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Windstar Cruises Announces Lengthening and Improving Its Star Power Yachts!

China, Hong Kong, Star Breeze, Star Legend, Star Pride, Windstar

Windstar Cruises announced today that it is making a $250,000,000 investment in the Star Pride, Legend and Breeze (formerly the Seabourn triplets). It is exciting news and promises to bring these three wonderful ships even further along in their recent Windstar-created modernization while also addressing the challenges of operating some of the smallest ships in the luxury and near-luxury market.

Windstar Star Plus Profile
Star Breeze, Star Legend and Star Pride with Mid-Section Addition

A number of things that the luxury traveler now expects that he/she didn’t when these ships were built in 1988-1990 are multiple alternative dining venues, a large fitness center, a luxurious spa and a large retail shop. While these three ships now lack these to various degrees, they soon won’t. Windstar will also be adding new midsections to the three sisters which will create the space not only for these venues, but also 50 new suites (and crew areas to keep their crew to guest ratio at 1:1.5).

As a bit of history, upgrades to these wonderful ships is not a new thing. They originally were built without balconies in other than the top suites, as they were not considered to be necessary or even desired. Seabourn added French balconies to the midship suites on Decks 5 and 6 years ago. Windstar made numerous upgrades when the ships were acquired, which were explained in this article from 2015:

Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise – Part II – The Transformation of A Cruise Line

Goldring Travel’s Five Foot Model of the Original Seabourn Pride (Now Star Pride)
Time for Modernization 2.0!

Overall the refits, which will commence on the Star Breeze in October 2019 and continue with the Star Legend and finish up with the Star Pride by November 2020, include the following:

50 new suites featuring new suite categories and open floor plan configurations.
Creation of two brand new, larger Owner’s Suites, that combines existing suites to create up to a three-bedroom, two-balcony suite – the first of its kind in the cruise industry.
Two brand new dining experiences including: an intimate, alternative dining restaurant, and a casual barbecue space adjacent to the top deck Star Bar, perfect for outdoor grilling during Windstar’s Signature Onboard Barbecue celebration or enjoying while spending time on deck.
Expanded Veranda Restaurant to offer significantly more ocean-view seating and upgraded dining area.
For existing suites, all-new bathrooms and installation of new sliding doors for the Balcony Suites.
Larger pool and hot tub that will be reconfigured and elevated offering outstanding views, along with more and enhanced outdoor deck area for relaxing and sun-bathing.
A completely re-imagined and enlarged spa and fitness center to invigorate active guests.
A new elevator mid-ship, making access to all decks easy from anywhere on board.
A comfortable, new tender loading area located mid-ship and two new 90-passenger tenders that will ferry guests to port when ships are at anchor.

By the way, I will be sailing on the Star Legend from Hong Kong to Beijing on March 5, 2019 and have great pricing for those that book through me…and the pricing has been significantly reduced!

Travel Through China (Taiwan and Japan too) with Windstar Cruises and Goldring Travel on the Star Legend – March 5, 2019

It will be great to have one final sail on the Star Legend as she is and then, hopefully, after this major refit. Come join me! (You know it won’t be ordinary…possibly even 180 degrees from ordinary!)

Interested in a Windstar cruise? Give me a call, drop me an email or send me a Facebook message!

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