade to All-Inclusive fares. This includes wifi; gratuities; unlimited beer, wine, and cocktails; and a $200 onboard credit per stateroom. Windstar’s Yacht Club members will also receive a five percent savings on their bookings.

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In the spirit of doing new things in a new year, Windstar Cruises has announced the addition of Windstar the horse to its brand. The addition is in collaboration with Grand Prix rider Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen and Serenity Farm Show Stables in Wellington, Florida.

The onboarding of a horse marks a new era for Windstar as the first-ever cruise line to align with an international show-jumping athlete and horse.

Windstar Cruises, the horse’s namesake, welcomed Windstar to its family with a christening on Christmas Day, joining forces with the best in the industry to strategize a long-term training plan to develop a champion show-jumping horse.

“We are thrilled to welcome this extraordinary horse to our Windstar family,” said Windstar’s President Christopher Prelog. “Our unique collaboration aims to bring awareness to the travel community about what it takes to train a champion show jumping horse. We are fortunate to be aligned with such skilled professionals to provide Windstar with the meticulous training needed to enter the field. We look forward to witnessing Windstar‘s success over the years to come through Serenity Farm Show Stables’ dedicated efforts.”

Currently ranked in the top 300 riders in the world, Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen is an emerging star in the world of equestrian show jumping. She is among the youngest competitors to win some of the most prestigious awards and classes within the world of American showjumping and is currently the resident Grand Prix rider for Serenity Farm Show Stables in Loxahatchee Groves, Florida. Serenity Farm Show Stables is nationally and internationally recognized as one of the top hunter, jumper, and equitation training facilities in the country.

“This is truly an incredible opportunity on multiple fronts,” says Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen. “Windstar Cruises is such a unique company with a fantastic focus on luxury and fun. When they approached us with the concept to blend 180º From Ordinary with the prestige and competition of the show jumping industry I knew this was going to be a game changer. I look forward to an incredible future with Windstar Cruises and the horse Windstar!”

Windstar was purchased as a young horse to develop in collaboration with Vanderveen and Serenity Farm Show Stables, with the focus being the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Windstar is set to compete in several 2025 Equestrian events including the Winter Equestrian Festival, World Equestrian Center, Tryon International, The Hampton Classic, and the Pennsylvania National Horse Show.

For more information on Windstar the horse’s journey, including his debut in the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, follow him on Instagram.

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I often get the question, “Which cruise line is the absolute best?” and I have to immediately follow it with, “For who?”. With so many cruise lines available to book, it might seem like we’re simply comparing anchors to anchors, but almost every cruise line at sea excels in different aspects of the cruise experience.

For example, the best cruise for a young couple and their kids will not be the same as the best sailing for a couple’s retreat or a vacation for retirees with a penchant for adventure travel.

WATCH OUR LATEST VIDEO OF THE BEST CRUISE LINES

Take a look at your travel group, your destination, and your personal preferences. If your palate doesn’t extend beyond chicken parm, maybe don’t worry about finding a ship with an established culinary program. Likewise, nightlife might not matter much to you if you’re an early bird always on the first available excursion.

We’ve chosen some key cruising superlatives and weighed in on which cruise lines shine in each category. While it’s not a comprehensive list, it should point you in the right direction when choosing the best cruise line — for you and only you.

Which Cruise Line is the Best?

Best Cruise Line for Budget Travelers

Our pick: MSC Cruises

Runner-up: Carnival Cruise Line

Honorable Mention: Margaritaville at Sea

Carnival has long been associated with wallet-friendly pricing, and it still is one of the best value cruise lines out there. However, MSC Cruises has blazed onto the scene with consistently cheap deals that make it hard to resist booking that budget cruise vacation. Five of the European cruise line’s mega ships now depart from the U.S., and weeklong Caribbean vacations are on average $100 per person, per night or less. Consider too the fleet is relatively young, with most of the stateside ships debuting within the past few years. MSC World America will sail from Miami when it debuts in 2025.

MSC has ships deployed worldwide, from its home in the Med to South America, Dubai and the Red Sea. This allows for competitive pricing, like a weeklong Western Mediterranean sailing from $65 per person, per night.

Among the cheapest cruise lines, we’d be remiss not to mention Margaritaville at Sea (formerly Bahamas Paradise), which runs short sailings to and from West Palm Beach. The two-ship company is currently one of the absolute lowest fares out there, with feel-good two-night sprints to Grand Bahama Island for less than $200 (total for two people).

Best Cruise Line for Luxury Travelers

Our pick: Silversea Cruises

Runner-up: Seabourn Cruise Line

Butlers, suites and caviar, oh my! When credit card statements are less of a concern, turn to ultra-luxury cruise lines Silversea and Seabourn, which both offer stellar itineraries, fine dining and intuitive service in plush and swanky surrounds. Both cruise lines offer an all-inclusive product, which touches on everything from premium wines and spirits to laundry and included gratuities. Book either line if you don’t want to have to lift a finger during the entirety of your voyage.

While both cruise lines offer a wide range of itineraries and even expedition-style offerings, Silversea has such a substantial footprint, including a ship dedicated to the Galapagos, that it edges out the competition. Special events on world cruises are an unmatched effort of once-in-a-lifetime experiences and the Silversea fleet is about double the size of Seabourn’s seven ships.

Best Cruise Line for Adventurous Travelers

Our pick: Lindblad-National Geographic

Runner-up: HX Hurtigruten Expeditions

Crave more than the standard-issue walking tour? Expedition cruise lines answer the call of the wild with journeys that bring you into the heart of nature. Staffed with experts and naturalists, these companies bring guests up close to wildlife with hikes, Zodiac cruises, and kayaking.

Lindblad not only offers the far-flung and lesser-traveled destinations associated with expedition — like the Arctic or the Amazon — but even more offbeat voyages that extend into Scotland, Japan and the Pacific Northwest. In addition to experienced expedition staff, Lindblad also features a National Geographic photography expert onboard and its newest ships are sleek and engineered for ice.

There are so many standout cruise lines infusing adventure into their offerings, so we also must shoutout Norway-based cruise line Hurtigruten, which has expanded rapidly into North America. Hurtigruten is constantly pushing the boundaries of introducing new ports and sustainable practices. It also features Arctic excursions under the midnight sun or northern lights, as well as a cruise through West Africa.

Best Cruise Line for Families

Our pick: Disney Cruise Line

Runner-up: Carnival Cruise Line

In one of the toughest and most competitive cruise categories of them all, “family” cruise lines abound. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC also offer an absolutely mind-boggling amount to do with your kin, plus very solid kids clubs and partnerships like LEGO (MSC). However, the two cruise lines that always seem to have family at the very forefront are Disney and Carnival.

It’s hard to argue with a name like Disney when it comes to creating family vacation magic. From its thoughtfully outfitted cruise rooms to first-run films, state-of-the-art live productions of Disney favorites like “Frozen” and themed dining, the diversions never end. Its world-class kids clubs range from babies to teens and incorporate touches of Star Wars and Marvel in the mix, which is enough to make the adults jealous. Luckily, an adults-only array of bars and lounges cater to caretakers once the kids are in bed.

Carnival holds its own with its Seuss at Sea partnership, dedicated Family Harbor cabins and crowd-pleasing entertainment including “Hasbro, the Game Show.”

Best Cruise Line for Adults

Our pick: Viking Cruises

Runner-up: Virgin Voyages

Sometimes you just need a break from tiny humans, and you don’t want to be judged for it. While many cruise lines feature adults-only spaces such as lounges or sun decks, very few limit their passenger base to the over-18 crowd. Luckily, if that’s just what you’re looking for, there are options.

Look to the Vs for adult-only sailings, offered by both Viking and Virgin. Viking offers a comfortable, Scandinavian aesthetic onboard with high-quality cuisine (its buffet is one of the best at sea) and a chic thermal suite that is open to all. High marks also go to service and enrichment onboard a Viking cruise, which lacks a casino, though its guests don’t seem to mind.

If you are looking to get away from your beloved children and let looser, Virgin invites a fun-for-all atmosphere with tons of (included) restaurants, fitness classes, and edgy entertainment options. Plus, a private beach club on Bimini in the Bahamas is a port day experience clearly designed by Branson himself.

Best Cruise Line for Couples

Our pick: Celebrity Cruises

Runner-up: Princess Cruises

Thoughtful, contemporary décor sets the tone for what feels like an upscale resort onboard any of Celebrity’s ships. It’s this atmosphere, with engaging art, flying martini flights, and alfresco terraces where couples can canoodle. Spend the day in the stunning spa or thermal suite; eat your way through the ship or soak up the sun hand in hand. Celebrity offers both relaxing retreats and engaging performances to keep lovers occupied, especially on its ultra-modern Edge Class.

Couples of all ages can find some romance on the original Love Boats, which Princess continues to proudly advertise. Booked in a balcony room? Splurge on a full, course-by-course breakfast before beginning the day with your sweetheart. Later, be sure to attend the wine and chocolate pairing or surprise them with one of Princess’ many romance packages for an extra flourish of amor.

Best Cruise Line for Solo Travelers

Our pick: Norwegian Cruise Line

Runner-up: Virgin Voyages

Cruising alone is by no means lonely. Travelers taking to the seas solo can appreciate the considerate amenities of cruise lines who organize meetups or even dedicated lounges for singles. Norwegian Cruise Line made a statement about solo cruisers with the introduction of its studio cabin complex, featuring moderately priced rooms for one that also have access to a lounge where solo cruisers can meet up with others traveling independently. Studios can now be found across at least eight of Norwegian’s ships.

Another cruise line now supporting the solo cruiser is Virgin, which has waived the pesky solo supplements, or additional fee for being just one to a room. Though relatively new to the industry, Virgin is courting solo travelers with a whopping 46 single cabins onboard each ship, with six lucky guests snagging forward-facing ocean views. Virgin’s inclusive and welcoming atmosphere breaks the ice a bit better than most cruise lines when it comes to making new sailing friends.

Best Cruise Line for Entertainment

Our pick: Royal Caribbean

Runner-up: Norwegian Cruise Line

There are many times you’re likely to say “wow” on a Royal Caribbean ship, whether it’s at professional ice-skating flips, aquatic high-diving twists, or a roaming piano player who might fit those keys inside an elevator. Remember, this is all while you’re at sea! The variety and caliber of Royal Caribbean’s onboard talent is vast, but there is plenty more to do other than the shows, parades, and live music. You can also book an escape room, play laser tag, climb a rock wall, try surfing or fly down the top-deck waterslides, just to name a few.

