Luxury Cruise Bible

Barbados Northbound with Windstar's Wind Surf

Submitted by: Andrea M. Rotondo, Luxury Cruise Bible editor from New Jersey, USA

Cruise Details

• Cruise line: Windstar Cruises
• Ship: Wind Surf
• Date of sailing: 3/18/2007
• Number of nights: 7
• Embarkation point: Bridgetown, Barbados
• Debarkation point: Bridgetown, Barbados
• Ports of call: Caribbean ports of Basseterre, St. Kitts • Charlestown, Nevis • Marigot, St. Martin • Gustavia, St. Barthelemy • Basse Terre, Guadeloupe • Iles Des Saintes, Guadeloupe • Pigeon Island, St. Lucia
• Stateroom category: Oceanview Stateroom B Category
• How did you book your cruise? Direct through cruise line

Ratings

• Overall Rating 5
• Ship Condition 4
• Public Rooms 4
• Stateroom 3
• Food & Wine 4
• Spa, Gym, and Salon 4
• Entertainment n/r
• Enrichment Program n/r
• Internet & Phone Service 4
• Excursions 4
• Service 4
• Value 4

It had been one of those days. A blast of snow, sleet, and ice slammed the Northeast the day before we were set to leave for Barbados and our Windstar cruise. The storm had been so bad, our dead-end street wasn’t yet plowed by the designated pickup time for our car to the airport. Yes, we had to hump our luggage down the street—across heaps of snow and ice—to get to the main road where our taxi was waiting. Phew! Nice start to the day, but at least we were heading to the Caribbean!

Prior to leaving for the airport, I called American Airlines several times to confirm that our flight would depart from JFK to Barbados. They indicated that not only was the flight leaving, it was on schedule. Terrific! Well, the 1-(800) operators don’t always have the most recent information from the field. We arrived at JFK and waited in the check-in line for 105 minutes. This left us only 20 minutes before takeoff! With no time to stop to grab breakfast, we raced through the terminal and boarded the airplane.

Just as we finished stowing our carry-on items, the flight attendant announced that due to yesterday’s weather, numerous planes were in front of us for de-icing and we wouldn’t take off for at least an hour and a half. Oh boy. Ground crew did escort a few of us off the plane so we could stock up on food. That was a wise move since we eventually sat on the tarmac for four more hours! We didn’t take off until 2:30 p.m. (We should have landed in Barbados by that time!) It was not a fun day, but we made it.

Since we booked this cruise at the last minute, the Accra Beach Hotel—Windstar’s preferred resort—was completely booked. Instead, we took a room at the nearby Coconut Court Beach Hotel. The hotel consists of 77 rooms and offers a small pool and Jacuzzi, a restaurant/bar, beach volleyball, table tennis, and pool tables. There are also several activities scheduled throughout the day.

The room we booked was air-conditioned, clean, and spacious with an oceanfront view. French doors led to a small balcony overlooking the gorgeous beach. Internet access was included in the room rate (about $180 U.S./night).

We enjoyed a late dinner at The Deck Restaurant (open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.). The food was quite good (think grilled king fish) and the service was excellent.

Overall, the hotel is nice for the price, but I wouldn’t stay here for a week. (No room service or in-room mini-bar and a way-too-firm bed led me to this decision.) But, if you’re coming in to Barbados and need a room for the day or one night, this is a solid choice. Coconut Court has a prime beach location—a nice calm stretch of it—and you can easily walk to the Hilton from here.

Day 1 Aboard the Wind Surf

On our first morning in Barbados we woke to a beautiful sunrise. The stress from the previous day of travel had already started to slip away and we were anxious to head to the cruise terminal and board the Windstar Wind Surf at 1:00 p.m.

We walked the beach from our home base at the Coconut Court Beach Resort to the Hilton. The waves at the beach fronting the Hilton were definitely rougher than those at CCBR, but there are a few break walls that help slow things down a bit. There is also a surf spot close to the Hilton.

We did not walk in the opposite direction toward the Accra Beach Hotel, but we did see the entrance when we drove to our hotel the night before.

After some beach time and a walk-round for snapping pictures, we checked out of Coconut Court and hopped in a cab bound for the Barbados cruise terminal. Since it was a Sunday, all of the shops (save one ceramic boutique) were closed. A Wind Surf crew person checked us in and took our luggage and we only had to wait about 15 minutes for a shuttle bus to transfer us to the ship. (It was close enough to walk but with all of the truck and bus traffic, Windstar required all passengers to transfer via shuttle.)

This was our first trip aboard the Wind Surf and our first impression was, “Wow!” She really is a gorgeous ship—inside and out. We couldn’t wait to see the sails unfurl.

