Windstar Cruises will lift our COVID-19 vaccine requirement on June 1, 2023, no longer requiring guests to be vaccinated against the virus to sail with us.  With the widespread availability of vaccines and medical treatments, the risk factors are considerably lower now, giving us the confidence to lift the requirement.
 
Prompted by the pandemic, we invested millions in our Beyond Ordinary Care Program to upgrade the entire fleet’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to incorporate high-tech air filtration with HEPA filters and UV-C irradiation. The hospital-grade UV-C lights are proven to kill germs and microbes like mold, bacteria, and fungi, creating cleaner air on board and combating the spread of illness.  Windstar remains committed to onboard cleanliness and sanitation measures.
 
We will continue to follow the policies of each country we visit, as well as evaluate and use public health tools at our disposal to continue to safely sail and travel the world. Though no longer required, we recommend guests remain up to date with vaccinations.  Crew will still be required to be vaccinated and will be tested upon their first arrival to work, during their first week, and as needed moving forward.
 

Windstar Cruises has announced the launch of its Starlink Maritime advanced broadband satellite internet capabilities, which will provide guests one of the most developed and reliable high-speed connections in the world.

First available on Star Pride during a recent Caribbean voyage, we will implement Starlink across most of the fleet by mid-2023. Star Legend will offer the service this spring, followed by Wind Surf, Wind Star, and Star Breeze. Wind Spirit will activate the new technology as soon as it’s available in French Polynesia. 
Starlink will be available on select Windstar voyages where the service is active, as not all global destinations are available.

Windstar has partnered with the National Health Association (NHA) to create a new vegan menu that is plant-based, gluten-free and prepared without added salt, oil or sugar.   The new menu items will be available all on yachts beginning in June 2023.

Windstar & the James Beard Foundation are committed to celebrating, nurturing and honoring chefs and other leaders who make America’s food culture more delicious, diverse and sustainable for everyone.  While we haven’t finalized our 2024 chefs just yet, these cruises are always very popular with our guests and sell out quickly.
James Beard Foundation sailings include plenty of time to personally interact with the Chef. Your clients will enjoy a Chef-hosted dinner and wine pairing, two onboard cooking demonstrations with takeaway recipes, and a shoreside market tour with the Chef.
 
Adriatic Archipelagos & Greek Goddesses
Venice to Piraeus (Athens), 9 days | Wind Surf | June 17, 2023
 
Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja is the executive chef at Shuka Eastern Mediterranean restaurant in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood, as well as sibling restaurant, Shukette.
 

Grand Japan
Yokohama to Osaka, 9 days | Star Breeze | September 21, 2023
 
Chef Tracy Chang is the chef/owner of PAGU restaurant in Cambridge, MA.  She holds certificates in pâtisserie from Le Cordon Bleu Paris, has trained with a 3-star Michelin chef and is a teaching fellow at the Harvard Science & Cooking Program.

Windstar is welcoming guests for a season of new itineraries in the Arabian Peninsula, Red Sea, and Persian Gulf aboard 312-guest, all-suite Star Legend from November 2023 to March 2025. With impressive UNESCO sites, beautiful beaches and wildlife, top-rated golf courses, amazing snorkeling and diving, and of course, great shopping, Windstar is excited to introduce our guests to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar.

Star Legend, November 2023 to January 2025 - Glide past bronze desert coastlines punctuated by 500-year-old Portuguese fortifications and shimmering, contemporary city skylines. The Persian Gulf is a cultural enigma rich in contrast, abundant in both the modern and the ancient bound by timeless traditions.

Bring the award-winning Windstar experience directly to your clients by sharing these stunning new videos about popular brand features and more!

Windstar Celebrates our 35th Anniversary in Tahiti
Windstar’s Award-Winning Dining Experience
Complimentary Fun from the Watersports Platform
Most Romantic Cruise Line
Tahiti Highlights

1. Destination Discovery Event -- Tahiti
2. Cuadro 44 by Anthony Sasso
3. Windstar Knows the Way
4. The Wind and the Stars Know the Way
5. Watersports Platform

Windstar is proud to be recognized in 2022 with more than a dozen industry awards! These accolades include Best Cruise Line in our class over and over. We received top honors for our yachts, our romance, our cuisine and our dining experience, and even the quality of our shore excursions!

