Island Windjammers Vela Review by QuirkyCruise Reader Sarretta McCaslin Who Spent 12 Nights Cruising the French West Indies & Leeward Islands

Island Windjammers Vela Review

Reviewer

Sarretta McCaslin from USA.

Cruise Line

Island Windjammers.

Ship

The 26-passenger Vela.

Destination

French West Indies & Leeward Islands in the Caribbean.

# of Nights

12.

Departure Port

St Lucia; cruise ended in St Kitts.

Date of Cruise

Jan 5, 2025.

Ratings

(5=excellent, 4=very good, 3=good, 2=poor, 1=terrible)

-Overall Experience Rating: 5

-Food Rating: 5

-Service/Crew Rating: 5

-Cabin Rating: 5

-Itinerary Rating: 5

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Island Windjammers Vela Review

What a fantastic adventure!

We sailed on Island Windjammers’ tall ship Vela for a 12-day repositioning cruise from Saint Lucia to Saint Kitts in January 2025, touring a selection of the French West Indies and Windward Islands. This cruise covered the greatest distance of all Island Windjammer Caribbean cruises, providing the most opportunities for sailing, while also allowing us to visit some of the most intriguing islands in the Caribbean — islands and areas that are normally unreachable via conventional cruise ships.

We had previously cruised on all of the Windjammer Barefoot sailing vessels — we did our honeymoon on the S/V Polynesia. After Windjammer Barefoot Cruises went under, we journeyed on conventional cruise ships (we are Platinum on Carnival). While those trips weren’t as thrilling as sailing, we have loved visiting many islands and ports. We have never had a bad cruise — we have always found ways to have fun.

The Vela is the smallest sailing vessel we’ve ever cruised on. It has 14 passenger cabins and a max capacity of only 26 guests — our cruise had 17.

It is a beautiful boat!

The beautiful Vela docked. * Photo: Sarretta McCaslin

There are various open areas for passenger use. There is the large forward/front deck where an overhead canopy could be used for shade. This was where snacks, as well as lunch and dinner were served, weather permitting. There is also a smaller aft deck with bench seats. The main salon and small drink area are always open, with 4 built-in tables and bench seats.

Purified water, tea, coffee, soft drinks, beer, and wine are always available. Various books and board and card games, as well as other group activities (like Pictionary or painting), are housed and played in the main salon.

We booked a deluxe cabin (#5) on the Vela. Although small, the cabin was quite adequate for us. We brought two backpacks plus a large duffel bag instead of suitcases, because these soft items could be flattened and slid under the bed in the 2’x13” space. One of us uses a CPAP machine, which fit neatly on the shelf above the bed. The electrical outlet near that shelf was very convenient. There was also another small shelf above the wider lower shelf, which proved excellent for small-item storage. There was also an outlet in the bathroom, which we used to power a nightlight. The only real negative to Cabin 5 was that climbing into the upper bunk was a bit of a challenge, as there were not enough good handholds.

The food we had aboard the Vela was wonderful. Chef Robert and Cook George prepared delicious meals which were perfectly plated. A small whiteboard in the salon listed the planned meals for the day. If some item on the day’s menu was not to your taste, Robert would find a substitution if requested.

With the 3 full meals, plus snacks and rum punch every day, we were always full.

Because the wind and weather greatly influence the itinerary, you never know where you will be day-to-day.

Our wonderful voyage ended up being the following:

• Rodney Bay, St. Lucia
• Anse d’Arlet, Martinique
• Saint Pierre, Martinique
• Portsmouth, Dominica
• Les Saintes on Isles de Saintes, Guadeloupe
• Ilet du Gosier, just south of Les Gosier, Guadeloupe
• Deshaies, Guadeloupe
• St. Louis Village, Marie Gallant Island
• Charleston, Nevis
• Little White House Bay and Carambola Beach, Nevis
• Frigate Bay, St Kitts

Some of the many adventures and excursions we enjoyed:

• Hiking & snorkeling near the town of Anse d’Arlet, Martinque
• Walking tour of Saint Pierre, Martinique (known as the Pompeii of the Caribbean)
• “Elvis Presley” (rock-n-roll) sail between the 2 large volcanic islands (Martinique and Dominica)
• Indian River Tour, Dominica
• Beach BBQ in Portsmouth, Dominica
• Visiting Fort Napoleon, Isles de Saintes
• Seeing flying fish, turtles, tarpon, fishing bats, dolphins, frigate birds, herons, monkeys, and more
• Drinks and hermit crabs at Chez Henri, St. Louis Village, Marie Gallant Island
• Jardin Botanique (Botanical Garden), Deshaies, Guadeloupe
• Seeing and smelling the venting of the Montserrat Soufrière Hills volcano as we sailed past
• Nevis Island Tour (Montpelier and Golden Rock resorts, plus history and sights)
• Monkeys at Shipwreck Bar and snorkeling near Carambola Beach, St. Kitts
• Captain Sunshine 3-hour St. Kitts Tour: Brimstone Hill Fort, Caribelle Batik Factory and more