Norwegian is hot on the tail of Royal Caribbean when it comes to on-deck attractions, from an impressive waterpark and ropes course to its scenic speedway go-kart track. However, when it comes to the stage, Norwegian has an absolute knack for landing Broadway- and West End-worthy talent…straight from the theaters of Broadway and the West End. These productions, ranging from “Jersey Boys” to “Beetlejuice,” bring all the pizzazz of the world’s best stages to cruise ship audiences — entirely free of charge.

Best Cruise Line for Enrichment

Our pick: Cunard Line

Runner-up: Holland America Line

If the thought of learning something on vacation attracts rather than repels you, consider these cruise lines for their guest lectures, their library collections and onboard facilities like Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 planetarium or Holland America’s Explorations Central (EXC) zones.

Cunard is a historic cruise company, with a legacy of onboard enrichment that stretches back for decades. Theme cruises — referred to by Cunard as “event voyages” — delve into topics more deeply, including insight from actual veterans as far back as WWII on their “Greatest Generation” sailings; the musical talents of a national symphony orchestra; or festivals at sea from food and wine to literature. Ballroom dancing classes, language lessons, and the dedicated Cunard Insights enrichment program all round out the academic offerings and are available on just about every sailing.

Holland America Line has updated its shelves with modern libraries as well as trending enrichment like free pickleball instruction. A partnership with BBC Earth results in a spectacular live orchestral performance set to footage of nature called “Earth in Concert.”

Best Cruise Line for Foodies

Our pick: Oceania Cruises

Runner-up: Silversea Cruises

Be sure to stretch your stomach before boarding an Oceania cruise, where the culinary arts have long been a focus and remain a top priority across the fleet. Dishes are continually being refined in every dining venue, including the Grand Dining Room, with recent additions like poke bowls in Waves Grill or an expanded Sunday Brunch as part of the line’s OceaniaNEXT improvements. Jacques Pepin is the cruise line’s longtime executive culinary advisor, and his onboard venues are a testament to French gastronomic excellence.

Beyond meals, Oceania guests can take part in culinary-themed excursions or book a cooking class at the Culinary Center. Mixology is included in this high-standard F&B mix, with the latest techniques — including zero-proof cocktails — incorporated into onboard bar menus.

Silversea is a luxury cruise line with a cornucopia of quality dining options, but its S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) program takes the epicurean experience and turns it up to 11. Stretching from onboard kitchens, dining rooms and a themed bar to immersive shore tours, S.A.L.T. is a finely tuned culinary program that draws most of its inspiration from your itinerary and local products and customs. The full experience is currently available on select ships, including Silver Moon, Silver Dawn and Silver Nova.

Best Cruise Line for Nightlife

Our pick: Virgin Voyages

Runner-up: Carnival Cruise Line

No sleep till debarkation! Everyone has their own cruise style, and nothing is wrong with active days and relaxing evenings. However, for some, being able to dance past dawn and hit the town (er, decks) is all part of being on holiday. If that’s the plan, we recommend Virgin Voyages, who excel at tripping the light fantastic for their guests.

A Scarlet themed night with festival-style pop-up acts complements a nightly roster of stage performances including sexy takes on classic scripts, cabaret-style shows, a thumping nightclub and plenty of cool bars to hop from. It’s a ship that stays up, even if you are winding down, with a 24/7 diner and pizza shop and leisurely brunch options for the Morning After.

Carnival has long been known as a fleet of party ships, and while that reputation has faded over the years with more family offerings and longer sailings, the Fun Ships still know how to boogie down. Carnival makes it easy for anyone to have a good time with an incredible drink from Alchemy Bar or a home-brewed beer from the Key West-inspired RedFrog Pub, complete with live music.

Piano bars, sports bars and pool bars all have different vibes and promise to keep the good times rolling for as long as you can roll. Adult-only comedy shows and other after-hours entertainment add to the many reasons you should make every effort to enjoy Carnival’s nightlife.

Best Cruise Line for the Caribbean

Our pick: Royal Caribbean

Runner-up: Windstar Cruises

With cruising and the Caribbean going hand in hand, it’s hard to pick just one cruise line who excels there. But with “Caribbean” in the name, it’s hard to argue with Royal Caribbean and its fleet of almost 30 ships, including the world’s largest. Offering various ship classes, sizes and price points, Royal overwhelms with its Caribbean options. Sail short, weekend cruises from Port Canaveral or 11-night Southern Caribbean voyages from Cape Liberty, NJ.

Pair idyllic Caribbean ports like St. Maarten with Bermuda, or opt for a Bahamas cruise, which includes private island Perfect Day at CocoCay. Plus, homeports include Baltimore, New Orleans, Galveston and Jersey in addition to the various ports of Florida.

Taking a totally different tack, Windstar’s yachts and sailing ships offer an intimate way to visit the Caribbean. Unlike the bustling touristic areas where mega-ships dock, Windstar’s small vessels can anchor in tucked-away harbors on lesser-visited islands. It’s a completely different and revelatory way to see the many islands of the Caribbean beyond the marquee ports.

Best Cruise Line for Alaska

Our pick: Princess Cruises, Holland America (tie)

Runner-up: UnCruise Adventures

The Great State of Alaska — it’s another cruise destination frequented by many but mastered by the following lines. For a comprehensive, ocean cruising experience through the Last Frontier, you can’t go wrong with either Princess or Holland America.

Both cruise lines offer incredible lodges and land programs (with the Alaska Railroad) for extended Alaska cruise tours; both dedicate a multitude of ships to the region each season, with varying itineraries; and both offer cohesive onboard programming that highlights the cuisine, culture, and incredible wildlife of Alaska. If you’re looking for a difference, Holland America ventures up into the Yukon. For families, we recommend the North to Alaska programming from Princess.

If choosing between those two Alaska cruise heavyweights isn’t enough, we introduce a third option, and that is a small-ship expedition sailing that is a world apart from mainstream cruising. UnCruise is partially based in Juneau, with authentic ties to the state. Extensions in Juneau or to Denali are possible, but it’s all about the unique sailing and exploration opportunities onboard, which include dates typically outside the average cruise season.

Active pursuits like hiking and kayaking are all included, plus all meals and gear. Want to truly get away from it all? UnCruise does not offer onboard Wi-Fi, allowing you and your loved ones to be present in this magnificent destination.

Best Cruise Line for the Mediterranean

Our pick: Azamara Cruises

Runner-up: Viking Cruises

Rounding out the top cruise destinations, the Med is on the bucket list of nearly every traveler — and for good reason. Encompassing some of the world’s most popular vacation plans, you’ll find Italy, Greece, France, Spain and other European delights throughout the Mediterranean, drenched in stunning scenery and even better food and wine.

Serving this all up on a silver platter is Azamara, who is our pick for their immersive, country-intensive itinerary options. Rather than simply offering a sampler of one piece of the Med, home in on one country, spending 10 or 11 days in Italy or island-hopping Greece. The line’s AzAmazing evenings in port along with their signature all-white deck party add flair to any itinerary.

Another wonderful pick for the Med is Viking, whose ultra-comfortable ships ply a wide range of sailings here, from Istanbul to Athens and Barcelona to Venice, as well as Rome to Lisbon or a voyage with extended time in Malta, Morocco and Spain. Onboard, gorgeous outdoor spaces like the Aquavit Terrace and infinity pool are the perfect place to watch the sunset with a spritz. Italian dining doesn’t get much better than Manfredi’s.      

Best Cruise Line for Hawaii

Our pick: UnCruise Adventures

Runner-up: Norwegian Cruise Line

Perhaps a controversial pick, but if you’re looking for the ultimate Hawaiian experience on a cruise ship, consider expedition company UnCruise. Once again, we are nominating them for their intimate, onboard experience and the innate flexibility to sail where the weather and the waves are just right for a dip off the watersports platform.

Flagged in the U.S, UnCruise is one of the very few cruise lines approved to sail solely within Hawaii, embarking guests in Molokai and leaving them in Kona. Special experiences include night snorkeling with Pacific rays and plenty of time interacting with locals at events like a pa’ina feast and jam session.

Another option suited to larger groups and families is Norwegian’s Pride of America, the only other cruise ship approved to sail the Hawaiian Islands without a long stretch of sea days. Sail round trip on a weeklong cruise right from Waikiki in Honolulu, which makes pre- or post-cruise stays on the Big Island a breeze. Visit three other islands including Maui, Hawaii and Kauai, with pre-arranged land extensions as an option through Norwegian.

Best Cruise Line Private Island

Our pick: Perfect Day at CocoCay (Royal Caribbean, Celebrity)

Runner-up: Castaway Cay (Disney)

Honorable Mention: Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (MSC Cruises)

A land-based extension of some cruise lines is their carefully crafted private island experiences. Many of these islands are located in the Bahamas (including every mention here). The difference of where you might call depends on which cruise line or company you are sailing (for example, Celebrity is owned by the same parent company as Royal Caribbean and will join Royal’s calls at Perfect Day).

What we love most about the appropriately named Perfect Day at CocoCay is that it has been finely tuned to provide the ideal vacation day for nearly every passenger on any budget. Spend nothing more than time by the turquoise shores on a beach lounger or splurge on the impressive Thrill waterpark.

The island is aptly divided into “thrills” and “chills” directing guests to a poolside oasis or a 135-foot drop from Daredevil’s Peak. As with nearly any cruise line private island your onboard drink and Wi-Fi packages extend to shore.

Another immaculately crafted island experience comes from none other than Disney and its Castaway Cay with its always family-friendly attention to detail. Enjoy gentle swimming coves, bike rentals, plenty of grub and maybe even an appearance from your favorite characters — in their swim trunks.

High marks go to relatively new private island Ocean Cay, from MSC Cruises, which has focused a lot on rehabilitation of the island and its surrounding coral and marine life. Fun in the sun is still the focus, with great swimming spots, bars with a view and even fish-shaped ice cream cones. A differentiator? By night, stick around for a traditional Junkanoo parade followed by a laser lights show and dance party.

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Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze was the first ship in the fleet to undergo the company’s Star Plus Initiative. As part of the ship’s update, Star Breeze was lengthened and received a number of new suites, venues, and improvements. This newly updated cruise ship is offering select Tahiti cruises before repositioning to Alaska for Summer 2022. We have just returned from the 7-day Dreams of Tahiti cruise on this ship and share our impressions in this signature Windstar Cruises Star Breeze cruise ship scorecard review.

Windstar Cruises Star Breeze Ship Scorecard Review

Embarkation/Disembarkation

Boarding one of Windstar Cruises’ ships is a bit different than the typical mega-ships we frequent. Given French Polynesia still had strict COVID protocols in place, there were a number of steps we needed to complete before boarding Star Breeze.

