We last left off with Star Legend just about to sail off into the sunset.  The Unexpected Windstar Family Day highlighted Windstar’s 180° From Ordinary thought to honor crew and their families.  We captured a lot of images that day. Just by accident, our story follows one family from the time they arrived at the port, through their visit onboard, at a lovely banquet held shoreside and through sailing away.  In the process, we got a brief taste of what it might be like to sail off for months at a time, leaving wives, husbands, sons & daughters behind.

At every port of call on the 2018 Windstar President’s Cruise, we have been welcomed upon arrival by local musicians and adorable kids dressed in colorful costumes.

Leaving at the end of our stay in port, we experienced a rousing send-off as well, often by the same bunch of local people who began our day.

 

Bonus: several times before sailing away, local performers also came on board to the delight of Windstar passengers..

We had fallen into a very nice pattern of beginning and ending our time in port with happy kids greeting and sending us off. Sailing away from Manila after the two-day stay as well as Family Day for the crew was tough

It was tough for passengers. Even after meeting crew families, it is difficult to imagine being at sea so long with young children at home.

At the end of the day as we pulled away from shore, the happiness brought about earlier in the day turned to what was probably a familiar sight as crew went off to sea again.

I spend a lot of time here on this topic of crew life. It’s one of the variables at any cruise line that can make or break any trip. Happy, motivated crew members enjoy their jobs more and it shows.  The effect of a cruise line that treats its crew well trickles down too.  So for selfish personal reasons, I want them to be happy.

As a father, my thought is: It’s part of the job to be away. Crew knows that when they sign up.  Still, leaving behind little kids who will grow and change in a matter of months can’t be easy.  Actually, after seeing this brief reunion/back to sea process in person, we know it is not easy.  There is no imagining to it.

How appropriate then that the Windstar Family focuses a great amount of attention on crew members and their families.  That’s got to make heading out to sea for months a little easier to live with.  Thanks Windstar, for doing the right thing here.