The Small Ship Expansion: Analyzing Windstar Cruises’ Latest Ambitions

Thinking of today’s cruise ship’s usually first brings to mind an image of mega vessels of increasing size, but there is also a trend in the other direction with the likes of Viking Ocean Cruises building new 930-guest ships or Seabourn just launching its new 604-guest Seabourn Encore. However, Windstar Cruises is thinking even smaller.

Seatrade Cruise News recently reported and quoted Windstar Cruises president John Delaney as saying, “We have an opportunity to own small-ship cruising ... I don't see us as competitors in the ultra-luxury space or in the all-inclusive battle that's taking place. We can deliver a casual luxury, a more relaxed elegance.”

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Windstar is indeed poised to do so with a unique fleet of three sailing ships and three power yachts ranging in capacity from only 148 to 310 passengers. In fact, its three 212-guest yachts are former Seabourn vessels newly customized for the relaxed brand. Delaney himself came last from Seabourn, as well as Chris Prelog after 18 years serving the luxury line, now as Windstar’s new Vice President of Fleet Operations. 

Such a fleet allows for visiting more intimate destinations inaccessible by larger ships, and clearly both executives know the former luxury yachts well. Delaney also wants to delineate them from the sailing ships, realizing how ideal the former are to Iceland or Asia – particularly China, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam in 2017 – and the latter are to Caribbean, Mediterranean and Tahitian regions.

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All the while, as Windstar strives to go smaller, it also is looking towards expansion, in regards to software and hardware. Delaney desires to build its global travel professional network and distribution via Seaware, the Versonix reservation platform, and Andrew Todd, President and CEO of parent company Xanterra Parks & Resorts wants to grow the cruise line, likely with existing ship acquisitions over new-builds according to Delaney.

Already, Xanterra has poured $40 million into improving its six-strong fleet, and some of the other closest vessels out there in regards to size are SeaDream Yacht Club’s 112-guest SeaDream I and SeaDream II. As Delaney has already reviewed proposals, such a takeover of a smaller operation could be on the horizon, or as Star Clippers is building its new Flying Clipper currently, it could also potentially offload one of its older sailing ships as well.

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