Windstar Cruises: the back story

About Windstar Cruises: the back story

By the ULTIMATE the world’s cruise lines Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Windstar began in 1984 with Wind Star, a motor-sailing yacht that felt more private yacht than cruise ship. It now runs eight small ships, under sail and under power, for 148 to 342 guests.

A yacht that started it all

Wind Star was commissioned in 1984 for 148 guests. With real working sails, she helped pioneer a new kind of cruising, in Windstar’s words more like a private yacht than a regular cruise. Four decades on, she still sails, refreshed under the line’s Setting Sails programme, alongside her sister Wind Spirit and the larger flagship Wind Surf, for 342 guests.

The all-suite Star Class

The Star Class yachts carry 224 to 312 guests, and every room is an ocean-view suite. Star Breeze sails French Polynesia; Star Legend crosses the Corinth Canal on her Mediterranean voyages; Star Pride hosts the Signature Beach Party in the Caribbean. Star Seeker, the first Star Class new build, joined in December 2025 with 112 suites, nearly all with a full veranda or an infinity window; her sister Star Explorer begins her first season in December 2026.

At Windstar, the luxury is freedom.

No lines, no assigned seats

Windstar’s idea of luxury is freedom: no queues, no crowds and no assigned seating. You dine when and with whom you please, in Amphora, the main restaurant, or by night in Candles, the signature open-air restaurant; Star Seeker and Star Explorer add Basil + Bamboo, an Asian-Mediterranean specialty room. A barbecue under the stars on deck is a highlight of every voyage.

The marina at the stern

On many itineraries the Watersports Platform opens off the stern for swimming and watersports in the turquoise water of Tahiti, the Caribbean or the Mediterranean, with snorkel gear fitted for you on Tahiti cruises. Destination Discovery Events take you ashore after hours, from a sunset on a private motu in French Polynesia to an evening at the Tower of London after closing.

James Beard at sea

As the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation, Windstar brings guest chefs on selected culinary voyages, with market visits, demonstrations and exclusive dinners ashore, such as a feast among the ruins of Ancient Thira above Santorini’s caldera. Their dishes stay on Amphora’s menu after they leave.

Our advice: choose a Wind Class yacht if you want to feel the sails fill, and a Star Class suite for more space. Look at the early-booking offers, which often add the All-Inclusive Package of gratuities, Wi-Fi and drinks. In Tahiti, a week on Star Breeze takes in Tahaa, Moorea and Bora Bora.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Windstar Cruises: the back story before you go.