Star Seeker
Ship Specifications
Cruise Line
Windstar Cruises
Ship Class
Star Class
Year Built
2025
Gross Tonnage
9,315 GT
Passengers
224
Cabins
112
Decks
8
Crew
135
What Travelers Say
Based on 180 online discussions
Star Seeker is Windstar's first newbuild in nearly 40 years — a 9,315-ton, 224-guest, all-suite yacht delivered from Portugal's WestSEA yard in December 2025 and christened in Miami in January 2026. The pitch is simple: keep Windstar's '180 degrees from ordinary' small-ship intimacy, but wrap it in a brand-new, ice-strengthened hull built for Alaska fjords and Grand Japan loops between Tokyo and Osaka. Traveler discussions from the first season keep circling the same theme — this feels more like a private yacht than a cruise ship, with the crew learning names by day two and zero crowding even near capacity.
The practical experience is strong for a first-season ship. Amphora, the main restaurant, runs à la carte dinners with James Beard Foundation dishes on every menu; Basil + Bamboo is an intimate 38-seat Asian-Mediterranean fusion room; and the Star Grill covers casual poolside meals — all included in the fare. Suites start around 203 sq ft (Oceanview) and run to 548 sq ft Owner's Suites, with roughly 90% carrying walkout or infinity verandas; the hand-built interiors, marble bathrooms and rain showers read as a clear step up from the converted Star Plus-class ships. Gripes are mostly small-bore: firm mattresses, a 7 pm-only dinner start at Amphora, and a Star Grill that's far more condensed than the sprawling barbecue decks Windstar regulars know from Star Pride and Star Breeze.
Star Seeker is best for couples and scenery-first travelers who want Alaska's tight fjords or Japan's ports without a megaship — and who treat the destination, not the ship, as the entertainment (there's no casino and no production shows). Against its own fleet, it's the newest, most veranda-rich Windstar yacht and prices at a premium over the older, similarly-sized Star Pride, Star Breeze and Star Legend; against luxury competitors like Seabourn or Silversea it undercuts on fare but charges separately for excursions and most drinks. Book Basil + Bamboo early, pack for expedition-style weather in Alaska, and request a mattress topper if you like a soft bed.
What People Love
- Genuinely intimate 224-guest, all-suite yacht with 135 crew — roughly one crew member for every 1.7 guests, and early sailers report staff knowing their names and drink orders within the first two days
- About 90% of the 112 suites have full walkout or infinity verandas — more balcony real estate than any other Windstar ship, and the new Infinity Suites get floor-to-ceiling windows that slide halfway down for open-air ocean views
- Ice-strengthened hull purpose-built for Alaska and Japan — it slips into Misty Fjords National Monument and tight glacier approaches like Endicott Arm that bigger ships can only wave at
- All three restaurants are included in the fare: Amphora's à la carte dinners always carry a James Beard Foundation appetizer and entrée, the 38-seat Basil + Bamboo does Asian-Mediterranean fusion, and the open-air Star Grill handles casual poolside meals
Common Complaints
- Mattresses run notably firmer than on other Windstar ships — several early guests asked for toppers, so request one at embarkation if you like a softer bed
- The Star Grill is much smaller and more condensed than the expansive outdoor BBQ decks on Star Pride, Star Breeze and Star Legend — a real downgrade if Windstar's deck barbecue culture is your thing
- Dinner at Amphora doesn't start until 7:00 pm with no earlier seating — a consistent gripe from early diners, especially on port-heavy Alaska days
- Entertainment is minimal by design: no casino, no production shows — expect a musician or duo, lectures and the scenery, and plan accordingly