2022 Condé Nast Traveler, The Best Cruise Ships in the World: The Gold List 2022 (Star Legend)
2022 Travel and Leisure, The 3 Best Small Ships Ocean Cruise Lines #2 spot
2022 Travel and Leisure, The 10 Best Intimate Ships #6 spot
2022 Global Traveler USA, Best Caribbean Sailing
2022 Conde Nast Traveler, Top Cruise Lines- Readers Choice #6
2022 Porthole Readers Choice Awards, Most Romantic Cruise Line
2022 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, Gold: Extraordinary Dining - Best Overall Cuisine
2022 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, Gold: Best Social Media Campaign - Treasure Hunt 180 clues
2022 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, Silver: Star Pride - Luxury Ship Cruise Design
2022 Travvy Awards, Silver: Best Cruise Line in Australia
2022 Travvy Awards, Bronze: Star Pride - Best Small Ship under 500 Berths
2022 Cruise Critic Editor's Choice Awards, Best Shore Excursions in the Luxury Cruise Line
2022 Reader's Choice Awards with Travel Weekly: Best in Cruise Lines, Under 500 berths

Our Star Promise to you is that we’re working hard to make what you do easier. As our most important partner, we want to make sure you get the support you need and we’re growing our team to meet those goals.

Please meet:

Joe Jiffo, Director of Field Sales
Joe Miller, Western Regional Sales Manager
Graham Garson, International Sales Manager
Robert Shaw, Australia Regional Sales Manager

The votes are in from the Readers' Choice Awards 2022, and we are so proud and honored to receive 2022’s Most Romantic Cruise Line!

Windstar and romance go together as naturally as beaches and sunshine. The romance of being under sail, the intimate yachts, special touches. Whether your clients are planning a wedding, a first or second honeymoon, a vow renewal, an anniversary or a vacation surprise, Windstar’s Romance Packages provide romantic moments and special amenities. Depending on the destination, excursion add-ons can be purchased for those seeking ultra-romantic moments.

Conde Nast 2023 Gold List Best Cruise Ship: Star Breeze
Consider the Gold List the answer to the question their editors get asked more than any other: What are your favorites? Their 29th annual collection, passionately selected by an international team, names Star Breeze the cruise ship that gets everything right.
 
Travel Weekly 20th Annual Readers Choice Awards
Windstar Cruises is chosen Best Cruise Line under 500 Berths for the 4th consecutive year.  Thank you for being our partners in travel, and for trusting us with your most important clients. We’re proud to provide extraordinary guest experiences as part of our Star Promise to you.

Cruise Critic 2022 Editors’ Picks Award: Best Shore Excursions
Highlighting the best in cruising and cruise travel for 14 years, Cruise Critic's expert editorial team has selected Windstar in the Luxury Cruises category. At Windstar, there is no ‘typical’ excursion. We get your clients closer to the authentic experiences they are looking for. Our small-group excursions, often led by local experts, ensure deeper insider access behind intriguing local topics.

It’s been a really great year here at Windstar! We have new itineraries, new packages for your clients and new partnerships. Here’s a recap of Top Trade Winds News Shorts on what you need to know about Windstar for 2023!

At Windstar Cruises, our mission is to enrich your clients’ perspective through inspired travel, and we appreciate these prestigious awards that recognize the best.

Star Promise is our commitment to you, our valued Travel Advisor partners, that we will deliver the Extraordinary Guest Experiences we promise. Your most discerning clients expect and deserve the best, and we are very proud that you trust us as part of their plans.

Recommend, Best Cruise Line – Overall Small Ship
Recommend, Best Cruise Line – Cuisine
Magellan Awards Gold – Overall Cuisine
Magellan Awards Silver – Overall Luxury Ship: Star Pride
Magellan Awards Gold – Treasure Hunt 180 Clues – Social Media Campaign

Windstar Cruises has partnered with the Coral Gardeners, a Moorea (French Polynesia)-based organization determined to revolutionize ocean conservation and create a global movement to save the coral reefs through reef restoration, awareness activities, and innovative solutions. Started in 2017 by a small group of island kids concerned about the degradation of the coral reef, the team works to grow, plant, and monitor thousands of heat-resilient corals with the goal of bringing life back to the ocean.

“This new partnership is a wonderful way for us to celebrate Tahiti during our 35th anniversary season, but more importantly to make a positive impact for the future of these incredible islands,” said Windstar President Christopher Prelog. “We’ve been focused on reducing our carbon footprint via updating our fleet’s engines and operations, and this next step in climate action at sea is to partner with Coral Gardeners to protect the environment in French Polynesia and beyond.”

Aboard our All-Suite Star Plus yachts, Star Breeze, Star Legend and Star Pride, the first suites on the bow of Deck 5 are being transformed with a new design inspired by unique, luxury resorts affiliated with Windstar through the Xanterra Travel Collection®.
The Broadmoor, located in Colorado Springs, is an historic hotel with European elegance. Sea Island, situated on the coast of Georgia, is equally iconic and exudes Southern charm. These lovely, 400-square-foot, suites will be available to guests as of December 2022 aboard Star Legend, Spring 2023 aboard Star Breeze and in 2024 aboard Star Pride.