Utilizing a Windstar arranged transfer from the Intercontinental hotel, we arrived at the pier around 11:30 am and received a boarding number. Once seated in an outdoor tent, we waited a little over 30 minutes to begin our check-in. From health screening, to COVID test (3rd of the trip), to traditional check-in and security, it took about an hour before we stepped foot onboard this newly revitalized yacht. 

From there, we were escorted to our suite where we needed to quarantine until we received our test results. Thankfully, they arrived in a little less than 2.5 hours. This was enough time to order room service for lunch, unpack, and get our cabin organized for the week ahead.

Disembarkation was a much smoother process. The ship was cleared around 7:45 am. We exited our room about 15 minutes later and walked right off the ship. There was no queue, so we scanned off and descended the same external flight of stairs onto the pier where our luggage was awaiting us.

Four out of our 5 ports of call were tender ports. Since we booked most of our tours with the cruise line, this meant we got escorted to tender boats straight from the Lounge with no waiting. Getting tenders on our own did take a bit more time, but it was never more than about 15 minutes.

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Outdoor Decks

Star Breeze weighs in at just under 13K gross tons with 8 total decks. For a ship of its size, there were adequate outdoor spaces for cruisers to enjoy.

Of course, we were not expecting to find elaborately themed pools, waterslides, or massive sports courts. Instead, Windstar Cruises focuses on delivering more intimate experiences and destination focused itineraries.

There is a pool and hot tub on deck 7 that never seemed too busy. There were also plenty of loungers on the pool deck to relax and enjoy the view.

One deck above is an uncovered sun deck. It is also home to the outdoor bar, the Star Bar. There is some comfy outdoor furniture on the forward portside of this deck. It is an ideal place to relax, read a book, or sip a cocktail from the bar.

While there is no official jogging track, we often saw cruisers using this deck to get some morning exercise before heading ashore.

Another hidden gem on Star Breeze is located on deck 5 all the way forward. This tucked away outdoor space includes some loungers and a whirlpool that overlooks the front of the ship.

Finally, there is a watersports platform on deck 3 aft. This signature Windstar Cruises attraction is open most days while the ship is tendered. Activities include the use of the kayaks, snorkeling equipment, a water trampoline, wake boards, and even a zodiac boat. We tried to utilize this deck a couple of times, but it just happened to close early due to the sea conditions on those particular afternoons.

WATCH OUR COMPLETE STAR BREEZE SHIP TOUR!

Service

One benefit of small ship cruising is the personal level of service onboard. It didn’t take long for staff members from different departments to recognize us. It started with Martina and the destinations team, who would check us in for our tours as soon as we entered the Lounge.

Annabelle at the reception desk could anticipate our questions or requests after the first day. Jeffri in the Yacht Club knew our morning coffee order after a few mornings.

In term of bar service, Maricela in the Compass Rose, Ace and Noel in the dining room, and Mr. T in the Star Bar, just to name a few, knew our drink orders and had them ready quickly.

Our stateroom attendant, Arifin, was attentive and friendly. He made up our room daily with precision timing and made a daily animal towel without us requesting it. He even decorated our suite for my birthday.

Service in the restaurants was also friendly and attentive, but with open seating, we never had the same waitstaff. So, we did not really get to know these team members as well.

Finally, even the ship’s officers were visible throughout the cruise. From walking the hallways to partaking in the events of the signature deck BBQ, the officers were always ready to strike up a conversation with guests.

Honestly, this is probably the best service that we have had on a cruise ship in a while.

Related Post: Guide to Windstar Cruises Drink Packages

Cruise Ship Activities

You won’t find all the bells and whistles of modern day cruise ships on Windstar Cruises. Instead, Star Breeze was our elegant transportation between the ports of call. Our 7-day cruise consisted of 5 different ports, with one overnight in Bora Bora and no official sea days.

With that being said, Star Breeze did offer some cruise ship activities in the afternoon like trivia or name that tune, in addition to the open watersports platform.

Further, the ship’s thermal suite was open all day. This complimentary area had heated loungers, a sauna, and steam room. There was also an onboard fitness center open to all cruisers.

In the Deck 8 Yacht Club, there were board games and some books to occupy your time. Of course, you could also just enjoy the views in this quiet indoor space.

As part of Windstar’s signature experiences, this Dreams of Tahiti cruise did include an island beach BBQ on a private motu one afternoon as well.

Pre-dinner, there were daily port talks by the destinations manager. This featured a basic intro to the next stop, as well as info on available tours. There was also usually pre-dinner music by the duo, Sky Blue. These talented performers could play anything from Frank Sinatra, to Adelle, to Bruno Mars.

In the evenings, there was either a show in the Lounge or live music in the Compass Rose Bar. There were no headliner performers on the ship. So, all shows featured the onboard band, Queen of Aces, and/or the Entertainment Manager, Steve. All of these performers were extremely talented.

There were three signature shows during the cruise, a Beatles tribute, an Elton John tribute, and “Songs We Wish We Had Written”, which featured the vocal talents of the duo, entertainment manager, and all members of the band.

Finally, our Dreams of Tahiti cruise included a Destination Discovery event the second evening in Bora Bora. This fantastic Polynesian experience occurred on a private motu and featured authentic food and a show complete with fire dancers.

Main Dining Room

The Amphora restaurant on Deck 3 of Star Breeze is the cruise ship’s main dining room. The venue was open for dinner 5 nights of the cruise. On Night 3, there was the signature deck party BBQ. On Night 6, there was the Destination Discovery event. Thus, Amphora was not open on these two evenings.

The main dining room was open for dinner only. Breakfast and lunch were not served here. Windstar Cruises has open seating, so you do not need to make reservations. You are able to just show up for dinner at any time between 7 pm and 9 pm.

Like other cruise lines, the three course dining room menu does change nightly. Some featured items included beef tenderloin, veal osso bucco, and even lobster tail on the last night.

We felt the entrée selections were on par with other contemporary cruise lines. Food quality was also on par with our expectations. Most selections were warm and well-seasoned. However, we would have appreciated more selections for starters and desserts.

Despite the limited offerings, I did really enjoy the crab cake which was crispy and flavorful, and Heidi enjoyed her watermelon salad. In addition, we both raved about the crepe and Grand Marnier soufflé desserts.

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Casual Dining

The cruise ship’s buffet, Veranda, is open for breakfast and lunch. The breakfast menu offers the predictable selections, like scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and some continental items and fruit. There are also made to order options like omelets, pancakes, and waffles.

For lunch, the venue had rotating selections. There was always a carving station featuring items like pork tenderloin or rotisserie chicken. Other options included Asian, Mexican, and Italian dishes. There was also a custom salad station and other small apps.

The grill was also open with made to order sandwiches, like burgers and grilled chicken. So, we never had an issue finding something to eat.

Further, the cruise ship’s café is located in the Deck 8 Yacht Club. This venue was open from 6 am to 6 pm and was our go-to for lattes and espresso drinks. On Windstar Cruises, all non-alcoholic beverages are included in the cruise fare. This not only includes specialty coffees, but soda and bottled water as well.

In addition to coffee, you could get breakfast pastries and other options like yogurt at the Yacht Club Café in the morning. During the day, there were small bites like granola bars, pre-made sandwiches, cookies, and cupcakes.

This came in handy a couple afternoons as the Veranda buffet does close at 2 pm most days.

Alternative Dining

Besides the main dining room, Windstar Cruises Star Breeze offers three alternative dining options that are all included in the cruise fare. There is no up-charge for specialty dining when sailing with Windstar.

Unfortunately though, one of the options, the Star Grill, was not open on this cruise due to limited capacity and COVID protocols. This outdoor restaurant features signature BBQ favorites from grill expert Steven Raichlen. Once protocols are eased, this venue should be open most days for lunch and dinner with a rotating menu.

The other two alternative restaurants, Cuadro 44 and Candles, were open for dinner. Each night, the Veranda buffet transforms into these upscale dining venues. Typically, Cuadro 44 has its own intimate indoor space; however, the restaurant is currently sharing space with Candles to allow for outdoor dining.

Cuadro 44 is a Spanish tapas restaurant offering small plates and entrees bursting with spice and zest. From the pork belly, to the grilled chorizo, and the sweet and salty churros, this venue is best when shared with friends.

On opposite nights, guests can dine at the cruise line’s signature steakhouse, Candles. This venue serves up quality steaks and seafood dishes. My 8-ounce filet was a juicy and tender medium rare, and the crispy onion rings and asparagus were the perfect accompaniments.

Reservations are required for these two specialty restaurants. We were able to make our reservations on embarkation day as part of the check-in process. We highly recommend that you do make reservations on the first day as these venues fill up quickly.

Of note, room service is always available and complimentary on Windstar Cruises as well.

Stateroom

We stayed in a SBS1 suite on deck 6, cabin 631. This starboard side balcony cabin is located midship in the newly added section of the ship.

This Star Balcony Suite was 277 square feet in size and included a French balcony. 

This suite was larger than most standard cabins on contemporary cruise lines. It featured a separate sitting area with a love seat and coffee table as well as two chairs and a small side table. There was also a mini-bar which is included when you opt for Windstar’s All-Inclusive pricing option.

I liked the setup of this cabin, which had the bed closer to the balcony. The forward wall in front of the bed featured a desk/vanity and three large drawers that provided more storage.

Another bonus of this Star Breeze suite was the walk-in closet. There were plenty of hangers and two clothes racks, a few small shelves, and a few drawers. This made organizing everything easy and simple.

The bathroom too was upgraded when compared to a typical cruise cabin. It offered double sinks and a full-sized stand-up shower.

This all suite ship gives cruisers the space and extra comforts more akin to a hotel room rather than a cruise ship.

While our suite did come with a “balcony”, it was only about a foot deep and three feet wide. So, it was nice for taking photos and to allow for some fresh air, but you certainly could not relax outside on this balcony.

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Windstar Cruises Star Breeze Cruise Ship Scorecard Review Recap

If you are looking for an exotic cruise vacation that delivers personalized service, look no further than Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze.

This intimate vessel allows you to get closer to your destinations, immersing yourself in the history and culture of the region. You can see and do more ashore with longer, and even some overnight, stops in port.

While onboard Star Breeze, you can enjoy all of the comforts of a cruise vacation as well, with upscale dining, bars and lounges, and nightly live music and shows. The newly updated Star Breeze focuses on impeccable service, good food, and comfy accommodations without all the distractions on modern day cruise ships.

The ship’s intimate spaces encourage conversation and an opportunity to make new friends with fellow cruisers and the onboard crew.

While we mostly sail on mega-ships, we definitely see the appeal of Windstar Cruises, especially when visiting destinations like the Society Islands.

