Small ship cruise line Windstar Cruises has resumed cruising in French Polynesia/the Islands of Tahiti with vaccinated guests + crew aboard the line’s 148-passenger Wind Spirit sailing ship. Half of the line’s six yacht fleet is now back in the water cruising.
Windstar typically sails year-round from Tahiti, where cruises take place on Wind Spirit, a 148-guest motorized sailing yacht specifically designed for the region and capturing the South Pacific trade winds in its billowing sails. However, Windstar’s reimagined, new all-suite Star Breeze yacht carrying 312 guests will begin sailings in the region on September 19 and will remain on a limited engagement in Tahiti until March of 2022, giving guests a unique chance to sail on the larger, more amenity-intensive yacht in gracious ocean view 277 square feet suites. Windstar offers a complimentary private event on their Tahiti cruises: a private beach party and locally sourced feast on one of Bora Bora’s tiny motus, followed by a kinetic fire-dancing performance. It is available on all sailings/both yachts.
“Windstar glides into small bays other cruise ships can’t reach and drops anchor at some of the earth’s most beautiful islands like Bora Bora and Moorea,” says Windstar President Christopher Prelog. “Because French Polynesia is such a popular destination for romance, most guests book these itineraries quite far in advance, leading to lots of pent-up demand on a limited-space small yacht after a year of cancelled honeymoons and anniversary trips. These intimate cruises are filling fast.”
Windstar is returning to operations in a phased manner, with its fleet of six yachts debuting on various dates through November, while requiring vaccines of all passengers amongst a host of health and safety precautions including testing, social distancing, masks, and high-tech air filtration.
On June 19, Windstar’s Wind Star yacht resumed revenue operations in Greece, and on July 10, Windstar’s Star Breeze began sailing in the Caribbean, both with vaccinated guests and crew. Wind Surf will resume operations in the Mediterranean on August 8. Star Legend will explore Northern Europe from September 4 onwards while Star Pride will sail to the Caribbean from November 3.