Windstar Cruises‘ has made its debut Down Under and it might just be one of the best ways to sail the southern seas, writes Kirstie Bedford
It never ceases to amaze me how miners found their way through this rugged territory,” John, our driver, tells us. He’s a fourth-generation Tasmanian and although he has been taking travellers to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park for decades, it’s still magical to him. You can hear it in his voice. See it in the shake of his head as he speaks.
It’s his first time back since the pandemic, and he’s driving a busload of us from Burnie, where our ship, Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze is docked. This is also the ship’s first time in Australia: Sydney then Melbourne, before crossing the Bass Strait to Tasmania. It’s mostly Americans on this excursion – a reflection of the geographic make-up of those on board. Fellow traveller, Jan, tells me she’s always dreamed of coming to Australia but only made the decision when Windstar announced its trip. She’s loyal to the brand, and it doesn’t take long to see why.
The ship is opulent, to say the least. My room, in the newly renovated middle section, has a regal feel, with a gold mottled mirror in the living room, plush king-size bed and double doors opening to a small balcony. The staircases have gold balustrades, and outside there are wide decks, some with bars, two others with sparkling pools. It’s small, just 312 guests, and staff know you by name and treat you like a friend.
Tasmania port of call with Windstar Cruises
It’s cool when we leave the boat for our bus, but regardless of the weather, the shore excursions are the main reason you travel this way. Or so Jan tells me, to nods of agreement from our fellow travelling companions.
“Drop your bag once and you can be in mainland Australia one day, Tasmania the next and a few days later New Zealand,” she tells me.
“It’s the best way to travel, especially when you’re on your own.”
Our bus comes over a rise and the dramatic serrated peak of Cradle Mountain appears. Mouths are agape as we pull into the carpark where a mirror-like Dove Lake reflects its famed mountainous guardian.
As we walk the six-kilometre Dove Lake track, Cradle Mountain reveals herself in all her glory, changing colour in the shifting light.
Afterwards, back on the bus, John stops when he spots multiple wombats dotted along the buttongrass.
We all stand in awe of the teddy-bear-like marsupials. “Box ticked,” John calls out, and he’s smiling from ear to ear.
Cooking up a storm on Windstar Cruises
Back on the boat, we’re treated to a cooking lesson by chef Gavin Baxter, who lives in Poland, but spends four months a year on board. He’s worked in five-star hotels, restaurants and private luxury yachts, but it’s here he says he feels most at home. He’s cooking a risotto. “When I cook this at home, I taste it up to 10 times,” he tells us. At home, he and his wife produce plum products (sugar-free jams and a smoked plum vodka).
I ask him about culinary trends and he says on board the movement is towards plant-based menus. “People are demanding that, and we are pioneering our way through that on cruises. We are constantly trying to reinvent ourselves, particularly around sustainability.” Much like the rest of the cruise, they’re evaluating and evolving to meet the needs of the discerning travellers who like to call this ship home for weeks (or months) at a time.
Time to dine
After feasting on Baxter’s risotto, I take pause, lounging on one of the four complimentary thermal tile chairs in the spa, which radiate heat and are a great relief after a hike or working out in the onsite gym. There is a full itinerary to be had: mixology classes, trivia and enrichment speakers talking about Tasmania’s landscape, wildlife and climate, and a chance to visit the Open Bridge. But, for now, I’m happy here listening to the calming music and contemplating which cocktail I’ll have at one of the three onboard bars.
That night we dine at Candles restaurant (there are three restaurants to choose from) on seafood chowder, beef fillet steak mignon and crème brûlée, to a sun streaked in pink and orange hues, before heading back to our cabins.We’re calling into Hobart tomorrow and then the ship heads onwards to New Zealand. Jan tells me she’s most looking forward to Fiordland, cruising among those dramatic fjords the South Island is so famed for.
But she’s in no rush to get home. This is the trip of a lifetime, she says, and I can see just why.
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