Cruise Strategies President, Vanessa Lee, with Windstar V.P., Dan Chappelle
Elana Karpman, Cruise Strategies (2nd from left), with Debra Phillips, Debbie Cox, Jason Melnick & Irene Melnick, all from Expedia CruiseShipCenters
Ajax-Pickering & Herbert Wolf, LomaVer Tours.
Helen Awakimian, Sahara Travel; Sonia Kotzen, TravelOnly & Ethel Hansen Davey, Uniglobe Enterprise Travel
The Cruise Strategies team, who represent Windstar Cruises in Canada, recently welcomed Windstar Vice President, Dan Chappelle, to Toronto to meet local agents and bring them up to date on all the improvements to their already unique cruise product.
Following a product training presentation, about 60 top notch travel agents gathered lakeside at the Radisson Admiral Hotel overlooking the appropriately breezy Toronto Harbour to enjoy abundant hors d’oeuvres and chilled white wine.
And, there’s a lot of Windstar product to get updated on. As Dan states, “We’re stepping it up and have upgraded and updated everything on our 3 sailing ships from inside the hulls on up.”
Windstar has invested USD 18 million over the last 2 years in refurbishing all 3 of their luxurious yachts. A new colour palette features soft, seascape tones. They've introduced all new teak decking and custom-designed upholstery. Even the sails have been replaced with new crisp white canvasses.
The results are being unveiled with their 2012 collection of sailings in the Greek Islands, the Baltic, the Med and the Caribbean.
Among the group of agents enjoying Toronto’s waterside, the enthusiasm about their Windstar sailing experiences was palpable.
Herbert Wolf, General Manager at LomaVer Tours has recently returned from a Windstar sailing between Athens and Venice and particularly enjoyed the Dalmatian coast. He said it now ranks as one of his favourite travel experiences.
Nancy Lafontaine of The Travel Network also places Windstar sailing among her favourite cruises because of the casual and clubby ambience as well as the small ship experience. She says clients should never be concerned about the lack of balconies since the overall yachting experience more than compensates for that.
Open Jaw’s own Nina Slawek and her husband, Paul, sailed the Med. on Wind Spirit last fall. We’ll let Nina have the last word... because, she always insists on having it! Nina is quoted in Cruise Strategies’ new Windstar “Star Treatment” 2012 collection overview... “A Windstar cruise is the closest thing most of us will experience to having a private yacht. The atmosphere is laid back and comfortable. But, it’s the sails which play the leading role in creating a uniquely luxurious experience.“
Newly renovated stateroom