We would have liked a bit more variety when it came to nighttime entertainment, but we did not let that overshadow our wonderful experience sailing with Windstar Cruises in French Polynesia.

While this is the smallest ocean ship on which we have ever sailed, we could certainly see ourselves returning to Star Breeze, or another ship in the Windstar Cruises’ fleet, for certain destinations and itineraries.

Disclaimer: We were hosted guests of Windstar Cruises on this sailing, but as always, all opinions in this post are our own.

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We have just returned from a cruise to Tahiti on Windstar Cruises’ newly transformed Star Plus yacht, Star Breeze. During this sailing, we set out to sample all the restaurants and bars on the ship to see how the brand compares to other contemporary cruise lines. Now, we have put together this Windstar Cruises Restaurant and Bar Guide With Menus to help you plan your next trip with this small ship cruise line.

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Windstar Cruises Restaurant and Bar Guide With Menus

Windstar Cruises Restaurants With Menus

Onboard culinary options are a big part of the cruise experience, and we know fellow cruisers are always eager to see what is available on the different restaurant menus.

All the foodies out there will be delighted to hear that Windstar Cruises and the James Beard Foundation have partnered to deliver dining selections that are 180 degrees from ordinary. Menu options feature fresh and seasonal ingredients sourced from local ports of call.

The best part is that all dining is included on Windstar Cruises. From the main dining room, to specialty dining, and even room service, you won’t have to pay extra to enjoy any of these options.

The main dining room on Windstar Cruises is open seating. This means you can dine whenever you want with whomever you want. However, specialty restaurants do require reservations. We were able to make these reservations during our check-in process on embarkation day.

Related Post: Why You Should Take Advantage of Windstar Cruises’ All-Inclusive Pricing

Star Grill (Deck 8)

A new addition to the Star Plus Class ships is the Star Grill, in partnership with the global grill expert Steven Raichlen. This venue is a small grill area located outdoors next to the Star Bar.

Unfortunately, this new casual restaurant was not open during our sailing due to COVID protocols and reduced sailing capacity. It solely served as a late afternoon burger bar from 3 to 4 pm once the Veranda buffet closed.

However, going forward, this restaurant is planned to be open for lunch and dinner most days of the cruise with rotating menu selections. No reservations will be required to dine at the Star Grill.

Here, you can enjoy a variety of grilled and barbecue favorites, including seafood, meats, and vegetables cooked with global flavors and techniques.

Star Grill Lunch: Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

Star Grill Dinner: Night 1 | Night 2 | Night 3 | Night 4 | Night 5 | Night 6 | Night 7

Veranda (Deck 7)

Veranda is the newly expanded buffet on Windstar Cruises’ Star Plus Class ships. The venue offers additional serving stations and additional seating to accommodate guests. There is both indoor and partially covered al fresco seating.

Veranda is open for breakfast and lunch daily. Breakfast is generally served 7 to 9:30 am. Lunch is generally served 12 to 2 pm.

Veranda offers a buffet with rotating selections, as well as a menu with limited grill selections.

For lunch, some days the buffet seemed to have a theme, like Mexican or Asian, and other days it just seemed to be a random assortment of items. For breakfast, you could find your typical selections like pastries, scrambled eggs, and bacon.

The menu featured items like omelets, pancakes, and waffles for breakfast, as well as items like burgers and chicken sandwiches for lunch. The carving station did change daily.

Candles (Deck 7)

Candles is Windstar Cruises signature steakhouse. This complimentary specialty restaurant is located in the same outdoor space occupied by Veranda during the day.

While there are no up-charges to dine here, this restaurant does require reservations and does book up quickly. So, you should make your reservations as soon as you board the ship.

Generally, Candles is open for dinner nightly from 7 to 9 pm. However, due to current COVID protocols, Candles and Cuadro 44 utilized this outdoor space on a rotating schedule. On our sailing, Candles was open on nights 1, 4, and 7.

The restaurant serves up your traditional steakhouse menu items with a variety of cuts of beef, along with a few seafood selections. There are also signature starters like clam chowder and shrimp and popular accompaniments like onion rings, creamed spinach, and roasted potatoes.

A nice touch is that a small dish of gourmet salts is left tableside for you to season your dishes to perfection.

The menu does include two up-charge items.

Candles Menu

Cuadro 44 (Deck 6)

Cuadro 44 is another new restaurant added to Star Breeze during the Star Plus Initiative. This intimate restaurant is in partnership with ten-time Michelin-starred Chef Anthony Sasso. Typically, Cuadro 44 occupies a small venue on Deck 6; however, it is currently utilizing the same outdoor space as Candles on a rotating schedule.

At Cuadro 44, guests can savor Spanish flavors from a menu with a variety of tapas and entrees. Some of our favorite dishes included the potato tortilla, paella croquetas, and grilled chorizo. Hubby also really enjoyed his pork belly entrée.

On our sailing, this specialty restaurant was open for dinner from 7 to 9 pm on nights 2, 5, and 7 (On night 7, it occupied the outdoor space near Star Grill). This restaurant also requires reservations.

Cuadro 44 Menu

Amphora Restaurant (Deck 3)

Amphora is the elegant main dining room on Windstar Cruises. On Star Breeze, Amphora has been relocated to allow for more natural light.

Amphora is open seating every night for dinner from 7 to 9 pm, with no reservations required. This restaurant serves a rotational menu with different offerings each evening.

Here, you can enjoy a delicious 3-course meal that will please even the pickiest of palettes. Some of our favorite dishes included the crab cake, watermelon salad, veal osso buco, lobster tail, and beef tenderloin. The French custard crepes and the Grand Marnier soufflé were the highlights from the dessert menu.

Unlike most other cruise lines, the Amphora main dining room is not open for breakfast or lunch.

Of note, Windstar Cruises is known for its signature BBQ deck party one evening of the cruise. This event features some of the best food of the trip, including a roasted pig! So, it should not be missed. This event occurred on night 3; thus, the main dining room was not open this evening.

Further, the Dreams of Tahiti cruise includes a Destination Discovery event on night 6. During this event, guests are treated to a traditional Polynesian experience on a private motu in Bora Bora. It includes a gourmet buffet and a Tahitian dance show. Hence, Amphora is also closed this evening.

Dinner 1 | Dinner 2 | Dinner 3 | Dinner 4 | Dinner 5 | Dinner 6 | Dinner 7

Room Service

On Windstar Cruises, room service is always complimentary. You can order breakfast, lunch, or dinner delivered to your room for no additional cost. Whether you want to enjoy breakfast in bed or a romantic dinner for two, there are no up-charges.

Room service is available 24 hours a day. Menu items include eggs, omelets, breakfast meats, pancakes, waffles, and more for breakfast. Lunch items include salads, burgers, and sandwiches. Additionally, guests can order off the Amphora main dining room menu during operating hours. There is even an overnight menu from 10 pm to 6 am with limited late night selections.

Room Service Breakfast | All Day | Late Night

Related Post: Why You Should Choose Windstar Cruises to Tahiti

Windstar Cruises Bars With Menus

On Windstar Cruises, non-alcoholic beverages like soda, bottled water, and specialty coffee and tea are always complimentary. However, alcoholic drinks will still cost extra.

Luckily, Windstar Cruises does offer beverage packages, so you don’t have to worry about your bar tab at the end of the cruise.

If you are looking to enjoy some vacation cocktails, Windstar Cruises has a few bars with a specialty drink menu. There is also a wine list.

Yacht Club Café (Deck 8)

The Yacht Club Café is your go-to spot for espresso-based beverages. If you need your morning latte like us or an afternoon pick-me-up, the Yacht Club Café delivers.

With a menu that includes lattes, cappuccinos, and other espresso drinks that are all complimentary, how can you go wrong? Oh, you can’t beat the views here either.

The venue also serves up small bites for breakfast and lunch including pastries and sandwiches.

The Yacht Club Café is open 6 am to 6 pm daily.

Star Bar (Deck 8)

This top deck, outdoor bar serves up casual poolside drinks, regional beers, and wine. The signature drink menu also features summer-inspired cocktails like the Cucumber & Kiwi Slushy and the Strawberry & Basil Smash.

So, while you are relaxing outdoors or soaking up the French Polynesian sun, you will want to sample some of the tasty libations at this bar.

The Star Bar is open most days from 9:30 am to midnight.

Slushy Menu

Compass Rose (Deck 6)

Compass Rose is a warm and inviting spot to enjoy an evening cocktail. This popular Windstar Cruises venue serves up all your favorite drinks alongside live music.

With its lively atmosphere and energetic bartenders, this will likely be one of your go-to spots during your Windstar cruise. We spent most evenings here enjoying some espresso martinis!

Compass Rose is generally open 6 pm to close.

Lounge (Deck 5)

The Lounge on Windstar Cruises is a multi-purpose venue. Hosting daily destination talks, a couple shows, and live music, you will likely spend some evenings here as well. While the Lounge does not have a dedicated bar, there are plenty of servers waiting to take your drink order.

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During our recent Dreams of Tahiti cruise on Star Breeze, we stayed in a SBS1 suite on deck 6. How did this cabin measure up to the contemporary cruise lines? Well, we share all the details in our Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite Review.

Since we were guests of the cruise line on this sailing, our Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite, 631, was assigned to us. Reviewing the deck plans, this starboard side balcony cabin is located midship on deck 6, in the newly added block of the ship.

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Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite Review

While we have sailed with Windstar Cruises once before, it was on a Wind Class ship. Also, Star Breeze recently underwent a complete transformation as part of the $250 million Star Plus Initiative. This process included inserting a new 84 foot section to the ship.

This update added several behind the scenes upgrades as well as two new restaurants, a new pool, a re-imagined spa and fitness center, and 50 new suites.

So, as you can imagine, we were anxious to see this new Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite, our home away from home for the week.

Since Star Breeze only has six passenger decks (decks 3-8), our room was in close proximity to most public venues. With the main dining room on deck 3, the Compass Rose lounge on deck 6, and the outdoor areas including the pool on decks 7&8, we were never too far from the action.

While we didn’t need it much, our suite was also located very close to an elevator.

According to the cruise line’s website a Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite is 277 square feet in size. It also includes a French balcony. This is larger than most standard cabins on contemporary cruise lines and on par with our suite from a previous Viking cruise.

Further, all Windstar Cruises accommodations feature a queen-sized bed with luxury linens, an interactive TV, and premium L’Occitane bath amenities.

WATCH OUR STAR BALCONY CABIN TOUR AND REVIEW!

Layout of the Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite

At first glance, we were pleasantly surprised by this cabin. The suite offered an inviting seating area as you entered the room with the bed situated in the distance near the balcony.

