6 Awesome Things About Windstar’s New Ship Star Seeker

Windstar’s new luxury yacht Star Seeker carries up to 224 travelers and visits places like Alaska and Japan. (Photo by Colleen McDaniel)

Windstar Cruises has built an incredibly loyal following among the cruise community with its fleet of small ships that offer an affordable kind of relaxed luxury while visiting highly desired destinations.

Now, the line can go to even more places with the addition of Star Seeker, its first ship in the new Star Class. The 224-passenger ship is the line’s seventh ship and fourth motorized yacht, joining Star Pride, Star Breeze and Star Legend. Windstar also features three beautiful sailing ships with masts: Wind Star, Wind Surf and Wind Spirit.

Windstar’s new Star Seeker debuted in December 2025. I took my first cruise on the ship in early January for a voyage out of Miami to the Dominican Republic and British Virgin Islands.

Because the luxe yacht carries just more than 200 travelers, this means your trips feel intimate and genuinely relaxing in a way bigger vessels rarely manage. 

Casual luxury defines Windstar cruises. I’ve also enjoyed trips with the line in French Polynesia, Japan and the Canary Islands. I think the line stands out because it delivers fascinating destinations in an affordable and comfortable way.

1. Stylish Design Makes Star Seeker a Cozy Home at Sea

The Lounge on Star Seeker is the main social and entertainment hub on the ship, with a bar and nightly performances from the onboard musicians and entertainers. (Photo by John Roberts)

Star Seeker gives Windstar a vessel with a new layout and design without straying much from the fun yacht vibe that travelers adore.

The ship is modern and clean, with light-colored wood and blues and whites throughout. 

The public spaces are all designed to be a place where you can easily lounge and spend your time just the way you like. You can join the crowd for trivia or retreat to a sun-filled nook with a book. 

The best part is how bright and airy it feels. 

Star Seeker gets plenty of natural light, whether in the main lobby, out on the lido deck or in the Yacht Club, which offers 270-degree panoramic views, cozy seating and a dance floor beneath an innovative dome with a skylight. You can step out from the Yacht Club right onto a deck area to take in the views over the bow or at the side spaces. It’s a wonderful space for photographers to get wildlife pictures and to relax in the fresh air on loungers while enjoying endless views of the sea. 

2. Star Seeker Goes to Incredible Destinations

We joined during the christening cruise in the Caribbean, which always has been a staple of the Windstar cruise portfolio. However, Windstar’s lineup expands nicely with Star Seeker’s incredible itineraries in Asia and Alaska. 

The ship will offer trips in Japan Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia Hong Kong and Singapore in Asia. Plus, multiple voyages through scenic Alaska during seasons there.

You can even pick cruise tours that visit legendary Buddhist temple complex Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Denali National Park in Alaska. 

3. Windstar’s Small-Ship Cruising at Its Best

The bow on Star Seeker is on Deck 5 and offers a great space for watching scenery and waildlife. Plus, it has a hot and loungers on the elevated platform. (Photo by Colleen McDaniel)

I really enjoy the lack of crowds and crowded spaces. Also, lines at the bar or buffet are rare, and you can easily find a seat wherever you choose to hang out.

On my sailing, the attentive service was outstanding. The waitstaff quickly learn your name and drink preferences.

The ship offers the right mix of daily programming that lets travelers choose either social activities or time to relax. We joined the regulars onboard who also liked competing in the daily trivia competitions. 

The Yacht Club lounge space on Star Seeker offers panoramic views, a bar, dance floor, snacks and easy access to outer decks. (Photo by John Roberts)

Nightlife follows a steady, easy rhythm. You have a daily happy hour, a port talk when relevant, dinner, then one main evening entertainment option, often themed (such as ’80s music or a disco night). Live music appears before and after dinner. On my sailing, Cruise Director Richie Lee performed an amazing show singing Broadway hits. 

Plus, the crew show is always a popular event.

These types of activities make cruising on this intimate ship even more special.

The pool deck has a variety of comfortable seating spots; you can pick a spot in the sunshine or shade, take a dip in the pool or hang out in one of the hot tubs. 

You’ll also like the big bow space on Deck 5 with a relaxation deck and a hot tub. This is another nice quiet spot to relax with a book and take in the views.

4. Comfortable and Stylish Staterooms on Star Seeker

We stayed in cabin 606, a Premium Veranda Suite, during our cruise on Star Seeker. (Photo by John Roberts)

Cabins are built for comfort, and Star Seeker features more and larger balconies than the other ships in Windstar’s fleet.

Star Seeker’s cabins feature a contemporary and clean design, with important details.

