What’s the best time of year to see Europe? If you’re looking to escape the crowds and higher prices, the answer is the off-season. That’s true for cruises as well, as we discovered earlier this year when we took Windstar’s nine-day “Winter Italy and Dalmatian Coast” cruise, on Star Legend.
Our port of embarkation was Venice, with stops planned in Zadar and Dubrovnik, Croatia, Messina in Sicily, Naples and Rome. It was late January, and while temps mostly ranged in the 40s and 50s, when was the last time you visited St. Mark’s Square and it was virtually empty, as was most of Venice.
Windstar, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, operates a fleet of six ships, or as they prefer to call them, yachts. Star Legend is one of three power yachts, and there are three masted yachts. All three power yachts underwent a major renovation several years ago under the $250 million Star Plus initiative, which increased each ship’s length by 84 feet, added 50 new suites and new engines, as well as other upgrades.
With guest capacity at 312, serviced by a crew of 208, the all-suites Star Legend truly does feel more like a yacht. Boasting eight decks total, with six passenger decks, you’ll quickly learn your way around the ship, starting from the multi-story atrium, where spiral staircases are framed by a dramatic skylight.
Let’s start our Star Legend tour at our stateroom, located on deck six, where we were greeted by fresh flowers, fruit and a bottle of wine. At a roomy 277 square feet, it featured a queen bed, separate living area with two chairs and a sofa and a French door balcony. While not a balcony in the traditional sense, the French balcony provides a window to the world without taking much-needed space from the room.
There was also a walk-in closet and dual-sink bath with an upscale, walk-in shower featuring L’Occitane amenities. The flat screen TV is your go-to for daily activities, ship info, a limited number of TV channels and a full slate of on-demand movies and TV shows. There was plenty of storage for our two large suitcases of clothes, plus multiple power outlets, including USB. When we found ourselves needing an extra plug-in, reception supplied us with a European adapter.
If you want extra privacy, you can draw a curtain that separates the bed from the living room. With soft lighting and neutral colors, altogether it creates a cozy home away from home for exploring the world.
With bags unpacked, your next stop will likely be one of the restaurants onboard. Since Windstar is the official cruise line of the prestigious James Beard Foundation since 2015, you’ll find a number of menu items curated by James Beard chefs, augmenting the overall culinary excellence of food aboard Star Legend.
A mainstay for lunch and breakfast is the Veranda on deck seven. It’s perfect for enjoying the scenic places the ship visits during the cruise. Featuring indoor and outdoor seating, it offers both a sumptuous buffet and ordering from a menu. The omelet station at breakfast becomes a carving station at lunch. At night, the Veranda becomes Candles, with a good selection of steaks and seafood in a setting guaranteed to set a romantic mood. Reservations are required, but it’s included in your fare.
The main dining room is Amphora, on deck three. Beautifully appointed with a contemporary flair, your three-course dinner comes with a selection of curated wines. While dressing on the ship was mostly resort causal, many guests enjoyed a more elegant look in Amphora. In addition to Candles, the other specialty restaurant is on deck six: Cuadro 44, featuring Spanish dishes and tapas inspired by Master Chef Anthony Sasso. Also included in your fare, it does require reservations, which you should make as early as possible.
Another option for lunch and breakfast is the Star Grill and Bar, located topside on deck eight, offering a generous buffet of salads, burgers and lighter fare as you dine al fresco, with seating on either side of the ship. Just inside is the Yacht Club, a spacious lounge that also features a selection of deli sandwiches, pastries and cookies, as well as specialty coffees and teas. Also, note room service is available 24/7.
Besides food, the Yacht Club was one of our favorite places to hang out. You can relax on one of the sofas, read a book or just admire the views provided by the wrap-around glass, floor-to-ceiling windows. Step outside on the teak deck to capture that special moment or ocean sunset. Guests also use this space to assemble puzzles or play games.