Immediately upon entering this Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite, we were greeted by a large sitting area. This area contained two chairs with a small table in between as well as a loveseat and coffee table. The generously sized walk-in closet and bathroom were off to the right as well as the mini-bar.

Continuing through the sitting area, the bed area is separated by a curtain. Our queen-sized bed was on the aft wall (facing forward). On each side of the bed, there was a nightstand with 3 drawers, 2 outlets, and 2 USB outlets.

Across from the bed, there was the TV, three more large drawers for storage, and the vanity/desk area.

Finally, there was our balcony. While not the traditional mega-ship balcony with chairs and a table, this French balcony still allowed for fresh air and beautiful scenery.

Related Post: Why You Should Take Advantage of Windstar’s All-Inclusive Pricing

Inside Our Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite

Bathroom

The bathroom in our Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite was modern and elegant. While still a cruise ship bathroom, it was larger than typical.

The vanity area included double sinks with storage shelves below. There were also three small shelves off to one side for additional toiletries. The one item that is usually missing in cruise cabin bathrooms, and was also missing in this Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite, was liquid hand soap. Thankfully, we always bring our own now.

The shower, again, was larger in size than we have come to expect on a cruise ship. The elegant design continued with a glass door, neutral colored tiles, and stainless steel finishes.

There were large bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash mounted to the wall; however, there was no shave bar. Most women appreciate cruise showers that have this bar.

Main Cabin Area

The walk-in closet offered more than enough storage for a week-long cruise. It consisted of 6 small shelves, a clothes bar with hangers, 3 drawers, and the safe. This is certainly an upgrade to your typical cruise ship closet.

In addition, Windstar Cruises provides bathrobes and slippers for all guests in their staterooms. 

In terms of the mini-bar, there were complimentary pitchers of water that were refilled daily by the stateroom attendant. Further, the mini-fridge is included in the Captain’s Exclusive drink package. This is a nice perk that is not typically the case on contemporary cruise lines.

There is also a cabinet above the mini-bar for glassware and some additional storage.

The sitting area was quite large, offering ample seating for 4 adults. There was also plenty of room to walk between the chairs on one side and the loveseat with coffee table on the other side.

The bed offered plenty of comfort during our trip. We had no issues falling asleep at night. The upgraded bedding and linens meant we were able to unwind each evening in comfort.

The desk and dresser area had plenty of counter space as well as a mirror. Admittedly, the desk did mostly serve as my vanity area for getting ready.

There were also 2 European outlets, 2 standard outlets, and 2 USB outlets. We are always thankful when a cruise cabin offers adequate outlets for charging all our devices!

Balcony

Unfortunately, the balconies on Star Breeze are not your typical cruise cabin balcony. Rather, it is a French balcony. It does still provide access to fresh air and beautiful scenery. Further, there is enough room for one person to step out to take photos and such.

However, you will not find chairs or a table on this balcony. There is no space to enjoy a morning cup of coffee or breakfast on the balcony. Though, with a room as luxurious as this Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite, there is plenty of interior space to enjoy.

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Recap of Our Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite Review

Our suite on deck 6 was the ideal accommodations for our 7-day Tahiti cruise on the line’s newly transformed Star Breeze.

The bed was comfortable, and the suite itself was spacious. We particularly liked the upgraded bathroom, the walk-in closet, and the large seating area. There was also plenty of storage, and we appreciated the number of power outlets.

The cabin certainly had a more modern and upscale feel with a neutral color palette, subtle blue accents, and beachy wood tones.

Overall, we would highly recommend this Windstar Cruises Star Balcony Suite regardless of the cruise itinerary.

Comments

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Disclaimer: We were hosted guests of Windstar Cruises on this sailing, but as always, all opinions in this post are our own.

Ship Overview

Windstar Cruises is one of only two cruise lines that sails year-round in Tahiti. While the Wind Spirit sailing yacht typically cruises in Tahiti, the Star Breeze, one of the newly transformed Star Plus Class yachts, is also cruising the region for a limited time this year. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check out this “new” ship!

So, for this Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review, we hopped aboard the Star Breeze for its Dreams of Tahiti itinerary as guests of the cruise line.

This 13K gross ton ship recently underwent a major update in 2020 as part of the Star Plus Initiative. During this process, the ship was lengthened by 84 feet. This all new section includes a number of new cabins, as well as new public venues, in addition to several other improvements throughout the ship.

The 8 deck Star Breeze holds just over 300 passengers. However, for this Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review, the ship was sailing at about 30% capacity. Needless to say, it felt like we had this luxury yacht all to ourselves.

While small in size, Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze still features plenty of cruise staples. On the outdoor decks, there is a central pool and whirlpool area, along with the popular Star Bar. There are also plenty of loungers on Decks 7 and 8 to soak up the French Polynesian sun. There is even a secluded forward-facing whirlpool on deck 5 and the complimentary thermal suite located in the spa.

One of our favorite spots was the Deck 8 Yacht Club. This forward observation area is home to the ship’s coffee shop. You can also admire the views from this top deck, as well as relax with a book or board games.

Onboard Star Breeze, guests can enjoy breakfast and lunch at the deck 7 Veranda which offers a hybrid buffet and casual restaurant. For dinner, cruisers had three dining options. The Amphora main dining room offered a traditional three course dinner most nights.

For alternative dining, there was the steakhouse, Candles, and the Spanish tapas restaurant, Cuadro 44. Due to Windstar Cruises’ health and safety measures and low capacity, these alternative restaurants alternated when they were open during our sailing. Unfortunately, the new Star Grill was not open this trip.

On Windstar Cruises, the cruise fare includes all dining and non-alcoholic drinks. The cruise line also offers beverage packages for those looking to enjoy some adult cocktails.

At night, the Compass Rose lounge comes alive with music and amazing bar service. It is the place to unwind after a long day ashore and mingle with new friends. The venue featured a house band and a musical duo that alternated sets throughout the cruise.

The Lounge is the other entertainment space on the ship. This venue featured port talks and two shows during our sailing.

Not to mention, Windstar Cruises is known for its signature experiences, like the deck BBQ and Destination Discovery events. On this sailing, these events included a private beach day on a motu and an evening of Tahitian culture complete with food and dancing.

For this 7-day Dreams of Tahiti cruise, the Star Breeze delivered an upscale cruise experience. Given the intimate nature of the vessel, we got to know many of the passengers and crew. The smaller ship size also allows guests to get up close to the destinations. During the day, we explored the Society Islands on many immersive shore excursions. Then, once back onboard the ship, all the familiar cruise favorites were right at our finger tips.

If you are considering a cruise to Tahiti, look no further than Windstar Cruises!

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Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Pre-Cruise

A Pre-Cruise Stay

Making up for lost cruising time, we are looking to check off some of our bucket list destinations in 2022. One of these cruise destinations was Tahiti. So, when the opportunity arose to cruise Windstar Cruises’ newly refurbished Star Breeze on the Dreams of Tahiti itinerary, we could not pass up the opportunity.

As one of the only cruise lines sailing year-round in the region, we were able to secure an itinerary that aligned with my birthday. I couldn’t think of a better birthday present than seven days in the South Pacific.

With over 17 hours of travel time from Boston to Papeete, we booked a two day pre-cruise stay at the Intercontinental Tahiti. Of course, the Princess insisted that we upgrade the typical accommodations to an overwater bungalow. I reluctantly agreed.

The time changes from the East Coast and our flight schedule had us arriving late Tuesday night for our Thursday cruise. So, in all honesty, we only had one full day at the resort.

With picture-perfect weather, and mid-80 degree temperatures, it was pretty easy to fight the jet lag. This private bungalow offered direct access to the ocean, so I was in heaven swimming in between some work and exploration of the resort.

Honestly, the Intercontinental felt pretty empty, so we were able to wander the entire property and take in the lush backdrop of this seaside resort with little crowds.

With a few happy hour drinks, dinner at the casual restaurant, and a beautiful sunset, it was an early night for us. Our internal clocks were not completely adjusted yet. Not to mention, we didn’t want to miss a beat on the first day of our Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review.

Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 1

More Testing

Without an alarm to even wake us up, we were both ready for the day by around 6:30 am. Though, our pre-arranged transfer from the hotel wasn’t until 11 am. This was also the same time as checkout.

So, this gave us plenty of time to pack up, do some work, grab some coffee, and still be in the lobby by 10:30 am.

Leaving the hotel a few minutes after 11 am in a small van with two other couples, it took just over 15 minutes to arrive at the pier. It was officially time to get this Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review started!

Currently, there are several health protocols in place due to COVID when visiting French Polynesia. First, your last vaccine dose must be within 9 months. In most cases, this means you will need a booster dose to cruise to Tahiti. Second, travelers need to arrive with a test within 24 hours of flight time and submit to an additional PCR test at the airport.

Plus, Windstar Cruises also performs a PCR test at the pier during the check-in process. This is in addition to arriving with a test taken within 72 hours of embarkation day.

As part of this process, cruisers need to quarantine in their suites until they receive their test results. Given the additional protocols, our embarkation routine was a bit different. 

We were seated in the outdoor waiting area before 11:30 am and were finally called to begin our check-in by 12:15 pm. The health screening, testing, and security checks took around 15 minutes. So, we were onboard the ship and escorted to our suite by 12:30 pm.

Our stateroom, Suite 631, was a Star Balcony room. This new cabin category offered plenty of space to wait out the results of our COVID tests.

During this time, we ordered some room service and were able to unpack as our bags arrived about 30 minutes after we entered “quarantine”.  

While our room service order took about 40 minutes, it was nice to have complimentary 24-hour food included onboard Windstar Cruises.

You Are Now Free to Roam Around the Ship

Finally, about 2.5 hours later, we received the knock at our door. Our tests were back, and were negative, so we were free to explore the ship. With our blue wristbands donned, indicating we had been cleared to leave our room, we spent the next 75 minutes exploring the public areas.

When you are sailing on a 13,000 gross ton ship with 8 total decks, a ship tour does not take very long. So, even though we started our tour way later than usual, we were still able to cover the whole ship before muster drill.

Our deck 6 suite ended up being the ideal location. We were not far from either a midship or aft staircase. Further, we were only a few steps away from the two indoor public entertainment areas and a few decks away from dining. We never had to go far to experience everything the ship offered.

At 4:15 pm, we popped into the port talk given by the destination manager, Martina. The talk provided an overview of the excursions for each port of call. Before our cruise, we booked all our tours through Windstar. So, this talk mostly confirmed that the excursions we chose before the trip were still the best options for us.

