180° from ordinary. That’s Windstar’s tagline — and boy, do they mean it.
My recent fam trip on board Windstar's Wind Surf was not taken lightly. Being invited on any fam always leaves me feeling incredibly grateful, and this trip was no exception.
Having previously conducted a ship visit on Windstar’s Star Legend – a ship more akin to a small yet traditional cruise ship – I was excited to step aboard one of the sailing yachts and finally have that true sailing experience.
From start to finish, Windstar truly delivered. With an itinerary through Southern Spain, the small ship sailing experience was like no other. Each evening, as we pulled out of port, music would play and the sails would unfurl. It was absolutely incredible to see – a moment that never got old.
Wind Surf accommodates up to 342 guests, but on our voyage, there were around 280 onboard. It never once felt crowded. One of the joys of small ship sailing is the intimate atmosphere and the unique activities that can be offered. The on-deck BBQ certainly didn’t disappoint, serving up mouthwatering cuisine for everyone. From the giant vat of mussels to the intricately carved watermelon, I just couldn’t stop eating!
© Becky Walker
And with specialty dining included, guests are truly spoiled for choice. At every turn, I had food in my hand – no complaints here.
One standout moment for me: I opened my book one afternoon to find that my cabin attendant had placed a Windstar bookmark on the very page I had been reading. It’s the small things like that that make a huge impact.
No hard sell onboard
What I also appreciated was that I never felt like I was being sold to. There was no constant push for spa treatments, no aggressive marketing for future cruises — a refreshing change from what you often experience on larger ships.
The crew show on the penultimate night really brought a sense of family onboard. From the more traditional sharing of culture to the downright hilarity of the “Filipino Olympic Synchronised Swim Team” (picture your room attendants with their legs in the air behind a stretched-out bedsheet!), it was unforgettable.
© Becky Walker
I was pleasantly surprised to see a mix of generations onboard. I think the size of the Windstar ships — and the fact that they can access smaller, lesser-known ports — makes them ideal for self-exploration. Perfect for families, older couples, or anyone craving a more personal journey. I personally racked up over 20,000 steps a day and even took a quad-biking excursion on the island of Mallorca.
The quad biking excursion I booked with a local company. It's not really something that Windstar would offer – a bit too "dangerous" and adventurous for their clientele I think. When I arrived at the quad bike centre, we had to give the details and the guides were used to hearing the larger ship names NCL, Royal Caribbean, etc. I had to say Windstar so many times. He'd never heard of it!
I had a glance at the excursions offered by Windstar and they were pretty expensive for what they were – but I think this about a lot of cruise lines' excursion programmes. You get bussed around with 50 people and don't see as much, which is fine if you're less mobile, but I usually advise my clients to do it themselves or pay more for a private-style trip.
Overall, Windstar's pricing is in line with what they offer. Are there other cheaper cruise lines? Yes, of course, but they are huge ships with buffet food, and less attention to detail. For the small ship sailing, the high guest-to-crew ratio, the relaxed feel, the smaller ports they can get into, the all-suite vessels (no insides cabins), and specialty dining included, I really think they are priced very well. You get what you pay for as they say!
One thing that’s not often talked about is the ripple effect of fam trips. Just a couple of weeks after I returned, an agent friend approached me at an event and told me she’d seen my posts about the trip on social media – and had since booked Windstar for her client. Proof that sharing genuine experiences really does make a difference.
