It turns out island-hopping around French Polynesia on luxury cruise ship Star Breeze is as enjoyable as it sounds.
I’m lying flat on my back, half-submerged. My feet dangle in the rich, blue, inviting Pacific Ocean on one side of the floating mat, my hair in the other. The sun is warm; the water is just right – a faint breeze massages the skin.
I watch the thin clouds dance across the sky, taking flight from the impossibly steep mountain to the right, destined for the mountain to the left, carpeted in lush green. In the distance, the sound of a shell horn, booming out from one of the huts that dot the shores encircling us.
It’s bliss.
The mat is drifting off the back of Windstar Star Breeze, a small cruise ship carrying 240 customers, served by almost 200 crew. The back of the ship folds down when anchored, becoming a water sports platform. Joining the mat are inflatable lounges and a trampoline. Or you can try your luck with a paddleboard or kayak.
It’s a rare moment of quiet contemplation and pure relaxation in truth. Windstar’s Dreams of Tahiti cruise isn’t short on luxury, adventure and the finer things in life, but at its heart it’s an expedition into culture and connection.
Eight days in paradise
It was 14-hours door-to-door from my home in northern Sydney to my hotel in Papeete, Tahiti. Not bad by Australian standards. Windstar’s Dreams of Tahiti cruise departs directly from the capital of French Polynesia, which is by far its biggest city. From there you island hop to Mo’orea, Raiatea, Taha’a, Bora Bora and Huahine over the course of seven nights.
Windstar Breeze is a destination cruise: the action, for the most part, is in the little corners of the world this size vessel can sneak into and less so on deck. If you’re after endless activities, waterworks, huge stage performances, a casino and a mall’s worth of eateries, then you’re in the wrong place.
Not that it’s devoid of things to do.
I found myself spending plenty of time in the cool pool and dual hot tubs, chatting with other guests as waiters went about drink orders. At the front of the ship, I found the Yacht Club to offer great coffee and tasty sandwiches while you did a puzzle, played cards, indulged in a board game or simply worked with a view.
After eating in one of the four restaurants for dinner, the house band would play to those still with energy in the Compass Rose lounge. While on most nights there was an event of some kind to enjoy, either on deck or in the quaint theatre.
The ship is easy to navigate and understand. Most decks have just a single hallway from bow to stern, with suites peeling away to the left and right. A stunning spiral staircase towards the stern leads you up to a deck with ample space for sunlounges and a view of French Polynesia’s raw beauty.
Every Windstar room is a suite
One of Windstar’s claims is that it doesn’t do staterooms: every room is a suite. I’m not sure if it truly feels like a suite, but the rooms are significantly bigger than typical cruise staterooms.
As soon as I walked into my room, I was struck by the finish. A little whitewashed; a little island chic; but still modern. The width of the room is very welcome, with every extra centimetre greatly eroding the sense of claustrophobia. My room featured a large, comfortable couch in front of a solid, luxury coffee table. Plus, a large TV with on-demand content and a smart UI that makes it easy to work out what is going on any given day. Activities, weather, account balance, and more are there.
Elsewhere, additional reading seats, a decent-sized bathroom (with a bathtub) and a walk-in wardrobe fill the space. There’s a fridge, of course, and a full dresser. It’s impressive. It felt more like a hotel room, to be honest!
I also love how almost all the rooms are designed so they can be interconnected, if desired.
The bed itself is comfortable, as are the pillows, but I did have problems with its design. The king beds are effectively two twins joined together, with a very clear and tangible split down the middle. I was sleeping alone, but couldn’t spread out comfortably as the beds would tend to come apart at night. Plus, one mattress was slightly bigger than the other.
Anita, my cabin attendant, did keep the room in tip-top shape, however. And I loved how every night I would return to the room to find a meaningful little gift waiting on the bed. Often, a little present from the local culture, like traditional soap or a scented spray. A lovely gesture.
