After a lengthy break from multiple sailings on Windstar, it was with some trepidation that we decided to book this trans-Atlantic crossing from Lisbon to Bridgetown on the Wind Star. We were concerned that we would be longing for the "old days" on this cruise. We shouldn’t have worried. The “new” Windstar exceeded our expectations in all areas with two exceptions that I will describe at the end of this review.

We spent a couple of nights in Lisbon before the cruise. We stayed at the Hotel Avenida Palace. The positive reviews we read online were accurate, and we would happily stay at the hotel again. The staff could not have been more gracious or accommodating, and the location was perfect for both walking on our own as well as taking tours/trams, etc. Next time, we would, however, ask for a room with a renovated bathroom.

The Lisbon Cruise Terminal was a short taxi ride from the hotel. We were dropped off at the terminal where a check-in table was set up outside. Both the Wind Star and the Wind Surf had passengers embarking at the same terminal. Each passenger gave their name and the ship they were sailing. The staff then chose the appropriate luggage tag for the ship, wrote the cabin number on the tag, and then attached the tag to the luggage. Porters took the luggage and it was not seen again until it was placed in the cabin. Read more