General Tips: 

• We used the AT&T International Day Pass for internet. Be sure to set your phone on airplane mode and disable Wi-Fi calling on days that you don’t want to use the pass.
• Wi-Fi is available ashore at many restaurants and through some public access.
• We joined the Island Windjammers fan club on Facebook, and used it to communicate with fellow passengers.
• We arrived in St. Lucia 3 days early and stayed at the Coco Palms Resort — great location with walking distance restaurants, shopping, and a beach.
• Took the airport transfer tour and 2 other tours with Island Man Tours – highly recommend!
• There is a door hook on bathroom doors in each cabin which allows you to secure the door in a partially open position – this let the bathroom and contents dry out
• Take enough cash for taxis, tips, and places ashore that don’t take credit cards.
• The crew is immensely helpful especially if anyone needs assistance or has mobility issues.
• There are excursions and activities for folks with a wide variety of fitness levels.
• Tours and excursions set up by the liaison can often be purchased and charged to your cabin.
• We stayed overnight in St Kitts at the Timothy Bay Resort — highly recommend!
• Be sure you have adequate layover time in your return flight schedule (we missed our connecting flight due to extreme wait times at passport control).

My Packing Tips:

Here is a list of the things that folks recommended and which I found most helpful on our recent cruise:

* over-the-door shoe/pocket organizer for storage (many pockets!)
* a small night light
* a non-surge protector power strip
* sun shirts
* a good hat (wide-brimmed)
* a small bag/backpack to take stuff ashore
* heavy-duty water shoes
* Sandals you can hike in and get wet
* Turkish beach towels (fold small, won’t hold sand, dry quickly)
* a lint roller — to get inevitable sand out of your bed
* “portable washing machine” or 5-gallon heavy-duty Ziplock

For more details and info to round out our Island Windjammers Vela review, read on to see our diary of the trip:

5 Jan
We arrived in Saint Lucia 3 days before our cruise, and we used the extra time to tour the north end of the island. We stayed at the Coco Palm Resort, which was located near many excellent restaurants that were in easy walking distance. We got to the Rodney Bay marina at 12:30pm and sat outside Cafe Ole where we met other Vela passengers. Margie the Vela Cruise Liaison, arrived and started getting paperwork, passports and information from us. The luggage was taken to Vela in dinghies, then all 17 passengers were ferried over in the dinghies as well. We were introduced to the captain and crew, and got the safety briefing. Following the briefing, we were all shown to our respective cabins. After settling in a bit, we returned to the main salon where we photographed “Margie’s Magic Board” listing all the crew names and their positions, as well as all the passengers’ names and their cabins. There was also a “food whiteboard” in the main salon which showed the planned meals each day. Some snacks were served at about 5 PM and Margie gave a briefing about what would happen over the next night and morning — we would be anchored for most of the night, then starting our sail to Martinique around 4 AM. We all went out on deck and helped raise the sails. We met for dinner around 7 PM out on the main deck under a canopy. The food was delicious.

6 Jan
We raised anchor and started our sail to Martinique at about 4:30am. The ride across the channel to Martinique was quite rocky — heavy wave action! In the main salon at breakfast time, Margie‘s magic board (MMB) showed we would be arriving in Anse d’Arlet, Martinique, before lunch. After breakfast, Margie gave us the times that the launches would be leaving the boat for the beach and the different activities which were available: a short but rugged hike, snorkeling just off the beach, or walking around the town of Anse d’Arlet. Snorkeling gear was provided to anyone wanting it. After the rather intense hike and some shopping, we entered the lovely water and tried snorkeling. We returned to the Vela for lunch and stayed aboard, relaxing for the rest of the day. We saw several large red bats fishing beside the boat, which took advantage of the small fish that were drawn to the ship’s lights. The bats were later identified as Greater Bulldog Bats. Vela was to stay anchored overnight.

