Windstar Cruises unveils luxury ship upgrades
The common areas and suites of the 342-passenger Wind Surf have been upgraded in time for its Caribbean sailing season.
Changes include a larger retail area and lobby space.
The Compass Rose bar and lounge has been given more modern decor, with soft blue and orange furnishings as well as a new stage area for live music and performances.
The Amphora dining room has been redesigned with inspiration from the water such as pearls, smooth stones and sea glass. New seating arrangements include curved booths to seat two to eight people and larger dining chairs.
Tropical scenes and greenery have been added to the pool deck and bar, with arty tiling featuring waves added to the two onboard whirlpools.
The ship's suites have also been remodelled with similar designs found on the brand's Star-class ships - Star Pride, Star Breeze and Star Legend.
The new Broadmoor Suite is inspired by five-star resort The Broadmoor in Colorado.
It features classic furniture, floral motifs, wide crown moulding and white trim with gold finishes.
The wallpaper is a replica of the design used at The Broadmoor main building designed by Julie Penrose, wife of resort founder, Spencer Penrose.
The ship's new Sea Island Suite - inspired by Sea Island in Georgia - aims to draw on the coastal and airy touches from the property's Addison Mizner design, including a sea-glass green colour palette, curved arches, light walls and sophisticated wood furnishings.
Stijn Creupelandt, chief operating officer of Windstar Cruises, said: ' Wind Surf has always been a guest favourite, and this refurbishment honours its legacy while elevating the onboard experience to new heights.
'From refreshed design elements to modern technology upgrades, this transformation sets the stage for an unforgettable journey on our flagship sailing yacht.'
Phase two of the upgrade will take place in April 2026. New furniture, soft goods and décor will be added to cabins and there will be updates to Stella Bistro, Veranda and the fitness studio.
Windstar's three Wind Class sailing ships - Wind Surf, Wind Star and Wind Spirit - are currently undergoing redesigns.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
CEO offers staffers incredible buyout and warns that if they do not take it he will work them to the bone
The head of an AI startup in San Francisco has given his staff generous buyout offers - cautioning that if they don't accept, they should expect to work weekends and through the night. Cognition CEO Scott Wu, whose AI coding firm bought rival Windsurf last month, said that any employees who accept the buyout will get nine months of pay in addition to money made in the acquisition. Those who decide to pass up on the offer should anticipate a merciless schedule. 'We don't believe in work-life balance - building the future of software engineering is a mission we all care so deeply about that we couldn't possibly separate the two,' Wu wrote in the email to workers, according to The Information. 'We know that not everyone who joined Windsurf had signed up to join Cognition where we spend 6 days at the office and clock 80+ hour weeks.' Wu expanded on his expectations in a post on X. 'Cognition has an extreme performance culture, and we're upfront about this in hiring so there are no surprises later,' he wrote in the post. 'We routinely are at the office through the weekend and do some of our best work late into the night. Many of us literally live where we work. 'We routinely are at the office through the weekend and do some of our best work late into the night,' Wu said of his company's grueling schedule. 'Many of us literally live where we work' 'We know that people who joined Windsurf didn't expect to join Cognition and while we're proud of how we work, we understand it's not for everyone.' Not all employees had the opportunity to choose. Thirty former Windsurf staffers were fired before the buyouts were offered, according to The Information. The layoffs left about 200 employees to accept or deny Wu's offer.
The Independent
05-08-2025
- The Independent
Windstar launches new mini cruises including a sailing under Tower Bridge
Passengers will have the chance to sail under London's Tower Bridge next year as part of Windstar's new series of cruises called 'Quick Getaways'. The luxury small ship cruise line has revealed a new series of three and five-night sailings aboard its Wind Surf and Star Pride vessels. Passengers can choose from nine departure dates. These include a four-night St Malo Getaway on Star Pride that starts and ends in London. Tower Bridge will open for the ship to sail through en route to France's northern coast. The sailing departs on 15 May 2026 with prices from £1,617 per person. Other options include a three night sailing on Wind Surf from Barcelona to the south of France, including stops in the picturesque French towns of Collioure and Carcassonne. This cruise departs on 11 June, with prices from £1,122 per person. Guests can also sail beside seaside villages and roam Corsican markets or raise a glass in Tuscany during a three-night La Dolce Vita itinerary that departs on 31 May. Prices start from £974 per person. Star Pride also has two three-night sailings on either 12 or 19 May around the waffle houses and chocolate shops of Bruges and Antwerp in Belgium, with prices from £1,44 per person. Guests booking by 31 August 2025 can get up to $200 onboard credit per stateroom and a complimentary drinks, tips and internet package valued at £77 per person per day. More mini cruise getaways are also promised for 2027. Jess Peterson, director of itinerary planning, said: "These new sailings are designed for spontaneity and simplicity and are the perfect way to experience the Windstar style of travel.' Windstar is preparing to homeport in London for the first time next year. Longer itineraries from the capital include a 13-night sailing aboard Star Pride that will sail to Belgium and the Norwegian fjords on 19 May. Stops include Antwerp and Bruges in Belgium before visiting more scenic areas in Norway such as Alesund and Trondheim. The sailing ends in Leith, Scotland. Prices start from £4,639 per person.
