Today, we debuted the all new, all suite Star Pride in Barcelona, Spain during a christening ceremony and pier-side fiesta to celebrate the launch of the luxury yacht’s inaugural voyage through Spain, France, and Italy.
Mrs. Nancy Anschutz, wife of Mr. Philip Anschutz, owner of Xanterra Parks & Resorts®, Windstar’s parent company, was honored as Godmother of the yacht. She successfully christened Star Pride with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot in front of a crowd of past guests, media, and trade partners.
During the ceremony, Mrs. Anschutz was joined on stage by her husband Philip, in addition to Andy Todd, CEO of Xanterra Parks & Resorts®; Hans Birkholz, CEO of Windstar Cruises; Captain Alan MacAry, 15-year Windstar veteran who serves as master of Star Pride, and Father Marto Rodriguez. Our guests of about 200 people also helped us celebrate the launch of Star Pride with a pier-side fiesta that included local entertainment, such as a Catalonian Rumba band and street performers from Las Ramblas, as well as Spanish tapas and sangria.
“Star Pride is the first of the three small luxury cruise ships added to the Windstar yacht fleet, and it leads the way as Windstar enters a new era of small ship cruising,” said Hans Birkholz, chief executive officer of Windstar Cruises. “We are honored to have Mrs. Anschutz serve in the prestigious role of Godmother. It’s fitting to have her christen Windstar’s first yacht in 16 years as the Anschutz family and Xanterra Parks & Resorts®, have been an integral part of Windstar’s transformation the last few years.”
Transformation
Star Pride’s debut follows an intensive 3-week transformation period in which all of the yacht’s public spaces, dining venues, and suites were updated to meet our casually elegant, warm, and contemporary style. To complete Star Pride’s stem-to-stern transformation in Barcelona, we partnered with Alan McVitty and Trimline Interiors, both of whom spearheaded the recent $18 million renovation of our sailing yachts.
The updates to Star Pride’s décor include new furnishings, upholstery, lighting, wall coverings, carpeting, ceiling finishes, window treatments, and floor coverings. Additionally, Star Pride introduced our new Destination Suites. Each of the Owner’s Suites showcases a signature Windstar destination, complete with cultural décor and local art work. We will eventually implement the Destination Suites fleet-wide.
New Itineraries and Destinations
Following Star Pride’s inaugural voyage, the yacht will spend its summer season in the Mediterranean. In the fall, Star Pride will embark on our brand new itineraries to the exotic wonders of Asia and Arabia.
Star Pride will offer guests four new unique voyages to choose from, including Black Sea Tapestry, a 7-day cruise through the enigmatic, once hidden, wonders of the Black Sea. Guests can cruise the southernmost tip of the Aegean on Pride of the Aegean, a 9-day cruise from Athens to Istanbul. Riviera Enchantment discovers the glamour, and the excitement of the world’s most famous yachting playgrounds on a 7-day voyage round trip from Rome. Star Pride will also sail through the Corinth Canal, a first for Windstar, on the 9-day cruise, Venetian Passageways, from Athens to Venice. Additionally, in May 2014, the all suite yacht will dock in Monte Carlo and feature an exclusive Grand Prix themed voyage.
Star Legend and Star Breeze
Star Pride is the first of three new power yachts to join the Windstar fleet. Star Breeze will begin its maiden voyage on May 6, 2015, from Nice, France. Star Legend, will make its inaugural voyage on May 25, 2015, from Rome, Italy.
All three yachts are identical, with a guest capacity of 212 in 106 suites. At 10,000 gross tons, each yacht is 440 feet long with a breadth of 63 feet and six passenger decks. Similar to Star Pride, Star Legend and Star Breeze will undergo major transformations to public spaces, suites, and dining venues to fit our intimate, casually elegant style of small ship cruising.
The yachts’ size fit perfectly with our small ship philosophy of exploring secluded coves and hidden harbors. Recognized by Condé Nast Traveler, our itineraries offer in-depth enrichment experiences that include local entertainment, authentic cuisine, and small group shore excursions.
Congratulations on the Christening of the beautiful Star Pride. We will be joining you in Rome on Sunday for the Sicilian Splendors cruise…..our 11th Wind Star voyage. Can’t wait!
Congratulations! These ships are a terrific size to explore Asia later in 2014…
The photos are fabulous and give us a real feel for what it was like in Barcelona this morning. Thanks for posting!
The blog conveys the excitement enjoyed at this unveiling of the new, revitalized Windstar Cruises. The Star Pride is certainly splendid, the all suites accommodations most comfortable. We’re enjoying our seventeenth Windstar cruise and will enjoy our eighteenth with a back to back Rome to Rome after the inaugural cruise. All we can say is “fantastic!” and how nice it is to sail with Captain Alan and others we remember fondly – and remember us.
Jerry and I were so happy to be a part of this very exciting event as well as the following week aboard the beautifully appointed yacht, Star Pride. Our times aboard the yachts continue to be fantastic experiences!
Very excited to see the new itineraries in the next few years for these ships!!!
Cruise critic shows 4-5 negative reviews of the renovated Star Pride….including that the renovations were poor. We voyage in September and hope the bugs are being worked out. Any good reports from anyone?
Bringing a new ship and staff online is a major undertaking. Personally, I’d cut them some slack. We’re sailing on her in September too.
Obviously these were former Seabourn vessels but did their Captains and Officers transfer to Windstar with the ships or has Windstar recruited its own deck department? Interested to know because a few of the Seabourn bunch were arrogant and dismissive and a new lick of paint and name will not change their poor reputation. Windstar is superb and hate to see bad apples joining the ranks