Small ship cruise line Windstar Cruises will send its newest ship, Star Seeker, to Alaska and Japan when it joins the fleet in 2026.
Windstar last sailed in Alaska and Japan in 2023 before it redeployed Star Breeze to be the year-round ship in Tahiti.
“We are really happy to be able to bring back Alaska and Japan for our guests,” said Windstar’s President Christopher Prelog. “We know these are popular destinations, and we have many people asking us to return there. We can’t keep this secret any longer.”
Windstar’s Vice President of Sales, Dianna Rom, first announced the news on stage at the Travel Leaders’ Edge conference in front of 3,000 travel partners.
Star Seeker will sail in Alaska from May through August on 7-, 10-, and 11-day cruises between Juneau, or Seward, Alaska and Vancouver, B.C. Pre- and post-cruise land tours to Denali will be available as well. After departing Alaska in late August, Star Seeker will sail to Japan to begin the line’s popular 10-day Grand Japan cruises sailing between Tokyo and Osaka. The ship remains in Japan through November.
Windstar plans to have Star Seeker’s new deployment details, including Alaska and Japan, online and bookable in early August 2024.
In Alaska, Windstar will employ expedition leaders on board to lead its Signature Expeditions as it did on previous Alaska deployments. To explore remote wilderness areas such as Misty Fjords, guests can book hiking, kayaking and skiff expeditions through the ship to enjoy up-close adventures in small groups led by an expert guide to provide context during the journey. Expedition leaders will also give presentations on board the ship bringing Alaska’s rich history, culture, flora and fauna to life.
“These immersive, small group expeditions are a key part of our Alaska program and bring our guests closer to the beauty of Alaska,” said Prelog. “Being on the water and seeing the topography from that viewpoint brings the grandeur of Alaska into perspective. It’s also quiet and meditative to be out in these wild places. You never know what wildlife you might see.”
In April Windstar announced the addition of two new ships – Star Seeker and Star Explorer – to its fleet of boutique yachts. Each will have 112 suites for a guest capacity of 224 and will be similar to the line’s current Star Class motor yachts. Star Seeker will be delivered to Windstar in December 2025 and Star Explorer in December 2026.