Done before 5 pm, we made a quick pitstop back at our cabin before the 5:15 pm mandatory muster drill. While we did not need a life jacket, Windstar Cruises still conducts a more traditional safety drill. This meant we had to meet at our A3 muster station on deck 7 for the approximately 10 minute demonstration.

Star Breeze’s sail away was planned for 6 pm. Like many other cruisers, we headed to the Star Bar to grab our sail away drinks following the muster drill.

Getting seats on the starboard side of deck 8, we enjoyed our drinks and the weather. Alas, the Captain’s announcement informed us that our sail away was delayed.

Unfortunately, six cruisers tested positive for COVID. Thus, the cruise line was in the process of disembarking those guests.

I can’t imagine receiving that news once already onboard the ship.

A Rather Low Key Night Onboard

With sail away delayed, and a port talk for tomorrow’s stop at 6:30 pm, we took our drinks back to the room for a quick refresh and costume change.

The destination manager’s talk about Moorea included some details about the top places to see, as well as the island’s history. With Q&A, the presentation finished by 6:55 pm. This meant we were among the first in the Amphora dining room at 7 pm.

We knew the ship was sailing at reduced capacity. Still, the main dining room felt eerily quiet for the first night. With the only other dining option being the steakhouse, Candles, we weren’t sure where everyone else on the ship was eating tonight.

The main dining room on Windstar Cruises is open seating from 7 to 9 pm, meaning you do not need reservations.

Upon arrival, we were escorted to a table for two on the portside of the restaurant. Our waitstaff duo were quick with our food orders, even if they were not the biggest conversationalists. Bar service was also fast, with Ace making sure we had enough wine and cocktails during our meal.

Dinner took a total of 70 minutes with the food served hot and fresh.

As you would expect, the Princess ordered a chicken dish. I opted for the risotto, which the chef was able to custom due to my scallop allergy. Overall, the food was average, with the crepes dessert being the highlight of tonight’s meal.

Done by a little after 8 pm, there were no planned activities until 9 pm. Knowing that we would fall asleep if we went back to our room, we opted to head to the Compass Rose lounge early.

This indoor lounge is home to live music. Tonight, the two musical acts, Queen of Aces and Sky Blue, would be alternating sets.

When we arrived, the venue was completely empty. So, we grabbed a round of espresso martinis as we waited.

With the Windstar All Inclusive Package essentially all alcoholic beverages are included, as well as WiFi and gratuities.

By 9 pm, the band began playing. They were at least two or three songs in before we were finally joined by some fellow cruisers. The playlist featured songs from Frank Sinatra to the Commodores.

When the set ended around 9:45 pm, we decided to head back to our room. With our first port of call and an early morning tour, we needed some shut eye.

Tomorrow was our first port of call in Moorea.

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Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 2

A Morning in Moorea

Day 2 of this Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review began with a call in Moorea.

With an 8 am meeting time for our tour, I was up and about roaming the outdoor decks by 6 am. There was just enough sunlight for a few videos and photos before getting our morning coffee at the Deck 8 Yacht Club Café.

Packed up and ready right at 8 am, we made it to the Lounge to check-in for our tour. We booked the Island Tour with Belvedere Lookout. This seemed like the most comprehensive introduction to the island and French Polynesian culture and history.

Like most destinations on this Tahitian cruise, Moorea was a tender port. So, the destinations team escorted our tour to the first tender of the day. We were ashore, and our tour bus headed out just past 8:30 am.

Our small mini-bus had about 15 people, so it was a perfect-sized tour.

Tom, our tour guide, spent the next 4 hours showing us all of the main highlights of the second most populated island in the Society Islands.

Tom was originally from CA but married a Tahitian woman and had been living on Moorea for 17 years. So, he had plenty of knowledge to offer regarding the history, as well as modern day living. He provided just the right mix of facts and folklore, with a natural delivery that made him engaging and easy to follow.

Among the 6+ stops on the tour were the UC Berkeley research center, the Belvedere Lookout, the Papetoai Temple, and an archeological site with several marae.

Tom did a good job keeping the tour on time and well-paced. The stops felt just long enough to get some background about the location or the cultural significance of the landmark.

We Could Get Used to These Views

When we arrived back to the tender drop off around 12:15 pm, there was a boat waiting for us. While some of our tour participants decided to head into town, we headed back to the ship.

The short tender ride has us onboard around 12:30 pm. Back to the room, we dropped off our gear and headed to the buffet. The deck 7 Veranda is a small, casual restaurant that is open select hours for breakfast and lunch. It has both indoor and al fresco seating options.

Today’s lunch was Asian inspired. A mix of sushi, rice, chicken satays, and bao buns were just the items we needed to refuel after a morning ashore.

With some al fresco aft seats, we watched fellow cruisers use the watersports platform while we dined. Another great benefit of Windstar Cruises is that use of this watersports platform on Deck 3 is complimentary for all guests. It includes items like kayaks, a water trampoline, wake boards, and more.

While I debated joining the fun, I figured we had other days ahead to make use of the equipment. Unfortunately, the timing of our tours meant I never actually got to use the watersports during this cruise.

Instead, we found some shaded loungers on Deck 7 where we spent a few hours working with the island as our backdrop. Actually, we spent less time working and more time talking to some of our deck chair mates. Like many small cruise ships, fellow travelers were friendly and ready to strike up a conversation.

Along the way, we may have grabbed a few drinks as well. Around 3:30 pm, we headed back to the room to finish up work before the 6:30 pm destination talk.

A Slight Change of Plans

While back in the room, an announcement was made that the Welcome Reception was being moved to the Lounge at 6 pm due to weather. Given we already planned to go to the port talk, why not head there early to say hi to the officers.

As expected, the event included some champagne, hors d’oeuvres, and a number of officers making the rounds. We chatted with the hotel director for a bit, along with some of our fellow cruisers. By now, we were already running into the same people over and over.

As the event progressed, it was clear that the port talk was not going to happen. So, it was either moved or rescheduled. Either way, we headed up to deck 7 for dinner when the Welcome Reception ended right before 7 pm.

At embarkation, we reserved the two signature dining experiences as part of the check-in process. Obviously, we booked the earliest time slot at 7 pm.

Just a Small Bite for Dinner

The first of these alternative dining venues was the tapas restaurant Cuadro 44 by the James Beard recognized chef, Anthony Sasso.

While there is an intimate indoor venue on deck 6 of Star Breeze, Cuadro 44 was moved outside to Veranda given COVID protocols. It ended up that this restaurant and Candles alternated use of the al fresco space throughout the cruise.

Of course, we started the meal with a glass of sangria. The Princess’ apple and raspberry cider sangria was a sweet change of pace to this classic Spanish drink.

Given the menu, we decided to try a number of the different small plates. The standouts included the potato tortilla, paella croquetas, and the grilled chorizo. For entrees, the wife did the only meal with chicken, which was a pasta dish. I ordered the pork belly, which was very juicy and flavorful. This three-course meal wouldn’t be complete without an order of churros.

There were several team members coming by for food orders, food delivery, and bar service throughout the meal. The food timing was a little inconsistent, especially as the restaurant got busier around 7:45 pm. Still, the bar server Noel made sure our sangria glasses were never empty.

Out of the restaurant by 8:15 pm, we had over an hour until the next scheduled event, the first “show” of the cruise.

Windstar Cruises Entertainment

Walking around the ship, most other public areas were quiet. Thus, without much else to do, we pulled up a chair at Compass Rose. Maricela, the bartender, already knew our names and drink order. Doing some social media and chatting with the staff for about 30 minutes, we took our drinks down a deck to the Lounge.

The Songs We Wish We Had Written was an ensemble production featuring the ship’s live band, duo, and the entertainment director, Steve. It included features from all of the musicians, with songs from Willie Nelson, to Bruno Mars, Pink, and the Beatles.

What the show might have lacked in cohesion and stage presence, the talented performers certainly made up for it.

Like most cruise shows, it was about 50 minutes. Finishing our second round of cocktails, we stuck around for an additional 20 minutes or so before calling it a night.

Without our afternoon coffee, we were both feeling a bit sluggish. Not to mention, it was another early morning tour tomorrow in Raiatea.

Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 3

The New Normal Morning Routine

Up bright and early this morning, it was an overcast and rainy Saturday. We were not going to let the weather dampen our second port of call on this Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review, Raiatea.

The main attraction here is the Faaroa River, a critical passageway for the migration of settlers to the region.

Given the wife’s lack of swimming skills, we opted for the motorized canoe trip up the river instead of kayaking.

Similar to the day before, I grabbed us some coffee and pastries from the deck 8 café while the wife got ready.

Our tour meeting time was 8:15 am in the Lounge. By now, the destinations team already knew us by name. So, we simply grabbed some towels and bottles of water and took a seat. Not long after, our tour was called, and we were escorted to the deck 4 gangway. Today, we were docked, so there was no need for a tender boat ride to shore.

Time to Observe Raiatea

Our guide, Tihoti, was a local storyteller and cultural expert. He was sincere and informative, with a true passion for his culture and history.

A short walk from our ship, we arrived at our transportation for the day and departed for this 3.5 hour tour. The motorized outrigger canoe took us along the coast to the bay and entrance of the Faaroa river.

During the trip, Tihoti provided a naturalist perspective of the land, river, and people of French Polynesia. He wanted us to detach from our devices and “observe” the surroundings. 

As we slowly made our way upstream, he pointed out some of the indigenous plants. Along with coconut, chestnut, and breadfruit, we also spotted some crustaceans and birds which call the island home. With the motors off, it was an eerily quiet and surreal experience drifting along the protected waterway.

The river tour lasted about 75 minutes, as the vessel could only go so far up the river given the depth of the riverbed.

Turning around, we headed out into the lagoon towards a small motu. With a water landing near the sandy shore, we had about an hour to use the beach or just relax in the sun.

Just as our time at this beach break was ending, a small storm cloud dumped heavy rain upon us. This storm was short lived, but the damage was done, as we all returned to the ship drenched.

Another Afternoon in French Polynesia

Similar to the day before, we were back ashore around noon.

Though, given our wet clothes, we needed some time to change up before lunch. So, we headed back to our room then up to the Veranda restaurant around 12:30 pm.

Unlike the day before, the food selections did not seem to have much of a theme. I went with some rice and Asian beef, while Heidi ordered from the grill menu. Her grilled chicken sandwich did not take long to arrive.

We learned from a tablemate that there was a small ice cream station in the buffet that we had previously missed. So, we both made sure to save room for a scoop.

With the rain gone, the sun was trying to peek through the clouds. So, we grabbed some loungers and a drink to admire the views.

Alas, the good weather didn’t last too long, as the wind picked up pretty quickly. Thus, it was back to the room to do some work and change up for the evening.

