Windstar Cruises Opens Bookings for New-Build’s First Year

Small-ship enthusiasts can now book Windstar Cruises’ newest ship, Star Seeker, after the line opened for sale her inaugural seasons in the Caribbean, Alaska, and Japan. The Star Plus-class ship, under construction at the WestSEA shipyard in Portugal, will debut in December 2025.

The ship is scheduled to sail her maiden voyage on December 28, 2025 from Malaga, Spain, to PortMiami. Port calls on the transatlantic crossing include Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, where she will celebrate New Year’s Eve. Sister ship Wind Star will sail with the new-build during a spectacular fireworks display.

Star Seeker will arrive in Miami on January 13, 2026, when industry partners and media will be invited onboard to tour the new ship. A traditional naming ceremony will be held at PortMiami, although the line has not yet announced who the godmother or godfather will be.

The 224-guest ship will depart on her 8-day christening cruise on January 15, 2026, sailing from Miami to San Juan with port calls in the Dominican Republic and British Virgin Islands. A series of Caribbean cruises will follow through the winter season before the ship repositions to Alaska for the summer 2026 season.

“I’m really excited we’ll be able to sail the new Star Seeker in the Caribbean before the ship continues on to its final destinations of Alaska and Japan,” said Christopher Prelog, president of Windstar Cruises.

“Star Seeker will likely not return to the Caribbean again, so it’s a wonderful but fleeting chance for our Caribbean destination fans to experience the ship,” Prelog added. 

During her Caribbean deployment, Star Seeker is slated to sail alongside other Windstar Cruises ships in the region for special events, such as a sunset cruise off St. Lucia with Wind Spirit and Star Pride.

Star Seeker will be the line’s seventh ship. She joins three existing ships in the Star Plus class — Star Breeze, Star Pride, and Star Legend,  and three motor-sailing yachts — Wind Star, Wind Spirit, and Wind Surf.

Windstar Cruises, a premium boutique line, offered a sneak peek into the design of Star Seeker in August 2024, revealing her 12 cabin categories and five dining venues.

Japan Series Follows Star Seeker’s Alaska Deployment

After her Caribbean series, Star Seeker will offer several cruise options as she transits the Panama Canal and calls at Central American ports such as Costa Rica. The “Star Collector: Mayan Monuments & Alaskan Glaciers” repositioning cruise departs Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica, on April 20, 2026 and arrives in Juneau on May 15, 2026.

A shorter option enables guests to debark the ship in Seattle on May 6, 2026. Several segments are available, such as the 8-day “Creatures & Cultures of Costa Rica & Mexico” cruise, which begins on the first day of the repositioning voyage, April 20, 2026.

Once homeported in Alaska, Star Seeker will sail two itineraries between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Juneau. “Scenic Alaska” is offered as 7- or 8-day cruises calling at Ketchikan, Sitka, and Haines, among other destinations, depending on the departure date.

Read Also: Your Guide to the Best Alaska Cruise Ports

Longer “Alaskan Splendors” voyages of 10 to 12 nights add Wrangell and Anchorage to the port call list. Both itineraries feature scenic cruising through Tracy Arm, Misty Fjords, Kenai Fjords, and the Seymour Narrows.

At the close of the Alaska season in September 2026, Star Seeker will sail a trans-Pacific cruise as she repositions to Japan. The ship will operate a “Grand Japan” itinerary on four departure dates through October 2026.

Highlights of the Japan cruise, originally revealed in June 2024, include the Inland Sea; the Peace Memorial Parks located in Nagasaki and Hiroshima; Takamatsu; and Karatsu. Three-day add-on tours are offered to Osaka and Kyoto.

One sample itinerary, a 10-day Kobe to Tokyo cruise, departs on September 26, 2026 and calls at Takamatsu; Hashima Island; Nagasaki, and Shingu, Japan, and Busan, South Korea.