We just finished our first ever cruise by traveling on the Wind. It was the repositioning cruise from SF to Vancouver.
Service on the Wind was excellent. I cannot think of even one instance where the service was not above par. Boarding was easy, luggage arrived timely, stateroom was clean, quiet and decent. What surprised me most was that, even though the ship was sold out, it did not feel at all crowded. The freestyle dining gave lots of options and we waited less than 10 minutes once, but usually just walked in.
One downer was the weather. I live in Phoenix, so almost everywhere is colder. But it was so windy and cold that no activities were held on deck other than the launch. Within two hours of launch, the weather was so windy and cold you simply were not safe on deck except on the side away from the wind. The forward deck could not be walked on unless you were heavy and very strong. This continued the entire cruise. We were scheduled to dock in Victoria, but the winds were so strong we could not do so. Big dissappointment for me as I love exploring new places and the entertainment options on the ship were wearing thin. I'm not a Bingo or kareoke kind of gal.
I was very seasick the first evening - I took Bonine too little, too late, but the staff in Le Bistro brought me some green apple slices. After eating them, I felt much better and with more bonine felt good thereafter. The crew members commented at different times that the ship was very rough and they were having difficulty too - even after 5 years on board. The motion in our cabin reminded me of an RV - imagine showering in a moving RV - we were 8th deck about 6 cabins from the aft. I slept really well though - something I don't do in strange places - and got in 12 hours the first night. (I only had 2-3 hours the night before). The movement of the ship was comforting at night.
I will cruise again in the future. Things I learned to make cruising more enjoyable for me:
1. Take Bonine before the ship leaves port. Have green apples on hand.
2. Schedule a cruise with lots of stops
3. Schedule a cruise with warmer weather.
Thanks to all who answered my questions in advance about NCL crusing. It really helped make my experience better.
Monica
Thanks for the tip, Monica! We're leaving tomorrow on a similar itinerary on the Star. Good thing we are packing some long-sleeved shirts and sweatshirts!
Hi Monsternaz,
Thank you for sharing your comments. We are cruising on the Wind to Alaska in July. I've never been on a "freestyle cruise". Would you mind sharing with me your dining experience(s)?
Thank you for your time
Zina
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