Windstar Cruises Revamps French Polynesia Experience

With the extension of its sailing season in French Polynesia to year-round, Windstar revamped its onboard experience to provide a more immersive experience into French Polynesian culture and food. Travel Market Report was onboard Star Breeze’s inaugural sailing in the region, and while a cyclone forced the ship to change course, we still received the full onboard experience.

Onboard ambassador
The biggest change Windstar made was two-fold. First the line hired Hironui Johnston, who previously worked for Tahiti’s Ministry of Tourism, to consult on artwork, onboard activities, and more. He’s been essential in helping to find local artists, lecturers, and chefs to help the line build its onboard experience.

Secondly, Windstar added a Tahitian cultural ambassador to its crew. The ambassador’s role is to sail with guests and offer a variety of classes from Tahitian language lessons to ukulele playing to how to wear a pareo (Tahitian skirt). On our sailing, the cultural ambassador – Pearl – was ever-present, introducing herself to every table the first evening of sailing, playing the ukulele and singing traditional songs in the afternoon and evening, and always ready to answer any question guests had.

Local food
Another aspect of the Tahitian programming that is still in the works is the incorporation of local foods. For instance, guests will already find , Tahiti’s national dish which features raw fish marinated in lime juice and coconut milk, on the menu, as is , a skillet dish with chicken, rice, and coconut milk. (We had the latter twice at lunch and it was delicious!)

Every morning at breakfast fresh fruits bought at a local market are available and clearly marked as locally-bought. We were able to try freshly purchased starfruit, bread fruit, papaya, mango and others.

On our sailing a local chef was also onboard to help train the executive chef and kitchen staff to cook additional local recipes that will be added to the lunch and dinner menus.

Evening goodies
Windstar is also giving its nightly turndown service on Star Breeze a slightly Tahitian spin. Every other night or so, guests come back to their suite to find a small gift representing their Tahitian adventure.

One night it was a scented soap from Bora Bora. Another night a small bottle of Tahiti’s famous Monoi oil. Another, a bottle of frangipani-scented bottle of perfume.

Other nights a little notecard offered essential Tahitian vocabulary (French as well) or local fables explaining the legend of the coconut tree or the legend of the pearl.

New shore excursions
Something we did not get to experience on this sailing because of the storm-related detour was Windstar’s new shore excursions – though we did get to try out two excursions in the remote Marquesas Islands that might end up being offered later this summer when Star Breeze returns to the archipelago.

Among the new excursions that Windstar is offering are a cultural catamaran cruise in Raiatea, and, in Moorea, the chance to visit coral nurseries started by local non-profit Coral Gardeners. Windstar has partnered with Coral Gardeners to help regrow the region’s coral, particularly in Moorea where the coral is dying at an alarming pace. Guests have two choices of Coral Gardeners excursions, one more hands-on than the other.

New programming a hit, say travel advisors
Travel Market Report had the chance to chat with some of the small group of advisors sailing on the inaugural cruise.

“The Tahitian-focused programming on the Star Breeze was a great addition to the cruise,” Marilyn Mirabelli, a travel advisor with ExpediaCruises in Toronto, Canada, told TMR.

Karen Krugliak, co-owner of Brit Olom Tours, Inc., added, “Having a genuine ambassador for the Polynesian culture onboard our Windstar Star Breeze cruise greatly enhanced the experience. “Hearing the ukulele along with Pearl’s renditions of Polynesian standards made our Star Grill lunches so much more authentic.”

Both Mirabelli and Krugliak especially liked the classes with the Tahitian cultural ambassador.                                                                                           

“Learning to play the ukulele or how to wrap yourself in the traditional cloth pareo is being immersed in the culture,” Krugliak said. “My clients will not only enjoy the beauty of French Polynesia on Windstar, but also have their individual ‘hands on’ experiences of learning by doing, playing the music, wearing the garments, cooking the traditional foods, speaking the language.”

Mirabelli told TMR she was particularly excited by the class on how to wear a pareo. “I bought one in Papeete pre-cruise and was thrilled with the hands-on demo provided by Pearl, the onboard Tahitian ambassador,” she said.

“Overall, I would say the Tahitian programming onboard Star Breeze was successful and I would certainly mention these onboard encounters to clients considering a cruise to French Polynesia,” she added.