Seattle, WA, January 20, 2020 — Last week at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Palermo, Italy, Windstar Cruises’ Vice President of Expansion Projects, John Gunner, participated in a traditional steel cutting ceremony for a new mid-ship section being built for Star Pride. The new section is part of the line’s $250 Million Star Plus Initiative, which has been called the most complex and comprehensive small ship lengthening, engine replacement, and transformation project undertaken in cruising.
A simple wave of the hand started the machine on Tuesday, cutting the steel for Star Pride’s new 84-foot mid-section, which will allow for the addition of 50 new suites, two new restaurants, an elevated pool, a re-imagined spa and fitness center, a new retail shop, new bathrooms in all suites and more improvements. With the new section, Star Pride (as well as sister ships Star Breeze and Star Legend) will be able to accommodate 312 guests versus the current 212 guests.
Star Breeze, Star Legend, and Star Pride are all being renovated in succession at Fincantieri’s Shipyard in Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
An identical new section of ship has already been fabricated and inserted into sister ship Star Breeze, which is slated for completion on May 4, 2020. The ship will begin sailing in Latin America and the U.S. West Coast with the first cruise departing May 25, 2020 from Colón, Panama. Star Legend’s mid-ship section is under construction and is on schedule to be joined with the ship this spring.
Star Legend renovations are scheduled to be completed on August 30, 2020 and begins sailing in the Mediterranean in September. The Star Pride is set for completion on November 29, 2020 and its first cruise is a December 6 Transatlantic to the Caribbean where it will sail until mid-April, 2021.
About Windstar Cruises
Windstar Cruises operates a six-ship fleet of masted sailing ships and all-suite motor ships cruising throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Costa Rica and the Panama Canal, Asia, Alaska and British Columbia, Canada and New England, Tahiti and the South Pacific, Mexico and U.S. Coastal, and newly launched Australia and New Zealand cruises. Windstar’s fleet is the market leader in small ship cruising calling on more than 330 off-the-beaten-path and popular ports in nearly 80 countries. The boutique line caters to between 148 and 342 guests on each sailing and takes travelers on cruises that are 180 degrees from ordinary. Windstar has recently launched the $250 Million Star Plus Initiative to transform three Star Class ships with new suites, restaurants, and world-class spa and fitness center. Windstar Cruises is a part of Xanterra Travel Collection. To learn more about authentic small ship cruising with Windstar, visit www.windstarcruises.com.