Windstar Cruises has officially launched its 40th anniversary celebration, commemorating four decades of cruising and its close-knit crew, described in a press release as a “shipboard family.”
The milestone event took place in Kusadasi, Turkey, where two of Windstar’s ships, the 312-guest Star Legend and the 148-guest Wind Spirit, docked together. Guests and crew disembarked for an exclusive event at the ruins of Ephesus, featuring Windstar’s largest dinner ever hosted at the site. Executives, captains, crew and guests from both ships enjoyed a special evening among ancient ruins.
The event featured additional entertainment from the Aegean Chamber Orchestra, a progressive cocktail party and speeches celebrating the company’s 40-year journey.
Windstar’s Chief Commercial Officer Janet Bava and Chief Operations Officer Stijn Creupelandt welcomed attendees, recognizing returning Yacht Club Members and first-time guests.
Wind Spirit’s Captain Mark Rowden and Star Legend’s Captain Pedro Pinto shared their experiences in the industry and acknowledged crew members’ dedication, many of whom have been with the company for over 20 years.
“Windstar wouldn’t be the company it is today without the love and support of our owners at Xanterra Travel Collection and The Anschutz Corporation,” said Bava. “With their support, we were able to survive the most challenging years in cruise history while expanding the fleet and renovating our ships when the whole world was standing still. With the acquisition of two new ships and the investments being made to elevate our existing fleet, including our beloved Wind class ships that will be completely renovated by 2027, we are so excited for the next 40 years of Windstar.”
Windstar will celebrate its 40th-anniversary fleetwide through October 2025 with various activities, including complimentary Ruby Anniversary cocktails at a trivia event where winners can enter to win a cruise for two on Star Seeker’s inaugural cruise. The celebration will also feature limited edition seabags, which are bespoke bags made from Windstar’s recycled sails. Windstar’s social media channels will also share special moments and staff recognition throughout the year using the hashtag #40yearsofWindstar.
Can a young adult who cut her teeth on shipboard children’s programs aboard mainstream cruise lines find happiness on a small-ship voyage through Greece and Turkey?
This was my mission when I set out on back-to-back Celestyal cruises aboard the 836-passenger Celestyal Odyssey and the 1,200-passenger Celestyal Crystal with my daughter, Chloe, a veteran of more family cruises than I can count.
I needn’t have worried. Both of the ships (the Odyssey has been replaced by the Celestyal Nefeli since our trip) were appealing, comfortable and family-friendly, but the real draw was the powerhouse combination of two can’t-miss destinations, experienced via ships small enough to explore them in ways their bigger rivals can’t.
Best of all, the shore excursions offer a mix of kid-friendly beach days and intriguing journeys into ancient history.
The Celestyal Crystal during its docking in Ermoupolis, Greece.
Photo Credit: Felicity Long
The cruises out of Athens use both the Port of Piraeus and the smaller Port of Lavrion, and the boarding process was so easy that by late afternoon on embarkation day we were already in Mykonos. There was plenty of time for a tour and dinner at Kuzina, a picturesque beachside restaurant with a menu diverse enough to appeal to even picky kids.
Because the Odyssey portion of the trip focused on iconic destinations, some of the ports of call were already known to us, but I looked forward to introducing a few favorites to Chloe.
They included Kusadasi, Turkey, where she was stunned by her first look at the imposing ruins at Ephesus, followed by some serious shopping near the port.
Parents with very young children might find this excursion challenging, but most kids middle school age and above would likely be drawn in, thanks to the astonishingly well-preserved ruins and frescoes, brought to life by the lively narration of professional guides.
In stark contrast to the mega-popularity of Ephesus was Patmos, a quiet, lesser- known island where St. John is said to have written the Book of Revelation.
The grotto and monastery were intimate and charming, but we also loved just wandering around the island, shopping for souvenirs and snapping pictures — and, OK, a few selfies — of the dramatic views.
Other highlights included Heraklion on Crete, where we explored ancient Knossos; Oia on Santorini, where we were able to explore the picture-postcard town on our own, followed by free time in Fira to shop and take the cable car back to the ship.
The next day we disembarked in Lavrion and transferred to the Crystal for a four-day Idyllic Aegean itinerary, which focuses on lesser-known destinations.
The Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion looks like the Parthenon but is much less crowded.Photo Credit: Felicity Long
The first of those turned out to be the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, a Parthenon look-alike with virtually no other visitors; Ermoupoli, the capital of the Cyclades islands, a Unesco world heritage site; and Cesme, Turkey, where we spent an entire day at the Sole & Mare beach club swimming and lounging in a setting reminiscent of the French Riviera.
The adults among us enjoyed the wine tasting on Kos at a family-run winery at the foot of Mount Dikeos, while Chloe ate her first honey direct from a honeycomb at an apiary in Kefalos. We drank fresh lemonade and contemplated getting pedicures at the fish spa in Zia.
In Ios, we again mixed sightseeing with fun as we traveled back in time to a prehistoric settlement, Skarkos, then swam at Manganari Beach, an outing suitable for kids of any age.
Back on Santorini, we visited the ancient village of Akrotiri, a settlement abandoned by its inhabitants before a volcanic eruption in the 17th century B.C.
Onboard
Of course, much of the success of our cruise experience was due to the appeal of the two ships.
