Wind Star

WindStar Greek Island Tour

May

Pros: Small ship with only 140 passengers, Itinerary, Cabins, Food, Crew

Cons: Ship needs refurbishment and will get it in 11/23.

Recommended: Yes

Crew members appear to be a "family", and all are very attentive to passenger needs. Food was outstanding -- about the best we've had on any cruise (and we've been on 30+ cruises). WindStar makes an effort to be at ports when the larger ships aren't, which means fewer people in port cities and easier touring. Our cruise offered Dinner at Ephesus: fabulous!!! This was our reason for taking the cruise and it lived up to expectations. Our cabin was comfortable, with more storage space than many larger cruise ships. And the pre-cruise hotel was outstanding, with a beautiful view of the Acropolis from the dining room.

One of the best ways to cruise

March

Pros: Food was delicious, crew were outstanding, rooms were a nice size for 2 people and it was perfect for relaxing with its laidback vibe

Cons: The wifi was terrible and the shore excursions were not the best

Recommended: Yes

It was a wonderful week and met quite a few people we enjoyed spending time with around the pool and hot tubs. The crew went above and beyond and always had a smile. The deck bbq was a fun night with crew and guests dancing, definitely a highlight. It will be hard to go back to the bigger ships after sailing windstar.

Greek Islands

October

Pros: Ship was in excellent condition. Food was fabulous. Accommodations were very good. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. Tours were well organized.

Cons: Use of the wifi was sold in packages were not convenient if you just wanted limited usage. Network for TV viewing was very sporadic. Needs to be updated with latest technology. Unfortunately this ship did not have cabin balconies which would have been great as you sail past the islands.

Recommended: Yes

Highly recommend this cruise. However make sure you book a cabin in front as to avoid the constant noise of the engines. Also, the use of the sails is limited to proper wind conditions which only happened one time during the entire cruise. Not a major factor though. Only drawback was when we anchored off of Santorini, probably the most beautiful of all the islands, we had to leave by 4pm. An overnite stay at this location is very desirable.

Greek Islands and Turkish Delights

June

Pros: Intimacy of the smaller ship, personal recognition, better service.

Cons: No balcony in the staterooms.

Recommended: Yes

We were surprised to have a personal escort onto the ship - no big 'sorting hall', and then we were each personally greeted with a handshake from all the ships officers as we boarded. This set the tone for personalized service throughout the voyage. We were also impressed at the superior guides and better tours offered due to the smaller groups, compared to that offered by larger cruise lines. The food was delectable and the friendly service was great.

It would be really hard to top this one!

March

Pros: Small ship! Nicely appointed suites; exceptionally attentive service, great food.

Cons: Hard to find one, but if you're looking for lots of evening entertainment, you won't find it here.

Recommended: Yes