1 · POSITION
Windstar describes a line established as Windstar Sail Cruises in 1984, operating a six-ship fleet of Wind Class sailing yachts and Star Class all-suite yachts. The ships carry between 148 and 342 guests, and Wind Surf, the largest, sets 26,881 square feet of sail from five masts. A watersports platform at the back of the yacht lowers to the water. The company states a staff-to-guest ratio of one to one and a half. [1, 3]
2 · THE SHIPS THAT WERE CUT AND LENGTHENED
The Star Plus Initiative, announced in 2018 and completed in 2022, lengthened the Star Class yachts. Capacity rose from 212 to 312 guests, fifty suites were added, and the work brought two new dining locations and a new spa. The largest single accommodation in the fleet is the Grand Owner’s Suite at 1,375 square feet. Two further Star Class ships, Star Seeker and Star Explorer, are each specified at 224 guests in 112 suites with full private verandas or infinity windows. [1, 3]
3 · A REFIT TAKEN IN PHASES
On 12 February 2025 Windstar announced a phased reworking of Wind Surf’s public rooms. The first phase covered the main lobby and reception area, the Yacht Club Café, the Compass Rose Bar and Lounge, the Amphora Restaurant and Wine Room, the Pool Bar and Deck, the Owner’s Suite and the Star Boutique. Stella Bistro, Veranda and the fitness studio were placed in a second phase, with staterooms receiving new furniture, soft goods and décor last. The line said the full project would be completed in December 2026. [2]
4 · A SUITE THAT QUOTES A HOTEL
The refit added two named suites, the Broadmoor Suite and the Sea Island Suite. The Broadmoor Suite is papered in an exact replica of the wallpaper Julie Penrose designed for The Broadmoor Main Building, so a room on a 342-guest sailing yacht carries the pattern of a Colorado hotel. Naming a cabin after a house ashore imports an existing hospitality reputation into a ship’s accommodation. The release does not give the two suites’ dimensions. [2]
5 · ⚑ CANDOUR
⚑ The register calls these sail-assisted motor yachts; the company’s own wording is sailing yachts for the Wind Class and all-suite yachts for the Star Class, and it attributes masts and sail area only to the first. The February 2025 announcement sets out a schedule rather than finished work, and names no design practice for it. The staff-to-guest ratio and the sail area are the company’s own figures. Guest numbers quoted here belong to named ships, not to every hull. [1–3]
Sources & Further Reading
Sources checked 12 October 2026.