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7372 W.
Heron Pond Dr. - Mequon, WI 53092 - PHONE 262.241-0803 - FAX 262-241-0804
Friday, March 15, 2013
Last week my wife and I had the
opportunity to sail on Windstar Cruises for the 17th time. This
voyage took us to St. Maarten to inspect the refurbished msy Wind Surf. We were
able to inspect the newly renovated msy Wind Star in the Mediterranean last
July, however we have four more bookings on the Wind Surf this year and wanted
to see her in her finished state before our clients board her in Venice this
October. We have sailed on her a number of times before with our clients (this
was our 9th journey on Wind Surf) but with the new ownership of the
yachts and all of the new buzz going on about the ship and the company there is
nothing like experiencing it first hand.
From the outside she has the same
beautiful look, albeit freshly painted and sporting new sails, but once we
boarded we certainly noticed a number of changes, all of which were extremely
appealing. Some of the changes were physical, as in a complete redecoration of
the entire interior of the ship, and some were in the atmosphere and feeling you
got on boarding, a whole new vibe permeating the ship.
All of the staterooms have been
redecorated in today’s colors and fabrics, the hallways and artwork are all new
and very tasteful. All of the common areas have been revamped and are bright,
airy, colorful and fun to be in. The Lounge is a great place for a cocktail and
some live entertainment (a few nights there was a guest entertainer, Nicky Evans
of X Factor fame), and looks very different with the casino now being closed off
at the far end as well as other new accouterments. The Yacht Club is a
wonderful option for a quick gourmet sandwich and cup of coffee or cappuccino or
espresso or a soft drink. AmphorA, the main restaurant has a wonderful new feel
and the newly christened Stella Bistro restaurant (the old Degrees) has also
been very tastefully redone with a very nice wine list. Compass Rose bar, with
new highly polished wood flooring and furniture is still a wonderful place to
listen to live music, read, enjoy afternoon tea or just hang out and watch the
world go by. Even the Verandah, the breakfast and lunch restaurant, has been
redone and looks very spiffy with a new omelet/egg action station. A great deal
of the teak decking has been replaced and the ship looks as good as she did when
she first sailed in 1990.
And while all of the upgrades and
improvements and new furniture are wonderful, what really struck me is the new
attitude that permeates the ship. As I said earlier, we have been on Windstar
many times throughout the ownership changes and have experienced both the good
and the bad.
From the Captain and Hotel Manager on
down to the engineering crew, everyone is delighted with the new ownership. We
made it a point to speak to many of the crew, who are as friendly as anybody you
will meet anywhere. The Captain is easily accessible as he roams the ship
stopping for a chat with any and all who would like some of his time. Some
mornings you would find him on the floor in the Fitness Center going through a
stretching class with many of the guests. The other officers are equally as
outgoing and everyone, even the sailors in the tenders, has a smile on their
face. Many of the talented crew have been with Windstar for a number of years
and have seen the positives and negatives of the previous owners and management
teams but they all agree that things are different with the new owners who have
invested heavily in all three of the ships. They believe in the product and the
new direction and it shows.
Last, but certainly not least as the food
is a major reason many people sail on Windstar, the new menus in all of the
restaurants for all of the meals are wonderful – including the new room service
menu. I spent about an hour with Corporate Chef Gerard van Helvoort who is
excited about the improvements not just in the selection of items served on the
menus but the upgrade in quality of the products that he is able to provide
under the new ownership. The steaks that we had in Candles alfresco restaurant
were as good as we have had anywhere in the world. And at lunch you can’t beat
their cheeseburger.
We have long been a supporter of Windstar
Cruises, and based on the way things are continuing to move forward with the
company’s vision for the future, we will continue to support her by bringing our
clients on what is arguably the best service from the best Captain’s and crews
on any ships sailing today. |
