The first Windstar ship I ever experienced was Wind Star in the Caribbean, the 148-passenger sailing ship. The most recent was Star Legend in the Mediterranean, the cruise line’s 312-passenger yacht. These two entirely different ships, at least as far as the vessels are concerned, share many similarities, such as Windstar’s friendly crew, watersports marinas off the back (or aft), and the James Beard Foundation partnership in which its chefs share their recipes with the ship’s culinary team and host culinary sailings throughout the year. Most of all, both ships offer a friendly onboard atmosphere, in which well-traveled guests mingle with each other — and officers and crew definitely make you feel like you’re part of the family.
Yet, there are clear distinctions, both when it comes to the ships’ designs as well as their itineraries. One of Windstar’s biggest challenges — and opportunities — and something that makes its fleet utterly distinctive, is that there are (or rather, will be, when Star Seeker debuts in December 2025) actually two distinct classes of vessels.
If you’re making your choice primarily based on destination, you’ll find some regions, such as Northern Europe and the Canary Islands, where there’s only one option for the style of ship. What happens, though, when you are traveling to places like Tahiti, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, or Central America and the Panama Canal, when you can opt for either a sailing ship or an all-suite yacht?
Here’s our guide to help you pick your ship — and your trip.
First, let’s talk about the ships
You may hear the word “class” bandied about. That refers to the styles of vessels. We’ll start with the Wind Class, which describes the 148-passenger Wind Star and Wind Spirit, and the 342-passenger Wind Surf. All are sailing ships (and have engines to use when needed).
Windstar’s Star Class ships — Star Breeze, Star Legend and Star Pride— carry 312 guests apiece. This trio, largely identical, offers more of a cruise-style experience.
And, debuting in December 2025 and December 2026, will be two more ships. Star Seeker, the former, is Windstar’s first newbuild for the Star Class. The nearly identical Star Explorer launches in December 2026. Both carry 224 guests and feature the most state-of-the-art amenities in the fleet.
Wind Star, Wind Spirit and Wind Surf
There’s no experience in cruising as romantic as departing from the day’s port of call on one of Windstar’s sailing ships. Sails are unfurled as Vangelis’ haunting musical score “1492: Conquest of Paradise” plays in the background. “At each sail away … guests gather on deck to toast the opening of the sails,” writes Kim Glynn on Panache Cruises’ blog. “I still get goosebumps when I think about it now. It’s a proper ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ moment!”
Advantages:
For small ship aficionados (or sailing enthusiasts), these vessels offer an intimate experience. And you’ll still find amenities such as watersports platforms, an onboard soaking pool, a cozy spa and gym, and two lounges.
And what so many of us love about Wind Surf is its unique outdoor spaces. It’s the only sailing ship in the fleet where its pool is located on the aft deck, offering fabulous views on three sides (motor yachts Star Seeker and Star Explorer will both have aft pools when they debut).
Where you’ll sleep:
Wind Star and Wind Spirit each offer one 220-square-foot suite; the rest of the staterooms measure a cozy 188 square feet. On Wind Surf, suite options range from 242 to 495 square feet and include The Broadmoor and Sea Island suites, inspired by sister resorts. Standard accommodations are 188 square feet. All suites feature ample storage.
Restaurants:
All three ships feature Amphora, the main restaurant venue, and the Veranda, with alfresco and indoor seating. Veranda transforms into Candles, the ship’s seafood and steakhouse, for dinner. Befitting its larger size, Wind Surf also offers Stella Bistro, a French-inspired restaurant. Room service is available 24/7.
Where you’ll go:
Typically, you’ll find Windstar’s Wind Class ships in warmer climes, such as the Greek Isles in summer, the Canary Islands in spring and fall, French Polynesia (year-round, beginning in January 2027), and the Caribbean and Latin America.
Good to Know:
All three of Windstar’s Wind Class ships are undergoing major refurbishments. The 342-guest Wind Surf is undergoing its $7.5 million refurbishment in two phases and the first was completed in December 2024 with the addition of three new suites (including beautiful reimaginings of accommodations from sibling resorts at The Broadmoor and Sea Island). Public rooms, from the lobby to Amphora and from the pool to lounges, also were completed. The second phase of the design overhaul will focus on staterooms and will take place in December 2026.
Wind Star also gets a phased-in upgrade. Already, public rooms like the Lounge, the World Spa and gym, and the pool deck and adjacent bar, were refreshed; the owner’s suite was completely redesigned. Next: In 2026, staterooms will be remodeled, as will Amphora, its primary restaurant, and Veranda, its ship-top café (that transforms into Candles for dinner).
