THIS week at a shipyard in Italy, Windstar Cruises made the first cut in the new steel that will become the newly constructed mid-section of  a Windstar favorite ship, Star Legend. It’s the second of three new mid-ship sections being designed and constructed as part of Windstar’s $250 Million Star Plus Initiative, to expand and transform the line’s three Star-class vessels. Let’s start with how that process works via this interesting video:

All three of Windstar’s small motor ships will be cut in half to allow the installation of a new stepped mid-body section that will lengthen each vessel by about 85 feet. The total capacity of the newly expanded ships will be 312 guests, and additional staff will be hired in order to maintain the line’s 1.5 to 1 guest-to-service staff ratio.

“This is a momentous day for Windstar as we reach another major milestone.  A project of this magnitude takes time to realize and unfold,”

Christopher Prelog, Vice President of Fleet Operations

Star Legend is the second of three Star-class vessels that will undergo the transformation from a 212-passenger ship to 312 passengers by installing a new section of ship. The transformation of the three Star-class ships will increase capacity by 100 with the addition of 50 new suites, the majority of which are to be housed in the new mid-sections being built at Fincantieri shipyards.

• New Restaurant– Spanish-styled Cuadro 44 by Anthony Sasso
• New Restaurant- Alfresco Star Grill by Steven Raichlen 
• Swim– A new pool and whirlpool,
• Spa– A re-imagined, world-class spa and fitness center,
• Shopping– new retail shops and more.

The first Windstar ship to emerge from this transformation, Star Breeze, will sail from Barcelona to Lisbon on February 20, 2020 then celebrate inaugural activities in North America at Port Miami on March 19, 2020.

Star Legend will complete her transformation in late June and debut in Barcelona on July 2, 2020. The third and final ship will be complete with the departure of Star Pride from the shipyard in fall of 2020, with her first cruise sailing from Barcelona on November 20, 2020.

The first mid-ship section insertion for the Star-class ships takes place on Star Breeze in Palermo in mid-October 2019. More details on Star Breeze’s steel cutting that took place in April can be found here.

Reservations are open for 2020 and 2021 cruises aboard the post-Star Plus Initiative Star Breeze, Star Legend and Star Pride, including a Colors of Key West & Central America 10-day voyage from Miami to Colón, Panama on March 20, 2020; sailing from Miami will be a first for the Seattle-based company.

To learn more about destination-immersive, small ship cruising with Windstar or to book a cruise, contact a travel advisor or Windstar Cruises by phone at 1-800-258-7245, or visit www.windstarcruises.com.