Fresh Itineraries, Transformed Ships, and Updated Health & Safety Protocols
Seattle, WA, January 26, 2021 – Cruise lines have had to update their deployment plans several times over the past year. To provide clarity on voyage plans, small ship cruise line Windstar Cruises has released a new printed voyage planner brochure with nearly 200 pages of information detailing offerings from when its first yacht will set sail on May 1, 2021 through May, 2023.
“This beautiful coffee-table publication is meant to educate and inspire people about Windstar and the 180 degrees from ordinary experience we have to offer,” says Windstar Cruises’ President Chris Prelog. “In 2021 through 2023, we have a mix of long-time favorites and fresh new itineraries, recently transformed yachts and exciting new cruise tours. We have planned further out so people can book early.”
Windstar realized that now, more than ever, travelers are looking even further ahead to plan their next cruise vacation. That’s why the new Voyage Collection brochure details sailings through May of 2023, giving travelers a chance to plan ahead with a comprehensive reference in hand. The brochure will begin to land in mailboxes this week, and those interested in requesting a copy or viewing a digital version can access it here: https://www.windstarcruises.com/request-a-brochure/.
The Windstar Voyage Collection 2021-2023 Includes the Following News and Updates
New Yachts
Its much-anticipated transformation of three Star Plus Class ships (with new restaurants, suite choices, and environmental improvements) will come to fruition in 2021 and will be a major development for the line, offering a range of upgraded experiences, more deck space and alfresco dining and a guest capacity of 312 per yacht.
New Itineraries by Region
Alaska
- Windstar sails in Alaska from late spring through summer. Voyages are scheduled beginning in 2022 aboard the newly transformed all-suite Star Breeze.
- In 2022, a new, shorter seven-day Scenic Alaska cruise will feature coastal wilderness cruising along the Canadian Inside Passage.
Asia
- Windstar will sail in Southeast Asia on limited voyages in late 2021/early 2022 and will return to comprehensive sailings in Asia with five brand-new itineraries beginning the fall of 2022.
- In 2022, Island Hopping through Japan and Windstar Crew Hometowns: Philippines & Indonesia are new and noteworthy standouts.
Australia & New Zealand (New Destination)
- In 2022, Windstar will debut its first-ever comprehensive itineraries to Australia & New Zealand aboard the newly transformed Star Breeze, visiting small, rarely visited ports of call like Middle Percy Island and Thursday Island. Overnights in Brisbane, Port Douglas, and Sydney, plus a late-night departure in Melbourne are other highlights. Pick from eight itineraries in the region.
Canada & New England
- Windstar sails in Canada & New England in the fall aboard the newly transformed Star Pride.
- In 2021, a new Iceland to Montreal itinerary will focus heavily on Greenland, including several days of scenic fjord cruising, and a revamped New York to San Juan sailing is much more than a “repositioning cruise” with two overnight stops in Bermuda, plus a day in St. Kitts and St. Bart’s.
- In 2022, a new Boston to San Juan offering includes warm Bermuda beaches on the journey.
Caribbean & Central America
- Windstar sails in the Caribbean from late fall to spring, but in 2021, Windstar will also sail its waters throughout the summer season aboard Star Breeze.
- In 2021, Windstar will make first-time visits to Miami and Key West in December.
- In 2022, Windstar will offer new sailings in Mexico, on both the East and West coasts, including an option from Cozumel to St. Maarten with rare Windstar visits to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and tiny Cayman Brac.
- In 2023, the new Spanish Treasures via the Panama Canal starts on the Pacific side of the canal before heading to Panama’s Bocas del Toro and San Blas Islands, Cartagena/Santa Marta in Colombia, and ending in Aruba.
Mediterranean & the Holy Lands
- In 2021, Windstar returns after a several year absence to Ashdod and Haifa in Israel; Alexandria and Port Said in Egypt (including Cairo and the Pyramids); and Istanbul, with an overnight stay. Windstar will also make inaugural visits to Odessa, Nessebar, Bucharest, Sochi, Batumi, and Sinop on its new Black Sea voyage. There are also new cruise tours to the Douro Valley, Lake Como, and Meteora.
