Harry Kemble takes a look inside the new Star Legend after it was renovated during the pandemic
Overview: The upgraded and lengthened Star Legend is one of several of Windstar Cruises’ vessels to have had a revamp during the pandemic, as part of a $320 million fleet-wide programme. On Star Legend, an 84-foot section containing 50 cabins and a new main dining room called Amphora has been added. These changes have helped increase capacity to 312 passengers.
Currently 80% of Windstar’s guests are from the US, but Windstar has said it wants to grow its UK sales, and the line has outlined plans to focus more on the UK market.
Cabins: Star Legend now has 156 passenger rooms. The expansion includes 10 Star Porthole Suites, 15 Star Ocean View Suites with windows, 22 Star Balcony Suites, two Deluxe Suites with French balconies and a Deluxe Suite with ocean-view window. The cabins with portholes are something to behold and worth booking because of how unusual they are.
I stayed in a Star Balcony Suite, the beds of which have been moved closer to the French balcony than in the older Balcony Suites.
Food and drink: There are two speciality restaurants: tapas eatery Cuadro 44 and Candles. The latter specialises in steak and seafood (and is The Veranda by day, serving a buffet breakfast and lunch). Although the restaurants are included in the price, Candles charges for tomahawk ($50) and porterhouse ($27) steaks, and tables must be booked on board.
A sommelier offers a $50 wine-tasting experience with tapas in Cuadro 44 and each bottle costs nearly the same as the total price of the tasting. The quality of dishes in Amphora and across the other dining venues was outstanding, with the beef wellington prompting many UK cruise agents on board to say it was the best they’d had at sea. The Star Grill is ideal for lunch.
Facilities: Laidback cruising and soaking up the destinations that Star Legend calls into are very much the order of the day on board. The vessel has a small theatre, spa, small pool and whirlpool, library, a screening room and marina with watersports equipment. Spas have been added to every Windstar vessel during the revamp programme. The Yacht Club is effectively an observation lounge and provides an escape from the bustle elsewhere.
USP: It would be easy to say the food, which was frankly out of this world. But Windstar stands among very few cruise operators in terms of its product. The line has a repeat passenger rate of between 60% and 70% and it’s easy to see why: you can easily relax and wind down with only a maximum of 312 passengers on board.
Book it: Star Legend will operate Caribbean itineraries out of Sint Maarten this winter before returning to Europe in March. A 14-day Star Collector: Lovely Leewards sailing, departing on March 5, 2022, visits St Kitts, Montserrat, Saint Lucia and Grenada, and costs from $4,599.
windstarcruises.com
PICTURES: Windstar Cruises/Michel Verdure
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