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About
Windjammer
Barefoot
Cruises...
Windjammer Barefoot Cruises has most definitely evolved.
Though still cruising's most casual, free-spirited option, the eccentric
Windjammer (they really do mean it about going barefoot) consists of a fleet of
five vintage tall ships and one freighter and has, mostly, adapted to new times.
Which means? Some of its funkiest eccentricities have disappeared.
Passengers are no longer permitted to climb the riggings and howl at the moon.
The notoriously spartan ships have gained some "foo foo" touches, like curtains
in the dining saloon and some double-bedded cabins. The cruise line has added
"activities mates" to each ship to handle shore-related explorations. And
Windjammer's Junior Jammers' kids program is one of the best around -- for more
adventurous spirited kids, anyway.
Still, some traditions remain. The
ships still pretty much center on itineraries (and are based) in the Bahamas and
the Caribbean (as an experiment this summer Windjammer repositioned Legacy to
sail voyages out of Miami, the first time a Windjammer ship had cruised out of
the continental U.S. in a long, long, time. Captains still walk around barefoot
and in short. Rum swizzles are still complimentary at cocktail hour (as are
bloody marys at breakfast). And Windjammer's unique, easy-does-it
almost-anything-goes atmosphere still permeates.
In the Windjammer fleet
of sailing ships, the 72-passenger Mandalay, built in 1923, is its most
venerable. Other ships in the line include the 64-passenger Yankee Clipper
(circa 1927), 74-passenger Flying Cloud (1935), 126-passenger Polynesia (1938),
and 120-passenger Legacy (1959). The date refers only to the ships' provenance,
not its last refurbishment, it must be noted! All are state-of-the-art enough to
pass muster from various national safety agencies though only Legacy has passed
the very stringent requirements of the United States Coast Guard (and, as a
result, is the only ship to sail into or out of American ports). The
94-passenger Amazing Grace is a world of its own; the freighter ship provides
the sailing ships with supplies and offers two-week-long cruises. The atmosphere
tends to appeal more to older travelers on this ship.
Windjammer
Barefoot Cruises, still a family-run company, was founded in 1947 by Captain
Mike Burke. He took a dilapidated 70-foot ketch and began offering
ultra-informal trips to the Bahamas. It's based in Miami.
Windjammer is
genuinely one of cruising's biggest bargains, whether you buy a bunk in a
dormitory or one of the (relatively) upscale suites. Windjammer's web site has a
"last minute" feature where the ultra-flexible can save half off the regular
price.
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CRUISECLEVER - WINDJAMMER
BAREFOOT CRUISES
