Archive for January, 2007

On Wednesday, January 31, I leave for Bangkok to board Silversea Cruises’ Silver Whisper. I’ll be reporting with video feeds and commentary. Meantime, my colleague Geoff Edwards will be cruising “Around Cape Horn” on Regent’s Seven Seas’ Mariner. Tune it to his commentary by clicking here.

Avid Cruiser TV host Ralph Grizzle takes a look at the new enhancements and more on Windstar Cruises’ ‘New’ Wind Surf. Click To View Videos in Pop-up Window

Wind Surf has no staterooms with balconies, and while I do love balconied staterooms, the Wind Surf itself functions as one “giant” balcony. With beautiful teak planking, Wind Surf’s exterior decks offered lots of room for sitting to admire the scenery or bask in the sun – and never felt crowded during my seven-day Caribbean cruise. Click to view video.

Measuring 188 square feet and with all new Degrees of Difference enhancements in place, Wind Surf’s staterooms are lush and comfortable (click here to view video).

If you’ve been on Holland America Line’s ships in the past year or so, you’ll recognize the new Yacht Club on Wind Surf (click here to view video). It’s a lot like Holland America’s Explorations Cafe, with computers, internet and specialty coffees. The Yacht Club replaces the library and provides comfortable seating for relaxing and socializing. An espresso bar offers gourmet coffee drinks, and eight computers with Internet access are available; personal laptops may also connect to wireless Internet. A large flatscreen television anchors a seating area for group gatherings to watch special events such as the Oscars or the Super Bowl. A library of books, CDs and DVDs are available for checkout. Leather sofas and comfortable furniture round out the Yacht Club, which also features listening stations with iPod docks and headphones.

Proof that the sails really do work. View this video. Wind Surf is exceptionally beautiful when under full sail. In this video just off the coast of St. Kitts, we follow Wind Surf in a small boat as she heads for Nevis.

A motor sailing yacht, Wind Surf’s sails aren’t just for show. “There’s more power in the sails than there is in the engines,” says Captain Tim Roberts. Occasionally, Captain Roberts will cut the engines and proceed under sail. But there has to be a good wind. Wind Surf can make 9 knots in good wind, and in the Caribbean the Leeward islands are famous for tradewinds, so there’s a good chance to go under sail power only. Click here to view video.

Wind Surf sails alternating seven-day northbound and southbound itineraries roundtrip from Bridgetown, Barbados. Combined, they offer an ideal opportunity to sail for 14-days visiting islands in the windward and leeward chain. The northbound itinerary visits Nevis; St. Martin; St. Barthélemy; Basse-Terre and Les Saintes, Guadeloupe; and St. Lucia. The southbound itinerary visits Bequia, Dominica, St. Lucia, The Grenadines, Grenada and Tobago. Both itineraries offer a mix of attractions – white sand beaches for sunning and swimming, tropical forests for nature hikes, quaint towns for a peek at how the locals live, and parks and historic sites to explore. On 14-day cruises, part of Windstar’s Connoisseurs’ Collection, guests receive up to 10% off the total cost of the cruise depending on date and itinerary. Click here to view video.

Wind Surf set sail in the Caribbean this winter on 41 voyages featuring six different itineraries roundtrip from St. Thomas and Barbados. Sailing through March, Wind Surf combines out-of-the-way and quaint Caribbean ports with an intimate experience akin to sailing on one’s personal mega-yacht. The company put a lot of thought into creating one week Caribbean cruises capable of being combined for a two-week vacation. The two week voyage on the Wind Surf visits popular ports such as St. Barts and St. Martin, and also gives passengers a glimpse of a quieter side of the Caribbean with less visited islands such as The Grenadines and Tobago. (Click here to view video).

With a capacity for only 312 guests, Wind Surf’s embarkation procedure was a breeze. Thirty minutes after boarding, I was in stateroom 117B. More on that in just a moment. Click here to view video.

I was traveling with a group of journalists, and we stopped off to take a look at the two new Bridge Deck Suites before the suites’ occupants arrived on board. First off, the suites are huge. With a living and dining area, separate bedroom with walk-in closet and a marble bathroom with whirlpool tub, separate shower and two sinks, these luxurious suites measure approximately 500-square foot each.  Read more... (468 words, estimated 1:52 mins reading time)