During the course of seven days, I sailed over calm Pacific waters through the Panama Canal and to Costa Rica for Windstar Cruises’ first-ever President’s Cruise. On board, I listened to informative talks led by a naturalist and Costa Rica native Gustavo, learned how to prepare citrus-cured atlantic salmon and tiramisu at a cooking demonstration led by Windstar chefs, and watched as local school children depicted Costa Rica’s rich history through song and dance. On shore, I snorkeled among reef fish in the waters off Isla Parida, Panama; zipped through the dense rainforest canopy in Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park; and spotted rainbow grasshoppers, howler monkeys and sloths (of the two-toed and three-toed variety) in Manuel Antonio Park. While some of my favorite moments weren’t captured (for the safety of my new phone), I’ve brought the rest to you in this photo slideshow.
The deck on Windstar’s Star Pride is the place to be for swimming and sunbathing.
A reported 187 passengers and 160 crew members were on board our Panama and Costa Rica sailing, giving the ship a cozy, never-crowded feel.
Balcony Suite accommodations on Windstar’s Star Pride.
We were quite impressed by the large marble bathrooms on Windstar’s Star Pride.
Local school children came on board to wow passengers with a traditional dance performance.
Sailing through history—the Panama Canal was easily one of the highlights of our Windstar cruise.
Half the fun of sailing through the Panama Canal is waving at passing ships.
In Isla Parida, Panama, Windstar Cruises treated passengers to a tasty beach bbq.
Dozens of bottlenose dolphins swam by and around our boat while dolphin spotting in the picturesque Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica.
The onboard library offers guests a variety of books and DVDs to rent during their sailing.
From l to r: Chief Officer Juan Maltez Pazmino, Captain Ricardo Pizon, and Bridge Officer Kari in the ship’s bridge.
The main staircase on Star Pride, creating a bit of an optical illusion.
Windstar’s chefs Chet and Rohit putting the finishing touches on a salmon dish during a culinary demonstration.
We ate like kings during the President’s Gala Dinner, here’s a snap of my tournedos of beef filet with foie gras.
Naturalist Gustavo’s riveting discussions on Costa Rica and Panama were not-to-be-missed.
Spotted! A howler monkey in Costa Rica’s Manuel Antonio Park.
If you look closely to the left, you’ll see two rainbow grasshoppers perched on the stem on this plant.
This cargo plane has been converted into a two level bar and restaurant (El Avion) with the best seafood in town (Quepos).
Chef Chet preparing the classic French dessert croquembouche.
These guests are working off their Presidential Deck BBQ supper with dancing.
