How Windstar scores
Small-ship, small-port luxury with one real internal split — sail versus motor — that most marketing glosses over.
These are fit scores, not review scores. They measure who Windstar actually suits, not whether it runs a good cruise.
Two honest notes. Brand-vs-fleet consistency scores low deliberately — "Windstar" evokes one image, and most of the fleet by ship count doesn't match it. Authentic sailing feel sits at a genuine midpoint: the masts are real and the crew does raise them, but this is a motor yacht that can sail, not a sailing ship that happens to have engines.
Sail or no sail — the question the brand name doesn't answer
Because "Windstar" is a brand identity, not a fleet-wide fact.
Windstar's whole reputation was built in the 1980s by tall-masted sailing yachts — distinctive ships that could tuck into small harbors under real canvas. That reputation is still the brand's public face. But the fleet has doubled since, and every ship added since 2014 is a conventional motor yacht with no sails at all. Today, exactly three of Windstar's seven yachts — less than half — actually carry masts.
Worth being honest about the three that do: the sailing is real, but the ships are motor vessels that can deploy sails, not sailing vessels that happen to carry engines. Travelers who've sailed genuine tall-ship operators like Star Clippers or Sea Cloud, where wind power is the primary mode of propulsion, describe Windstar's Wind Class as smoother and easier — and less physically part of the experience. That's not a flaw. It's just a different, more comfortable version of "under sail" than the phrase usually implies.
The fleet, sorted the way it actually splits
Tap to see which of the seven actually carry sails, and which don't.
Seven yachts, one honest split
Windstar doesn't lead with this distinction. It's the first thing worth knowing.
Toggle to compare. Star Explorer isn't shown above — she's not in service yet as of this guide.
Where the Star Class actually came from
Three of Windstar's four Star Class yachts didn't start as Windstar ships at all. Star Pride was built in 1988 as Seabourn Pride. Star Breeze was built in 1989 as Seabourn Spirit. Star Legend has the longest paper trail of the three — built in 1992 as Royal Viking Queen, renamed Queen Odyssey under Royal Cruise Line in 1995, then Seabourn Legend from 1996. Windstar completed the purchase of all three from Seabourn in February 2013; Star Pride entered Windstar service in 2014, with Star Breeze and Star Legend following in 2015. All three were rebuilt: an 84-foot midship section was inserted into each hull in the "Star Plus" project, stretching them from roughly 134 to 160 meters and lifting capacity from around 210 guests to 312.
Star Seeker breaks that pattern. Delivered in December 2025, she's the first ship Windstar has built new for itself in decades — not acquired, not stretched, purpose-built from the keel up. At 224 guests and 112 suites, she's deliberately smaller than the stretched trio, closer in spirit to the original Wind Class scale. Sister ship Star Explorer is expected in December 2026.
New for 2026
| What's new | Detail |
|---|---|
| Star Seeker in service | Delivered December 2025, Miami christening January 2026 — the first Windstar-built ship in decades that wasn't acquired from another line. |
| Star Explorer coming | Star Seeker's sister ship, expected December 2026, will bring the fleet to eight. |
| Wind Class refresh | A multi-year, multi-million-dollar refurbishment of the three sailing yachts, running 2024 through 2026. |
| RiverOcean Voyages | A new product pairing coastal sailing with river-like waterways such as the Thames and the Corinth Canal. |
Windstar is owned by Xanterra Travel Collection, part of Xanterra Parks and Resorts — the largest concessioner of U.S. national and state parks. That's a different kind of parent company from the publicly traded conglomerates that own most of the rest of the mainstream cruise industry.
Who it fits — and who should look elsewhere
You want small ports big ships can't reach, in a small, casual-luxury setting. You're drawn to the idea of sailing but want comfort over authenticity — the Wind Class delivers real masts without the physical demands of a true tall ship. You're comfortable choosing a Star Class yacht on its own merits rather than expecting sails. Or you want Star Seeker specifically, as the first true new-generation Windstar ship.
You assumed every Windstar yacht sails — four of seven don't. You want the real, physical sailing experience of a true tall ship; look at Star Clippers or Sea Cloud instead. You want large-ship entertainment and activity variety; this format doesn't offer it by design. Or budget is the deciding factor — this sits at the premium end of small-ship cruising.
If you asked us to pick
If sailing itself is the point, book Wind Class and go in with realistic expectations — the masts are real, the experience is comfortable, and it's not the same as a true tall ship. If you just want small-ship intimacy and port access without caring whether there's a sail overhead, the Star Class yachts — especially Star Seeker — are worth evaluating on their own terms rather than being treated as the lesser, sail-less half of the fleet.
Keep exploring
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Instant answers from our guides · always verified against current Windstar information before you book. An independent advisory, not affiliated with or endorsed by Windstar Cruises or Xanterra Travel Collection.
Quick answers
Which Windstar ships actually have sails?
Three: Wind Star, Wind Spirit, and Wind Surf — the Wind Class. All four Star Class yachts (Star Breeze, Star Legend, Star Pride, and the new Star Seeker) are motor yachts with no sails at all, despite sharing the Windstar name and brand identity.
Is the sailing on Wind Class ships real sailing?
The masts and sails are real and the crew does deploy them, but the ships are diesel-powered motor vessels that can sail, not sailing vessels that happen to have engines. Travelers who've sailed true tall-ship operators like Star Clippers or Sea Cloud describe Windstar's Wind Class as a smoother, more comfortable experience with less of the physical, hands-on sailing sensation.
Were Windstar's Star Class ships originally Seabourn ships?
Three of the four were. Star Pride (built 1988), Star Breeze (built 1989), and Star Legend (built 1992) all sailed for Seabourn before joining Windstar in 2014 and 2015, when they were rebuilt into the Star Class. The fourth, Star Seeker, is a real departure — Windstar's first purpose-built vessel in decades, delivered in December 2025.
How big is the Windstar fleet in 2026?
Seven yachts: three Wind Class sailing ships and four Star Class motor yachts. An eighth, Star Explorer, is expected in December 2026 as Star Seeker's sister ship.
Who owns Windstar Cruises?
Xanterra Travel Collection, part of Xanterra Parks and Resorts — the largest concessioner of U.S. national and state parks. That's a genuinely unusual parent for a cruise line, and a different kind of company from the publicly traded conglomerates (Carnival Corp, Royal Caribbean Group, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings) that own most of the rest of the mainstream cruise industry.