Two other favorite gathering spots are Compass Rose, the lounge/bar on deck six that hosts trivia competitions during the day and entertainment at night, and the main lounge on deck five, which features onboard shows, cooking demonstrations and, on occasion, regional entertainers from the ports visited. Our cruise included an ensemble of Croatian folk dancers and musicians, and two very talented musical acts: Dr. Flavor, a band from the Philippines that played pop and rock, along with the Harmony Duo.
If your kind of relaxation involves a lounger, beach towel and a drink with one of those tiny umbrellas, the swimming pool/hot tub on deck seven is just the ticket. Both decks seven and eight have an abundance of chairs where you can soak up the sunshine and ocean breezes. Of course, Europe in January is not ideal for a dip in the water, so we enjoyed hot chocolate in lieu of the hot tub.
For those in need of extra pampering, there’s the World Spa, with a full range of treatments and services, a Fitness Center and a boutique for shoppers. Star Legend also has a Marina located at the stern with a full array of water toys, a popular option on Caribbean or South Pacific cruises.
Just like the food, the service provided by the crew is exceptional. Ever friendly and professional, they seemingly have one job: Make guests feel special, which they do throughout the cruise. With a smaller number of passengers (229 on this cruise), they have an opportunity to provide a greater degree of personal service, a real plus for small ship cruising. One of the highlights of the cruise is the Crew Show, where they have a chance to show off their singing, dancing and comedic talents. It earned a standing ovation.
Included in your fare are accommodations, all meals and onboard entertainment. You can purchase an all-inclusive package that covers unlimited alcoholic beverages, Wi-Fi and gratuities. Shore excursions and spa treatments are extra.
Another major plus for small ship cruising is that these yachts can go where the bigger ships cannot. Take Venice, for example, which has banned large cruise ships. Star Legend was able to sail up the Giudecca canal, giving us a great view of St. Mark’s Square and the surrounding areas on our way to Croatia.
Of course, weather in the off-season can be unpredictable. In Venice, a blanket of fog delayed our departure, resulting in both good and bad news. The good news? We had more time to explore Venice. The bad news — we would miss our next scheduled stop, which was Zadar in Croatia. But that turned out to be the only minor blip for the rest of the cruise.
This was out first time in Croatia, and staying overnight in Dubrovnik gave us ample opportunity to visit the walled Old Town section with its amazing sea views, not to mention the shopping, where Pam added several necklaces to her collection. Croatia and Dubrovnik were used as locations for HBO’s popular “Game of Thrones,” as evidenced by all the souvenir shops we saw.
In Dubrovnik, we joined a group led by Star Legend Executive Chef Joseph to go shopping for food. We stopped at a green market, a butcher shop and a bakery, where the chef bought ingredients he would use to prepare regional dishes. In case you wondered, during our cruise, the kitchen staff would serve 23,000 meals using 1,000 pounds of seafood, 2,000 pounds of vegetables and 6,000 eggs.
Another first-time stop was Sicily, where we took a tour to the enchanting city of Taormina, where we saw historic churches, the ancient theatre of Taormina, built by the Greeks in the third century BC, and sweeping views of the sea. Of course, it’s also known as the setting for the second season of HBO’s “White Lotus,” filmed at the Four Seasons’ San Domenico Palace.
At Naples, we took an excursion to Pompeii, which has always been on our must-see list. It truly is awe-inspiring to witness a day in Roman life, frozen in time by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Our guide, Luka, did an excellent job of showcasing important aspects in the brief time we had, including an unexpected bonus: A tour of the ongoing excavation site, where no pictures or video is allowed.
While on the cruise we learned more about two new ships joining the fleet: Star Seeker, later this year, and Star Explorer, in 2026. Each all-suite ship accommodates 224 guests and feature ice-strengthened hulls, which opens up potential cruises to the polar regions.
In summary, winter may be the perfect time to see Europe if you want to be far from the madding crowd — we even breezed through airport security and customs in Amsterdam and Rome. And a Windstar cruise is a perfect choice if you want the experience the joys of a yachting vacation with the friendliest crew at sea.
PHOTOS by Gerry Barker
See cruises here Windstar Cruises & Star Legend
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