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Windstar Cruises

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Windstar Cruises
Company typePrivate
IndustryHospitality
Founded1984 (1984)
HeadquartersMiami, Florida, United States
Area served
ServicesCruise ship holidays
OwnerXanterra Travel Collection
ParentThe Anschutz Corporation
Websitewww.windstarcruises.com

Windstar Cruises is a cruise line that operates a fleet of small luxury cruise ships. Its six yachts carry just 148 to 310 guests and cruise to 50 nations, calling at 150 ports throughout Europe, the South Pacific, the Caribbean, and Central America. In May 2014, Windstar added to its sailing yachts by adding the Star Pride power yacht, followed by Star Breeze and Star Legend in May 2015. The additional capacity opened up new itineraries such as voyages to Iceland, the Panama Canal, and Costa Rica and allowed Windstar Cruises to sail Tahiti year round.

History

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Founded by ship entrepreneur Karl G. Andrén,[1] the line was established as Windstar Sail Cruises in 1984, and its first ship, the Wind Star was launched in 1986,[2] and was followed by the Wind Song which was launched in 1987 and Wind Spirit which was launched in 1988. Two additional ships were ordered from the French "Sociéte Nouvelle des Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre" shipyard: the Wind Surf and the Wind Saga. These two ships were to be larger than the originals, holding over twice the number of passengers and reaching a length of 660 feet (200 m), compared to the smaller vessels of 440 feet (130 m) in length.

Purchase by Holland America Line

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Windstar mini cruise ship at Nafplio harbour
msy Wind Surf

Holland America Line (HAL) purchased 50% of Windstar Sail Cruises in 1987[3] and purchased the balance of the company in 1988. HAL became a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc in 1989.[4] The option to continue building the Wind Surf and the Wind Saga was passed up by HAL. With assistance from the French Government these two larger ships were built for Club Med as Club Med I and Club Med II, with HAL / Carnival retaining rights of first refusal for purchase. A few years later, HAL / Carnival planned to buy the Club Med I and the Club Med II with permission. However, Windstar cruises was unable to purchase the ships and rename them to Wind Surf and the Wind Saga because they had only enough money to purchase one ship. So in 1998, Windstar acquired the sail cruiser Club Med I from Club Med Cruises, and rechristened her to her original name Wind Surf.

Sale of Windstar to Xanterra Travel Collection

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In March 2007, Carnival sold Windstar to Ambassadors International for $100 million.[5]

On April 1, 2011, Windstar's parent company Ambassadors International filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.[6] A bankruptcy court in Delaware held a two-day auction and Anschutz Corporation won Windstar Cruises with a bid of $39 million. Subsidiary Xanterra Travel Collection is now[when?] the parent company.[7]

Fleet Expansion

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In 2013 Windstar completed the purchase of Seabourn Cruise Line's Star Pride, Star Legend, and Star Breeze.[8] Star Pride entered service on May 5, 2014 with an inaugural cruise from Barcelona, after some upgrades.[9] In May 2015, Windstar increased its fleet from four yachts to six with Star Breeze and Star Legend.[10] Both yachts underwent a $17 million, three-week dry dock in Genoa, Italy, before a christening ceremony in May.[10] In 2016, Star Pride underwent a renovation to refurbish public spaces, expand the outdoor seating of the Veranda restaurant and remodeled the AmphorA restaurant.[11]

In June 2018, Star Legend became the largest cruise ship to ever travel through Seattle's Ballard Locks and the Lake Washington Ship Canal.[12] In November 2018, Windstar announced that the three "Star Class" ships—Star Pride, Star Breeze and Star Legend—would be lengthened by 84 feet (26 m).[13] The work is part of the company's $250 million USD 'Star Plus' initiative.[13] The work took place at Fincantieri's shipyard in Palermo, Italy.[13]

In 2019, Windstar was named the Best Small Ship Cruise Line by AFAR readers and Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards.[14] In October 2019, Windstar Cruises announced that it would begin offering cruises to Alaska in 2021.[15]

Recent History

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In April 2024, it was announced Windstar would be adding two more ships to its fleet by 2026. The first of which being Windstar's first ever new build, the Star Seeker which was originally order for Atlas Ocean Voyages as World Seeker and will enter service in December 2025. The second, Star Explorer is currently sailing as World Explorer and is on charter to Quark Expeditions. This ship will enter service at the end of the charter agreement in December 2026.[16][17]

Fleet

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The ships are relatively small, with the Wind Surf having a capacity for about 300 passengers, and the others about 150. Star Pride carries up to 212 passengers in 106 suites as well as sister ships Star Legend and Star Breeze.

