Cruise reviews and ratings give passengers a more realistic perspective of a particular cruise line or vessel than just viewing a few pictures and meager descriptions in a brochure. Ratings can examine, in detail, different aspects of a vessel and its service, and by comparing ratings among different cruise lines and even ships within the same line, passengers can discern subtle differences that may encourage them to choose one line or vessel over another. At the same time, ratings help customers judge the overall quality of a cruise experience by providing a scale for relative comparisons. This can be especially important with less widespread cruise lines such as Windstar, whose unique approach to the cruising lifestyle may be unfamiliar to many seasoned travelers.