Windstar Cruises: What it is, How it works, and What to expect
Cruise guide · Updated 2026 · Premium · Sailing yachts · All-suite motor yachts · James Beard Foundation · 148 to 342 guests · Watersports marina · Tahiti year-round
Windstar Cruises is the only cruise line in the world whose fleet contains genuine masted sailing ships. Its three Wind Class yachts deploy actual sails and are, in the clearest sense, sailing vessels at sea. The other half of the fleet consists of elegant all-suite motor yachts, originally built for Seabourn and purchased and extensively rebuilt by Windstar.
The two product types share the same casual, unhurried atmosphere, the same commitment to boutique ports that larger ships cannot access, the same open watersports marina, and the same James Beard Foundation culinary partnership. In 2026 Windstar is also in the middle of its most ambitious expansion: Star Seeker joined the fleet in December 2025 as the line’s first-ever newbuild, and Star Explorer arrives in December 2026, bringing the fleet to eight yachts.
This guide covers Windstar’s founding and ownership history, the three distinct ship classes in full detail, what is included, dining and the James Beard partnership, the watersports marina, the Wind Class refresh and Star Plus renovation programmes, the Star Seeker and Star Explorer new ships, the Tahiti year-round programme, and how Windstar compares to the premium and ultra-luxury competition in 2026.
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A brief history of Windstar Cruises
Windstar was founded in 1984 by Karl-Gösta Andrén as Windstar Sail Cruises, a company built around a specific and audacious vision: to create sailing ships that were large enough to carry paying guests in genuine comfort but that actually sailed on wind power as a core part of the experience, not as a theatrical add-on. The first vessel, Wind Star, entered service in 1986, followed by Wind Song and Wind Spirit. The ships were four-masted motor-sailing yachts with computerised sails that could be deployed and trimmed automatically, allowing a small crew to manage the sailing while guests absorbed the atmosphere. Wind Surf joined in 1990 as the flagship, a larger five-masted version carrying 342 guests.
The company changed hands multiple times across the 1990s and 2000s, passing through Carnival Corporation before being purchased in 2011 by Xanterra Parks and Resorts, the American hospitality company that also manages lodges within US national parks including Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. Xanterra moved the Windstar headquarters from Seattle to Miami in 2022 and has invested significantly in the brand since its acquisition.
The pivotal strategic decision came in 2014, when Windstar purchased three small luxury ships from Seabourn: the former Seabourn Pride (becoming Star Pride), Seabourn Spirit (becoming Star Breeze), and Seabourn Legend (becoming Star Legend). These vessels had been designed as intimate all-suite yachts in the late 1980s and represented a different product entirely from the Wind Class sailing ships: motor yachts with proper suite cabins, a more spacious layout, and a style that was still casual but with a degree of polish closer to the premium segment.
Between 2019 and 2021, Windstar completed the Star Plus Initiative, a 250-million-dollar renovation programme that physically lengthened all three former Seabourn ships by cutting them in half and inserting a new midsection, increasing their guest capacity from 212 to 312, adding new dining venues and expanded outdoor spaces, and comprehensively refurbishing every suite and public area. The result was ships that bore almost no resemblance to the vessels Seabourn had operated.
In April 2024, Windstar announced its first-ever newbuilds: Star Seeker and Star Explorer, both constructed at WestSEA Shipyard in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, carrying 224 guests each in 112 all-suite staterooms. Star Seeker was delivered in December 2025 and christened in Miami on January 15, 2026. Star Explorer follows in December 2026.
The three ship classes in 2026
Windstar operates three distinct vessel types in 2026, with a fourth type arriving with Star Explorer at year’s end. Each has a genuinely different character.
Wind Class: the three sailing yachts
Wind Star and Wind Spirit are identical sister ships, each carrying 148 guests in 74 staterooms across four decks. They are four-masted motor-sailing yachts, 440 feet long, deploying computerised sails that unfurl automatically and can provide meaningful propulsion in favourable wind conditions. The sails are genuine: under the right conditions, guests experience the silence of sailing with engines off, one of the most distinctly pleasurable experiences available on any vessel at sea.