The ships are registered in the Bahamas. Under this flag they are some of the few cruise ships in the world where passengers are still allowed on the bridge (though not when entering or leaving port). With a shallow draft of only 14 feet (4.3 m), the ships can enter ports that are inaccessible to larger cruise liners. In some cases, passengers need to take smaller boats into port (such as to Lipari) when the ship is at anchor.

Current fleet

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Name Built Builder Entered
service
for
Windstar		 Gross Tonnage Flag Notes Image
Wind Star 1986 Sociéte Nouvelle des Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre 1986–present 5,307 tons  Bahamas Windstar Cruise's First ship
Wind Spirit 1988 Sociéte Nouvelle des Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre 1988–present 5,307 tons  Bahamas
Wind Surf 1989 Sociéte Nouvelle des Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre 1998–present 14,745 tons  Bahamas Windstar Cruise's biggest ship in the fleet and was previously Club Med 1 for Club Med
Star Pride 1988 Schichau Seebeckwerft 2014–present 12,995 tons  Bahamas Previously Seabourn Pride for Seabourn Cruise Line, stretched in
Star Breeze 1988 Schichau Seebeckwerft May 2015–present 12,995 tons  Bahamas Previously Seabourn Sprit for Seabourn Cruise Line[18]
Star Legend 1990 Schichau Seebeckwerft May 2015 – present 12,995 tons  Bahamas Previously Seabourn Legend for Seabourn Cruise Line[18]

Future fleet[19] [20]

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Name Built Builder Will enter
service
for
Windstar		 Gross Tonnage Flag Notes
Star Seeker 2025 WestSEA Shipyard December 2025 9,934 tons  Bahamas Originally ordered for Atlas Ocean Voyages as World Seeker.
under construction[21][22]
Star Explorer 2019 WestSEA Shipyard December 2026 9,923 tons  Bahamas Currently operating for Quark Expeditions as World Explorer.

Former fleet

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Name Built Builder Entered
service
for
Windstar		 Gross Tonnage Flag Notes Image
Wind Song 1987 Sociéte Nouvelle des Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre 1987 - 2002 5,307 tons  Bahamas The ship suffered an engine room fire on December 1, 2002 and was scuttled and sunk the next month on January 22, 2003.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Karl Andrén Obituary - Greenwich, CT".
  2. ^ Ristow, Bill (2005-10-21). "A cruise that's not a cruise? Try sailing on a Windstar ship". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  3. ^ "Searching for That Offbeat Sunset". Los Angeles Times. 1987-07-26. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  4. ^ "Carnival Buys Up Holland America". Los Angeles Times. 1989-02-12. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  5. ^ "Carnival Sells Windstar - Windstar Cruises". Cruise Critic. 2007-02-22. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  6. ^ "Windstar Parent Co. Files Bankruptcy - Windstar Cruises". Cruise Critic. 2011-04-01. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  7. ^ "Xanterra Travel Collection Completes Purchase of Windstar Cruises - DENVER, May 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/". Prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  8. ^ "Shake up in cruising as Windstar buys Seabourn ships". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2019-08-15.
  9. ^ "Small-ship line Windstar Cruises christens vessel". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2019-08-15.
  10. ^ a b Staff, C. I. N. (2015-01-15). "Windstar Unveils Plans for Star Breeze and Star Legend". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 2019-08-15.
  11. ^ "Windstar refreshes Star Pride: Travel Weekly". www.travelweekly.com. Retrieved 2019-08-15.
  12. ^ "Cruise ship squeaks through Ballard Locks". The Seattle Times. 2018-06-27. Retrieved 2018-06-29.
  13. ^ a b c Sloan, Gene. "Three Windstar Cruises ships to get bigger in major makeovers". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2019-08-15.
  14. ^ BWW News Desk. "Windstar Cruises Sails into 2019 with a Bevy of Travel Awards and..." BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  15. ^ Staff, C. I. N. (2019-10-07). "Windstar Cruises Announces 2021 Alaska Sailings". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  16. ^ "Windstar Cruises Welcomes Two New Ships to Fleet Including First Star Class Newbuild" (Press release).
  17. ^ "Windstar Cruises Welcomes Two New Ships to Fleet".
  18. ^ a b "Windstar Completes Purchase of Three Seabourn Ships - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". Cruise Industry News. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  19. ^ "Windstar Cruises Welcomes Two New Ships to Fleet". cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  20. ^ "Windstar Cruises acquiring two Mystic Invest ships, one a newbuild". Seatrade Cruise News. 2024-04-10. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  21. ^ "WINDSTAR CRUISES: Der Bau der Star Seeker, der erste Neubau der Reederei, nimmt gestalt an". 10 June 2024.
  22. ^ "Windstar Cruises News". 22 May 2024.
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