Tihoti would be coming aboard for a cultural presentation at 5 pm. Similar to our tour during the day, his lecture regarding the history and meaning of Tahitian tattoos was animated and educational.

A Signature Night Onboard Star Breeze

Another benefit of taking a Windstar cruise is the small touches and signature experiences offered by the cruise line.

Regardless of the itinerary or ship, all Windstar Cruises sailings feature a number of these not to be missed events. Tonight was the first of these, the line’s outdoor barbecue on the pool deck.

Following the cultural presentation, we returned to our room for a bit before the deck party. While the weather was hit or miss all day, for the time being, it appeared to be calm and clear. We arrived to the 7 pm event a few minutes early to snap some photos.

Similar to our Caribbean cruise on Wind Surf in 2019, the deck party included some upscale menu items.

Among my favorites were the grilled shrimp skewers and the roasted pig. There were other grilled specialties, along with salads and dessert. Unfortunately, the paella contained scallops, so I was not able to sample it.

The onboard duo and entertainment director provided live music during dinner as well. It was a festive and delicious evening to mingle with fellow cruisers.

The dinner lasted about 90 minutes before the tables were cleared for some line dancing. Of course, we were not among the few cruisers daring enough to join the crew.

We were surprised that a number of the senior officers were strutting their stuff on the pool deck. For a boutique cruise line, Windstar is anything but pretentious. The officers are very visible throughout the ship and often participate in the events and night life.

With the food, drinks, and dancing continuing for two hours, our luck finally ran out. A downpour essentially put an end to the YMCA and this signature event.

So, we returned to our room for a quick touch-up before heading to Compass Rose.

Arriving close to 10 pm, the venue was the busiest we had seen any public space all cruise. The band was playing, and a number of familiar faces were drinking, socializing, and dancing. This included both cruisers and the crew.

At one point, some of the cruisers joined the band for a few songs. When did this become a karaoke session?

A couple of rounds of espresso martinis later, we called it a night around 11pm.

As you could guess, we had another early morning tour tomorrow.

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Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 4

A Rushed Morning

Day 4 of our Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review took us to Taha’a. This port of call offered the least tour options. So, it is not surprising that Windstar Cruises offers its signature island experience this day. This event takes place from 10 am to 4 pm on a small motu nearby the main island.

Much like the night before, it included live music and an outdoor barbecue. Many cruisers were just opting for the beach break today. Thus, we were among the few that booked a morning tour. In hindsight, we might have been better off just making this a beach day.

Our tour meeting time was 7:45 am, the earliest yet. So, we definitely did not have much time to do work or grab breakfast before getting to the Lounge this morning. I skipped my usual routine of taking photos and videos and just grabbed some coffee.

Perhaps it was the drinks last night, but we were both a bit slow getting ready today. The grey, overcast clouds and pockets of rain weren’t helping either.

Right on time, our tour was escorted to the tender platform for the approximately 15 minute ride over to the island.

A Scenic Drive Around Taha’a

The Scenic Exploration of Taha’a tour included three stops around the island. We expected to get some narration during the drive, but that was not the case. We did get some brief presentations at each of the stops though.

Our first stop was a lookout point. Here, we were learned more about the island and sampled some fresh fruit. We also learned how to perform the tamure, a Tahitian dance.

Next, it was on to the Love Here Black Pearl Farm. Given the lack of a guided tour, the others in our safari bus began chatting about their cruise history.

At the pearl farm, we learned about the process of seeding and harvesting the namesake jewel. Even though it was MY birthday, I offered to get the Princess a souvenir. When nothing really jumped out at her, I put my wallet back in my pocket, and we headed back to our safari jeep.

Our final stop took us to a family run vanilla plantation. Here, we learned about the tedious task of growing vanilla. The plantation owner described the multiple stages it takes to turn this orchid into the flavorful and fragrant bean we all love.

While the Princess passed on getting a souvenir at the pearl farm, I opted to purchase a few things at this vanilla plantation, including homemade vanilla extract and rum.

It was a short drive from the plantation back to the pier, so we arrived about 15 minutes later for the tender back to the ship.

A Signature Afternoon for This Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review

Windstar’s second signature experience of this cruise was an island barbecue on a private motu. Although, you needed to take a zodiac to reach the beach.

Heidi is not a swimmer, so she was apprehensive about taking this small vessel over to the beach party. After some gentle nudging, I was able to get her onboard.

Holding on for dear life, we made it to the motu to find a pretty nice setup.

Lounge chairs dotted the coast. A large pavilion was home to an impressive barbecue display. There were also water sports, a bar, and facilities. So, it was essentially like having our own private island.

First things first, we grabbed some seats and food.

Again, the jambalaya contained scallops. So, I was stuck with some seafood skewers, rice, a hot dog, and fish tacos. Needless to say, I didn’t go hungry.

The food was on par with the previous night’s barbecue. It was a much better spread than the typical BBQ food you get on a contemporary cruise line’s private island.

After lunch, we took the small lap around the motu to get some pictures. This exploration was rather short, so we pulled up some loungers, grabbed a few drinks, and just relaxed. After all, it was my birthday.

While it wasn’t raining, it was overcast and windy, so not really ideal swimming weather.

Around 2:30 pm, we decided to head back to the ship.

With a coffee from the Yacht Club Café in hand, we returned to our room to do some work for the rest of the afternoon.  

We’re Gonna Party Like It’s Your Birthday

Tonight, we had a reservation for the second alternative dining experience, Candles. So, we were showered and changed up for this signature steakhouse for 7 pm.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a small line. I guess other cruisers were just as eager to carve into dinner as I was.

Even though it had rained during the afternoon, they were still seating guests outside. Fortunately, we were able to stay dry the entire meal.

Upon being sat, our waiter quickly came by with the menus and the signature focaccia bread. Our bar server, Noel, also stopped by to take our drink order.

For a starter, I ordered the Caesar salad, and the Princess did the clam chowder. While a slightly different preparation than the classic New England dish, she enjoyed it.

For the main course, I went with the filet and a few sides. The medium rare filet was just the right temperature, and a few sprinkles of the smoked applewood salt was just the right enhancement to the entrée.

Alongside the well seared cut of beef, I also had sautéed asparagus and onion rings.

As you would guess by now, Heidi ordered the sole chicken dish on the menu.

For dessert, I tried the chocolate ganache bar and the Princess did the crème brulee.

Overall, the waitstaff did an excellent job with timing of the meal even if the dinner did take closer to 90 minutes tonight.

Right at the end of our dinner, the staff came by with a small cake for my birthday and offered to send it back to our room. Thank goodness as I certainly could not eat it now!

I’m Still Standing After a Few Drinks

Out of dinner around 8:30 pm, we had an hour before this evening’s show. It was a tribute to Elton John by the entertainment manager Steve.

So, we had some time to pop into the Star Boutique for our obligatory cruise t-shirt and ornament. We were one for two, as there were no Christmas tree ornaments. But, I did get a nice new rash guard.

Returning our purchase to the stateroom, we were greeted with birthday decorations and a celebratory towel cake.

By 9:30 pm, there was a decent crowd in the Lounge for tonight’s show. Certainly, it was the busiest show of the cruise to date. The hour long production featured a number of classic songs from this well-known artist. Steve did an excellent job recreating the signature sound and melodies through his piano skills and singing.

While the Princess preferred the first show of the cruise, I found this performance to be more entertaining.

Done by 10:30 pm, it was up to Compass Rose to see Maricela and Noel for our go-to espresso martinis. The Sky Duo was performing a unique set that featured classic ballads, 80’s pop songs, and everything in between. When the two singers finished around 11:30 pm, that was our cue to call it a night.

My Tahitian birthday celebration was officially over.

Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 5

Trying to Catch Up

This Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review includes two days in Bora Bora. For the first day, we had two shore excursions booked. Then, we were planning to play the second day by ear.

Star Breeze was due to dock by 9 am. Our 4X4 jeep tour had to meet in the Lounge for one of the first tenders over to the island. Even though this tour was a bit later than our previous tours, we decided to wake up at the same time. Hopefully, we could catch up on some work before heading ashore.

I grabbed coffee and a few pictures, then headed back to the room. The ship’s WiFi connection seemed to be holding strong at first; however, it did not last long.

Down to the Lounge for our scheduled meeting time, we were escorted off the ship with the other tours not long after we arrived.

Off the Beaten Path in Bora Bora

After a 10-minute tender ride, we met our driver Teva (like the sandal) for our off-road adventure. With clear skies and beautiful temperatures, the jeep’s top was off, and our group of 5 was ready to see Bora Bora!

Now, we have done off-road safari tours before in places like Aruba, but I guess we were not counting on the engineering of the 20^th century military. Our journey up the unkept roads forged through the island’s steep and rocky landscape.

Albeit quite bumpy, it was a lot of fun.

The tour included several stops, many of them lookout points that gave us panoramic views of the island. We could see the lagoons, many of the 32 motus, and the famous overwater bungalows. We also drove by the famous Bloody Mary’s restaurant, stopped at Matira beach, and visited WWII cannons.

At each stop, our tour guide provided us with a detailed overview of the island as well as French Polynesian culture. He was informative, honest, and happy to answer our questions.

Not to mention, he was a superb driver. It felt like each off-road adventure was more intense, with the pitch of the roads feeling like the jeep could topple over at any point.

An Afternoon Onboard Star Breeze

Our tour went a bit long, so we were not back to the tender station until almost 1 pm. Unlike our previous tours, there was not a tender waiting for us. In fact, we waited 15+ minutes before the small orange boat waded over to the dock.

By now, several other tours and private outings had returned as well, making this tender quite full.

We finally arrived back at the ship around 1:30 pm. With the Veranda, the only restaurant open for lunch, closing at 2 pm, we dropped off our gear and dashed up to deck 7 along with all the other cruisers on the tender boat.

Today’s buffet had a Mexican theme with fajitas, tacos, nachos, and rice. This was right up our alley. I probably ate more than I should have and washed it all down with a margarita of course.

Our quick lunch turned into close to an hour as we chatted with some newly made friends.

Grabbing coffee and heading back to the room, we had about 90 minutes until our second tour of the day, a sunset cruise at 5 pm.

Somehow, we managed to get what we needed done with a mix of the ship’s WiFi and our cellular signal, which worked surprisingly well.

Changed up and down to the Lounge for 4:45 pm, we were greeted with a few familiar faces also joining us on the tour. While it had been sunny and clear all day, I commented that the skies were rather gray.

Calling It An Early Night

As luck would have it, by the time we reached the pier, it was raining. I don’t mean drizzling, I mean pouring. Our tour guide said we should wait a few minutes as it would likely pass. Of course, his small boat was not covered and soaked at this point.