All 74 staterooms on Wind Star and Wind Spirit are ocean-view, with porthole windows rather than private balconies. The single Owner’s Suite provides a slightly larger layout with a separate sitting area. Cabins measure approximately 188 square feet in the Deluxe Ocean View configuration. The compact, nautical feel of the Wind Class cabins is part of the experience: they are efficiently designed, beautifully finished, and oriented around the notion that the ship itself is the destination and the deck is where you live. L’Occitane bath products, walk-in closets, stocked minibars, and fresh flowers are standard across all categories.
Wind Surf is the flagship of the Wind Class and the largest sailing yacht in the world, a five-masted vessel carrying 342 guests in 171 staterooms. She is significantly larger than her sisters in public spaces and offers three dining venues rather than two. Her 18 Ocean View Suites and two Bridge Suites represent the most spacious Wind Class accommodation. On all three Wind Class ships, access to the bridge is open to guests throughout sailing hours, one of the most directly engaging features of the sailing yacht experience.
In 2026, the Wind Class ships are undergoing a two-phase redesign programme called Setting Sails: A Wind Class Refresh, which is redesigning public spaces including the lobby, pool and pool bar, lounge, and World Spa by Windstar, along with new teak decks and updated stateroom details. The programme began in 2025 and is scheduled for completion by 2027.
Star Plus Class: three former Seabourn yachts
Star Pride, Star Breeze, and Star Legend each carry 312 guests in 156 suites following the Star Plus Initiative lengthening. All three are all-suite ships: every accommodation is marketed and equipped as a suite, with most featuring French balconies (step-out or Juliet-style balconies) and a layout that includes a separate seating area alongside the sleeping space.
Suite categories run from the Star Porthole Suite at the most accessible price point, through Ocean View Suites, Balcony Suites with step-out private balconies, and Deluxe and Classic Suites, to the flagship Owner’s Suites at the top of the range. The Owner’s Suite on the Star Plus ships is a genuine two-room suite with a separate bedroom, living room, and dining area. All suites include a queen-size bed convertible to twins, an en-suite bathroom with tub and shower, and a sitting area with sofa and flat-screen television.
The Star Plus ships are 522 feet long and 12,995 gross tons, significantly larger than the Wind Class vessels, with a corresponding increase in public space including multiple dining venues, a larger pool deck, and the expanded outdoor areas added during the Star Plus renovation.
Star Seeker class: the newbuilds
Star Seeker entered service in December 2025 and represents Windstar’s first purpose-built newbuild in its 40-year history. She carries 224 guests in 112 all-suite staterooms, with nearly all staterooms featuring either a private veranda or floor-to-ceiling infinity windows. Two aft-facing Horizon Owner’s Suites have wraparound balconies. The ship was built at WestSEA in Portugal with Rolls Royce Tier III NOx-rated engines, pump jet thrusters for precise manoeuvring in tight harbour conditions, forward-facing sonar, shore power connectivity, and advanced wastewater treatment systems. Star Seeker’s 2026 programme covers the Caribbean, Alaska, Japan, and Southeast Asia.
Star Explorer follows in December 2026 as the identical sister ship, at 224 guests in 112 suites, 431 feet long, 9,315 gross tons. Her inaugural 2027 season focuses on European itineraries. Both Star Seeker and Star Explorer feature Basil + Bamboo alongside Amphora and the Yacht Club Café as their signature dining configuration.
Windstar fleet at a glance
Wind Star and Wind Spirit: 148 guests each, 4-masted sailing yacht, porthole windows, no private balconies, undergoing Setting Sails refresh through 2027
Wind Surf: 342 guests, 5-masted sailing yacht, flagship, 3 dining venues
Star Pride, Star Breeze, Star Legend: 312 guests each, all-suite motor yacht, lengthened 2019 to 2021 in Star Plus Initiative, most suites with balconies
Star Seeker: 224 guests, newbuild December 2025, all-suite, nearly all with veranda or infinity windows
Star Explorer: 224 guests, newbuild December 2026, identical to Star Seeker
All ships: watersports marina, no formal dress code, James Beard Foundation culinary partnership, open bar
What is and is not included
Windstar is not fully all-inclusive at the base fare but offers a generous standard inclusions set that covers the core daily experience.
