We’re kicking off the launch of our newly enhanced loyalty program by celebrating our past guests during Yacht Club Member Appreciation Week. Each day we’ll be profiling a Yacht Club Member to showcase the member’s Windstar experiences and memories.
Number of cruises: 43 cruises for 310+ days
If my calculations are correct, we have been on 43 trips (14-day voyages were counted as two trips), or 310 days as there were three trips of 10 days. I can’t wait until we go over 365 days!
Hands down, we loved the Turkey and Greece trip the most with runner-up being Sicily and Malta.
On our first cruise, we sailed out of Barcelona, headed for Lisbon. When we arrived, the Basques set off a car bomb which made it an exciting welcome! Then during the trip two events happened. One was the 2000 election between Bush and Gore with no outcome on Election Day. Then another night we were awakened around 2:00 a.m. by something hitting the outside of the boat near our cabin. It turned out to be a trawling buoy caught on our boat (Wind Song). Yes, it was a memorable start to cruising on Windstar!
So our memorable moments. Both involve the inimitable Captain John Clark. While we were watching Stromboli shoot off its fireworks along came another Windstar boat. We sailed close enough so that Captain John could ask, “Please pass the Grey Poupon,” and the wonderful brothers Sammy and Rene (bar staff) were able to briefly communicate between the two ships. And we will always remember John wearing his Santa hat while sailing under Panama’s Bridge of the Americas at about 5:00 a.m. on Christmas morning, looking up and questioning (of course jokingly) whether the mast would clear the bridge! We wish he were still with Windstar.
The answer to what keeps bringing us back to Windstar is a no-brainer. THE CREW!! They are and will always be the best and all deserve enormous raises.
Our next destination? At this point, all we care about is that Windstar is back in operation, and we’ll take it from there. We are, however, booked for Christmas and New Year’s, but that is a wait-and-see at this point.
For Windstar newbies, we would just recommend that they get to know the crew as that will guarantee them a successful and fun trip.
Hey you two, cant wait to travel with you again!
Really nice, love this new program. We love Windstar Cruises, 23 so far, 212 days, we have missed it so much this and our fingers are crossed for next year. Crew, the sailing ships,smallness, food and informality of it all is what we love. Be safe all and happy sailing. The Thibault’s on Cape Cod.
Great story. Bring back Captain Gerry Hogan!