Check-in was a bit more comprehensive than on other ships we’ve sailed, but it still only took about 20 minutes from start to finish. Upon boarding the Wind Surf, we were ushered to The Lounge on the Main Deck and were handed a rum punch. A tray of tea sandwiches was also available.

To check in, we visited three tables: At the first table, we surrendered our passports and showed our boarding passes and immigration cards. A crewman at the next table swiped our credit card and took our photos for security purposes. We then picked up our room keys at the final table and were escorted to our cabin on Deck One. We booked the first cabin on the hallway—all the way forward—near the elevator. We like this location since it’s easy to get to everything on the ship from here. The one downside is being able to clearly hear the ship’s horn (really only an issue in the evening when you’re trying to sleep).

I was worried that the cabin—with just two small portholes—would seem cramped, but Windstar really put some thought into the layout of this room. It actually felt spacious due to the strategic use of mirrors and the dual portholes.

Since our luggage was in our room when we arrived, we went ahead and unpacked and freshened up before heading up to Compass Rose to enjoy a glass of wine and afternoon tea.

Later that evening, we dined at Degrees. You do need to make reservations for this open-seating dining room, but there is no additional surcharge and the food was excellent. I enjoyed a grilled shrimp cocktail, delicious olive foccacia (all of the bread baked on the Wind Surf is excellent), a champagne sorbet palate cleanser, and bacon-wrapped filet mignon with creamed spinach and shoestring French fries. I topped it off with a piece of flourless chocolate cake, accented with pistachio brittle (luscious!). Our night out at Degrees was fantastic and set our expectations for the rest of the cruise.

Windstar Provides Info on Sale

When we boarded the ship, we received the following letter from Windstar Cruises. It explained the sale of the line to Ambassadors International. Here’s the full text:

Dear Guests,

On February 22, 2007 Holland America Line announced that it will sell Windstar Cruises to Ambassadors International, a Newport, California-based cruise, marine, travel, and event company.

Both companies are committed to making the transition seamless and positive for all of Windstar Cruises guests and staff. Ambassadors International is no stranger to the cruise industry and has a successful history of operating luxury cruise ships under its Majestic America Line brand.

Ambassadors plans to operate the Windstar Cruises brand as it exists today, including its itineraries, casually elegant atmosphere, unique culinary experience, and the famed on-board service delivered by its renowned staff. Moreover, Ambassadors will endeavor to improve the value proposition for its guests.

The sale is scheduled to close at the beginning of April. However, Holland America Line/Windstar Cruises will continue to handle reservations and operate the vessels in the near term through a transitional services agreement. Ambassadors also looks forward to welcoming the extraordinary officers, crew, and personnel of Windstar Cruises to its family, which now includes a fleet of 10 ships and approximately 2,200 passenger berths.

We know the officers and crew aboard this ship are looking forward to delivering the renowned service and experience of Windstar Cruises. Please enjoy your cruise vacation.

Sincerely,

Diane Moore, Vice President / Marketing and Sales — Windstar Cruises

Day 2: A Sea Day

Day 2 was the only sea day on this Caribbean itinerary and everyone was out in force by the pools and on deck. When the Wind Surf is fully booked (as it is on this cruise), it’s a bit tough to snag chaise lounges since many guests “claim” them early in the morning by leaving a book or beach bag on the chair. If you want a good location on deck or near the pool, you need to do this. We couldn’t get a good spot until about 4:00 p.m. Even so, we had a great day just relaxing.

Day 3: St. Kitts & Nevis

On Day 3 we woke to find that the Wind Surf was not docked at Bassetterre on St. Kitts as originally planned. Evidently, the Jamaican Navy had taken our slip, so Captain Mark Boylin had to anchor in the harbor. Hey, it’s the Caribbean. Expect changes in the schedule; they will occur from time to time. This was really no big deal. It just meant taking a quick tender ride to the pier.

St. Kitts and Nevis (the afternoon port) are a two-island federation and are only two miles apart. This is the smallest independent nation you can visit in the western hemisphere. St. Kitts is quite small and it’s best to take a tour here or rent a taxi and have the driver give you the lowdown on the island. The local taxi drivers wait at the pier and will show you on a map the places they can take you. Negotiate a price before getting in the car/van. (The drivers are friendly but they do give an aggressive sales pitch.)

There was a lot of construction going on in Basseterre and it looked like they’re creating a modern duty-free shopping mall right off the pier. Not many of the shops were open when we visited, but we’re not too interested in shopping anyway.

