JUN 18, 2012 AT SEA - 180 DEGREES FROM ORDINARY

MONDAY JUN 18, 2012 AT SEA ON THE WAY TO CORFU, GREECE

“180 degrees from ordinary”

We woke up to a light fog outside and smooth sailing! This morning we had a meeting with Captain John Clark and Hotel Manager Matteo Martini and Dustin Halcon Director of Vacation Planning (from Windstar Head Offices in Seattle), so lots of great inside information about Windstar cruiseline and all the refits and refurbishing that are currently in progress changing the look from heavier furnishings to a spacious and clean contemporary modern yacht look with the public areas getting wooden floors, and the staterooms very spacious and clean - white luxurious headboards and bed linens and light coloured carpets.  Even all the window coverings have been changed to roman blinds and away with the heavy drapes.  Our cabin on the bottom deck 1 has 2 portholes which let in lots of light.  The cabins on decks 2 and 3 have windows.  The suites are two cabins with the dividing wall removed, where there is the large bed (or two twins) on one side and the other side has a couch, chairs and table - great for partaking of the 24 hour room service always available, and another benefit (apart from all the extra space) is the two bathrooms - no conflicts with your room mate when getting ready!

The Bridge on all 3 Windstar ships (Windsurf 312 passengers, Windstar 114, and Wind Spirit 14 passengers) is always open except when in port.  So at any time of day and night you can wander up to the bridge and talk to the officers on duty about the instruments and what is happening - try doing that on a large cruise ship!  So in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep, you can wander upstairs in your PJ’s and look at the stars from the Bridge (which is dark at night so that they can look out and see what is happening out on the ocean).

Another bonus sailing with Windstar cruises is that there are no announcements over the loudspeakers all day long.  The Captain gives a report at 12 noon to say where you are and what is happening with the sea conditions and the weather, and if anything unusual is happening - like yesterday morning when we anchored in Monemvasia and because of the very strong winds we were swinging too close to shore so they upped the anchor and moved us out a little further.

There are 6 decks on the Windsurf: 

Deck 1 (lowest deck where our cabin is), 2, 3, where all the staterooms are and then the Deck 4 Main deck: The Restaurant (being renamed to Aphosta?) for evening supper, Lounge, Casino, Yacht Club for all day sandwiches including getting one to take away for a picnic when you go on shore should you wish, the Library, Store, small swimming Pool and Hot Tub),  

Deck 5 Bridge Deck (yup, the Bridge is here!, the Nautilus meeting room, and Compass Rose - the open teak deck and lounge area at the very back of the ship), and lastly the Deck 6  Star Deck up on top with Degrees Restaurant, Verandah Restaurant (inside and out on the deck for buffet breakfast and lunch), the Fitness Centre with amazing almost 360 degree viewing of the ocean while you exercise, and the Terrace Bar .   

We toured the main dining room (Aphosta??) where all the tables were set with the beautiful turquoise verana glassware) - this where you dine each night at whatever time you feel like going down there.  In the evening you can also dine in Degrees, the smaller dining room serving Mediterraean cuisine, again no reservations required.  There is one more restaurant - Candles - this is set up on the back of deck 5 Main Deck each evening and sure enough has candles on it!  They use battery operated candles set inside a glass with red tissue paper around the candle so the effect is very realistic and the wind doesn’t keep blowing out the flame which is what would happen to a real flame!  This is so romantic watching the sunset and the colours in the sky, then the sky darken and all the stars of the Milky Way come out and twinkle in the dark sky - who could ask for anything more?  (reservations are required at Candles - the only restaurant on the Windsurf where you have to make a reservation).

So after a morning of seeing, and hearing, all about Windstar cruises - we did a little shopping in the Signature store since the store is open all day today while we are at sea!  Then it was a short time to try to catch up with the blog before lunch was calling!  So we headed up the 5 flights of stairs to the Verandah to eat lunch outside.  There are 2 elevators one forward and one aft, but of course running up and down the stairs is a good way to work off some of those wonderful meals!

We went up to the Verandah around 12:30 for a wonderful lunch - caesar salad prepared fresh, followed by portobello mushroom crepe with sun dried tomatoes - awesome (oh, and did I mention the pistachio ice cream for dessert?).  The menu is extensive - it included freshly prepared pasta with a variety of sauces, green and vegetable salads, cheese plates, tapas bar, sweet and sour fish, brownies, cookies, oh yes - the secret is to get in quick and not hang around too long or you will for sure be tempted to take too much!  There is also a grill right here on the deck so burgers and hot dogs with fries available every day!

Then there was our lunchtime entertainment - we are happily gazing out over the deep blue Ionian Sea drinking ice cold water with lunch under blazing sunny skies which felt extremely comfortable because of the breezes, when suddenly I hear a huge noise - right next to us, no higher than our sails, are 2 stealth bombers zooming by at break neck speeds - the one tipped his wings to us as he went by and then they were gone!! No time for a photo but a great lunchtime air show - we wondered which country’s air force they were with, they could be coming from, or going to, anywhere - certainly Syria came to mind as the planes were flying South. 

So then it was back to work, sitting in a couple of rattan chairs with comfortable blue cushions on the deck outside Compass Rose - the computer powered up and time to write - each time I glanced up it was at the cloudless blue sky and the blue Ionian Sea - only 1 boat so far today - a container ship steaming South.  Whenever we were out of the wind it became very still and hot, but we always found a spot with some breeze under the large blue sun umbrellas and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon.  There were a few people laying on sun cots around the pool but many folks didn’t last long before they looked for a shady or cool spot!

Afternoon tea complete with small sandwiches and fancy pastries was served in Compass Rose, as it is served every afternoon.  It always looks delicious but we almost never partake - but there are many folks who really enjoy this afternoon ritual.  You can always get special coffees all day in Compass Rose - cappuccino, latte, espresso so this lounge is pretty much staffed from 6:30 am when they start with continental breakfast, right through until when the last person goes to bed at the end of the day after an evening cognac.  Smoking is outside on the port deck, and we haven’t seen very many folks smoking in the 264 passengers currently on board.