Helping to heave up the sails. * Photo: Sarretta McCaslin

7 Jan
Raised anchor and headed for the north end of Martinique after breakfast. It was a nice sail and we saw turtles alongside the ship. We visited the small village of Saint Pierre, which is known as the Pompeii of the Caribbean. We took a walking tour of the village, seeing ruins created by the eruption of Mount Pelée in 1902, which killed about 30,000 people. We also visited a local bar and other shops as we returned to the dock and then to the Vela. The plan was to raise anchor around midnight and sail to Dominica — about a 10-hour sail.

8 Jan
The sail was pretty rough — Capt. Phillip said we didn’t have a lot of wind but that the strong waves were due to all the power of the Atlantic coming thru the deep channel between the 2 large volcanic islands (Martinique and Dominica). We sailed north along Dominica and anchored off Portsmouth. Before lunch, some of us went for a swim beside the boat. At 1:15 pm we tendered in to the dock. It was a dry landing, but getting onto the dock from the launch was somewhat difficult. Most of us chose to take the Indian River tour. We motored past the central area of Portsmouth before entering the mouth of the Indian River and then being rowed by the guide. In a short side-trip up the Barry River, we saw a replica of Calypso’s cabin from Pirates of the Caribbean 2 (in the location where the scene was filmed). We were paddled through very interesting trees and foliage, where the Indian River ran both deep and shallow, to the Bush Bar. We saw some interesting plants, then had drinks and fried bananas at the bar. We returned to the Vela for a rest and clothes change, then returned to the beach via a wet/moist landing — we rolled off the dinghy into ankle-deep water to climb out. The chef and his assistant barbecued meat on the beach and other food was brought from the ship. We had a wonderful meal, sitting under a roofed, open-air pavilion with coconuts dropping onto the roof making a lot of noise and creating a lot of laughter. After a lovely dinner, we returned to Vela and we stayed at anchor overnight.

9 Jan
After a calm night, we ate breakfast while the crew lifted anchor, and we started the sail to Isles de Saintes. We sailed towards Guadalupe and passed between two of the Isles de Saintes (Terre-de-Bas & Terre-de-Haut), then anchored outside the village of Les Saintes on the north side of Terre-de-Haut. We could see the fumaroles of the Guadalupe volcano. We took launches for a dry landing in the village. Many of us looked at the nearby restaurants to decide if we wanted to eat ashore that evening. Margie took several guests on an “easy” walk to the beach which turned out to be quite an adventure — we never got to that beach. Back in the village, we had drinks at Carte de la Marine and Margie helped us make dinner reservations there. After a little shopping, the dinghy arrived to return us to the Vela. After a quick change of clothes and snacks, at 6:30pm, 5 of us took the launch back into town for dinner ashore. We two made our way to the Carte de la Marine and were lucky enough to find one restaurant staff member who spoke English, and who was able to find our reservation and seat us early. After a lovely French Caribbean dinner, which was delicious, we wandered the little Main Street but most things were closed although restaurants were busy. The Vela dinghy picked us up around 9pm and we had a calm night at anchor.

10 Jan
After breakfast, we took the dinghy back to Les Saintes. Several of us hiked or rode to Fort Napoleon. For 7 euros, we entered the huge old French fort. It boasted a botanical area (mainly cacti), a museum, an iguana sanctuary, and a shop. The museum was 2 stories, and had fascinating items and info, but the exhibits were all labeled in French. Outside, on the ridge around the fort, there were many varieties of cacti. We walked around the circumference of the rise and saw incredibly beautiful views down in the small town, the bay, the Vela, and across to Guadalupe. We also saw a couple of large iguanas along the ridge. Everyone stopped by the small shop for souvenirs, drinks, and locally-made breads. Returning to the village, many of us bought wine for the planned wine and cheese evening. Some also found and purchased 3-foot-long baguettes for the evening as well. After lunch, many of us went by dinghy to Plage du Pain-de-Sucre, a small beach around the isthmus from Vela, to snorkel. It was a tiny beach with lots of people, but the snorkeling was outstanding. After snorkeling in areas to the north and south of the beach, we returned to Vela and got ready for the snacks of wine and cheese. Chef Robert put out a beautiful array of different cheeses and the sliced-up baguettes everyone had brought back, as well as some fruits. The many varied wines were served and everyone made toasts and chatted. After an excellent dinner of tuna steak, some passengers played a very competitive game of Pictionary. We were anchored overnight, so everyone slept well.