Elise, the Wind Surf‘s hostess, suggested the following points of interest on the island:

Beaches—Frigate Bay, Friar’s Bay, Banana Bay, Cockleshell Bay, Sand Bank Bay, and White House Bay (all with white sand). White House Bay is a good destination for snorkeling. (Don’t forget to bring along your complimentary Windstar-provided snorkle gear!) The best beaches are on the island’s southeastern coast.

Other Points of Interest

• Fort—Most of the islands we visited have at least one fort to explore. On St. Kitts, head to Brimstone Hill. It’s about 30 minutes from Basseterre, entry is $8 U.S., and the hours are generally 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Berkeley Memorial Clock at the Circus—This spot is reminiscent of London’s Piccadilly Circus.
• Independence Square
• The Anglican Church
• Traditional British colonial houses
• Pelican Shopping Mall

If you don’t plan on going to the beach or shopping, it won’t take you long to explore St. Kitts. Windstar offered one shore excursion here: a 3.5-hour scenic train ride (with part of the loop via bus). We didn’t want to be confined for that long so we did our own thing.

Our main goal for this half-day port was to take some photos. However, the skies were a bit cloudy so we weren’t able to get too many “money” shots. When it began to rain, we headed back to the Wind Surf to get ready for our afternoon sail to nearby Nevis. Again, this is another small island, but the beaches are gorgeous. Some of our fellow passengers headed for the posh Four Seasons resort; others went to the beach for swimming and snorkeling. This is the place to see lots of animals, including monkeys, goats, and roosters/chickens.

Windstar offered tender service to Charlestown, as well as a few excursions. In hindsight, we should have signed up for the 3.5-hour kayaking adventure. That sounded really fun. There was also a biking tour and a trip to the plantation inns of Nevis.

Weather-permitting, this is the place to spend time at the beach. We unfortunately had a cloudy, somewhat rainy day so we didn’t visit as many places as we originally thought we might. When you go, check out Pinney’s Beach, Oualie Beach, the Nisbet Plantation Inn, Montpelier Plantation, The Hermitage, Golden Rock Plantation, the rainforest, and the Botanical Gardens.

After an hour or so on Nevis, we headed back to the ship for a dip in the pool before dinner at The Restaurant. We dined toward the end of dinner service, but the room was still hopping. The meal here was one of the best we’ve had on any cruise ship. In fact, it was one of the best meals I’ve had at a restaurant…period! My starter was a roasted acorn squash timbale while my husband had a Caesar salad. We both enjoyed French onion soup and then a perfect Maine lobster tail. (We’re originally from New England and have easy access to Maine lobster, but we both agreed this was the tastiest lobster we’ve had in ages.) For dessert, I went for a caramel pudding and Len couldn’t resist the cheese course. The meal was scrumptious. After dinner we strolled around the ship and then enjoyed a nightcap before retiring for the evening.

Day 4: Wind Surf Changes Her Flag

Day 4 was a special day for the crew. Holland America/Carnival had just sold Windstar Cruises to Ambassadors Line. The ship officially changed flag this afternoon. We sailed from Barbados under the Dutch flag but were now sailing under the flag of the Bahamas.

Day 4: Marigot, St. Martin

This was one of those perfect vacation days. We tendered to Marigot on the French side of St. Martin. Since this is one of the more developed islands that we’re visiting on this itinerary, we decided to rent a car. We selected a mid-size, four-door from Xtreme ($35 US). The rental kiosks are right on the pier so it’s very easy to rent a car, even if you don’t have a reservation. Xtreme provided great service and the car was ready after about two minutes of paperwork.

We immediately headed to nearby Fort Louis (you can walk to the Fort from the pier, by the way). Once you park there is still a very steep staircase that you must climb, but the view is really worth it! From here, you can see just about all of Marigot. This is also the perfect spot to take photos of the Wind Surf anchored in the bay.

From the Fort, we headed to Plantation Mont Vernon. This is a good stop if you enjoy learning a bit about the history of the island and want to take photos (plantation house, coffee bean production area, rum distillery, etc.). There is also a nice gift shop there.

After the Plantation, we headed to Orient Beach…quite lovely but really crowded! If you want to parasail or water ski, this is a great spot. If you want peace and quiet, find a more secluded beach!

After looking around for a bit, we moved on to Grand Case and had a delicious lunch at a small French restaurant called Le Soleil. From there we drove around to take in some sights and then ended up back at the pier for some shopping at the Marigot Marketplace (local crafts and souvenirs).

Evening 4: Out of This World Caribbean Buffet

After returning to the ship from Marigot, we got ready for Windstar’s signature Caribbean Buffet. The crew transformed The Lounge into a dining room and prepared a sumptuous buffet in the area where the art is usually showcased (between The Lounge and the Yacht Club). A gloriously whimsical dessert buffet was also setup in The Restaurant’s lobby.

