Windstar cruise line offered an interesting opportunity to see more than Tahiti and Moorea by taking a week long cruise on the Wind Spirit. The itinerary included the additional Society Islands of Bora Bora, Taha'a, Raiatea, and Huahine. Each stop afforded us the opportunity to learn more about the Polynesian culture, the local history, and the current economy. The two tours we arranged before the cruise with Francyfranc Tours in Moorea and L'Excursion Bleue in Raiatea, were offered at half the price of similar ship-sponsored tours and were excellent - better than the two ship tours we booked for other ports, which were also good.
We were invited to visit the ship's bridge when at sea, although most inter-island travel was at night. It was a rare opportunity to chat with the captain and each of the officers on duty throughout the cruise and we very much enjoyed our brief conversations and the explanation of the instruments used to control the ship.
The food was delicious and the table service was generally very friendly and efficient. We enjoyed the two events ashore: the evening luau on Motu Tabu off Bora Bora, which included very entertaining Polynesian dancers, and the picnic lunch on a motu off Taha'a. However, the evening buffet on the open pool deck with a rain storm was not as successful.
Be aware that this ship DOES NOT ACCOMMODATE individuals requiring any assistance for mobility. The gangway only has steps, there are no elevators, and there are no handicapped toilets. The ship and itinerary are intended for active adults without small children. Five sets of rooms on the lower deck have an additional door at the inset entry from the corridor that make it convenient for a family to share a two-room suite, an option that the upper deck of rooms do not have. There are no balcony cabins, but all have two porthole windows. Each cabin has a safe and a small refrigerator.