Meals are served below decks in the dining area. * Photo: Sarretta McCaslin

11 Jan
The crew raised sails after breakfast and we took a 3.5-hour voyage to a tiny island called Ilet du Gosier, just south of Les Gosier on Guadeloupe. After lunch aboard, we anchored a way off the little island, where Vela would stay overnight. We took launches into the pier for a dry landing. The tiny island was full of locals and tourists, with many boats tied up nearby. There was a lighthouse on the east end of the island and a rocky Beach, but the whole west of the island was a shallow sandy beach and quite lovely. Vela folks made a small camp, with beach chairs and towels. We dropped off our stuff there, then hiked around the island. A nice path along the western shore turned inward as the coast became rocky. We went through groves of interesting, skeletal trees and finally emerged just beside the lighthouse. We walked up the stairs around either side of the lighthouse to a platform about a quarter of the way up. The views were incredible from that position. The Atlantic was relatively quiet, but there was a breakwater between Guadalupe Island and this island and then onward out to the south. We took a ton of pictures and then decided to continue in our circumnavigation of the islet. We returned to the beach where the other Vela passengers were lounging, reading, drinking, chatting or playing in the water. After wading in the wonderfully cool water and relaxing in this gorgeous paradise, we returned to the Vela in time for snacks. We changed clothes and had another excellent dinner before retiring.

Tender rides to and from shore were part of the fun. * Photo: Sarretta McCaslin

12 Jan
The wind picked up overnight and, although we were anchored, the Vela was rocking a lot. We raised anchor and sailed as we finished breakfast. It was about a 3-4-hour sail over to Marie Gallant Island. We anchored off of St. Louis Village and had lunch, then most of us went ashore — a dry landing on a floating plastic pier attached to a concrete pier. Some of walked north through the quiet town, but sadly, everything was closed because it was Sunday. Only bars and restaurants were open. Many buildings appeared to be abandoned and/or decrepit. It was very quiet, but that may be because it was a Sunday afternoon. The church we went to see was closed, but there was a lovely ornamental garden in front of it. Many of us met up at Chez Henri, a beachside bar recommended by Margie. We sat outside along the beach under the beautiful trees, drinking beers and powerful tropical drinks. We took the first dinghy at 4 pm and it was a pleasant ride back to Vela. After snacks, we learned that we would raise anchor and set sail around 2 to 3 in the morning. We played some games and then had a lovely dinner, with much alcohol for some and lots of laughter and camaradery. Some of us watched Tarpon swimming beside the ship; they seemed to flash as they turned sideways, and it looked like the moon had been captured by the ocean. We also saw some more fishing bats, which took advantage of the small fish that were drawn to the ship’s lights.

13 Jan
The crew raised anchor at about 2:30 AM and it was raining heavily. After breakfast, as we continue to sail north along Guadeloupe, we saw rain to the north and the east over the island, and a beautiful rainbow. We sailed to the little fishing village of Deshaies (pronounced De hai), Guadeloupe, close to the northwest tip of the island. The village was set back in a fairly deep bay, and the bay was filled with sailboats, a Dutch training ship (a tall ship, the Wylde Swan), and two small cruise ships which appeared identical. After a lovely lunch in the salon, we took launches into town. Most of us took the free shuttle to the botanical garden. We paid the €18 per person entrance fee and bought some animal food. We fed the large Koi fish which were hysterically funny, then stopped by the Lorikeet enclosure and had lots of fun feeding the beautiful little birds. We hiked through the botanical garden; it was quite steep and windy, although the paths were very well paved, and there were benches in the shade. We saw many interesting and beautiful plants and trees. A group of us stopped in the gift shop, then we all went outside to catch the shuttle which gave us a very fast downhill run to the town. We disembarked and did some shopping along the main street. We went to a waterfront bar/restaurant for drinks, though some of the French-speaking staff were rude. We returned to the Vela and soon had snacks,  after which, we watched the sun set. We had dinner on the main deck under a full moon, and we were able to videotape one of the Greater Bulldog bats hunting and fishing beside the ship.

A magical dinner under a full moon. * Photo: Sarretta McCaslin

14 Jan
The Vela raised anchor around 5 AM. After breakfast, we began a long sail from the northwest point of Guadeloupe, past Montserrat and Redonda Island, to Nevis. It took about 14 hours and there was quite a bit of rock ‘n’ roll anytime we were between islands or the sea was rough. We motored constantly, but also put up the sails at various times. We saw steam and sulphureous clouds pouring from many vents on the Montserrat Soufrière Hills volcano. We saw abandoned towns as well as new buildings on the north end of the island. We sailed by Redonda Island, which is currently a seabird preserve. Thanks to Sophie who was watching for wildlife, we saw a small pod of dolphins swimming off the side of the ship. Lunch was served in the main salon since we were sailing. Jamal, one of the 2 stewards, was fishing off the side of the ship as we sailed, and he caught a huge mahi-mahi. Because of the strong wind and sun, we had snacks in the salon. Everyone chatted and watched the sunset. Several people claimed they saw the green flash. Dinner was on the main deck under a full moon. After dinner, rains hit the ship around 7 PM as we were trying to anchor.