The meal was simply out of this world and the artistry shown in the décor and desserts was impressive.

Menu items included:

• proscuitto-wrapped melon
• shrimp cocktail
• crab legs
• shrimp-stuffed avocados
• roast suckling pig
• cheese course
• salad bar
• wonderful homemade breads
• An amazing dessert table with luscious cheesecake, carrot cake, apple strudel, and strawberry cream swan puffs

The crew show followed the buffet and everyone went back to their cabins smiling!

Day 5: St. Barth’s

St. Barth’s was beautiful! It’s an enclave for the rich (make that super-rich) and famous. Just walk along the dock at Gustavia (where the Wind Surf tender drops off visitors) and you’ll see mega-yachts from all over the world. This is a French outpost, but most locals also speak English.

Gustavia is a cute little village with lots of restaurants, duty free boutiques, and specialty shops. We had originally planned to rent a car, but thankfully changed our minds. The roads are incredibly narrow and steep. The mountainous terrain can be intimidating to drivers, especially the areas that lack guardrails.

Instead of renting a car, we opted to ride the shuttle. For $15 per person, you can hop on and hop off the small minivan and visit different parts of the island. The trip provided a great overview and we were able to get off the van whenever we saw something of interest.

The beaches are lovely but a few are tougher to reach than others. For example, you’ll need to hike a bit to get to Colombier but we heard it was worth the effort; we’ll head there next time.

Many Wind Surf passengers walked to nearby Shell Beach to enjoy some snorkeling. Others went to La Saline, Gouverneur beach, and Grand Cul de Sac lagoon.

We visited Saint Jean Beach so we could also check out Eden Rock Hotel (below).

Day 6: Two Ports in Guadeloupe

The agenda for Day 6 includes visits to two islands of Guadeloupe: Basse Terre and Iles des Saintes. We really enjoyed both ports, but we fell in love with Iles des Saintes.

Guadeloupe is actually two islands—Basse Terre and Grand Terre. They’re connected by the strait Riviere Salee and together they form the subtle shape of a butterfly.

At Basse Terre, the Wind Surf was able to dock—a nice change of pace from the use of tenders to shore. We booked a Windstar glass-bottom boat shore excursion to visit Pigeon Island (no relation to Pigeon Island, St. Lucia) and the Cousteau Marine Reserve.

A modern air-conditioned bus picked us up (about 40 Wind Surf guests) from the dock in the morning. Our guide told us about Guadeloupe during the approximately 30-minute drive to Malendure Beach. The ride was well worth it! This is a lovely black sand beach with a scuba rental kiosk for trips to nearby Pigeon Island. There is also a small outdoor market with stalls selling straw hats and bags, clothes, postcards, recipe books, and more.

This was the perfect tour for me since I’m not the strongest swimmer. While others were able to snorkel off the back of the boat, I stayed on board and watched the fish through the glass bottom. Everyone who did snorkel loved the location. Lots of beautiful sea creatures and the opportunity to see locals fishing nearby.

When we returned to the Wind Surf that afternoon, a small outdoor market was set up on the dock and the local tourism department was on hand to showcase native costumes and traditional dances.

As we sailed from Basse Terre, we enjoyed a terrific Mexican buffet lunch at Veranda. We then visited the charming island of Iles des Saintes, off the southern coast of Guadeloupe. This is a gorgeous, albeit tiny, enclave—just five square miles housing 1,500 residents.

You’ll tender to the small coastal town of Bourg. Here you’ll enjoy shopping the main drag for T-shirts, jewelry, rum, paintings from a local art gallery, etc. There are several restaurants here, an ice cream parlor, and a few outdoor cafe/bars.

Our Basse Terre tour guide had raved about Pompierre (Pont Pierre Beach) on Iles des Saintes so we decided to head there first. To that end, we left our cameras on the Wind Surf. Big mistake! To get to Pompierre, you must walk for about 20 minutes along a paved road (some parts are a bit steep). After about five minutes, there’s a switchback in the road and you’ll have an amazing view of the bay and the Wind Surf. Wow! I wish we had our cameras!

As we walked further, we were greeted by sheep, goats, cows, and roosters. The trek was a bit much in the heat, but it was so worth it when we arrived at Pompierre. This is a spectacular beach with lots of shade trees and several gazebos that are so useful when you want to enjoy a picnic lunch. Be forewarned though…the goats are feisty and will try to nab your snacks!

