PHOTO: © FRANCIS X. GALLAGHER

EMBARKATION/DISEMBARKATION: We flew Air France business class from Los Angeles to Papeete, where we overnighted at Hilton Hotel Tahiti. We arranged a car to take us to the port to board Star Breeze for the Tahiti & the Tuamotu Islands 10-day cruise with the Global Traveler Globility subscriber board. This was the second annual trip we have taken together with a group of well-seasoned travelers. Joining me and my wife, Michele, were J.C. and Sonia Murat; Celeste and Tom Linhard; and Jonathan Fuchs and his wife, Catherine Cannan. We all stayed at the Hilton and met for dinner the night before so we could best plan our time together on Windstar’s Star Breeze.

The boarding procedure was very orderly, and our room keys were ready. After reviewing our documents and getting our pictures taken for identification, we made the most important stop: securing restaurant reservations for our group of eight. As the leader, and as directed by Jonathan and Catherine, I booked each specialty restaurant, and Hubert (the restaurant manager) told us we would have the same table in Amphora, the main dining room, each night. Our table ended up being the Captain’s Table in the center of the restaurant for the entire cruise — what a spectacle we made!

Once on board, we dropped off our hand luggage to our Balcony Suite No. 513 and enjoyed a luncheon and some wine at the Veranda restaurant, located at the rear of the ship. The Veranda served breakfast and lunch during the entire cruise and offered cooked-to-order plus menu items.

Windstar purchased the ship and totally refurbished and stretched it in 2020 to add a new section with 50 more cabins and more public space. You can watch the process, which is quite amazing, on YouTube.

PHOTO: © FRANCIS X. GALLAGHER

GUEST QUARTERS: Our suite consisted of a queen-sized bed which could be converted to two twins. Our bed, flanked with two end tables, featured overhead lighting attached to the headboard for reading. The sitting area was the focal point near the windows to the balcony/ window. A large sofa sat on one side of the windows, and on the other side two chairs and a table were arranged. I took over this area as the “command center” where I checked emails and kept up with things back home. The Starlink internet was superb and beyond my expectations. Opposite the bed, a built-in credenza offered lots of drawers, and next to it another storage unit held a large TV (which I don’t think we ever had time to watch). Between the bed and the sitting area were a refreshment center with glasses and a refrigerator stocked with water and soda. Near the entry to the room, a large closet included plenty of hanging space, more shelving and a safe. After unpacking, all the luggage fit under the bed, which kept clutter down.

Next to the closet, the bathroom featured a double sink and a large walk-in shower. L’Occitane products graced the bathroom throughout.

SERVICES/AMENITIES: We were the “it” table in Amphora and truly enjoyed the central location and the fine service from our server, Anna, every night. The James Beard-inspired dishes proved a welcome addition. At the request of Celeste Linhard, the culinary team added specialty Filipino dishes to our table, which made the dinners memorable. Each meal featured ample fine wine, and we even scheduled a special wine pairing dinner through our sommelier, Antony. Specialty restaurants included Candles, an evening conversion of Veranda restaurant to outside romantic seating serving a steakhouse/seafood menu. Caudro 44, a Spanish inspiration, serves small plates developed by 10-time Michelin-starred chef Anthony Sasso. We were lucky to secure the best table for our party of eight at this fun, delicious restaurant experience. This is where Windstar’s collaboration with the James Beard Foundation truly pays off.

Other restaurants to consider include Star Grill, located outside the Yacht Club at the front of the ship. The grill operates in association with barbecue master Stephen Raichlin and offers rotisserie and grilled items for lunch and dinner. Yacht Club offers small bites and wraps for breakfast or lunch and coffee. It makes a nice place to start your day reading a book or checking emails. I often enjoyed listening to the two Polynesian entertainers — Tapari and Tiki — singing and playing the ukulele at Star Grill. They were everywhere and always ready to help or entertain. Also have to offer a shout-out to Arnel, the bartender, and his team, always ready to serve with a smile.

PHOTO: © FRANCIS X. GALLAGHER

The group usually met for cocktails and trivia in the Compass Rose lounge in the rear of the ship. We became well known as masters at trivia and at ordering French 75s made of Champagne, gin, lemon juice and sugar. The drink, inspired by the French 75mm field gun, is said to leave you with a similar kick! Entertainment in the lounge was tops and enjoyable. Sonia and I won the self-established dance contest one night.

The back of the ship opens when at anchor and offers swimming, kayaking and other water sport activities as well as sunning on giant inflatables connected to the ship — great after a return from an excursion or staying on board all day.

I can’t say enough about the vast number of excursions. For the most part, the group split up each day and met back at the ship for dinner. Some highlighted excursions included an e-bike tour on Fakarava and the Deluxe Lagoon Tour with snorkeling in Bora Bora. On Rangiroa (with a population less than 3,000) we enjoyed a restful day of hanging by the beach and snorkeling at the Green Lagoon. On Motu Mahaea we toured the Vanilla Plantation and purchased high-quality vanilla beans for holiday treats.

Probably the most fun excursion was the second day in Bora Bora when we rented Renault Twizy electric cars from the local Avis and conducted a self-tour headed by J.C. The vehicles were a lot of fun, each holding two persons: a driver and a passenger. Along the way we stopped at Matira Beach, where we swam and made friends with a little 3-year-old girl who took a liking to us and swam back and forth between us for nearly 30 minutes. Turned out her mother owned the Snack Restaurant Moi Here where we had a quick lunch. From there, J.C. took us to see the eight cannons the United States installed during World War II to protect the island. Many people have difficulty finding this spot or take a 4×4 ride to see them. We simply parked, paid the owner (they sit on private land) and trekked up to see them. This is not a journey for the faint-hearted; the pathway is unmanaged and often full of boulders you need to climb over … not easy, especially in swim shoes and bathing trunks! Add to this the temperature of nearly 85 degrees. The journey is worth the effort, however, and I recommend it to anyone. We continued our ride around Bora Bora and headed back to the harbor, returning the cars (unscathed) to Avis. A great, memorable day on Bora Bora!

We all utilized the spa for various treatments, which were well-received, and I had a haircut while on board from Lily, who did a professional job.

Lastly, we had two at-sea days where we could relax on deck, go to lectures and enjoy the ship. The crew and entertainment were tops, and I was even pushed into the final night festivities with Tom Linhard and the haka dance, winning first place.

TOP TAKEAWAYS:

• Front desk personnel were super and able to resolve any internet issue.
• Beautiful small-ship experience; we felt like the entire crew were our friends.
• Wonderful Motu Party with fire dancers pro- vided by Star Breez
• Casual but elegant dining experience in Amphora