Windjammer Cruises

M/V Amazing Grace

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Operator:Windjammer Barefoot Cruises
Year Built / Last Refurbished: 1955 / 1988
Length / Tonnage: 257 / 1,585
Number of Cabins / Passengers: 47 / 94
Officers / Crew: International / International
Operating Area: Caribbean

Captain Mike Burke is Windjammer Cruises. He fell into this business almost by accident....with a lifelong lust for sailing boats, he decided to make some pocket change by carrying passengers on his private boat and home, the TONDELEYO. As his business grew, he fell in love with more and more sailing ships.....most in deplorable condition and ready for the scrap heap. He lovingly restored each one, then placed them into Windjammer service.....and each Windjammer has something in common....a fascinating history.

One thing the AMAZING GRACE does not have is sails....she's the only fully engined powered vessel in the Windjammer family.....and she's the only passenger carrying ship in these waters who began life as a supply vessel in the North Sea, providing goods to appreciative lighthouse keepers...she also serviced out of order buoys along the coast of the British Isles. In 1988, Windjammer bought her and upgraded her interiors to a basic level of comfort.

Windjammer has been at this business of carrying wannabee sailors for many moons...about fifty years.....and they have perfected these trips by thinking of everything. As an example, getting to and from the ports of embarkation can turn into a long journey with many plane changes....so, to get people into the mood for their cruise, for just $45.00 per person you can "stowaway" on the ship the night before the cruise officially begins. While on board you can rent snorkel gear for the six days for only $20.00. It's these little things that make these trips so effortless.

The AMAZING GRACE is not for everybody. It's fun, it's a tropical party, it's a place to "get down"....it is not remotely comparable to Windstorm, Star Clipper or the Sea Cloud. It will give you the feel of what it's like to be on a cargo vessel....and though you may be a consort here, cargo is the king...and the raison d'etre for this vessel. Putting aside the obvious requisite that you should love small vessels, it's important to be honest with yourself....if there's but a molecule of snobbery in you, you should think twice about being here. While on board, you'll give your people skills a good workout....because the quarters are close.....the meals are family style....and there are few places you can bask in solitude. And if you are a clothes horse, you'll be disappointed.....these cruises are casual....twenty four hours a day, every day. Their tag line is "barefoot cruises"....and they mean it. What these vessels have is a charm about them that captures many Caribbean bound vacationers....the Windjammer repeaters club is massive! So if you envision yourself on vacation wearing a straw hat and a bathing suit while standing at the prow of the AMAZING GRACE as she plows through the deep blue tropical waters, read on.....this may be the cruise for you.

If there is a grand centrum or atrium on here, I'm bailing out.....it means the ship is probably sinking! There's no place to delicately extend your pinkie at four o'clock tea....and you'll have to look far and wide to find the grand show lounge, with a bevy of chorus girls all dolled up and ready to entertain you....not "two, three kick turn, turn, turn kick turn" here. You can also squelch any notion you might have of a twenty four hour casino....unless you bring your own chips. In fact, writing about the AMAZING GRACE's public rooms is the easiest assignment I've had.....because aside from the dining hall, there are only two....a small library and a lounge!!!!! But on this ship, you would do well to consider the open deck as the main lounge....and your cabin as the intimate getaway....because as intimate and well appointed as are the library and lounge, you'll want to be outdoors for much of your trip.....watching the way the crew handles the cargo in each port will keep your undivided attention.

When I think wholesome food, I think Wonder Bread.....I guess that dates me. But I'd say the food on Windjammer is best described as wholesome....though not boring. A lot of it is American with a Caribbean twist....things like ribs with guava glaze. I guarantee that you will not starve here....you'll get big a breakfast with fresh baked items, buffet or picnic lunches (most are on the beach), mulches during cocktail time, dinner with wine included...and late night snacks. The meals are served family style.....large platters of food will be placed at your table, with an invitation to dig in.

The AMAZING GRACE has a variey of cabin types, ranging in size, amenities, and of course, price. The portholed Main Deck upper an lower berth cabins are the cheapest....each comes with a wash basin only, so you'll have to go down the hall for more complex matters. Also on Main Deck, as well as Admiralty Deck, are two bedded cabins....these are larger outside rooms....once again, you'll have to line up to do you know what. For a few dollars more, get an inside bunk bed cabin on Admiralty Deck. With these, the bathroom is your's for the cruise. Better yet are the outside upper and lower berth cabins with private facilities. There's a costlier variety of these that are equipped with a refrigerator....and your front door opens onto the deck. If you feel like forking over the bucks....and you can reserve months and months ahead.....get the Burke's Berth...it's a suite with a sitting room furnished with a sleeper sofa, a TV/VCR, a CD and tape player, a microwave oven....even a refrigerator with an ice maker! The bedroom is hidden from the living room by an aquarium! The sleeping area is complete with a double bed, and a skylight....so easy to find out the weather conditions without ever getting up! The marble and teak finished bathroom has a hot tub....and best of all, you have a private covered deck area.

Anyone who comes on board these vessels with a trunk load of attitude will be promptly keelhauled....these ships are for those who do not want anything fancy or five star. People of all ages will come on the Windjammer ships, but all have some things in common.....they can get around easily, they play with others, and they can let their hair down with a minimum of fuss. Most prospective Windjammer passengers will appreciate their trip more if they love the water....not just looking at it, but being in it. Beaches, palm trees, and lots of tanning time figure heavily into the enjoyment quotient here. And the AMAZING GRACE gets her share of ex-seamen, lovers of cargo ships, and the like....it's a real treat to be on this kind of vessel.

The AMAZING GRACE operates a voyage of roughly twenty six days.....the number of days may vary because her schedules are dependent on her cargo. On a thirteen night voyage either from Trinidad to Freeport, Bahamas or return, you will visit Antigua, Dominica, Iles des Saintes, Nevis, Puerto Plata, St. Kitts, St. Barts, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Tobago, Trinidad, Bequia, Grenada, Palm Island, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Conception, Freeport, Little Inagua, Little San Salvador, Plana Cay, Providenciales, Nassau and Grand Turk. Once again, as this ship is a supply vessel, ports may be omitted, rescheduled or substituted based on the needs of the line.

Folks, these are great trips, and one of the best ways to find out what it's like to live on a real ocean going cargo/supply vessel. In order to enjoy the AMAZING GRACE to the fullest, you must be able to be flexible....so go with the flow, kick back, don't bring your worry barrel with you. Enjoy the sunshine, the movement of the ship, the impromptu entertainment and the simpler things in life. You'll get to see places in the Caribbean that are never visited by cruise ships....and by the end of your stay with Windjammer, you will have met just about everyone on board....and you'll most likely develop some lifelong friendships too. So pack your bathing suit, a ton of tanning oil, and don't forget your sandals....I'll be looking for you at the rum swizzle party....hopefully on my private deck in the Burke's Berth cabin!