The Avid Cruiser

June 30, 200 nautical miles east of the Bahamas — The Crown Princess’ sleek hull slices the Atlantic Ocean’s gentle swells as our ship makes its way back to New York. Crown Princess departed Brooklyn’s cruise terminal last Friday morning, and here, on our return one week later, passengers are intent on savoring the last two days of a nine-day cruise. Continue Reading »

Marigot, Saint Marten, 6 a.m. — The engines are quietly rumbling as Wind Surf makes her way into the snug harbor on the French side of St. Martin. Rising from my bed, I pull back the curtains to peer out of the portholes, only a few feet above the waterline. Across the rippling water are sailboats bobbing in the harbor, and behind them, layers of verdant hills and the rosy tint of the morning sky. Morning has broken in Marigot. Continue Reading »

When he was but a nine-year-old boy, my son Alex reached into the Windex-blue waters on a sandy Bahamian beach and quickly withdrew his hand to proclaim, “Dad, I touched a stingray.” He furrowed his tender brow and added thoughtfully, “They’re nice.”

In doing so, he had ascribed a sweet, if somewhat inaccurate, characteristic to the stingray. Yes, the stingray was nice indeed, particularly with its barb blunted for safety. None of tragedy that befell animal lover Steve Irwin here. Off the coast of Australia, a ray’s barb had pierced his heart and stunned the world.

Alex, my daughter and I were in a friendlier place, a paradise really, free of danger and removed from the real world, an idyllic island created for us by a cruise line.

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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).