Cruise Spotlight
|
Winter / Spring 2017
37
hile mega cruise ships ply the seas
with as many as 6,000 passengers,
smaller-scale sailing and power
yachts attract discerning voyagers who enjoy
connecting with no more than 310 travelers
on board. Comfortably elegant and sleek, these
agile vessels can dock steps from city centers and
disembark without a wait, even droping anchor
in hidden coves. Daily stops in port mean chefs
stock their galleys with fresh, local produce and
the ocean’s bounty. These ships are so intimate,
knowledgeable staff are always close at hand, but
never in the way. Windstar Cruises and Crystal
Yacht Cruises have refreshed suites and devised
new itineraries with exhilarating excursions that
include biking, shopping, even diving into a
mini-submarine sojourn.
Windstar Cruises
Six boutique ships, evenly divided between
tall-masted sailing vessels and classic all-suite
motor-powered yachts, make up Windstar’s
flotilla.
Wind Surf
is the big sister ship with 310
passengers, while
Wind Spirit
and
Wind Star
welcome roughly half as many aboard. With 212
guests each,
Star Pride, Star Legend,
and
Star Breeze
doubled the company’s fleet in 2014 and 2015.
Churning through waters worldwide, Windstar
ships tie-up in snug harbors where Product
Manager Melissa Witsoe connects passengers
with soft adventures onshore and days of cultural
enrichment. She’s ready for private arrangements
when requested. That translates into everything
from touring with a local photographer in Croatia
or crowning a Croatian canyon hike with a picnic
lunch. Late in 2017, new Arabian stops and
revamped Asian routes will
offer visits to ancient sites such
as Luxor in Egypt and city tours
in Hanoi, Vietnam. In addition
to enriching experiences, Ms.
Witsoe recalls an enthusiastic
guest who never missed shore
experiences in Italy. Later
bidding the woman good-bye,
Ms. Witsoe learned, “She had been going through
chemotherapy and had gone on the cruise for the
two weeks off before her second round.”
Guests boarding Windstar ships leave their
kitchens at home, but bring their taste buds. In
addition to feasting on locally-influenced menus,
passengers who sign up may go marketing with
the chef. Getting a glimpse of upcoming meals,
W
Windstar’s flotilla of six ships are large
enough to pamper and entertain you, yet
small enough to tuck into the tiny harbors
and hidden coves larger ships can’t reach.
Guests boarding Windstar ships
leave their kitchens at home, but
bring their taste buds.