15 Jan
After breakfast, we took a dinghy in to Nevis. Several passengers opted to stay in the town and go to Pinney Beach, while others piled into the taxi/van for a 2.75-hour of Nevis. The tour started in Charleston, the capital of Nevis, then drove around the island, making stops at: the Alexander Hamilton Museum; the oldest hotel in Caribbean and its famous medicinal hot springs; the Montpelier Plantation resort (which was the site of Princess Diana’s last vacation); & the Golden Rock Inn and gardens. During the tour, we also saw: 4 Baobab trees from Africa (planted near the springs and over 400 years old); a donkey sanctuary across from Montpelier; Redonda Island to the south; the Atlantic coast, where locals dive for lobsters and conch, but there are few beaches and the water is colder; St Thomas’s Anglican Church (built in 1683 – still has services); and many fun sights like monkeys dashing across the road. We completed the circumnavigation of the island and stopped at Pinney Beach before returning to the dock and riding back to Vela.

* Photo: Sarretta McCaslin

While we had lunch, Vela raised anchor and sailed the short distance to anchor off Pinney Beach. Many of us took the launch back in and had a wet landing on the beach. After shelling, sitting on the beach, swimming, and/or shopping and drinking at the Sunshine Bar and Restaurant, we all walked down the beach to where the dinghy was being pulled in by Avin and Captain Kevin. It was a wet un-landing. After everyone was back aboard, we motored back to Vela, rinsed off shoes, and had snacks. The Vela raised anchor for a sunset cruise, but it was very cloudy, which provided a beautiful rainbow. We ate dinner on the front deck, but the buffet was set up in the main salon. It was a Caribbean feast and quite amazing. After dinner, Omar, the engineer, gave a magic show in the main salon. Everyone was entertained. We sailed to St. Kitts overnight.

16 Jan
We anchored off of Little White House Bay, which featured a rocky beach, but also a shipwreck in relatively shallow water. After breakfast, a couple of people went ashore to snorkel. When they returned, Vela made a short sail then anchored near Carambola Beach. After lunch, we took a launch in to the beach at Carambola, but the Carambola Beach Resort would not serve anyone who was not on a Wind Star cruise. Instead, we hiked about a half mile or more down a very steeply inclined beach and finally found the rest of our compatriots in the Shipwreck Bar. We also found monkeys! Many folks had eaten lunch here, and some were feeding the monkeys. A mama monkey with a baby holding onto her chest came over and got food, too. We put on our gear and made our way into the water to snorkel. We were able to see many interesting and beautiful fish and other sea life, such as a juvenile French angel fish, Xmas tree worms, and other interesting corals and fans. Other Vela guests saw barracuda, flounder, puffer fish, and a stingray. Some of us returned to Carambola to meet the 3 pm launch. Later, when everyone was back aboard, we had snacks, then posed for crew and passenger group photos. We were also given a tour of the engine room. It was Captain’s dinner night, so each member of the crew gave a brief speech. Dinner was incredible. After dinner, we sailed for Frigate Bay, St Kitts. Margie set up transportation for the next morning to the airport or various hotels, for any guest needing it.

17 Jan
Everyone was up early, packing and preparing to disembark. We had a buffet breakfast followed by more packing. The crew removed all packed luggage by 9:30am. Guests could visit all the empty cabins to see the variety of accommodations available for future sailings. The owner’s suite is amazing! We said tearful goodbyes to the crew then were tendered in to a dock at Frigate Bay near the Timothy Bay Resort. Though the cruise was over, Margie arranged a three-hour tour of St. Kitts in an open-air tour bus/taxi for some of us who requested it. We stayed at the Timothy Bay Resort overnight, having dinner at one of the many nearby restaurants (Zanzi was outstanding) before departing on the 18th.

How many small-ship cruises under 300 pax have you been on?

10

Hope you found this Island Windjammers Vela review insightful!

For more info about this 12-night Vela cruise, click HERE. Tell them you read about the Vela on QuirkyCruise.com! Fares for this cruise start at $4,575 per person.