Practical travelers will appreciate that there are outlets everywhere, as well as plenty of USB ports. Large showers stand out, with rainfall and handheld showerheads, body jets and a bench. This gives the bathroom the feel of a mini spa retreat for cleaning up at the end of the day to refresh and get ready for the night onboard.

The bathrooms also offer L’Occitane toiletries (body wash, shampoo, conditions, lotion).

We stayed in a Premier Veranda Suite, which had plenty of space to live in with a big balcony and nice little living room area. However, closets are small and drawers are limited, so you’ll want to pack carefully and devise a strategy to share the storage spaces. 

For an eight-night sailing with two people, it’s manageable, but it’s not the kind of room where you can easily unpack like you’re moving in.

Star Seeker (and its identical sister ship, Star Explorer, coming in December 2026) offers more balcony cabins than any other ship in the Windstar fleet. About 90 percent of the cabins offer either a full walkout balcony or an infinity-style veranda.

Infinity verandas feature a window panel that lowers at the push of a button to give you that fresh-air, open-to-the-sea feel while still preserving more interior space. 

Star Seeker has no interior cabins. 

5. Star Seeker’s Wide Variety of Excellent Cuisine

During nights, Star Bar and Grill is an open-air steakhouse restaurant. (Photo by John Roberts)

For me, some of the best parts of yacht cruising are the chances to enjoy wonderful cuisine. 

Star Seeker delivers with several options that were well-received during our voyage.

Windstar’s longtime partnership with the James Beard Foundation shows up in dishes marked on menus, and those plates feature an intentional flair. 

Star Seeker also boasts a new restaurant concept for Windstar. The specialty restaurant Basil + Bamboo is a fusion of Mediterranean and Asian cuisines (Windstar calls it MediterAsian), and it’s the kind of place that makes you immediately try to book a second reservation.

All cruisers get a chance to dine there at least once, and you can try for more based on availability. It starts strong with sushi and sashimi options and follows up with main dishes like burrata salad or beef medallions with polenta. 

The Star Grill steakhouse al fresco dining experience on the pool deck is a favorite. This is the perfect spot for an intimate dinner in the warm breezes under the stars. We enjoyed the perfectly prepared steaks and selection of tasty sides delivered with excellent service. This date night was a top moment of the trip.

Daytime meals reflect a bit more standard cruise fare. Breakfasts and lunches are served buffet style in the main dining room Amphora, with items such as made-to-order eggs and burgers and sandwiches available from a menu.

For lunch, Star Bar and Grill offers salads and a make-your-own poke bowl at a small buffet, as well as a selection of menu items like juicy burgers, chicken sliders and cheesy nachos. 

The Yacht Club lounge on Star Seeker features a big choice of delicious snacks all day long. (Photo by John Roberts)

You also can get a nice early risers breakfast in the Yacht Club lounge, with yogurts and delicious pastries, and the food choices switch over to more sweet treats and small bites like sandwiches and fruit choices throughout the afternoon.

One more crowd-pleaser: the once-per-cruise pool-deck barbecue. People show up early for it, and for good reason. It’s festive event with a bounty of great food followed by music and dancing. Stations for meats, salads and desserts fill the pool deck area, and cruisers eat together at large tables, making it a delightful community event as music and smells of barbecue fill the air. 

6. The Fab Extra Details on Star Seeker

Star Seeker features the World Spa, complete with a sauna. (Photo by John Roberts)

The crowd is part of the appeal. Windstar attracts loyalists, and they tend to be well-traveled and comfortable with small-ship cruising. The first question you’ll probably hear when meeting a new friend is "How many Windstars have you been on?” 

Most passengers are older (about 55 to 80), and you’ll see few kids. Windstar isn’t adults-only — minimum age is 8 — but I haven’t seen anyone younger than 30 on any of my four cruises with the line.

Also, Wi-Fi is included, and, on my sailing, it was strong enough for video calls and streaming. That remains an important amenity for the modern traveler. 

We also loved the wellness options. The ship has a small fitness center, but it’s packed with all of the good cardio and resistance-training equipment needed for any style of workout. It can be busy in there if more than five people show up at the same time, though. 

The World Spa is a large facility, with three massage rooms, a salon for hair and nail treatments and extra amenities like a men’s and women’s locker room, relaxation room and gorgeous sauna.

All these features combine to make Star Seeker an excellent choice for travelers looking to visit highly sought-after destinations in style and comfort while being well fed and entertained.

We had a super week onboard in the Dominican Republic and British Virgin Islands, with one of our best mornings spent relaxing on the ship’s floating beach set up off the back of the marina.

Vacationers are going to love when the crew puts out the bouncy ocean pool deck complete with umbrellas, lounge chairs and a small enclosed swimming area. You also might have the chance to use the stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and other water sports toys.