The design of Windstar Cruises‘ two new ships, Star Seeker and Star Explorer, are undergoing a significant transformation from the original blueprints of initial developer, the small-ship operator has confirmed.The 224-guest Star Seeker and Star Explorer were announced in April and are due to debut respectively in December 2025 and 2026.Windstar Cruises acquired the contracts of the two vessels from Mystic Invest. The new build was planned to join the fleet of expedition cruise operator, Atlas Ocean Voyages, as World Seeker – now known as Star Seeker. The other vessel is the 2019-built World Explorer which has been on seasonal charter by Quark Expeditions. It will join Windstar in December 2026 as Star Explorer.Subscribe to LATTE Cruise’s free eNewsletter to keep up to date with everything in the luxury cruise space.According to John Gunner, Windstar’s Vice President of Expansion Projects, the new additions will have a design significantly altered to adapt to Windstar’s style.“We are transforming Star Seeker and, later on, Star Explorer, in quite a considerable way by making a lot of structural and design transformations,” Gunner said on a recent Windstar blog.“The ship will look quite different, even from a profile perspective, and of course onboard. We’re also adapting its interiors; originally designed to sail expeditions, we want to soften her ambiance so it resonates with Windstar’s existing Star Class ships,” he said.
Gunner explained that the vessels will have a “ducktail” added to accommodate the Windstar watersports platform, and at the opposite end of the ships, the bow will be altered to make it narrower and longer “so it looks more yacht-like. Right now it’s a bit stubby because it was built originally for tough weather in regions like Antarctica.”Other onboard refinements include scaling back the two-deck auditorium to one deck, with extra space assigned to a larger spa and wellness facility. The unnecessary mudrooms will be converted to additional crew accommodation, the pool area will be remodelled to match that of Windstar’s Star-Class pools, and the helicopter deck and storage space for Zodiacs will be transformed to new “top-class suites with large balconies or infinity windows”.Last month, Windstar revealed it will return to Japan and Alaska in 2026 with the addition of the two new ships. Those new deployment programs are expected to be bookable in August.