Living the island culture
You can, of course, do Windstar’s Dream of Tahiti cruise without any excursions. Each day, tenders depart every 15 minutes, taking you from the ship to the nearby island’s port. There’s not always a lot to explore in these remote locations, but you can hire bikes, boats, cars or simply go for a walk.
On two occasions, the ship completely uprooted everyone, including the kitchen staff, to private islands. One a day filled with pristine sand, snorkelling and swimming. The other night feast with a stunning sunset, fantastic buffet and incredible traditional show involving dancing and flames. There’s the aforementioned water sports platform, too, so plenty to do.
Yet I opted to do an excursion every day. I’d take the earliest departures and then come back to the ship to relax in the afternoon or to explore the local town. I leant into cultural experiences: learning about sacred sites and beliefs, visiting pearl farms and vanilla plantations, seeing wildlife, or gaping at views.
I found the excursions to be fantastic! Even when they overlapped a little, there was still so much information to feast on from the excellent guides.
I also took the opportunity to snorkel and scuba dive. The reefs are fantastic: some of the best I’ve come across in the world. The coral itself is colourful and alive, but the volume and variety of fish is mind-blowing. It’s like you’re in an aquarium at times. I saw turtles, sharks and enjoyed an incredible encounter with a Manta Ray.
Perhaps, in hindsight, I could have given myself more time to just relax and soak up the sun. It was a little exhausting. But I value the knowledge and experiences I gained on the excursions so much! Off for a few more days at sea!
Connecting with crew and colleagues
Perhaps the biggest surprise I had on my Windstar Star Breeze Dreams of Tahiti cruise was that it wasn’t the ship, destination or local culture that was the true highlight. They were all amplified by one specific ingredient: people.
The crew are such a big part of your Windstar experience. I was shocked by how many staff knew my name, room number and favourite orders within 24-hours of being on board. Before long, not only did I feel that they were genuinely happy to see me, but I was happy to see them.
We shared stories and jokes far beyond the pleasantries you might expect. It wasn’t uncommon to come across the senior team walking the corridor or at an event. Numerous times, I bumped into the captain at breakfast and shared an exchange. Windstar is even happy for you to just come onto the bridge for a chat!
It says a lot that the staff talent show, undertaken towards the end of the cruise, saw all the guests turn up to cheer. It was a very special experience – a very multi-talented bunch.
But also, the other guests. As you do excursions, hang in hot tubs, dine in restaurants or simply gather on deck for a spectacular view, you quickly begin spending a lot of time with people. Soon you’re talking and getting to know one another. Within days, strong bonds are forming around the shared experience.
I really didn’t expect the cruise to be as much about the people I was doing it with as it was the adventure itself. I dare say, there are dozens of individuals I met on this cruise I will continue to connect with over the years.
Windstar gets exponentially better
Not everything is perfect, of course. While the food was always good, it only occasionally tipped into great. Changing the theme each lunch was welcomed, but overall, the menu is relatively limited, and the quality didn’t quite reach the luxury standard of the rest of the experience.
The drinks menu is a little hit and miss, too. While the wine and top shelf spirits were lovely, when it came to beers, it was a case of lager or lager. Cocktails were a bigger worry: everything involving a premix felt too low on booze, but high on sugar.
Elsewhere, I was disappointed that the hot tub would frequently shut by 7pm, way too early when the appeal of sitting on deck looking at the stars is so high. And I think Windstar could have provided a bit more in terms of entertainment. The band was so-so, while there was little in the way of trivia or karaoke or other such incidental attractions to lure you from your cabin.
Yet, these concerns were far outweighed by the positives. Indeed, with each passing day, the cruise felt like it got better. Ramping ever upwards as those on board – crew and guests alike – bonded into a shared experience and my understanding of the Polynesian culture grew.
I thought seven days would go by so fast, and in many ways, it did, but by the end, I felt so full. Physically, mentally and socially content. Which is why I’m more than happy to recommend Windstar’s Dreams of Tahiti cruise, a true celebration of French Polynesia.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Chris Stead stayed as guest of Windstar Cruises for the purposes of this review. Bookings for the Dreams of Tahiti tour can be made on the Windstar website.
