Windstar Wind Surf Mediterranean cruise review

CruiseCritic has a new review of Windstar's Wind Surf. Because of its five masts of sails, Windstar's Wind Surf is one of the world's most distinctive cruise ships. While the sails perform something of a cosmetic function (though they do supplement the propulsion provided by four engines), they help to establish a casual, free-spirited yacht-like atmosphere.

Otherwise, on our autumn cruise in the Mediterranean, we found that the 14,745-ton, 308-passenger Wind Surf -- very much considered a small ship these days -- offered a hybrid cruise experience. Part upscale yacht, part mega-liner, Wind Surf offers a wonderfully casual ambiance (few structured activities and all-time open seating dining) -- and yet big ship aficionados will feel at home with its art auction, casino, sprawling spa and crew talent show.

In fact, at times, the small- vs. big-ship experience felt a bit schizophrenic. In the former category, the service was personable and often phenomenal. The low key "events" -- fabulous lunch and dinner buffets -- helped create an easy-going camaraderie among passengers, many of whom were Windstar repeaters. Because of the ship's size, we were able to visit less-trafficked ports -- and calls to places like Croatia's Hvar and Greece's Cephalonia were absolute trip highlights. And Wind Surf's water sports platform was fabulous.