Intimate cruising aboard the Wind Surf

By Anita Dunham-Potter

Travel columnist

updated 2:06 p.m. ET Nov. 20, 2007

Anita Dunham-Potter Travel columnist • Profile • E-mail

Leaving port under sail brings some extra magic to a cruise, even a little romance. As Captain Mark Boylin maneuvered the five-masted Wind Surf out of Barcelona's harbor and into the Mediterranean Sea, the transformation was breathtaking. Amid the stiff winds and white-capped waters, the captain pressed a button that unfurled the ship's seven triangular-shaped sails and instantly Wind Surf took on the seas. OK, so the sails are computer-controlled, but it still feels like genuine sailing.

Windstar changes captains
While the Wind Surf is big for a sailing vessel, it is petite compared to today's mega-ships. At 535 feet long and carrying just 312 passengers, the vessel is the largest of three sailing yachts operated by Windstar Cruises. Its sister ships, Wind Spirit and Wind Star, are roughly half its size and carry just 148 passengers.

Wind Surf, built in 1990 for Club Med, was purchased by Windstar in 1998 so it could offer a bigger sail-assisted cruise experience with a few more frills. It's been a busy 12 months for Wind Surf and Windstar. At the end of 2006, the ship received a major makeover; then in April 2007, Windstar Cruises got a new owner when Carnival Corporation sold the cruise line to Ambassadors International, an innovative company which also owns steamboat operator Majestic America Line.

Unique sailing adventure
The relatively small size of Windstar's vessels gives them access to many ports that can't handle the big cruise ships. The result is a more yachting type of experience with stops at charming locations unlikely to be explored any other way. My mid-October itinerary had us sailing from Barcelona, Spain, to Civitavecchia, Italy (Rome's port), with stops in Palamos, Spain; Sete, France; Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Portofino and Livorno in Italy (the ports for Florence and Tuscany). Sailing schedules are set to provide passengers plenty of daylight to enjoy and explore the ports of call or to use the ship's "watersports platform," which is lowered from the ship's stern when the weather is calm. Unfortunately on my cruise, the weather was too cold and the waters too rough for guests to use the sports platform.

In fact, fall is a tricky time of year in the Mediterranean, as changing seasons can bring treacherous seas. During the first half of my cruise, the seas were angry. We left Barcelona sailing in 12-foot seas, which made for interesting viewing from the porthole of my Deck 1 stateroom — it was underwater a lot. Most passengers enjoyed the light rocking and rolling of real sailing, a few elderly passengers not so much. On the third day of the cruise, while docked in Monte Carlo, the weather turned hazardous. Captain Boylin said gale force level 9 winds (around 50 mph) would force us to stay an extra day in Monaco. Sadly, this meant that we would have to skip our call in Portofino, but safety always comes first.

Fortunately, we would be able to catch up with the rest of our itinerary. While the Wind Surf uses sails to take advantage of any prevailing breeze, it does rely on engine power to keep it on schedule. This meant we could get to Livorno on time.

Onboard ambiance
Windstar strives to provide an intimate passenger experience on its ships, combining the tradition and romance of old-time sailing vessels with a degree of modern convenience. Offering 154 staterooms and suites, the Wind Surf has two restaurants, a lounge, a spa/salon, a small casino, a pool, a workout room, a library and an Internet area.

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One of the biggest changes that came with last year's upgrades is the "Yacht Club," a common area that has replaced the library with a social area that has all the comforts of a coffeehouse: plush seating, a huge flat-screen television, an espresso bar and eight computers with Internet access. Another very welcome addition is the wireless Internet available throughout the ship.

Staterooms have been given a nice makeover with remodeled bathrooms along with Bose SoundDocks for your iPod; if you don't bring your iPod, you can borrow one from the library that is already loaded with music. My 170-square-foot ocean-view stateroom was organized efficiently with a desk, plenty of closet space, a stocked mini-bar, a refrigerator, robes and slippers, a queen-size bed and a well-designed bathroom with a sink, toilet and circular shower stocked with L'Occitane toiletries. There is also a flat-screen television with limited channel choices; fortunately there is also a DVD player and the ship has an extensive selection of DVDs available for borrowing.

There are 31 suites at 376 square feet that offer a large sitting area, as well as two new 500-square-foot suites on the Bridge Deck. These top-of-the-line suites offer a living and dining area, separate bedroom and a marble bathroom with a whirlpool tub.

Windstar's food is always exceptional, thanks to menus inspired by Windstar's celebrity chef Joachim Splichal. There are two evening dining options: the open-seating venue called "The Restaurant" and an alternative dining venue called "Degrees." Four nights a week, Degrees features a steakhouse menu; the other nights, it offers rotating menus from Northern Italy, France and Indonesia. There's no charge, but you'll need to make reservations.

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