Windstar Opens Bookings for 224-Guest Star Explorer Debuting 2026

Windstar Cruises has opened bookings for Star Explorer, a new 224-guest, all-suite yacht scheduled to debut in December 2026 and sail year-round in Europe. The inaugural season is on sale through March 2028, with the line emphasizing longer stays in port, overnights, and access to smaller harbors that larger ships often cannot reach.

Launch timing and a London christening on the Thames

Windstar plans to officially welcome Star Explorer with a christening ceremony on London’s River Thames on May 31, 2027. The schedule also includes a London departure sequence, with the ship set to sail from the city after the ceremony and transit under Tower Bridge as it heads out on its next itinerary.

• Debut: December 2026.
• Christening: May 31, 2027, on the River Thames in London.
• First Europe season on sale: Sailings scheduled through March 2028.

How Windstar is positioning the ship in Europe

Star Explorer is being deployed as a small-ship option built around port-intensive routing across Northern Europe, the British Isles, and parts of the Mediterranean, with frequent calls, late departures, and more time ashore. Christopher Prelog, president of Windstar Cruises, said the ship’s scale is central to the itinerary planning: “Windstar has a long history of exploring in the Mediterranean and Europe, and the small size of this ship opens even more interesting places including rivers.”

Windstar has also framed the programming as a mix of familiar highlights and less-visited stops. Prelog described the concept as blending “bucket-list destinations with the unknown and unexpected.”

Early itineraries: Ireland, the Baltics, and Northern Europe overnights

The ship’s maiden voyage is planned as a journey around Ireland, with Windstar highlighting the ability to reach smaller ports and add place-specific experiences. The itinerary includes a call in Killybegs and opportunities tied to the Cliffs of Moher from lesser-seen vantage points.

In the Baltics and Northern Europe, Windstar is leaning into extended time in marquee cities. On the Seven Gems of the Baltic voyage, the line has positioned overnight stays as a key part of the experience, including two nights in Stockholm and additional time in Tallinn.

• Circumnavigating Ireland: A 10-night route that includes Waterford, Killybegs, Cork, Dingle, Galway, Londonderry, Belfast, and a call in the Isles of Scilly.
• Seven Gems of the Baltic: An eight-night itinerary visiting seven countries (Denmark, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Sweden, Finland, and Estonia), with two nights in Stockholm and a visit to Tallinn.

Windstar has also highlighted Waterford as a distinctive stop on the Ireland routing, describing it as Ireland’s oldest city, founded during the Viking era. The itinerary includes the Isles of Scilly, an archipelago Windstar notes is accessible only by helicopter or ferry.

France, Spain, and Portugal routes built around central docking access

Windstar is using Star Explorer’s size and maneuverability to schedule calls in ports that can be constrained by locks, narrow entrances, or docking availability, including sailings that start or end in Bordeaux, Rouen, and London. The line has also pointed to central-city access in destinations such as London, plus calls that are traditionally difficult for larger ships, including Bordeaux and Rouen.

• Impressionist France: A 10-night sailing from Bordeaux to London featuring overnights in Bordeaux, St. Malo, and the Paris/Rouen area, plus calls including La Rochelle, Belle-Île, and Caen.
• Connoisseurs Delight (Northern Spain and Portugal): An eight-night route from Lisbon to Bordeaux with calls including Vigo, Gijón, Bilbao, and San Sebastián, plus an overnight in Biarritz and additional time in Bordeaux.

Windstar said Star Explorer will make the line’s first call to Puerto Banús in Spain and return to Basque ports including San Sebastián and Saint-Jean-de-Luz, destinations the company has linked to the region’s culinary heritage.

Suites and onboard features aimed at Windstar’s small-ship style

Star Explorer is designed to carry 224 guests across 112 suites. Windstar said the accommodations will include Horizon Owners Suites with wraparound balconies, along with other suite categories that feature full verandas or infinity windows, depending on the category.

Onboard, the ship is slated to include established Windstar venues and brand signatures such as the Yacht Club Café and the Marina platform for watersports. Windstar has also pointed to the line’s hallmark friendly crew as part of the onboard experience, with the ship’s overall atmosphere intended to blend upscale intimacy with relaxed luxury.

How Star Explorer fits Windstar’s fleet expansion

Star Explorer is the second of two new all-suite yachts Windstar is adding to its fleet, following Star Seeker, which is set to join the fleet in late 2025. Windstar has said Star Explorer will be modified to align with the brand’s onboard layout and guest experience standards.

Prelog described the adaptation work as central to the newbuild strategy: “Our goal was to ensure these ships are unmistakably Windstar, and a significant amount of effort has gone into achieving this.”

For 2027, Windstar has also outlined a broader Europe program that includes multiple yachts sailing in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, alongside additional seasonal itineraries. Jess Peterson, Windstar’s director of destination experience and itinerary planning, said the focus is on access and time in port: “We’ve built 2027 around those moments: the smaller harbors you can only access on a yacht, the later evenings in port, and the feeling of having Europe almost to yourself.”

Alongside Star Explorer and Star Seeker, Windstar has said its European lineup includes yachts such as Star Legend and Wind Surf, with itineraries spanning the Adriatic, the Mediterranean, and Northern Europe.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When will Star Explorer enter service, and when is the christening?

Star Explorer is scheduled to debut in December 2026. Windstar has set a christening ceremony for May 31, 2027, on the River Thames in London.

How long is Star Explorer’s first Europe season on sale?

Windstar has opened bookings for Star Explorer sailings through March 2028.

How many guests and suites will Star Explorer have, and what accommodations are highlighted?

The ship is planned for 224 guests across 112 suites. Windstar has highlighted Horizon Owners Suites with wraparound balconies, plus additional suite options with verandas or infinity windows, depending on category.

What are the headline itineraries and ports Windstar is emphasizing?

Windstar has highlighted a 10-night circumnavigation of Ireland (including Waterford, Killybegs, and a call in the Isles of Scilly), the Seven Gems of the Baltic (an eight-night sailing visiting seven countries with two nights in Stockholm and time in Tallinn), and France, Spain, and Portugal routes including Impressionist France (Bordeaux to London) and Connoisseurs Delight (Lisbon to Bordeaux, with calls including Vigo, Gijón, Bilbao, and San Sebastián).

Are there early booking incentives for Star Explorer sailings?

Windstar said early booking discounts are available, with additional savings offered when full payment is made at the time of booking. The promotions are valid through Nov. 15, 2025, subject to availability.

With Star Explorer set for a December 2026 debut and a May 2027 christening in London, Windstar’s rollout centers on itinerary design that prioritizes smaller ports, central docking access, and more time ashore, with sailings currently scheduled and available to book through March 2028.