Solar-seekers, meet Star Seeker. One of many cruise trade’s most anticipated new high-end ships is ready to debut on the finish of subsequent 12 months, and you may solely have one probability to catch it within the Caribbean.
Windstar Cruises‘ Star Seeker — a brand new 224-passenger vessel that is the road’s first new-build in almost 40 years — will start crusing in December 2025. Its major focus will probably be voyages in Alaska and Japan — two areas the place Windstar hasn’t had a presence since 2023. Earlier than the ship completely relocates to these two areas, it can supply a short collection of cruises within the Caribbean, offering passengers an unique three-month window to check out the ship in additional beachy locations.
For a brief interval from Jan. 15, 2026, by the top of April 2026, Star Seeker has scheduled a mixture of Caribbean itineraries. These can both be booked as Caribbean-only segments or as longer voyages that mix three areas — the Caribbean, the Panama Canal and Alaska — for a extra distinct expertise.
“I am actually excited we’ll be capable to sail the brand new Star Seeker within the Caribbean earlier than the ship continues on to its remaining locations of Alaska and Japan,” Christopher Prelog, Windstar president, stated in an announcement from the road. “Star Seeker will seemingly not return to the Caribbean once more, so it is a fantastic however fleeting probability for our Caribbean vacation spot followers to expertise the ship.”
Prelog stated passengers on choose Caribbean sailings aboard the brand new vessel will even have entry to unique celebratory experiences, together with a sundown crusing parade previous the pitons in St. Lucia after Star Seeker meets up within the area with sister ships Wind Spirit and Star Delight.
The Caribbean sailings will vary from seven to 14 days. They’ll depart from San Juan, Puerto Rico, visiting ports of name within the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, in addition to St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Bequia, St. Lucia and extra.
Starting in Might 2026, the ship will stay in Alaska by August, the place it can run two important sorts of itineraries: seven- and eight-night one-way runs between Vancouver, Canada, and Juneau, Alaska, that embody Misty Fjords, Ketchikan, Sitka and Haines and longer 10-, 11- and 12-night voyages between Vancouver and Anchorage that may cease at Ketchikan, Misty Fjords, Klawock, Wrangell, Haines, Juneau, Sitka, and Seward (the port for Anchorage).
In September 2026, the vessel will cross the Pacific Ocean and relocate to Japan to renew Windstar’s in style Grand Japan voyages for the primary time in three years. Friends booked on these itineraries can count on to journey between Yokohama (the port for Tokyo) and both Osaka or Kobe with calls on ports like Shimizu, Shingu, Kagoshima, Nagasaki, Karatsu, Hiroshima and Takamatsu.
Though Windstar’s ships really feel upscale, the area of interest small-ship cruise’s fares usually are not all-inclusive. You may pay additional for issues like alcohol, shore excursions and Wi-Fi. What you’ll be able to count on, although, is an intimate onboard vibe with nice service, scrumptious meals and elegantly appointed lodging.
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Along with Solar Seeker, the road operates a fleet of six different vessels. They fall into two classes: ships with sails and ships with out them. Presently, the road has three of every. When Solar Seeker debuts because the fleet’s seventh ship (the fourth with out sails), will probably be the second-largest within the fleet by passenger depend, after 342-passenger Wind Surf. The others carry wherever from 148 to 212 passengers. Windstar plans to amass an eighth ship, additionally with no sails, in 2026.
Solar Seeker was initially beneath development for Atlas Ocean Voyages. Windstar bought the partially accomplished ship after Atlas deserted the challenge.
The maiden voyage for the 9,315-ton Solar Seeker will depart from Malaga, Spain, Dec. 28, 2025, that includes a transatlantic crossing and a name on Santa Cruz de Tenerife within the Canary Islands for a New Yr’s Eve social gathering earlier than arriving in Miami. An eight-day christening voyage will take passengers from Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico, Jan. 15, 2026, together with visits to ports within the Dominican Republic and British Virgin Islands.
Solar Seeker itineraries are at the moment out there for reserving.
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