Included in every Windstar fare:
All meals at all dining venues with open seating throughout: Amphora, Candles/Veranda, Basil + Bamboo (on Star Breeze and new ships), Cuadro 44 by Anthony Sasso (on Star Pride and Star Legend), Stella Bistro (on Wind Surf), and 24-hour room service from the Amphora menu
Complimentary wine, beer, and cocktails with all meals
Use of the watersports marina and all equipment: kayaks, paddleboards, water trampolines, snorkelling gear
Access to the World Spa by Windstar thermal facilities (individual treatments charged separately)
Port taxes and fees
Open bridge access on sailing voyages
Not included in the standard fare:
Beverages outside of mealtimes: cocktails and beverages throughout the day and evening are charged separately unless the All-In Package or a promotional inclusion is booked
Wi-Fi (sold separately or included in All-In Package)
Gratuities (sold separately or included in All-In Package)
Shore excursions
Spa treatments
The All-In Package, which Windstar introduced in 2019 and promotes regularly through promotional offers, bundles unlimited Wi-Fi, daily gratuities, and unlimited beverages throughout the day into a single per-person daily add-on. In April 2026, Windstar was offering this package complimentary on select global sailings through June 2027 when booked by June 30, 2026. For guests who want to drink freely throughout the day, the All-In Package changes the cost calculation meaningfully and should be evaluated before finalising any Windstar booking.
Dining and the James Beard Foundation partnership
Windstar is the only cruise line in the world with an official partnership with the James Beard Foundation, the American organisation that represents the standard of culinary excellence in North America and administers the most prestigious awards in the American restaurant industry. The partnership shapes the onboard menu programme and the culinary ethos across the fleet.
Amphora is the main dining restaurant on every Windstar ship, serving a daily-changing à la carte dinner menu with regional inspiration from the current itinerary. The menus are genuinely sophisticated, rotating to reflect seasonal ingredients and local culinary traditions. Dinner at Amphora is open seating and operates on a reservation basis.
Candles is the signature outdoor dinner experience, transforming the Veranda restaurant, which serves casual breakfast and lunch, into an alfresco steakhouse at sunset. Tables are arranged on the open deck, lit under the stars, and the menu focuses on prime steaks, grilled seafood, and accompanying sides. It requires a reservation and has limited seating each evening, making it one of the most sought-after dining experiences across the fleet.
Basil + Bamboo is a newer concept serving Asian and Mediterranean-influenced cuisine and is rolling out progressively across the fleet: it debuted on Star Breeze and is being introduced on Star Pride and Star Legend during their 2026 refurbishments, and appears on both Star Seeker and Star Explorer as a standard venue.
Cuadro 44 by executive chef Anthony Sasso brings modern Spanish cuisine to 38 guests per seating on Star Pride and Star Legend. The intimate scale of the restaurant produces one of the most distinctive dinner experiences in the fleet.
Stella Bistro is exclusive to Wind Surf and serves contemporary cuisine with a French accent as the flagship’s third dining venue.
The James Beard partnership means that menus across the fleet are informed by the Foundation’s culinary philosophy: seasonal, regional, ingredient-driven cooking with a premium on quality and authenticity over architectural presentation. Room service from the Amphora menu is available around the clock on all ships at no additional charge, allowing guests to dine in their suite at any hour at the same standard as the main restaurant.
The watersports marina: the defining signature feature
Every Windstar ship carries a watersports marina, a stern-platform that lowers to the waterline at anchor, providing guests with direct access to the sea and a full suite of equipment at no additional charge. Kayaks, paddleboards, water trampolines, snorkelling gear, and in some conditions other water toys are available through the marina on every sailing, subject to sea and weather conditions.