Parents who are used to mainstream cruise lines and their blockbuster children’s clubs with supervised activities won’t find that here, but there is a modest children’s play area on the Crystal, as well as a swimming pool on both ships.
Unlike larger cruise ships, passengers aren’t plied with food 24/7, which Chloe and I didn’t mind at all.
Instead, dining took place at meal times at the Aqua Marine restaurant on the Odyssey and the Amalthia restaurant on the Crystal, although snacks were available at the pool.
Despite our busy schedules, we took advantage of the spas on both ships for first-rate massages, and we also hit the respective gyms when time allowed.
The shipboard entertainment was more destination-specific than on a mainstream cruise, and one of our favorite evenings was a re-enactment of traditional wedding ceremonies, complete with lively Greek dancing.
Both the Iconic and Idyllic cruises are available in three-, four- and seven-night versions and can be combined in a number of ways. By prearrangement, passengers can stay ashore after the ship sails, for example, stay in a Louis Group or other hotel for several nights, then re-embark the ship on its return.
Children of all ages are welcome to sail, including babies 3 months and older and toddlers, but school age and up makes the most sense for most families. Kids of ages 16 and younger pay only port taxes when staying in a cabin with two paying adults.
The Sept. 29-to-Oct. 8 sailing aboard the Silver Spirit, the largest ship in the Silversea fleet, was originally going to be a total Black Sea cruise. But the unrest in the region caused Silversea, like other cruise lines, to eliminate calls in Ukraine (i.e., Yalta, Sevastopol and Odessa) and Sochi, Russia.
Silversea still started and ended the cruise in Istanbul, one of the great cities to explore; kept their calls on the west side of the Black Sea (as did most cruise lines); and then added in some lesser-known ports in Greece and Turkey. For me, one of the appeals was that beyond Piraeus/Athens, all of the other ports were new places to see.
The onboard experience was outstanding in every way: food, service, entertainment and the ship itself. And it turned out to be an excellent series of stops.
Here is a recap of some of the ports of call:
Athens/Piraeus: There’s no way to see all that Athens had to offer in one day.
The absolute highlight has to be the Acropolis, sitting high on the hill where the Parthenon, its most famous structure, is in full view. The massive renovation project is nearly done, making a visit ideal for everyone; there’s a bit of a climb to reach the site, but it’s not too rigorous.
Museums abound in Athens; the best one for Acropolis buffs is the Acropolis Museum, featuring a great collection, videos and outstanding views.
Organized tours included a variety of stops: Constitution Square and the Royal Palace (with the very proper changing-of-the guard ceremony), Olympic Stadium, Temple of Zeus and more. Everywhere one looks, there’s history.
And then there’s the shopping and eating mecca, the Plaka district and adjacent Ermou Street.
Experienced travelers can just jump in a taxi at the port of Piraeus and go into Athens; for two or more people, it’s cost- and time-efficient compared to cruise line transfers.
Izmir, Turkey: Izmir is Turkey’s third- largest city and its biggest seaport on the Aegean Sea. The primary shore excursions are trips to Ephesus, which has to be one of the most breathtaking ancient treasures ever to be uncovered. New areas, such as the Terrace Houses, continue to be discovered.
Having already been to Ephesus a few times, I chose to take the Izmir city orientation tour that included the Agora ruins, which are constantly undergoing discovery and rebuilding. It also went to the Archaeology Museum; the mosaic exhibit may be the best I’ve ever seen. Izmir’s waterfront goes on for miles with one restaurant after another (grilled calamari time!) on the inland side and walking paths and statuary on the water side.
Constanta/Bucharest, Romania: Constanta is the largest Romanian city on the Black Sea, but the highlight was the ship’s full-day, complimentary tour to Bucharest.
I’ve never really enjoyed three-hour bus rides (in both directions) but this was really worth it. The ride was pleasant enough with some nice scenery, and the two skilled tour guides did a terrific job.
Bucharest itself was fascinating, with stops made at key highlights: Palace of Parliament; Patriarchal Hill and Church; the open-air Village Museum; lunch featuring local cuisine and folk dancing; and photo stops or drive-bys at some of the well-preserved Eastern European-style buildings and churches.
Nesebur, Bulgaria: The last scheduled port of call was to be Nesebur, a rocky peninsula sitting on the coast. Unfortunately the waters were rough and the tendering operation had to be scrapped. Thus I did not get to see the city considered to be one of the great Unesco World Heritage Sites with its Greek and Roman ruins.
While I had planned on touring Nesebur, fellow guests had planned on seeing Pomorie, rumored to be a lovely resort city on the Black Sea. I guess I’ll have to go back.
2015 itineraries
Lines are still adjusting itineraries for 2015 due to the situation in Ukraine. Silversea, for example, will not be calling at any Black Sea ports, while Seabourn will still be calling at Constanta, Izmir and Nesebur.
Both lines will be calling at some smaller spots in Greece and Turkey, including Limnos, Thessaloniki, Volos and Santorini in Greece and Marmaris and Kusadasi (also a port call for Ephesus) in Turkey. This creates a terrific mix of port calls for experienced as well as first-time visitors to the region.
As long as the cruise begins or ends in Istanbul, a pre- or post-hotel stay is an absolute must. For those concerned about safety in the area, Istanbul is at least 500 miles away from the Syrian border; it’s not a city to be avoided because of regional issues.
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