Where The Wind Takes You

Star Bar on Star Seeker

The first hint that a Windstar Cruise is not a typical cruises comes long before the ship sails away from the pier. It happens the moment one steps aboard. There are no jostling crowds, echoing announcements or endless hallways vanishing into anonymity. Instead, guests are greeted by name and escorted into a world where the sea feels close enough to touch, and the journey is as intimate as a whispered secret.

In a cruise industry with options seemingly more numerous than waves lapping the shore, Windstar Cruises stands apart. The line’s elegant, yacht-style ships—each no longer than 535 feet and serving fewer than 350 guests—slip into hidden harbors and off-the-radar ports where the big ships simply can’t go.

Windstar President Christopher Prelog notes, “300 passengers is the sweet spot,” observing that today’s travelers crave an intimate experience.

This small-ship scale allows for true personalization. With a guest-to-crew ratio of 1.5:1, friendships form naturally, and crew members remember each guest’s name, favorite drink and breakfast order. It feels less like a cruise and more like traveling among a close-knit community of explorers.

LIFE ONBOARD: A FLOATING SANCTUARY

Daily life aboard a Windstar yacht is a quiet celebration of indulgence. Cabins are stocked with L’Occitane bath amenities, robes and slippers. The espresso bar hums softly as guests savor their morning coffee.

Cuisine is a centerpiece of the Windstar experience. As the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation, Windstar spotlights innovative, locally sourced dishes developed with over 20 acclaimed chefs. On culinary cruises, guests can attend cooking demos, sip hand-selected wines and shop local markets with the executive chef to source ingredients for that night’s menu.

Every warm-weather sailing features Windstar’s storied barbecue under the stars. The crew transforms the open deck into a glowing alfresco feast, drawing passengers together for a communal evening of laughter and dancing.

One of the most unique features is the Marina, a watersports playground that unfolds from the stern when the ship anchors in warm waters. Imagine swimming off the back of a yacht, paddling across turquoise bays by kayak or enjoying the thrill of the open sea—an experience no pool can match.

Wind Spirit and Star Breeze in French Polynesia

A FLEET WITH THREE DISTINCT PERSONALITIES

 Windstar’s eight-ship fleet comprises two distinctive classes, each offering its own style of adventure, yet all featuring ocean-view staterooms.

THE WIND CLASS: ROMANTIC SAILING YACHTS

These original sailing ships—Wind Star, Wind Spirit, and the flagship Wind Surf—are the line’s beating heart. Their white masts rise like poetic brushstrokes against the horizon. The smaller Wind Star and Wind Spirit carry just 148 passengers each. They travel under both wind and motor power, offering classic romance for travelers who want to feel the sea. Wind Surf, the largest at 615 feet, serves 342 guests with expansive style and three dining venues.

THE STAR CLASS: ALL-SUITE MOTOR YACHTS

Windstar’s all-suite Star Class ships—Star Breeze, Star Legend, and Star Pride—ushered in a new era for the brand. Recent updates added new suites, expanded public spaces, and two standout restaurants: Star Grill and Basil + Bamboo. Each ship serves 312 guests in spacious 277-square-foot suites, feeling like boutique hotels at sea.

In 2024, Windstar introduced the next evolution of its fleet. Star Seeker, the newest yacht, and Star Explorer (launching in December 2026) are luxurious, thoughtfully designed ships, with many staterooms offering French balconies or infinity windows that lower to welcome in the sea breeze. With these new builds accommodating just 224 guests, Windstar can slip into even narrower rivers and niche ports, expanding global reach.

CULINARY ADVENTURES, ONBOARD AND ASHORE

Windstar’s decade-long partnership with the James Beard Foundation imbues every ship with fine-dining sophistication. Menus at Amphora feature nightly highlights from James Beard Foundation-affiliated chefs, while special itineraries bring these culinary stars on board.

Imagine sailing from New York to Quebec alongside Chef Amy Brandwein, stopping at markets to select fall harvest ingredients, or wandering Venetian alleys with Chef Jennifer Jasinski before sailing to Athens to pair her cuisine with wine seminars. On shore, the food-forward ethos continues with excursions such as tasting olive oil at an Elba farmhouse and entering a cooking challenge in Malta.

Aboard Wind Surf

ITINERARIES THAT FEEL PERSONAL

Ultimately, Windstar wins hearts because of where it can go. With more than 330 ports on its global map, these yachts venture far beyond the typical cruise circuit. While they visit storied cities like Santorini and Singapore, it’s the smaller, seldom-visited ports that linger in memory.

In Wrangell, Alaska, guests can venture to the Anan Bear Observatory for an unforgettable wildlife encounter. In Limnos, Greece, a history-rich island few cruise lines ever touch, time seems to slow amid ancient ruins and quiet harbors. The San Blas Islands of Panama reveal a biodiverse archipelago of gin-clear lagoons, where nature feels gloriously untouched. In London, Windstar’s intimate size allows ships to sail up the Thames and dock beside Tower Bridge—an arrival impossible for larger vessels and a moment that feels nothing short of cinematic.

A JOURNEY THAT FEELS LIKE DISCOVERY

In an era of megaships carrying thousands of guests, Windstar offers something beautifully different: a journey measured not by size, but by connection. To the water. To the world. To one another.

Windstar’s ships don’t just sail — they slip, glide, and whisper from port to port, inviting you to taste, feel, and experience each place with rare closeness. Once you’ve sailed this way, you realize something: This isn’t just small-ship cruising. This is the way travel was meant to be.