The marina is not a selling point in the abstract. It is the single physical feature that most consistently appears in guest reviews as the moment when Windstar’s “180 degrees from ordinary” positioning becomes real. In a Tahitian lagoon, in a sheltered Greek island cove, or in a Croatian harbour, being able to slide off the back of the ship into clear water and kayak to a nearby beach while looking back at a five-masted sailing yacht at anchor is an experience with very few equivalents in accessible premium travel.
Tahiti and French Polynesia: the year-round programme
Windstar is one of very few cruise lines that maintains year-round operations in French Polynesia, a commitment that reflects the depth of the relationship between the brand and this destination. While most lines visit Tahiti as part of repositioning voyages or seasonal South Pacific programmes, Windstar keeps at least one ship in French Polynesia throughout the calendar year, alternating between 7-day and 11-day itineraries from Papeete.
The Polynesian itineraries are the programme most associated with Windstar’s identity. The combination of the watersports marina in lagoons of extraordinary clarity, the intimate scale of the ships, the open access to small anchorages that larger vessels cannot approach, and the signature Polynesian Feast and Fire beach party on Motu Mahaea, a private motu where the ship’s crew sets up tables and a full dinner service on the beach, creates an experience that guests return to repeatedly.
The 11-day voyages extend the programme to the Tuamotu archipelago, including the remote atolls of Fakarava and Rangiroa, whose dive sites rank among the finest in the Pacific.
How Windstar compares to other lines
Windstar Cruises
Best for: The only fleet that combines genuine sailing ships with boutique all-suite motor yachts, year-round Tahiti, the James Beard Foundation culinary partnership, and a watersports marina on every ship at a premium price point below ultra-luxury. A genuinely casual atmosphere without formal nights, dress codes, or structure. Ships from 148 to 342 guests.
SeaDream Yacht Club
Best for: Maximum intimacy at 112 guests, near one-to-one crew ratio, fully all-inclusive including premium spirits, and private anchorage access in the Caribbean and Mediterranean. No sailing ships, no Tahiti programme. More comprehensive all-inclusive than Windstar but at a higher price point and with less itinerary breadth.
Silversea
Best for: Fully all-inclusive ultra-luxury, the broadest global itinerary range, expedition and polar capability, ships from 100 to 728 guests. A significantly higher price point than Windstar with a more formally structured onboard atmosphere and no sailing experience.
Ponant
Best for: The French art de vivre, the Blue Eye underwater lounge, ultra-luxury expedition including the Geographic North Pole via Le Commandant Charcot, and a comparable boutique scale from 32 to 270 guests. A different national identity and a more formally elegant atmosphere than Windstar’s casual yacht culture.
Azamara
Best for: Destination immersion with overnight port stays, AzAmazing Evenings, and a near-all-inclusive model, ships at 686 guests. More formally structured than Windstar but with a stronger destination-immersion philosophy. No sailing ships, no watersports marina.
Paul Gauguin Cruises
Best for: The most culturally immersive French Polynesia experience, with Les Gauguines and Les Gauguins aboard and year-round Tahiti-only deployment on the 330-guest Paul Gauguin. Windstar offers more itinerary range and the watersports marina; Paul Gauguin offers deeper cultural engagement and better lagoon access on some itineraries.
Who Windstar is best suited for
Windstar works best for a specific profile of guest, and the casual, no-dress-code atmosphere filters the audience almost as effectively as an adults-only policy does for other lines.
Travellers who have either avoided cruising because of its perceived formality and mass-market association, or who have cruised large ships and want an experience that feels more like a private yacht. Windstar consistently converts both audiences.
Guests who want to sail on an actual sailing ship: the Wind Class yachts offer a genuine sailing experience with mast and sail that no other commercially operating cruise vessel provides.
French Polynesia devotees who want year-round access with a watersports platform for lagoon exploration, snorkelling from the ship, and access to remote atolls that larger vessels cannot approach.
Culinary travellers who value the James Beard Foundation partnership and the rotating regional menus that Windstar executes at a level above what the price tier might suggest.
Mediterranean and Northern European destination seekers who want to dock in small harbour towns, old city centres, and island anchorages that a 300-guest yacht can access and a 2,000-guest ship cannot.
