Most of the first cruise ships were hand-me-downs, but some a joy to sail on, such as the elegant liner France which became the Norway. As the industry has matured many vessels have changed owners, a recent example being the purchase by Windstar Cruises of three vessels from Seabourn Cruise Line.
I had no concerns about boarding Star Breeze, the former Seabourn Spirit. Windstar had spent $9million updating the vessel. Add to that the build quality. Seabourn ships are the Rolls-Royces of the sea, and maintained as such.
Sure enough, the newly carpeted, wide corridors running down the centre of the ship were as welcoming as ever, the cabins a glorious blend of light wood and brass. Every one has a walk-in wardrobe and the marble bathroom has a real bath – rarities on new ships unless you are paying top dollar.
I had a fridge, flat-screen TV, DVD player and Bose bluetooth speaker. Not all cabins have balconies, but they do have large windows and those that open, such as mine, do so wider than the balcony doors of almost any other vessel.
There is a well-stocked library with computers backed up by shipboard wifi that works well, superb lounges, and a deck bar that does not close at sundown – an indication that Windstar understands what passengers want.
The dining rooms – one far below and the other on deck – are a perfect balance for lunch and dinner, and the chefs try hard to please, starting with shoreside visits most days to buy fresh fish. Add to that smiling waiters and you wonder why it can’t always be like this.
Then again Windstar knew it would have to try harder coming from a base with three sailing ships, then introducing three completely different vessels almost all at once.
Would there still be a market for ships with just 212 passengers when new resort ships for up to 6,000 are being delivered like pizzas in Pisa?
An answer came on my cruise, Athens to Venice, when we took a long, fjord-like passage from the Adriatic up to Kotor, passing a mega-ship at anchor before we tied up. There we saw many of this ship’s 3,000 passengers, including lots of children, crowded on the dock in a queue that went all around the port building, stewing under the sun.
The fact is that there will always be a market for a small ship that can go places bigger vessels cannot, and usually allow passengers to stroll ashore rather than queue for tenders. It’s akin to flying with just hand luggage and being able to stroll smugly past the carousels.
Traditionally, however, smaller ships have been in the luxury category and priced accordingly but now with Windstar you can have the best of both worlds – although drinks and tips have to be paid. Wines are reasonably priced however, and soft drinks are complimentary.
Windstar has a good range of shore excursions including slick transfers, such as the Mercedes taxi that took us from Athens airport to the port of Piraeus.
First call was the nearby island of Hydra, where singer Leonard Cohen romanced his Marianne as a young man. We walked around the pretty harbour – there are no cars here, just donkeys – and went to an old favourite, the Hydronetta cafe, which hangs over a cove. A swim here is magical, setting one up for a lunch heavy on the tzatziki.
Next day we went through the Corinth Canal – just. Ships a few inches wider would have to make a big detour. Then Delphi, overlooking vistas of soaring hillsides coated with olive terraces.
Olympia was another classical highlight, and the stadium running track that has survived the passage of time, along with its marbled starting line. The best part is the archaeological museum with statues of Zeus and Hermes.
By now we were heading north on the Adriatic Sea, but first the Albanian port of Saranda, looking quite chic from a tidy waterfront busy with Russian-made hydrofoils skimming over to nearby Corfu. The apparent prosperity recalled an upbeat economic report from the former communist government which earned a memorable headline in a UK newspaper, “‘Tirana boom today!”
Windstar treated everyone to a complimentary excursion on this day to Butrint, a remarkable place that has seen a lot of history from early Greek and Roman times. Cicero wrote that it was cool and pleasant, and many others, including Lord Byron, came to share its pleasures.
The fjord-like passage to Kotor is one of Europe’s most interesting journeys, while on shore passengers enjoyed watching the chef’s visit to the market. Lore has it that cruisers add a pound in weight a day, but one pound was all I put on in a week. I credit the chef’s light cooking.
The handsome walled city of Dubrovnik was jammed but I still managed to bump into the Sea Cloud captain, while the bustling waterfront on the rich playground island of Hvar was busy with yachts, including one from Aberdeen flying a large saltire.
Sailing into Venice is one of the great experiences in travel, up there with arriving at Sydney, Hong Kong and Vancouver, but the sight of mega-ships being shoe-horned in through the San Marco canal would make Marco Polo cringe. Star Breeze feels just right.
THE HOLIDAY
Windstar’s three small cruise ships and three sailing boats are cruising in Europe, the Caribbean and Tahiti year-round, some of them at very attractive rates, such as the two-for-one offer on the Star Breeze at time of writing. For more information call these UK agencies: Cruise Portfolio 0207 734 4404, email windstar@cruiseportfolio.co.uk; The Cruise Line 01273 836600, email chris@cruiseline.co.uk