Culture Discovery Cruises
A Windstar sailing yacht with billowing white sails at sunset
Premium Cruise Line

Windstar

Masted sailing yachts and intimate power yachts that slip into the small harbors big ships cannot reach.

Request a Windstar Quote
The line

The small-yacht specialist

Windstar is the small-ship line for travelers who want to feel the sea, not a floating resort. Its fleet splits between graceful masted sailing yachts and intimate all-suite power yachts, each carrying only a few hundred guests, which lets them tie up in harbors and coves the big ships sail right past.

Founded in 1984 and now part of the Xanterra Travel Collection, Windstar runs a fleet of small yachts carrying between 148 and 342 guests. The three sailing yachts, Wind Star, Wind Spirit and the larger Wind Surf, are joined by the Star-class power yachts Star Pride, Star Breeze and Star Legend, with new all-suite yachts extending the fleet.

The style is casually elegant: no formal nights, gratuities included, and a high crew-to-guest ratio that keeps service personal. It is cruising at a human scale.

Style
Small-yacht premium
Fleet
Sailing and power yachts
Guests
148 to 342
Fares
Gratuities included
Sails to
Med, Greek Isles, worldwide
Founded
1984
In a word

“Windstar sails where the big ships cannot, on yachts small enough to feel the wind and slip into harbors the crowds never reach.”

The Windstar power yacht Star Breeze at anchor in a calm bay

Sails and suites, all at a small scale

The fleet has two personalities. The sailing yachts, Wind Star, Wind Spirit and the four-masted Wind Surf, raise their computer-controlled sails at sea and carry between 148 and 342 guests. The Star-class power yachts, Star Pride, Star Breeze and Star Legend, are all-suite and even more intimate.

Newer all-suite yachts, beginning with Star Seeker, extend the same idea with contemporary suites and the shallow draft that has always been the point. Whichever you choose, the small size is the whole experience.

An open-air grill restaurant on the deck of a Windstar yacht

Regional cooking and life on deck

Dining leans into the destination, with regionally inspired menus and local ingredients across venues like the main AmphorA Restaurant, the alfresco Candles grill and the casual Veranda. A partnership with the James Beard Foundation shapes special culinary sailings.

Days are unstructured by design: a watersports platform folds down from the stern for swimming and kayaking straight off the yacht, evenings bring live music and the occasional deck party, and gratuities are included so the reckoning stays simple.

The compact pool and sun deck aboard a Windstar yacht

Small harbors, from the Med to the wider world

The Mediterranean and the Greek Isles are Windstar’s heartland, where the yachts anchor off small islands and call at harbor towns the larger ships cannot enter. The Dalmatian coast, the French and Italian Rivieras and the Aegean are all natural territory.

Beyond Europe the yachts sail the Caribbean, Central America and Costa Rica, Tahiti and the South Pacific, Alaska and beyond, calling at more than 150 ports across some 50 nations. We help you match the right yacht and season to the itinerary you want.

With Windstar spending real time in the Mediterranean, it pairs beautifully with an Amalfi Coast cooking week on land.

Booking Windstar with CDV

Why book through us

Exclusive Windstar value

Group amenities and onboard credit on Windstar sailings that you will not find booking direct.

Combinable offers

Our exclusive value can usually be layered with Windstar's current promotions, plus full loyalty credit.

Premium specialists

Advisors who know the sailing and power yachts alike, and match the right ship, suite and itinerary to you.

Seamless land and sea

Because we run our own tours ashore, we make it easy to add a CDV land tour where your voyage begins or ends.

Pair your voyage with a land tour

Sail the Italian coast, then stay on for the Amalfi kitchens

Windstar’s small yachts tuck into the harbors of the Italian coast, which makes them a natural match for our own culinary tours. Add a Culture Discovery week on the Amalfi Coast and let its cliffside villages, lemons and long lunches carry your voyage ashore.

Discover the Amalfi Coast cooking week
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Frequently asked questions

What is Windstar known for?

Windstar is known for small-yacht cruising. Its masted sailing yachts and intimate all-suite power yachts carry only a few hundred guests, which lets them reach small harbors and hidden ports the large ships cannot. The style is casually elegant, with regional cuisine, a watersports platform off the stern and gratuities included.

How many ships does Windstar have?

Windstar sails a small fleet of yachts. It includes three sailing yachts, Wind Star, Wind Spirit and the larger Wind Surf, and the Star-class power yachts Star Pride, Star Breeze and Star Legend, with newer all-suite yachts joining led by Star Seeker. Guest counts run from about 148 to 342 depending on the yacht.

What is unique about Windstar Cruises?

Two things set Windstar apart. First, the scale: with only a few hundred guests, the yachts anchor off small islands and tie up in harbors closed to big ships. Second, the sailing yachts themselves, whose computer-controlled sails give a genuine feel of being under sail, something almost no other line offers.

Who owns Windstar Cruises?

Windstar is owned by the Xanterra Travel Collection and operates independently of the large cruise groups. It was founded in 1984 as Windstar Sail Cruises, and its first sailing yacht, Wind Star, launched in 1986.

Are gratuities included on Windstar?

Yes. Windstar includes gratuities in the fare rather than adding an automatic daily charge, so there is no service charge to settle at the end of your voyage. Guests are still welcome to recognize exceptional service if they wish.

What is the dress code on Windstar?

Windstar is casually elegant, with no formal nights. Daytime is resort casual, and evenings call for elegant-casual attire such as slacks and a collared shirt or a sundress. Jackets and ties are not required.

Where does Windstar sail?

The Mediterranean and the Greek Isles are Windstar’s core, along with the Dalmatian coast and the Rivieras. The yachts also sail the Caribbean, Costa Rica and Central America, Tahiti and the South Pacific, Alaska and more, calling at over 150 ports across some 50 countries.

Who is Windstar for?

Windstar suits travelers who want an intimate, low-key alternative to the big ships, with a focus on the destination, good regional food and time on the water. It draws a mix of active, well-traveled couples and solo guests, often though not only in their fifties and sixties.

How much does a Windstar cruise cost?

Fares vary by yacht, suite category, season and itinerary, and because gratuities are included the headline number is not directly comparable to a mainstream fare. Rather than quote a misleading range, we price your specific voyage and secure the best available CDV value. Request a complimentary quote and we will lay out the real numbers.

Ready to sail with Windstar?

Complimentary quote, exclusive CDV value, and a specialist who plans it around you.

Request a Quote+1 (656) 333-6123 ext. 403