Telegraph
30-07-2025
- Telegraph
Five essential things to know before you board a Windstar cruise ship
Launched in 1986, Windstar Cruises ticked along for years with four, then three, motor sailing ships – meaning they sail but are often powered by an engine. One was based in Tahiti, the others spent summers in the Mediterranean and winters in the Caribbean. That changed in 2013 when it bought three all-suite yacht-like ships and spent millions of dollars 'stretching' them – a procedure that involved cutting them in half and adding a new bit in the middle – to take capacity from 212 to 312 passengers. At a stroke, Windstar had a fleet of something-for-everyone vessels (as long as you wanted something small), between them offering romantic holidays under canvas, cabins with or without balconies, a variety of places to eat and an informal ambience. More ships also meant more destinations, with Alaska, Japan and Asia among those added to the line-up. The story doesn't end there. This December, Windstar – part of cruise giant Carnival's empire until bought by US-based travel group Xanterra – launches Star Seeker, a new 224-passenger ship able to cruise the polar regions (although so far there are no plans to take it there). Star Explorer, a sister ship, joins in December 2026. 1. Where does Windstar sail? Whether you fancy island-hopping in the Caribbean or Greece, going in search of geysers in Iceland or hiking through rainforest in Central America, Windstar has a cruise to suit. The yachts visit popular ports such as Kusadasi in Turkey (for Roman Ephesus) and Dubrovnik in Croatia, but their smaller size means they also sail to ports and harbours others can't. Instead of St Lucia's cruise port, its vessels anchor in quiet Rodney Bay. They can squeeze through Greece's narrow Corinth Canal. In Thailand, they dock close to the city on the Khlong Toei River in Bangkok, instead of being two hours or more from the city. All three sailing ships are in the Mediterranean in summer and autumn. Two then follow the sun to the Caribbean in winter while the third heads to the Canary Islands for a series of 10-night island-hopping cruises from Tenerife. Caribbean cruises are mostly one or two weeks, visit a port every day and depart from Philipsburg in St Maarten, San Juan in Puerto Rico and Bridgetown in Barbados. Two motor yachts are also in Europe in summer, sailing the Mediterranean and Northern European cruises to Norway, around Iceland and from the UK. One relocates to the Caribbean and Costa Rica for winter. The other, Star Legend, stays in the Med, offering out-of-season sailings for those who want to escape the heat and crowds. A third yacht, Star Breeze, sails seven-night cruises around the Society Islands year-round from Papeete in Tahiti and on longer voyages that also visit the Tuamoto Islands. New ship Star Seeker will sail expedition-style cruises in Alaska between May and August 2026, then relocate to Japan and Asia. 2. Who does Windstar appeal to? Cruises in Europe are likely to have a higher number of Brits on board, but the vast majority of Windstar fans are couples from North America, with an average age of 50. That's a tad lower than many other cruise lines, mainly because the sailing ships have a romantic aura that attracts a younger audience, especially in the Caribbean. Couples can also splash out on various wedding, engagement or renewal of vows packages. Regardless of age or nationality, Windstar cruisers are active types who like the line's casual 'do as you please' vibe. Something smart of the evening is all it asks, which essentially boils down to no ripped jeans or vests. Food-themed cruises in partnership with the James Beard Foundation and restaurant menus created by JB's award-winning chefs are an extra draw, especially for Americans. Smaller ships make it easy for solo travellers to meet people. The standard 75 per cent supplement sounds steep but keep an eye out for special offers that can bring that down to 20 per cent. 3. Windstar's fleet Wind Surf (342 passengers) With its five 67-metre tall masts and seven sails, Wind Surf is quite the picture when the canvas is hoisted. Just be aware that a lot of the time it is only for show. Don't expect large cabins or private balconies; instead there are fixed windows or portholes. If space matters, choose one of 18 suites that are essentially two cabins made into one with a living area and two bathrooms, or the three grander rooms on the bridge deck. Four restaurants, a spa, pool, gym and a water sports platform complete the line-up. Sails to: Mediterranean and Caribbean Wind Star/Wind Spirit (148 passengers) These were the line's first ships, launched in 1986 and 1988 respectively. They have teak decks, four masts and six sails, and handle better under sail than Wind Surf but again the canvas is hoisted mostly for show. Cabins have fixed windows or portholes; the Owner's Suite has separate living and dining areas. There are three places to eat, including al fresco. Passengers can snorkel, kayak and paddle board at no extra cost. Star Legend, Star Pride and Star Breeze (312 passengers) These three launched in the early 1990s but their story really began five years ago when they were stretched to add capacity (50 more cabins, or 100 passengers). Cabins and suites have fixed windows, portholes and balconies big enough only to stand on. New restaurant Basil + Bamboo serves a blend of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine, has opened on Breeze and will be added to Star Legend and Star Pride in December 2025 and April 2026 respectively. From December 2025: Star Seeker (224 passengers) The first of two sister ships joining the fleet in the next 18 months (Star Explorer is slated for December 2026), Star Seeker will have four places to eat, including Basil + Bamboo and Star Grill, an alfresco option that's heavy on barbecued meat and fish. All rooms are suites and in a first for Windstar several have full-size private balconies. For the biggest and best, choose the Horizon Owner's Suites (there are two) with beds looking out to sea. Sails to: Caribbean, Alaska, Japan 4. Loyalty scheme Passengers are enrolled in the Yacht Club loyalty programme after their first cruise and move up the ranks the more they sail, earning discounts off excursions, laundry and other rewards. 5. Access for guests with disabilities There are no accessible cabins on the sailing ships (and no lifts either on Wind Star and Spirit). Choose instead the Star-class ships (Star Breeze, Star Pride and Star Legend), which each have four accessible suites.