Guests exploring Alaska who want glacier viewing from the open deck of an intimate vessel rather than from the observation lounge of a megaship.
Windstar is less suited to travellers who want a comprehensive all-inclusive model including beverages throughout the day without booking the All-In Package, guests who want expedition polar capability, those who need the social infrastructure of a larger ship including entertainment productions and extensive programmed activities, or those who are specifically seeking an adults-only environment.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Wind Class ships actually sail on wind power?
Yes. Wind Star, Wind Spirit, and Wind Surf are four and five-masted motor-sailing yachts with computerised sails that deploy automatically. Under favourable wind conditions, the sails provide genuine propulsion and the engines can be reduced or in some conditions shut off entirely, creating the silence and motion of true sailing. The experience of sitting on deck while the ship sails in silence is one of the most consistently cited highlights by Wind Class guests. The sails are managed by computer and do not require guest participation.
What is the Star Plus Initiative?
The Star Plus Initiative was a 250-million-dollar renovation programme completed between 2019 and 2021 in which all three Star Plus-class ships (Star Pride, Star Breeze, and Star Legend) were physically lengthened. Each ship was cut in half and a new midsection was added, increasing guest capacity from 212 to 312, adding new dining venues, expanding outdoor deck space, and comprehensively refurbishing every suite and public space. The ships that emerged from the Star Plus Initiative bear almost no resemblance to the former Seabourn vessels they were before the renovation.
What is Star Seeker and how is it different?
Star Seeker is Windstar’s first purpose-built newbuild, delivered December 2025 and christened in Miami on January 15, 2026. She carries 224 guests in 112 all-suite staterooms at 9,315 gross tons and 431 feet, with nearly all accommodations featuring either a private veranda or floor-to-ceiling infinity windows. Two aft-facing Horizon Owner’s Suites have wraparound balconies. She was built in Portugal with advanced environmental systems including Tier III Rolls Royce engines, shore power, and forward-facing sonar. Her sister ship Star Explorer arrives in December 2026 with an inaugural 2027 European season.
Is Windstar fully all-inclusive?
No, not at the standard base fare level. Meals at all dining venues are included, as are wine, beer, and cocktails with meals, the watersports marina equipment, and 24-hour room service from the Amphora menu. Beverages outside mealtimes, Wi-Fi, gratuities, and shore excursions are charged separately. The All-In Package bundles unlimited beverages, Wi-Fi, and gratuities into a single per-person daily add-on and is the most common way guests who want to drink freely throughout the day book a Windstar voyage.
What is the James Beard Foundation partnership?
Windstar is the only cruise line with an official partnership with the James Beard Foundation, the most prestigious culinary institution in North America. The partnership shapes the onboard menu programme, informs the rotating regional cuisine approach at Amphora, and provides the culinary philosophy behind the speciality restaurants including Cuadro 44 by Anthony Sasso. It is not simply a branding arrangement but a working relationship that influences what the fleet cooks and how the menus are designed.
What is the watersports marina?
Every Windstar ship carries a stern-platform marina that lowers to the waterline at anchor, giving guests direct access to the sea and complimentary use of kayaks, paddleboards, water trampolines, and snorkelling equipment. It is included in the standard fare and operates subject to sea and weather conditions. In calm anchorages in Tahiti, the Greek islands, Croatia, or the Caribbean, it is the feature that most consistently defines the Windstar experience for returning guests.
Plan your Windstar Cruise with ÆRIA Voyages
Every Windstar voyage is different depending on whether you board a sailing yacht or a motor yacht, which destination defines the programme, and which ship class best matches your expectations. I help clients navigate those choices: from deciding between the Wind Class sailing experience and the Star Plus all-suite comfort, to understanding whether the All-In Package represents genuine savings for their travel habits, to matching the right ship to the right itinerary for Tahiti, Alaska, or the Mediterranean.
If you are curious about pricing, current availability, or whether Windstar is the right fit for your travel vision, I would be glad to talk it through.
Yvan Junior Blanchette
Travel & Cruise Specialist
ÆRIA Voyages📩 yvanblanchette@aeriavoyages.com
📞 1-888-460-3388
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