QuirkyCruise Reader Review: VELA in the Caribbean (Island Windjammers)

QuirkyCruise Reader Review: VELA in the Caribbean (Island Windjammers)
Reviewer

David Harrell from the USA

Cruise Line

Island Windjammers

Ship

Vela

Destination

Caribbean

# of Nights

6

Departure Date & Ports

September 2017, from Grenada to the Windward Islands

OVERALL RATING

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

-Food Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

-Cabin Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

-Service/Crew Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

-Itinerary Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

Have you been on a small ship cruise before?

No, this was my first.

Review

First Windjammer style cruise and it was Awesome!

My wife and I just completed a week cruise with Island Windjammers aboard the Vela. We have wanted to take a Windjammer style cruise for years and after researching options we chose Island Windjammers Pirate Week as our first adventure. I have to say this was by far one of the best vacations we’ve ever had. After a brief time meeting the other ‘Pirates’, I knew this was going to be a fun trip. It was a diverse group of folks but we all had that Pirate mentality and were ready for a special week.

If you like lounging around a pool, spending time in the casino, going to shows, etc. This is not that type of cruise.

However… If you are adventurous and enjoy meeting people and seeing places you’ll never see while on a large cruise ship, then you’ll love this. We sailed into small coves with great snorkeling, beaches, hiking and dropping into local bars in very, very small villages.

The crew members were awesome. Leah and Andrew laid out each day’s activities, providing tips on the best snorkeling spots, hiking, shops and food options. Chef Robert along with Panchoo prepared some amazing meals. You will not go hungry while sailing Island Windjammers. Something I had not given much thought to was our ability to get to know the crew. Something you can’t do on a large cruise ship. I especially enjoyed sitting with Captain Patricio and talking about his life fishing and sailing.

I definitely will be sailing again and I hope our photos and stories will inspire our friends to join us. However, we established what I hope will be long friendships with our fellow Pirates.

Overall it was an amazing experience.

See more QuirkyCruise Reader Reviews HERE, honest feedback from real passengers !!

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About The Author

QuirkyCruise

Ted & Heidi are long-time travel writers with a penchant for small ship cruising. Between them they've traveled all over the world aboard hundreds and hundreds of small cruise ships of all kinds, from river boats to expedition vessels and sailing ships.

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Heidi and Ted HEIDI SARNA

I'm up to 78 countries and 110+ cruises worldwide, and it's the small ship journeys that I love writing about most. And so QuirkyCruise.com was born, an excellent research tool for planning your own unforgettable small ship trip.

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I have traveled between all continents by sea and cruised along three dozen rivers. Ships and travel are in my blood, and so is writing. My journeys have translated into many books and many hundreds of articles.

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