Small-ship specialist Windstar Cruises is lastly again in progress mode.
Windstar President Chris Prelog on Wednesday stated the model would add two new vessels by the top of 2026 — a 33% growth of its fleet that might finish a decadelong drought in new ship additions.
“That is going to permit Windstar not solely to develop however to return to favourite locations the place we have now been earlier than and discover new locations,” Prelog advised cruise writers at a press convention in Miami Seashore, Florida.
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Prelog known as the acquisition of the 2 vessels from one other firm “a tremendous alternative” that might enable Windstar to double the variety of ships it operates in French Polynesia, one in all its core markets.
The press convention befell at Seatrade Cruise International, the cruise trade’s annual meetup on the Miami Seashore Conference Middle. Greater than 10,000 executives from cruise strains, shipyards, suppliers and locations attend the occasion.
2 new all-suite ships
Windstar is buying the 2 new vessels from Portugal-based Mystic Make investments Holdings, the father or mother firm of small-ship operator Atlas Ocean Voyages, Germany-based Nicko Cruises and a number of other different manufacturers.
The primary of the vessels, to be known as Star Seeker, is a still-under-construction, 224-passenger vessel that Mystic was initially constructing for its Atlas Ocean Voyages model to function beneath the identify World Seeker.
The ship was to be a sister vessel to the three Atlas Ocean Voyages vessels at present in operation: World Navigator, World Traveller and World Voyager.
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Mystic was constructing the ship for Atlas Ocean Voyages at a shipyard in Portugal that it additionally owns.
The second vessel Windstar is buying is a 4-year-old ship in the identical sequence that Mystic has been chartering to expedition cruise specialist Quark Expeditions. Presently working for Quark as World Explorer, it’s going to be renamed Star Explorer and still have room for 224 passengers.
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The 2 vessels will be a part of the Windstar fleet in December 2025 and December 2026, respectively, after the addition of a number of signature Windstar components to every of them.
For instance, each of the vessels will get water sports activities platforms, one thing that is not at present a part of their design. Water sports activities platforms are a signature characteristic of Windstar vessels.
Different modifications to the present design of every of the vessels will embody including a brand new pool and a two-story spa. Windstar may even add a whirlpool to the bow of the ships.
A helipad that’s at present a part of the design of every of the ships will grow to be a big Proprietor’s Suite, with a wraparound balcony.
Just like the three ships of comparable design at present crusing for Atlas Ocean Voyages, the brand new Windstar ships shall be all-suite ships the place most rooms include both a personal balcony or a window wall that slides open to create a balcony-like house.
Windstar stated every of the ships would have an Amphora eating room, a Windstar signature, and a extra informal Star Grill. Every of the vessels could have a no-extra-charge specialty restaurant and provide 24-hour room service, too.
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As is the case for all the vessels within the sequence which have operated for Atlas Ocean Voyages and Quark, the ships could have ice-strengthened hulls that enable them to function in icy polar locations corresponding to Antarctica and the Arctic’s Svalbard Archipelago. However in response to a query from The Factors Man, Prelog prompt the road did not have plans to deploy the ships to essentially the most distant elements of the polar areas.
That stated, the ice-strengthened capabilities of the ships could possibly be of worth when crusing to locations corresponding to Greenland and Alaska, Prelog stated.
First new Windstar ships since 2015
Windstar final expanded its fleet in 2014 and 2015, when it added three small motor vessels that had been previously operated by Seabourn.
Windstar at present operates six ships — the three former Seabourn vessels, all of which have been considerably renovated and lengthened over time to have extra cabins and venues, in addition to three crusing ships.
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Throughout Wednesday’s announcement, Prelog stated the addition of the 2 Mystic vessels would enable Windstar to ship one in all its crusing ships, the 148-passenger Wind Star, again to French Polynesia beginning in 2027. Wind Star will be a part of the 312-passenger Star Breeze in crusing year-round in French Polynesia, a significant growth for Windstar within the area.
Prelog on Wednesday didn’t say the place the brand new Star Seeker and Star Explorer would sail. However he stated itineraries and pricing for the primary of vessels scheduled to debut, Star Seeker, can be introduced in June.
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