- 2022 brings a variety of new sailings in the region including Island Gems of Spain & Portugal, with stops in the Canary Islands and Madeira, and a new eight-day sailing along the coastlines of Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. There is also a new Athens to Istanbul itinerary (including a tight squeeze through the small-ship-only Corinth Canal) with a first-time port in Turkey’s Çanakkale.
Northern Europe
- Windstar sails in Northern Europe in the summer and early fall, including Scandinavia and the Baltic, Europe’s West Coast, and the British Isles aboard the newly transformed Star Legend and Star Pride.
- In 2021, the popular Around Iceland itinerary returns with five sail dates, as well as a new option to be experienced as a cruise tour. Other new offerings in the region in 2021 include Norway’s Famous Fjords and Scandinavian Capitals & Fjords, which combines iconic Northern capitals with a handful of smaller, less-visited ports.
- In 2022, Windstar’s new Impressionist France brings a chance to travel from Bordeaux to Amsterdam with an overnight in St-Malo and scenic cruising on the Seine River, plus first-ever Windstar stops in Caen and Rouen (an overnight as well). A comprehensive journey around Spain is another highlight.
South Pacific
- Windstar maintains a year-round presence in Tahiti and will resume sailings in May of 2021.
- In September of 2021, Star Breeze will begin sailing in Tahiti (through March of 2022), giving guests a unique chance to sail on the larger, all-suite, newly transformed yacht in this destination for a limited engagement.
- In 2021, Windstar’s Wind Spirit will sail from Tahiti to Australia, stopping at the small island nation of Vanuatu and tiny Pantara Island at the outer fringes of New Caledonia, among other off-the-beaten-path South Pacific islands.
U.S. West Coast
- Windstar sails the West Coast of the U.S. (and Mexico) in the spring and fall. Sailings will resume there in 2022.
- In 2022, Windstar debuts several brand-new itineraries, including Baja Blue Water & Treasures on the Sea of Cortez and a West Coast Epicurean Extravaganza with new stops in Victoria and Santa Barbara.
New Policies and Procedures
Windstar’s updated Travel Assurance Booking Policy allows cancellation up to 48 hours prior to departure on 2021 cruises.
Prelog says the company knows health and safety is a top concern for travelers. Windstar consulted with the epidemiology department at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Center and developed a new Beyond Ordinary Care program, which is a multi-layered strategy with key hospital-grade elements: HEPA filters and UV-C ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to filter and disinfect the air, plus electrostatic sprayers to sanitize all surfaces throughout the yacht. The company hopes this extra effort to provide a safer environment on board is giving consumers (both avid cruisers and new ones) the confidence to book.
For updated information, reservations, and itineraries, visit www.windstarcruises.com.
Contacts:
Sarah Scoltock, Director of Public Relations, Windstar Cruises / [email protected]
Sally Spaulding, Account Director, Percepture / [email protected]
About Windstar Cruises
Windstar Cruises operates a fleet of six boutique all-suite and sailing yachts carrying 148-342 guests. Small ship cruises sail 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 Australia. Windstar launched the $250 Million Star Plus Initiative to transform the three Star Class ships with new suites, restaurants, and a world-class spa and fitness center. The award-winning line is known for immersive experiences, destination authenticity, port-intensive itineraries, exceptional service, and an innovative culinary program. Windstar Cruises is part of the Xanterra Travel Collection, a group of global hospitality and travel companies, one of which traces its history back over a hundred years of operating our country’s iconic national parks, including Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Glacier, Death Valley, and many others. Xanterra Travel Collection is owned by The Anschutz Corporation, the ultimate owner of the Broadmoor, Sea Island, and entertainment giant AEG, Anschutz Entertainment Group.