On Wind Spirit, the phases are identical to Wind Star; only the timing is different. Its first stage takes place in 2026 and the second in 2027.
Star Breeze, Star Legend, Star Pride
Windstar’s Star Class features Star Breeze, Star Pride and Star Legend. The ships are, by and large, identical, and carry 312 travelers.
Advantages:
You want a small ship experience with a few more comfort features, like spacious suites additional entertainment and restaurant choices, larger spa, and a super-wide range of itineraries.
Where You’ll Sleep:
This trio of ships features the largest suites in the fleet, including owner’s suites and the Broadmoor and Sea Island, all of which have private balconies, and separate living and bedrooms and range from 575 to 820 square feet. Even standard ocean view and French veranda accommodations, measuring 277 square feet, have distinct living and sleeping spaces and a walk-in closet. They also have recently refurbished bathrooms with power showers and twin sinks.
Restaurants:
Mainstays onboard include the Veranda, which is open for buffet and off-the-menu dishes and has indoor and outdoor seating. At night, it transforms into Candles, its steakhouse. At Amphora, open only in the evenings, the menus reflect more continental fare with the option to try dishes created by James Beard Foundation chefs. Cuadro 44, one of my favorite onboard eateries anywhere, has been serving up Spanish-influenced tapas (best lamb chops ever). It’s slowly being replaced by Basil + Bamboo, a new concept offering a blend of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine. It’s currently on Star Breeze and will be added to Star Legend (starting December 13, 2025), Star Seeker and Star Pride (debuting April 7, 2026).
Also key is 24-hour complimentary room service.
Where You’ll Go:
Because these are motor ships rather than operating (at least in part) via sail, they offer more diverse itineraries simply because they can move at a faster speed and thus travel greater distances. In Tahiti, for one, Star Breeze can incorporate a trek to the exotic Marquesas into a 14-day itinerary that also includes the popular, bucket-list-worthy Society Islands such as Moorea and Bora Bora.
As well, these ships are perfect for cooler weather destinations, like the Mediterranean in winter and Iceland in summer because there’s more flexibility indoors. For instance, if weather precludes the line’s signature outdoor BBQ, there’s the equally fascinating “galley” dinner, in which a sumptuous buffet is laid out in Amphora’s kitchen, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how the restaurant operates.
Good to Know:
This trio has extra indoor space; for a lot of us, the Yacht Club at the top of the ships is a favorite onboard spot. It’s a café for a light breakfast and lunch where you can put together a puzzle, read a book, or simply enjoy sea vistas. We also love the two-deck, spacious sundeck where you can always find a chaise with a view. There are two soaking pools: one is located right in the center of the pool deck; the other, a bit of a mystery for its outlying location, is all the way forward on Deck 5 (it’s a whirlpool).
Like all Windstar vessels, Star Class has a well-outfitted watersports marina on the aft, for guests to enjoy while the ships are at anchor. For after-dinner socializing, the Lounge offers more structured performances while Compass Rose is fabulous for dancing.
Also Part of the Star Class: Star Seeker, Star Explorer
With Star Seeker debuting in December 2025 (and Star Explorer following a year later), these are the line’s first designed-for-Windstar vessels since Wind Star and Wind Spirit debuted 40 years ago.
Advantages:
These new ships, which carry 224 travelers, allow Windstar to expand the itineraries it offers (while continuing with core experiences that already exist). Among those include southeast Asia, Alaska, and Japan. And, as with the Star Class ships, these allow flexibility, through expanded onboard offerings, to sail in colder climates; Star Explorer will take over winter-in-the-Mediterranean from Star Legend in 2027.
Additionally, there are new amenities being introduced on this class of vessel; we’re particularly intrigued by its expansive spa, a super-spacious sundeck with pool, and the newest watersports marinas in the fleet. And most staterooms have balconies, a first for Windstar (the largest Star Class suites have them, and others have step-out verandas).
Where You’ll Sleep:
First of all, most suites, from standard to swanky, have patio doors with full sliding glass doors for extra light. As well, Star Seeker and Star Explorer feature Windstar’s widest range of accommodations. At the top of the range are Horizon Owner’s Suites, which have the ships’ largest balconies, wrapping around the aft and adding another 248 square feet. Other options include Star Suites and Classic Suites clocking in from 353 to 540 square feet, with full balconies offering added space.
