Windspirit—Adventure on the High Seas
 
by Marci DeWolf
Special to EN&V

 
 
For travelers seeking a change from the mega-ships category, a small, luxury cruise is an exciting alternative. A romantic journey to the Greek Islands and Turkey is 180 degrees from ordinary, one that will satisfy the thirst for adventure without sacrificing creature comforts.

Such a voyage can change one’s entire perception about cruising. Windstar’s signature is its carefree, elegant environment, combined with gourmet food and luxurious appointments. It offers the pleasures of sailing on a private yacht, with all the amenities, in an intimate, exclusive ambience. That, plus the exciting Aegean islands, makes the trip a memorable one.

Although small, these ships leave a big wake. They took cruising down an entirely new evolutionary path, mainly by dispensing with many hallowed rituals. Instead of a cabin caste system that runs from stateroom to steerage, small luxury ships have one class: deluxe, all-outside cabins. 

Windstar has succeeded on the strength of its casual, but upscale atmosphere (no jacket or tie required). Restaurants offer flexible, individual, not group seating, with gourmet-quality food (a smashing Duck Curry; red snapper on a bed of polenta). The German chef surprised everyone one evening with a special dish of homemade potato pancakes taken from his mother’s own recipe.

The ship has a staff of 89, offering impeccable service. A doting, attentive crew calls you by name in the dining rooms and shipboard recreation centers.
Windstar’s trio of four-masted sailing ships delivers on the sailing mystique. On the majestic Windspirit, its mighty sails unfurled into the wind, its impassioned hull thrusting over open waters of the mythical Aegean, one can almost sense the presence of the Gods of the Sea looking on approvingly.
Because cruising is so popular these days—the fastest growing sector of travel—there is steady pressure to build bigger and faster vessels, to keep the brass polished and the linens new. But the “small ships” contain nine of the ten highest industry-rated cruise lines, with no more than 500 passengers aboard each vessel. They offer more options and diverse itineraries than their 2,500-passenger floating cousins because they can navigate efficiently into small bays and remote ports of call.

For this reason, Windspirit is a good match for the illustrious Greek Isles and the Turkish coast. The islands—Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, and Bodrum and Kusadasi in Turkey—are best accessed and seen via a small sailing yacht like the Windspirit or Windstar. This is the most efficient way to experience these places of cultural intrigue and charming ports that the larger ships cannot reach.

The ship, 440 feet long, has 21,000 square feet of sail, all unfurled electronically, like a window shade. Under full sail, the ship can reach speeds of 14 knots, but usually employs wind power to cover the itinerary, using sail alone l0-15 percent of the time.

Where else can you climb up to the bridge night or day and talk personally with the captain? Windspirit is one of the few ships afloat that offers guests a chance to visit the bridge 24 hours a day. Weather permitting, the ship’s master offers you a chance to steer the 5,350-ton sailing ship from the wheel on the flying bridge. He will show you the navigational instruments amid a myriad of flashing red and green lights, while he runs through the procedures.    

Typically, Windstar passengers base their choices on destination ports, as much as for the unique features of the ship: the educational value; daily talks by staff about the next port; folk dancers brought on board to entertain; the spa and massage treatments; the gourmet food, and service. Because there are fewer passengers, it is easier to get to know people who end up as your shipboard family for the week.

Windspirit passengers, limited to 148, have the option of staying in Athens and Istanbul on the front and back ends of the cruise voyage. Each day, the ship drops anchor at a different port. In Kusadasi, the Turkish carpet rolls out to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—the Temple of Artemis in the Christian harbor city of Ephesus, founded in the 11-12th centuries B.C. This is where St. Paul addressed the Ephesians and the Virgin Mary is said to have lived out her final days. On the Arcadian Way, one can trace the steps upon which Cleopatra and Alexander once walked. The ruins at Ephesus are noted for their carefully preserved marble temples, mosaics, and 25,000-seat Grand Theatre.

The other wonder is the Acropolis of Lindos, some 400 feet above the town of Lindos, an important center during medieval times. If you make the trek to the top of the Acropolis, the reward is a view of one of the prettiest bays in all of Greece. Here, the trireme, or ancient Greek warship, is carved into the cliffside as a symbol of Lindos’ inextricable ties with the sea.

The 25-minute walk to the top can also be made by donkey that only takes you part of the way to the acropolis. There is ample opportunity to buy famous handmade linens sold by Greek women along the way.

Passengers can easily spend an entire day exploring the town of Rhodes, called the Island of Roses. Its terrain is mountainous with beautiful coastal beaches. Rhodes town is surrounded by a 15th century Medieval Fortress Wall, about two-and-a-half miles long. The town is dominated by the Palace of the Grand Masters, whose floors are covered with ancient mosaics from the island of Kos. The Hospital of the Knights of St. John now houses an archaeological museum and a collection ranging from the Mycenaean to the Roman era.

Santorini offers a spectacular sight when approached by sea. The bay is up to 1,300 feet deep, and the capital, Fira, is 1,000 feet above sea level. From there, the view of the Windspirit anchored in the bay (caldera) is breathtaking. Fira is perched upon the cliffs, similar to a balcony. Beautiful white-washed churches and homes are built into the cliff and are adorned with deep blue door frames, the color of the sea.

You can reach the town by cable car, by donkey or by foot. There are many cafés, art galleries, and jewelry shops here.

In the future, look for more small, luxury cruise ships to come on line. As one cruiser said, “It’s complete decompression without the onus of dressing up.”  

For more information, call 1-800-258-SAIL (7245) or visit www.windstarcruises.com.
 
 
PHOTO IDS
 
1.             Windspirit under full moon in Bodrum, Turkey
Photo courtesy of Dave Bartruff, Windstar Cruises
 
2.            Windspirit at Monemvasia, Greece
Photo courtesy of Nick Nicholson, Windstar Cruises