Windstar Cruises Announces 2028 Europe Season: Five Yachts Offer 348 Itinerary Combinations

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Windstar Cruises has announced its 2028 Europe season, with its five yachts—Star Explorer, Star Legend, Star Pride, Wind Spirit, and Wind Surf—sailing the Mediterranean and Northern Europe from March through October, offering 348 itinerary combinations in total, ranging from four-day short getaways designed to pair with longer European vacations to the 53-day Grand Mediterranean Adventure from Tenerife in the Canary Islands to Venice.

Season highlights include sailing the Kiel Canal and the Elbe River in Germany, arriving in Hamburg during the city's major maritime festival, and visiting Inis Mór—Windstar's new port in Ireland's Aran Islands—aboard the new yacht Star Explorer, which debuts in December 2026. During the Mediterranean summer season, guests can swim and paddle directly from Windstar's yacht marinas, call at smaller ports, and explore Greece, Italy, France, and Croatia. The 2028 season also introduces upgraded Grand Prix voyages, a Mystery Cruise round-trip from Athens, and extended exploration opportunities.

Stijn Creupelandt, Chief Operating Officer of Windstar Cruises, said Europe is a destination many guests return to again and again, and that 2028 is offering guests new ways to experience places they think they already know. He added that sailing into the heart of Venice, transiting Germany's Kiel Canal, and entering Croatia's small ports are not things most cruise lines can do; Windstar's yachts carry fewer than 350 guests, so itineraries are shaped by the destination and by the timing of festivals or Grand Prix events, rather than the other way around.

The season is aimed at travelers who want to go deeper into destinations. The new shorter voyages allow travelers to add a yacht sailing to a longer European vacation, while consecutive Star Collectors and Cruise Tours let travelers extend their time away. Some voyages position guests to arrive at major events at just the right time, and the small yachts make rivers, canals, smaller ports, and city centers themselves part of the journey. In the Mediterranean, yacht marinas turn the sea into the destination's main attraction.

In Germany and Northern Europe, Star Pride's expanded Germany program takes guests to Hamburg, Berlin, and Binz/Rügen, with Berlin Cruise Tours planned. Two new Quick Getaway voyages include: Germany via the Kiel Canal, a four-day Copenhagen-to-Hamburg voyage calling at Binz, Warnemünde/Berlin, the Kiel Canal, and the Elbe River; and the Hamburg Birthday Celebration, departing May 3 to coincide with Hamburg's major maritime festival, including participation in the boat parade and fireworks.

In the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands, Star Pride guests can experience some of the region's most legendary places through excursions to Monet's Giverny, the D-Day Beaches, and Normandy culinary experiences, all woven into a new six-day Quick Getaway: Amsterdam, Normandy & London, a six-day itinerary featuring Amsterdam, Ostend/Bruges, Rouen/Paris, Honfleur, and an overnight in London at HMS Belfast.

In Ireland and the British Isles, new for 2028 aboard Star Explorer, Windstar adds Inis Mór as a port while offering upgraded experiences including scenic cruising of the Cliffs of Moher, a call in downtown Cork, and a Waterford crystal tour and foraging tour. These experiences come together on a circumnavigation of Ireland itinerary calling at Belfast, Londonderry, Killybegs, Galway, Dingle, Cork, and Waterford.

In the Mediterranean, Star Legend, Wind Spirit, and Wind Surf continue the popular Mediterranean program: the 342-guest sailing yacht Wind Surf returns to the Greek Isles, Wind Spirit opens a long Adriatic season, and upgraded Grand Prix voyages and new opportunities for extended exploration are introduced. Specifically, these include the Rome & Monaco Prix du Monde aboard Star Legend, with both Star Legend and Wind Spirit participating in Grand Prix events; the Athens round-trip program continues, including a Mystery Cruise; the Grand Mediterranean Adventure is a 53-day Star Collector aboard Wind Spirit from Tenerife in the Canary Islands to Venice; and on Off the Beaten Path Adriatic, Wind Spirit returns to the Adriatic for an extended season, offering one-week voyages between Venice and Dubrovnik, with consecutive voyages combinable into two weeks without repeating ports. These itineraries combine smaller Croatian ports, including Korčula and Poreč, with opportunities to enjoy yacht marinas, while Windstar's small yacht size allows guests to sail directly into the heart of Venice.

On early booking: travelers who book eligible newly released 2028 Europe voyages by October 31, 2026, can enjoy Windstar's Early Booking Offer, including a complimentary all-inclusive package covering Wi-Fi, gratuities, and unlimited select beer, wine, and cocktails; a $100 per-guest onboard credit; and the opportunity to receive a 5% discount on the cruise fare when paying in full at the time of booking. The "Pay Now, Save More" offer can be combined with the Early Booking Offer and Yacht Club Member benefits, subject to applicable terms and conditions.

How to book: guests can visit Windstarcruises.com, call 866-258-7245, or request a call back from a Windstar vacation planner.

About Windstar Cruises: For four decades, the company has reimagined small-ship cruising with a blend of relaxed luxury and connections to the world's most captivating destinations. Windstar began with motor sailing yachts suited to upscale casual travel and today has four Star Class all-suite yachts, including Star Seeker, the newest addition in December 2025, as well as three Wind Class sailing yachts. Star Explorer, scheduled to debut in December 2026, will expand the fleet to eight yachts accommodating 150–350 guests. The Wind Class sailing yachts are undergoing a two-phase redesign to be completed in 2027. Windstar yachts sail to more than 330 ports in Europe, the Caribbean, Costa Rica and the Panama Canal, Alaska, Canada and New England, Japan, the South Pacific, and Asia. Unlike most cruise lines, Windstar sails the Mediterranean and Tahiti year-round, offering different destination experiences by season. Every Windstar voyage is designed to immerse guests in authentic cultural experiences while providing comfort, service, and style.

Windstar Cruises is part of Xanterra Travel Collection®, a global hospitality and travel company group with a heritage of more than one hundred years, operating in iconic national parks such as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Glacier, and Death Valley. Xanterra Travel Collection® is owned by The Anschutz Corporation, the ultimate owner of The Broadmoor, Sea Island, and entertainment giant AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group).