More Scuba Options in the Caribbean from Windstar

If you love scuba diving, you'll be happy to hear that Windstar's Wind Surf has expanded its diving options in the Caribbean with double-tank dive sites in Dominica, Grenada and St. Martin.

Many cruisers have long thought that the Wind Surf, Windstar's 312-guest motor sailing yacht, offers some of the best diving adventures in the Caribbean.

According to Diane Moore, Windstar's vice president of marketing and sales, "Sailing on the Wind Surf is an ideal opportunity to combine the adventure of diving with relaxation on a luxury ship. If one-half of a couple isn't interested in diving, there is plenty to entertain them while their partner enjoys the diving excursions."

The shores of Dominica are well-known for excellent diving and the ship's stop in Roseau allows for two dives in the Scottshead Marine Reserve. The first dive at L'Abym takes divers to a vertical wall dropping to more than 800-feet in some places and teems with schooling reef fish. The second dive site, called Champagne, is located in a freshwater hot spring offering a unique experience diving with geo-thermal vents pumping up air bubbles and hot water.

In Grenada, two dives in Flamingo Bay center around impressive rocks covered in rock fans, gorgonian bushes, barrel sponges, and coral fingers ending in a sandy white bottom. Divers may see a great variety of marine life here including sergeant majors, yellow stripe grunts, goatfish, lobster, eels and small octopus.

At the Wind Surf's stop in St. Martin, divers will transfer over to the Dutch side of the island where a local dive operator will choose two dive sites. Divers will descend down a mooring line onto the top of the reef. Diving in this area is known for close encounters with reef sharks, nurse sharks, hawksbill turtles, stingrays and possibly dolphins.

Scuba diving enthusiasts can take advantage of Windstar's "Dive the Five" package offered at $350 for five one-tank dives. A Discover Scuba Diving program, as well as a PADI Advanced Open Water Course and Adventures in Diving program are also offered.

The Wind Surf's southbound itinerary roundtrip from Bridgetown, Barbados visits Bequia, Grenadines; Roseau, Dominica; Pigeon Island, St. Lucia; Mayreau, Grenadines; St. Georges, Grenada; and Tobago. The northbound itinerary roundtrip from Barbados visits Charlestown, Nevis; St. Martin; St. Barthelemy; Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe; Iles des Saintes; and Pigeon Island, St. Lucia. The two itineraries are ideal for combining into a two-week cruising vacation.

Windstar's scuba diving program is also offered on the msy Wind Star in Costa Rica and the msy Wind Spirit sailing out of St. Thomas in the Caribbean.

As part of the line's Degrees of Difference initiative, another multi-million dollar investment will be made in all three ships from 2006 and 2007. For the Caribbean season, the Wind Surf will be fresh from a five-week work period in the fall with remodeled bathrooms in all staterooms, two new deluxe suites and the Yacht Club, the new hub of the ship with computers, Internet, espresso bar, books and movies, flatscreen TV and comfortable seating.

Photos courtesy of Windstar Cruises

Pamela Conover Takes Helm of Seabourn

After the sad and untimely death of Seabourn Cruise Line's past president Deborah L. Natansohn (who suffered a fatal heart attack on October 22), the line knew it needed to find an extraordinary replacement. Natansohn had a long-term vision for Seabourn and aggressive plans, including the addition of two new ships.

Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival Corporation selected cruise industry veteran Pamela C. Conover to fill Natansohn's shoes as president and CEO of Seabourn. Conover has a history with the brand and was promoted from her post as vice president of shared services at Carnival. She has served as president for three cruise lines: Orient Line, Cunard and Seabourn (from 2001-2004).

A sketch of the newly commissioned Seabourn yachts.

Conover is looking forward to this new challenge. "I am extremely gratified to be offered the helm at Seabourn at this exciting juncture," Conover noted. "Seabourn's two new, state-of-the-art ships will represent the next evolution of the ultra luxury segment, and except for the tragic circumstances I couldn't be happier about returning."

Photos courtesy of Seabourn Cruise Line

Windstar Changes Its Tipping Policy

Windstar fans who've booked a cruise for this winter/spring have been receiving word from the cruise line regarding a change to their tipping policy. Here is an e-mail that Windstar has been circulating:

"We are changing our policy. Our crew works very hard to make sure that every aspect of your cruise meets the highest standards. This includes those crewmembers who serve you directly, such as wait staff, beverage servers and the stewards who service your stateroom each day. There are also many others who support their efforts whom you may never meet, such as galley and laundry staff. To ensure that the efforts of all of our crewmembers are recognized and rewarded, a Hotel Service Charge of $11 per passenger is automatically added to each guest’s shipboard account on a daily basis. If our service exceeds or fails to meet your expectations, you are free to adjust this amount at the end of the cruise. In addition, a 15% Beverage Service Charge is automatically added to bar charges and dining room wine purchases. These charges are paid entirely to Windstar crewmembers, and represent an important part of their compensation.

In terminals, airports, ports of call and on shore excursions, we suggest that you extend gratuities consistent with customary local practices.

Implementation of this policy takes place on the Wind Spirit and Wind Star December 9, 2006 and the Wind Surf December 16, 2006."