Windstar Cruises offers a vacation experience that is 180° From Ordinary — a philosophy that hasn’t changed since its inception. At the same time, 2014 marks a renewed vision for the company: a global fleet that extends its unique small-ship style of travel throughout the world and a higher level of engagement with its valued travel professional partners. This includes its creation of a new Windstar Specialist Travel Agent Academy course, designed to make your luxury cruise sales easier and more profitable.

Under the new ownership of Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Seattle-based Windstar Cruises has been revitalized by an $18 million investment in renovations to the existing fleet and the purchase of Seabourn Cruise Line’s Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Legend and Seabourn Spirit, which have become Windstar’s new Star Class ships. The 208-passenger Star Class ships (all-suite luxury power yachts) have been renamed Star Pride, Star Legend and Star Passion.

Windstar’s Wind Class ships (contemporary luxury sailing yachts) include the 148-passenger Wind Spirit and Wind Star, and the 310-passenger Wind Surf.

STAR PRIDE INAUGURAL

The Star Pride will begin its inaugural voyage in May 2014; its sister yachts Star Legend and Star Passion will launch in May 2015 (with bookings open in April 2014). With this acquisition, Windstar Cruises has become the market leader in small-ship cruising (300 or fewer passengers), offering a total of 1,230 berths.

Under the guidance of CEO Hans Birkholz, Windstar has experienced four straight years of growth. Travel agency sales have increased significantly year-over-year, demonstrating overall demand and the confidence of travel professionals in selling the Windstar product.

THE WINDSTAR DIFFERENCE

With fewer than 300 passengers on board a Windstar ship, each guest has a feeling of being on his or her own private yacht. This feeling is accentuated by teak decks and beautifully appointed staterooms, open seating for gourmet dining and a “country club casual” elegant ambiance that permeates throughout the ship.

On Windstar, guests are pampered with personalized, intuitive service by a crew that is dedicated to delivering an exceptional onboard experience. Windstar has one of the highest crew-to-passenger ratios in the industry (1:1.6). With Windstar, your clients get closer to the world, docking in hidden harbors or right in the heart of a city where larger ships can’t go (which means more time spent in port, less in transit).

Windstar guests enjoy what studies say today’s upscale travelers want most — a more authentic, fully engaging destination experience. (You’ll learn more about the Windstar destination and onboard experience in Chapter 2 of the Travel Agent Academy program). Creating lasting memories for its guests is what Windstar is all about — from its Open Bridge policy to its signature Sail Away as the yachts leave port.

THE WINDSTAR CUSTOMER

Windstar guests are sophisticated world travelers who desire something above and beyond the average cruise vacation. They are affluent, but unpretentious, with a sense of adventure. They tend to be couples or small groups of friends accustomed to personalized service, and they prefer the exclusivity and intimacy of a small ship. Windstar delivers a high repeat passenger rate and one of the highest guest satisfaction rates in the industry. (Learn more about the Windstar customer in Chapter 1 of the program).

A full chapter in the Travel Agent Academy program is devoted to Windstar sales programs, marketing tools and staff resources that the company has developed to help you locate information, market to the right client and close the sale.

Don’t miss this opportunity to increase your luxury cruise sales. Sign up today for the Windstar Specialist Travel Agent Academy program at TravelAgentAcademy.com.