On day 3 we made our way to the cruise and ferry terminal to board Windstar’s Star Legend. The boarding process was quick and hospitable. Our initial impressions of the vessel were negative due to the age and lack of modernizing. The cabin/suite did prove to be very spacious, including a walk in closet and full bathtub with shower. The ship’s staff is well trained and friendly, which somewhat makes up for the ship’s deficiencies.

Once unpacked we proceeded to the aft deck for lunch and shortly after the mandatory safety briefing.

After briefly exploring the ship’s interior we proceeded to the upper deck for sail away and to try out our shiny new drink package. For what seemed like an hour, we traversed our way through the Singapore Strait past massive cargo operations and ships.

After enjoying (sarcasm) the endless industrial vistas we headed to the cabin for a bit of rest and prepare for our first dinner in the ship. We were excited to attend the first dinner because Windstar is the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation. Unfortunately, the food was very average and not in par with much larger vessels we have sailed. The dining staff however was excellent and the champagne even better. Post dinner we went looking for a nightcap in the main lounge and found ourselves alone. Once again, the staff, in this case Kristy Joy swooped in and served us with efficiency and an infectious bubbly personality. Day 3 had come to an end and we retired to our cabin.

We awoke rested and hungry on day 4. Day 4 is an at sea day as we make our way north towards Thailand through the Malacca Strait.

After an excellent breakfast and conversation with fellow travelers we headed to the small gym for a workout followed by some quiet time in the ship’s forward lounge. The rest of the afternoon included lunch and relaxing on the outside decks.

Before long it was time for the evening’s port lecture and captain’s welcome reception followed by dinner. The second night’s dining experience was better than the first but again hardly what we would describe as James Beard Foundation worthy nor equal to other cruise lines (both sea and river) we have experienced before.

After a few cocktails and laughs with friends we retired to our cabin to prepare for our first port of call, Phuket!