This was published 6 years ago
Windstar to introduce Signature Expeditions in Alaska for 2018
Windstar ships have on-board marinas stocked with watersports equipment.
If you've never heard of Windstar, you're not alone – the privately owned small-ship line is not as well-known in Australia as it is in the US and Europe. However, it's one well worth getting to know; at least half of Windstar passengers on any given cruise have sailed with the company before, which shows a high level of guest satisfaction.
Windstar has six ships, carrying between 148 and 310 passengers; three are motor-sailers of different sizes (Wind Star, Wind Spirit and Wind Surf), and three are identical, 212-passenger ships that have had $US9 million lavished on them since the company bought them from Seabourn in 2014 and 2016 – Star Breeze, Star Legend and Star Pride.
The company's catchphrase is "180 Degrees from Ordinary" and its ships sail to destinations and ports that are not possible to reach on a megaship; another attraction is that they are all fitted with on-board marinas stocked with watersports equipment such as water-skis, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and snorkelling kit.
Marienplatz, Munich, Germany.
Over a year they visit about 270 ports in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, Costa Rica and the Panama Canal, Alaska, Canada and New England, Tahiti and Asia – Indonesia is a new destination for Windstar this year.
Having sailed on Wind Spirit in French Polynesia (the four-masted motor-sail vessel is based there year-round), I would absolutely agree that the experience is far from ordinary. The friendly atmosphere, fabulous food and specially organised events ashore were everything you could wish for from a small ship cruise. Talking of shore tours, Windstar is developing private events for as few as two or four couples in select ports.
Windstar is introducing Signature Expeditions in Alaska this year. Expedition teams will be on board three different itineraries (Star Legend's 12-day Islands and Inlets of the Inside Passage, 12-day Alaskan Splendors and 14-day Wonders of Alaska); the ship is small enough to go well off the beaten track and kayaking and Zodiac adventures can be taken straight from the ship's marina.
In another first for the cruise line, Wind Surf – the largest motor-sail ship – is embarking on a 51-day Grand Mediterranean cruise in July next year. The ship will call at popular ports and small harbours in Portugal, Spain, Gibraltar, Malta and Italy, sailing to the farther reaches of Croatia, Montenegro, Greece and Turkey, then doubling back for more cultural immersion in Monaco and France before arriving in Barcelona on August 27.
This eight-week voyage will visit 42 ports and cover almost 9500 nautical miles and promises to be the sailing experience of a lifetime. See http://www.traveltheworld.com.au .
SHORE THING
THE PORT Edinburgh, Scotland
WHO GOES THERE CMV, Celebrity, Crystal, Cunard, Fred Olsen, HAL, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC, NCL, Oceania, Princess, Royal Caribbean, RSSC, Saga, Seabourn, Silversea, Viking, Voyages to Antiquity, Windstar.
WHY WE LOVE IT Scotland's elegant capital is packed with historic sites, from the medieval Old Town to Georgian New Town. It is renowned for its festivals – the most famous being the Fringe Festival and Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (both in August) – but whenever you visit you'll find plenty of things to do and discover.
TAKE A TOUR OR GO IT ALONE? There are several walking tours that take in the cobbled Royal Mile, which is bookended by Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse (both open to the public), and runs through the heart of the city. Don't miss a tour of the Real Mary King's Close, a warren of underground streets beneath the Royal Mile where people lived between the 17th and 19th centuries. You can take day trips to Loch Ness and the Highlands, Glamis Castle, St Andrews (essential for golfers), 15th-century Rosslyn Chapel (featured in The Da Vinci Code) and Hadrian's Wall.
MUST SEE Royal Yacht Britannia, at Leith port; the Scott Monument on Princes Street (climb its 287 steps for amazing views from the top); the Writers' Museum, on the Royal Mile; Arthur's Seat in Holyrood Park (there are several walking routes); The Museum of Childhood; and the statue of Greyfriars Bobby.
MUST EAT If you're not vegetarian or squeamish about offal, try Scotland's famous national dish, haggis; other traditional favourites include local salmon, roast grouse, leek and tattie (potato) soup and rich, buttery shortbread. Edinburgh has hundreds of eateries, from Michelin-starred restaurants to takeaway baked potato stands.
NEED TO KNOW Smaller ships dock in Leith, a historic port about 30 minutes by bus from central Edinburgh; larger ships dock at Newhaven, South Queensferry and Rosyth; all have shuttle bus, taxi or train connections to the city.
ESSENTIALS edinburgh.org
CRUISEFACT
During its recent dry-dock, Pacific Jewel was fitted with 200 pieces of new furniture, 500 pieces of artwork and accessories and 6000 square metres of carpet.
NEWS
World's biggest cruise ship sets sail
Royal Caribbean's fourth Oasis-class ship and 25th in the fleet, Symphony of the Seas, has just embarked on its sold-out maiden voyage. At 362 metres long, 228,081 gross registered tons and carrying up to 6680 passengers and 2200 crew, Symphony is now officially the world's biggest cruise ship. How is it different to Harmony of the Seas, the previous biggest cruise ship ever? Well, it has 28 more staterooms – including the palatial two-level Ultimate Family Suite – a glow-in-the-dark laser tag arena, a huge new sports bar and arcade and two new restaurants, Hooked Seafood and El Loco Fresh. Symphony of the Seas will cruise the Med until November, when it will sail Caribbean cruises from Miami year-round. See www.royalcaribbean.com.au.
Cruise to Oktoberfest
Tauck's 10-day Autumn Along the Rhine cruise-tour combines a seven-night river cruise with a two-night stay in the heart of Munich for the world's largest Oktoberfest celebration. There are two departures from Amsterdam on September 16 and 24, 2019; the cruise finishes in Basel, Switzerland, where guests will transfer to Munich. Highlights of the itinerary include a walking tour of locals' favourite breweries and eateries in Amsterdam; visits to craft breweries in Dusseldorf, a major arts and fashion hub; a guided visit to Heidelberg Castle and an exclusive beer pairing lunch at an award-winning brewery; sightseeing in Alsace from the beautiful town of Strasbourg; and a day in Lucerne that includes a rail trip to Mount Pilatus aboard the world's steepest cogwheel train. See www.tauck.com.au.
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