Windstar Cruises is enhancing its itineraries with more overnights and late-night calls. More than 45 percent of Windstar's cruises now offer overnight/ multi-night stays or late-night stays of 10 p.m. or later.
The line now visits a total of 299 ports in 79 countries.
Windstar ships are known for their intimate size, accommodating from 148-310 guests. They can navigate waterways and dock at ports that larger cruise ships cannot access. And, that offers guests the chance to experience more of the heart of historic cities.
"Windstar guests want to find places off the tourist track that give them true insight into our destinations. They want stories to tell, and sometimes, the most interesting and memorable travel experiences take place after sunset," said Windstar President John Delaney. "We stay longer in port and often remain overnight so that we can provide this extra time and value to our guests; it is one way that we are truly different than an ordinary cruise."
Highlights of the line's overnight itineraries include two days in Bora Bora on every Tahiti cruise. Overnights and multi-night stays also take place in St. Petersburg, Quebec, Seville and Hong Kong. Prized docking locations are also in store for guests visiting Venice, Bordeaux and Ho Chi Minh City. Guests can explore historic sites or take part in active shore excursions by day. In the evening, they have the chance to enjoy shoreside nightlife.
In total, nearly 20 ports feature overnights or multi-nights. An additional three are "turn ports" with overnight stays, meaning guests embark or disembark there.
Additionally, some port calls, such as Portofino, Monte Carlo, Mykonos and Cadiz, feature departures at 10:00 p.m. or later. Many offer special evening tours or events.
Guests also enjoy Destination Discovery Events on more than 125 itineraries in 2018-19. The complimentary events are scheduled in the evening, after shore excursions have returned. Highlights include an Evening in Ephesus on the Treasures of the Greek Isles itinerary, roundtrip from Athens. Guests will dine in the iconic Celsus Library in ancient Ephesus, Turkey. The library housed more than 12,000 scrolls nearly two millennia ago. In the modern era, Windstar guests enjoy dinner with white-gloved service in the illuminated courtyard. The Aegean Chamber Orchestra performs in the background.
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