Windstar Pride Measures Up to Gay Expectations
MMOB members Gord (L) & Gilles (R) from Toronto.
We were Windstar virgins until our fall 2016 voyage from Aruba to Panama. But having gotten a taste, we’ll likely be back for more of small! The company more than earns its multiple-star reputation.
Surprisingly big in some places
Thanks to the maximum passenger contingent of 212, check-in was a breeze and rarely did we find it difficult to claim a lounge chair, even on at-sea days.
We were amazed to find that the smallest cruise vessel we’d ever boarded also boasted the biggest rooms. Go figure! We’d never dis diamonds, but on this ship, bathrooms are definitely a girl’s best friend. Holy, Toledo! Or rather, holy Carrera! Marble and spacious surfaces surrounded a full-sized tub and shower (in which we enjoyed a nice bubble bath). Behind the dual sinks – handy for a couple – were generous supplies of high-end L’Occitane amenities. What more could you ask?
Windstar Star Pride
Food and drink
The dining experiences – calling them simply meals doesn’t do them justice – were exquisite culinary events. Even at lunch time! As a vegetarian, I certainly had no reason to gaze with envy at my carnivorous husband’s plate. The food was fresh, prepared with creativity and attention to detail. On the outdoor BBQ night, they really outdid themselves with a smorgasbord of lobster tails, steaks, paella, not to mention tasty side dishes and decadent desserts.
We opted not to purchase any of the booze packages, having calculated that unless you really needed a daily fix of over four drinks each, it wasn’t really advantageous. Now, we spent several days in ports of call so maybe if you were to spend more time on the boat – or if you’re a particularly thirsty type – the packages would make sense. Individual drinks were reasonably priced, making it affordable to have some nice bubbly at lunch and a couple of glasses of wine at dinner.
People
Staff members were friendly, but surprisingly many spoke little English. Granted, this is often the case on cruises staffed by overseas employees, but I was surprised by how this was also the case with staff in key positions such as guest services. They more than made up for it, though, with eager courteousness.
Speaking of people, let’s talk about “us”, shall we? LGBTQ folks are certainly welcome on board. Now, despite the ship being named Pride , we were expecting to be in a fairly straight environment yet there were plenty of other gays. Hey, guys? Didn’t you know that it’s possible to connect prior to sailing via this website? When we checked prior to our sail, we hadn’t seen anyone listed.
We estimate the LGBTQ contingent constituted at least 15% of the approximate 175 passengers. We ended up making friends with two gay couples… also two lovely Fruit Flies (Fag Hags is too harsh a term for these southern belles). In fact, we socialized with several straight couples and all of them seemed perfectly fine with chatting and hanging out with a same-sex couple. It was a non-issue which provided reassurance as we saw occasional reports of The Donald campaigning towards his ultimate regrettable triumph.
Two gay thumbs up
Size does matter but sometimes small is best. I mean, what can you do with a vessel that’s just too darn huge? A smaller yacht provides a more intimate experience and allows access to ports of call that wouldn’t normally handle an enormous cruise ship. Add to that Windstar’s brand excellence and all the ingredients are lined up for a very pleasant travel experience.
