This was the third time we have sailed on the Wind Surf and it proved to be every bit as good as we remembered and maybe even a bit better. This was the first time in the Caribbean on the Wind Surf and we boarded in St. Maarten. We got in two days early to avoid any chance of winter weather in the Northeast stopping us from arriving on time. We stayed at the Holland House in Phillipsburg and that was a good choice as it had a beach and we could actually see our ship (along with other ships) as it pulled in. It was a quick $10 ride to the dock but you could actually walk there or take a ferry. We arrived about 2 PM and as always, they made embarkation a breeze. We dropped off our carry on bags and then headed towards the Veranda for lunch. Two servers recognized us from a cruise 1 1/2 years earlier. Thus started the cruise that makes the experience better than being on a big ship. Every single staff member made us feel that they really wanted us to have a wonderful experience. The other couple traveling with us was on their first WindStar cruise and they felt the same way so it was not just due to our being repeat customers. I did later learn that nearly the half of cruisers were repeat customers. Our room was as advertised, small with two portholes but very well organized. There was tons of room to store every thing we brought and our bags were in the room when we returned from lunch. We met our room steward and he said just leave a note for anything we wanted. We only saw him once during the week but he kept the room very clean and delivered an extra set of wine glasses when requested. We appreciated his service. We never used room service as there really is not an appropriate seating area to even have breakfast. We have begun to take the lowest cost room as they all are the same size but cost changes as related to position on the ship. The suites are actually two rooms but we did not feel the need to spend the extra dollars as our goal was to get out of the room and enjoy the sun on the decks of the ship. I am going to throw something in here that maybe corporate could work on. I do not feel that WindStar rewards loyalty. I actually called corporate headquarters to ask about a complimentary upgrade that they say they offer for past guests. The guy said there really were none as the ship was pretty much full but that was not actually the case as the ship sailed with well under 300 passengers. The request might have been complicated by the fact that we had adjoining cabins. Also, aside from a cocktail party for returning guests there really was nothing. How about some perks? Other lines offer things like free laundry or wifi.

At any rate, muster was handled very efficiently and professionally and it made us feel that the crew was well equipped to handle any emergency. The crew is where I really saw a bit of a difference. They seem driven to perform at the highest level. It was almost like they want to be known as the most efficient and pleasant staff in the industry and on this cruise, they were. The best example is when on the night of the deck barbecue a storm kicked up about a half hour before the start. The crew quickly moved everything inside, had the grills under cover and made it a terrific experience. It was truly wonderful even though we could not be under the stars. This captain, by the way, is the friendliest and most personable captain I have ever encountered on over a dozen cruises. He is a real delight and it should be noted that public announcements were minimal. His fellow officers seem to reflect his enthusiasm and they all proved to be wonderful during the week. An example was when the announced galley tour filled to capacity, the head chef offered another one and even gave individual tours to two late arriving couples. In every way, he showed pride in his job, his staff and the food throughout the week was uniformly good to excellent. Even though the ship is small they have three dinner options and they all were wonderful. Candles serves grilled fare and a veal chop I had there was truly memorable. The other two dining rooms were beautiful and had wonderful food and beverage service.

The reception desk was served by several fabulous young ladies who were always pleasant and willing to serve. They greeted every guest with a smile and tried their hardest to help the guests. Though the amazing Myra was our wonderful facilitator, all the young ladies and their manager, Anthony, were seen providing exemplary service to everyone I saw. Read more