After a few minutes, we concluded the tour was not going to happen. Even if the rain let up eventually, it was not going to be an optimal night for sunset photos. This was rather disappointing, as we hadn’t caught a good sunset all cruise.

So, it was back on the same tender to return to the ship.

Now that we were onboard, we would be able to see the last destination talk happening at 6:30 pm in the Lounge. This port talk given by Martina included information on our last port of call, Huahine, as well as more details about the Destination Discovery event taking place tomorrow evening.

The talk ended right before 7 pm. Perfect timing for dinner.

Down to the Amphora main dining room on deck 3, we were among the first guests in the restaurant. Our centrally located table for two was the ideal spot with much better lighting for photos. We both agreed that this dinner was much better than our night 1 experience as well.

My crab cake was crispy and filled with plenty of sweet crab. The veal osso bucco was very tender and bursting with flavor. The Princess also enjoyed her watermelon salad.

All along our waitstaff was timely and kept our meals well-paced. Though, the bar servers really shined with their personalities and attentiveness.

Finishing up around 8:15 pm, it was over an hour until the show. Tonight, the house band was doing a tribute to the Beatles. While I am a fan of the fab four, we were tired and have attended plenty of Beatles cruise shows over the years.

So, we decided to call it a night after dinner.

Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 6

For Once a Lazy Morning

With no tours planned on our second day in Bora Bora, we were going to take it easy this morning.

Not needing to rush off for a tour, we could actually get breakfast at the Veranda. We took our time getting ready and were upstairs around 8:30 am.

The first tenders of the day had already set sail, so the restaurant was not too busy.

One unique feature of this casual restaurant is the mix of buffet items and made to order selections. Of course, the Princess ordered an omelet. Other menu options did include French toast, pancakes, and waffles, but I stuck with some eggs and bacon from the buffet.

With the cruise more than 75% over, and still no souvenirs from French Polynesia, we needed to do some shopping today. So, we hopped on a tender to head to the port around 10:30 am.

We spent a little under two hours walking around the nearby shops and galleries. We were able to score the obligatory t-shirts and ornament.

I guess we both expected some of the ports to be a bit more touristy, with shops and restaurants. Perhaps, one reason people love to cruise the Society Islands is that it is not as built up as Caribbean ports.

Back on the ship by 12:30 pm, we enjoyed the beautiful weather and perhaps a margarita in honor of National Margarita Day!

By 3:30 pm, we grabbed our afternoon coffee and returned to the room to do some work for a couple hours.

Discovering Polynesian Culture

Our assigned time to head to the motu for this evening’s Destination Discovery event was 5:15 pm, the third and final catamaran. We were showered and changed up early, so we headed down to the gangway closer to 5 pm. There was plenty of room on the second catamaran, so we hopped on this earlier transport.

The ride took a little over 15 minutes to arrive at the pier. This small sandy island was even nicer than where we had our beach break a few days earlier. We were greeted with leis from the officers and a Mai Tai from the bar servers.  

Now, this was my type of destination discovery event.

We spent about an hour walking around the area. To our surprise, it did contain more facilities than we expected, including some overwater beds. Along the way, we took some photos of the setting sun while enjoying our drinks and chatting with fellow travelers.

A small rain cloud interrupted our evening and delayed our meal. The traditional dinner included poisson cru (a tuna with coconut milk dish), and several fresh grilled items like prime rib, seafood, and pork belly.

It was an impressive spread. Honestly, I liked the food here a bit more than the deck party BBQ earlier in the cruise.

We finished up eating around 6:45 pm, which didn’t give us much time between dinner and the show.

The main event of the evening was the traditional Tahitian dancers and fire performers. The hour long production was quite impressive. Somehow, I even got roped into being part of the show. With no professional training, I think I held my own with the tamure!

The show ended at 8 pm, and we all boarded catamarans for the sail back to the ship.

Even though there was no entertainment until 9:30 pm, we headed to Compass Rose. A few of us grabbed some tables and drinks. Two rounds, and just under two hours later, we closed the place down!

Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 7

Our Final Tour of the Cruise

Our final day of this Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review took us to Huahine.

We had an 8:45 am tour this morning, the Sacred Sites and Legendary Places shore excursion. Part of me wanted to cancel the tour when the alarm went off at 6 am. Still, I managed to get up and get our usual coffee and continental breakfast.

Huahine was definitely the most lush island on this Dreams of Tahiti cruise. But this is not to say that it was completely undeveloped. In fact, the downtown area of Fare, our first stop of the tour, seemed pretty busy.

On the pier, we met our tour guide, Paul. He was from California but had been living in French Polynesia for over 25 years. Paul holds degrees in anthropology and archeology. He also had a sense of humor and plenty of cultural details.

His narration at the various stops offered a historical backstory, sprinkled with modern day sensibilities. If visiting Huahine, we would certainly suggest booking this tour with Paul.

Leaving the small pier in Huahine Iti, we took the bridge over to Huahine Nui. After visiting the island capital, we stopped at a local vanilla plantation.

The tour also included a hike up to Mata’ire Hill to see some marae and learn more about pre-western and post western religion, society, and traditions. While described as a moderate walk, the path was muddy, slippery, and often unmarked making the climb a bit more difficult than we expected, especially while wearing flip flops.

Additional stops on this tour included a small museum in Maeva Village, a stop in the village of Faie to feed the blue-eyed eels found only in Huahine, and a photo op at Belvedere Lookout with the ship docked out in Maroe Bay.

Preparing to Return to Reality

Paul was a great tour guide and very passionate, but rather long-winded. Thus, the tour went over its scheduled time by about 30 minutes.

By the time we got back to the pier and tendered back to the ship, it was after 1:30 pm. With the Veranda closing at 2 pm, we quickly dropped off our bags and cleaned off our muddy mess before racing up to lunch.

Today’s lunch was an odd mixture of items. I was able to cobble together a plate, while the Princess opted for a grilled chicken sandwich again.

This was certainly the hottest and most humid day of the trip! From sitting in the open air Le Truck and hiking up the mountain, we were a bit sun-drained. So, we headed back to our room to rest up.

Plus, we had to start preparing for our long travel time home. This meant packing, as well as getting our COVID test between 4-6 pm.

We arrived right at 4 pm and quickly received our swabs from the ship’s doctor.

Saying Good Bye to Star Breeze

Tonight was the crew talent show to which we were looking forward, as it was a fun time during our previous sailing on Wind Surf.

Sadly, during the Captain’s 5 pm announcement, he indicated that a few crew members tested positive for COVID, so the show needed to be cancelled. We appreciated the honesty and Windstar Cruises’ precautions when it came to onboard protocols.

So, there would be no farewell toast or crew talent show, meaning the night was pretty wide open now.

Like usual, we were to dinner promptly at 7 pm.

One thing I like about Windstar Cruises is that there are no formal nights; though, the Princess might disagree. However, tonight’s menu did feature typical formal night entrées including lobster tail and beef tenderloin. Needless to say, I made my own surf and turf.

The thinly sliced tenderloin was cooked to the perfect medium-rare temperature. The lobster tail was covered in a light sauce that was savory and rich. Coupled with some risotto, this lobster ranks among the best that I have ever had at sea!

Even the dessert this final evening was top notch. The grand marnier soufflé was the perfect ending to this meal.

With tonight’s show cancelled, we headed to Compass Rose for our final espresso martinis of the cruise. Maricela was happy to mix up this send off cocktail.

But first, we did make a pitstop at our suite to check the results of our COVID tests. Negative…phew!

Steve, the entertainment manager, arrived in Compass Rose around 9 pm for an impromptu piano session. He has a solid voice and piano skills; although, he does need to bone up on his song catalog.

About an hour later, it was officially time to say good bye to our new friends and call it a night.

Back to the room, we organized and packed a bit before going to bed. Windstar requests passengers put out bags between 5:30 and 6:30 am, not the night before.

So, we set our alarm for 5:30 am for disembarkation day.

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Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Disembarkation

Our Journey Home

Alas, our Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review was at its end.

Our flight home was not until 10:40 pm. So, our plan was to get a day room at the Intercontinental where we stayed pre-cruise. While we assumed Windstar had taken care of this for us, we ended up not getting the room. Unfortunately, this was a foreshadowing of how our travels home would unfold.

Still, we were booked on a shuttle to the Intercontinental. Here, we would see if we could at least get a day pass on our own once at the resort.

This shuttle to the Intercontinental (pink luggage tags) had a 8:20 am ship departure.

The ship pulled into Papeete around 7 am. By 7:45 am, the ship was cleared for disembarkation.

Grabbing our stuff, we headed to the deck 4 gangway slightly after 8 am. As we trekked down the two flights of stairs, we could see that there was no queue. So, we just walked right off the ship. Well, scanned out and exited down the external metal stairs to get shoreside. This had to be the simplest disembarkation ever.

On the pier, we grabbed our luggage and were pointed in the direction of our shuttle. The shuttle stopped first at the airport, then the Intercontinental. We arrived at the hotel by 8:45 am.

Unfortunately, day passes were sold out. So, we basically stayed in the lobby all day doing work and catching up on life. We grabbed lunch from the restaurant and intermittently chatted with a few of the other cruisers who were also using the facilities for the day.

A Long Two Days

We were notified of flight changes for our flight from Papeete to San Francisco early in the day. Basically, the plane was swapped out and our Premium Plus seats were now downgraded to Economy seats as this upgraded section no longer existed. Too bad, as these seats would have been the perfect sleeping accommodations for our overnight flight.

Later in the day, we noticed out seat assignments on both flights disappeared. I tried calling United to no avail. So, instead of taking our scheduled 8:40 pm transfer to the airport, we hopped on the 6:40 pm one.

Thankfully, this was the right move. While we had extra time to spend at the airport now, at least we were able to get some of our issues resolved. Although, we were told we would need to talk to an agent in San Francisco about our seat assignments on that flight.

Eventually, we began our long journey back to the East Coast.

Arriving in the San Francisco airport on time, the United representatives were able to help adjust our seats. Even though it was not the Princess’ preferred window seat, we were at least sitting together now.

However, due to the storms, our flight was delayed 2.5 hours. Thus, our Thursday night departure did not get us to Boston until after midnight on Saturday morning.

Still, we were finally home with memories of an unforgettable trip. Now, all we needed was some sleep because we had less than a week to unpack, do laundry, and repack for our next trip.

This Friday (March 4th), we will be departing on Royal Caribbean’s brand new Wonder of the Seas. It will be quite the change going from this small vessel to the largest cruise ship in the world!

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