Star Breeze

Wonderful cruise!!!! Highly recommend Windstar. The service and organization is top of the line and the small size ship is something we particularly enjoy.

Great crew and food.  Great atmosphere.  We felt really spoiled.  Loved the on deck chair massages.  Wished the water sports platform had been open in the last two ports.

The Order of the Ditch is the award you receive when you transit the Panama Canal.  We did so on 1/29/17.  We boarded the Sea Breeze in Colon and did the full transit in daylight.  It was a fantastic journey.  The experience was memorable, but our fellow passengers, the staff and crew made the journey even more special. Traveling on a small ship is exciting, but there was nothing small about the services, food, activities and energy throughout the 7 day journey from Panama to Costa Rica.  Every detail - the barbecue on the beach, the tours, the cultural shows on board, the "sail away" each evening - all made this journey very special. If this trip is on your "bucket list" - do it with Windstar - they really excel!

The entire cruise from the time I got on the ship till  departure was an example of exceptional service.  This was a Christmas cruise so there were more children than the ship usually gets.  The staff was always coming up with activities.  The dining was outstanding.  This has spoiled me for sailing on bigger ships.  I never felt rushed, crowded or lacked for things to do.  The best part is that the ship doesn't stop at large ports so still got to see places as they are.  Had to get used to wet landings in Zodiac but once you master that all is good.  The only issue is that both the embarkation and disembarkation occur at shipping ports.  The port in Colon is not it the best part of town and Panama has some strange rules on how they run their ports.

Favorites included the Bonaire Snorkeling on uninhabited island, the Panama Canal Expansion tour, and the trip into the Embria Indian Village.

Windstar cruises are one of the best; great food, service and crew,  However, on this itinerary could have done without Santa Marta with more time in Cartagena Columbia...many aboard felt the same.   The Cruise Director on this ship was a bit "stiff" on his presentations of the ports, sharing only history and maps;   should have highlighted some interesting things to do and places to go in each port, other than the published excursions.

The Bristol Panama Hotel was a great post cruise stayover and located perfectly to all city sites.    I had prepaid my transportation to the airport on Dec 11 thru Windstar and had a notice that my pickup time would be 3PM;  However, and for whatever "hicup" occured they did not show and the hotel kindly got me a cab and paid the transfer cost.....probably need to follow up on this one