Day 7: Beach BBQ on Pigeon Island, Saint Lucia

We’ve always loved Saint Lucia for the lush green landscape, the mountains, and the very friendly residents, so we were pleased that the Wind Surf spent her last full cruise day at Pigeon Island National Park. This is a great location near Castries, Saint Lucia’s capital city. There are two beaches at the park: one fairly large and one that’s just a small patch of sand. If you want to snag a shady spot for your lounge chair, arrive early. (There are plenty of chairs, but limited shade.)

Since this is a national park with an entry fee (no fee for Windstar guests), you won’t encounter many locals here and there’s no place to shop. If you want to do your own thing, just exit the park or visit the Sandals resort next door to grab a cab. (Windstar also offered three shore excursions on Saint Lucia: a catamaran to Soufriere’s Volcano, an ATV trip, or 18 holes at the St. Lucia Golf & Country Club.)

On this day the Wind Surf crew threw a beach BBQ. Since we’ve been to Saint Lucia before, we decided to focus solely on enjoying the beach, the National Park, and the BBQ. It was a blast!

Be sure to take your camera to Pigeon Island because you’ll have terrific views of the Atlantic Ocean (watch the waves crash on the rocks…it’s really rough on that side of the island!). There’s also a large parklike area with the ruins of several buildings from various periods dating back to when the British Commonwealth had a presence here in the early 1800s.

The park is also home to Fort Rodney. It’s a bit of a hike up to the top, but you can get some terrific photos of the entire area from the peak. If you walk up the trail, there will be a few clearings from which to take photos. We made it halfway up the trail before we got too hot and retreated back to the beach below!

By the time we returned to the beach, the Wind Surf crew was already setting up the BBQ. The Marina staff had also brought out some kayaks and other watercraft for everyone to enjoy and the team from the spa was setting up a lovely area under some palm trees for outdoor massages.

Dining manager Abdul brought about 14 crewmen over to the island via skiff. They brought tables, grills, and all the provisions needed for the BBQ.

Throughout the afternoon, Wind Surf passengers could take a kayak out to investigate the nearby areas. One- and two-seat kayaks were available.

A local band played Reggae favorites throughout the day. By early afternoon, the crew was grilling up a storm! Mouths were watering as they began cooking lobster tails, ribs, chicken, burgers, and hotdogs. And, of course, a full bar was provided. (Drinks charged to your shipboard account; water and ice tea were available free of charge.) The line for lunch was long at times, but the food was certainly worth the wait. I couldn’t resist the lobster tail and the ribs were very tender. The spread included a lot of nice cold salads as well (field greens, pasta salad, bean salad, potato salad, coleslaw, etc.).

The chefs did it again and carved a watermelon into a cute creature—a turtle this time. It accented the dessert table (an ice cream bar). At the end of the BBQ, they gifted the turtle to some children who were building a sand fort. Cute!

Everyone we spoke to had a wonderful time at Pigeon Island. We had to return to the ship far too soon so we could begin making our way back to Barbados. Despite being tired from a full day in the sun, almost everyone found a spot on one of the decks because we were set to sail past the twin peaks of the Pitons right before sunset. Located near Soufriere, these two volcanic mountains rise 2,400 feet. Because there is a deepwater channel around the Pitons, the Wind Surf sailed very close to them! Breathtaking!

After the sail by, it was time for our last dinner aboard the Wind Surf. We dined at The Restaurant and enjoyed it until the seas got a bit rough! (The cruise between Saint Lucia and Barbados is the roughest part of the itinerary. We had smooth sailing for all the other days.) We finished packing our bags and placed them in the hallway before 1 a.m. (per Wind Surf‘s instructions).

Day 8: Disembarkation and Barbados Day Tour

Since our flight back home wouldn’t take off until 4:00 p.m., we booked Windstar’s Discover Barbados day tour. They take your luggage directly to the airport while you tour the island. This is a much better option than hanging around the terminal all day! Our other option was booking a day room at a local hotel, but we thought a tour would be more fun.

What We Loved About the Wind Surf

• Intimate environment, but not too small
• Top-notch service from all members of the crew
• Terrific food and very creative (and friendly) chefs
• Excellent itinerary
• Comfortable cabin
• A smooth ride just about all the time (leaving and returning to Barbados was rough, but not a big deal)
• The flexibility of open-seating dining
• No children on board and just a few (well behaved) teens

What We Weren’t Crazy About

While our cruise wasn’t a charter, there was a large contingent from a pharmaceuticals company. This was an incentive bonus for some salespeople and there were a few nights that their group was fairly loud in the restaurants.

For More Information…

…talk with your travel agent, call Windstar at (877) 827-7245, or visit their website.