I love cruising. Big boats, barges, small boats all have their pluses and minuses. The Windsurf is the big sister ship to the Windstar and the Wind Spirit. We traveled on the Wind Spirit and it was great. Close to the water, intimate, a feeling of adventure without danger. The Windsurf felt big by comparison(not by comparison to Allure of the Seas), a little clumsy It had the drawbacks of small ships however. i.e. entertainment limited at best, no balconies, no speakers, not much activity.

Windsurf has exceptional staffing and food. The excursions were well run and the ports made every day a new experience. I would recommend taking a cruise on Windstar if it goes where you want to go. I would choose the smaller ships however. They are more like sailboats.

When you do book be aware that on board credits cannot be used for gratuities, and may only be used for excursions and items purchased on board (not precruise).