by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 4:30 PM ET, Wed February 7, 2024
With the launch of Star Breeze in French Polynesia, Windstar Cruises is rolling out new itineraries that will take travelers to the Marquesas Islands.
This week, the 312-guest Star Breeze replaced the 148-guest Wind Spirit in Tahiti, doubling the line’s capacity in this part of the South Pacific. In addition to being larger, Star Breeze can also sail faster than Wind Spirit, which means Windstar can now take guests on longer journeys to more remote locales in French Polynesia, like the Marquesas.
Starting in July, Star Breeze will offer a new, 14-day itinerary called “Tahitian Treasures & Magnificent Marquesas.” This cruise is also being offered again in September, as well as in March, June and September of 2025 and in March of 2026.
The cruise will start in Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, before departing for Fakarava, an atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago. From there, Star Breeze will sail northeast toward the Marquesas, making stops on Fatu Hiva, Hiva Oa and Nuku Hiva islands.
After three days in the Marquesas, the ship will head back to the Tuamotus and visit Rangiroa. It will then explore the Society Islands, including Taha'a, Bora Bora and Moorea, before returning to Papeete.
The Marquesas are a group of volcanic islands situated some 740 miles northeast of Tahiti. By plane, the journey from Papeete takes roughly three-and-a-half hours. They're so remote—located farther from a continental landmass than any other island on the planet—that they even have their own timezone.
Star Breeze will also offer other cruises in the region, including a 7-day “Dreams of Tahiti” itinerary, an 11-day “Tahiti & the Tuamotu Islands” sailing and a 10-day “Tahiti & Moorea Foodie” cruise tour. Onboard the newly renovated ship, travelers will be able to “navigate Tahiti’s out-of-the-way harbors, hidden lagoons and pristine beaches in Windstar’s signature, small ship style,” says Chris Prelog, Windstar’s president.
With the arrival of Star Breeze in the region, Windstar is also launching new cultural onboard experiences and excursions. A French Polynesian cultural ambassador will join each sailing and organize onboard activities like Tahitian dance and language lessons, crafts and Ukulele performances. Local artwork will decorate the ship, and guests will be able to enjoy Tahitian movies, music, books and board games during their vacation.
New shore excursions include a cultural catamaran cruise in Raiate and a pre-cruise scuba diving certification program in Papeete.
Guests will also be able to learn about the preservation and protection of coral reefs during two new excursions offered in partnership with Coral Gardeners. The organization, which is headquartered on Mo'orea, is growing and replanting corals to help revive reef ecosystems. To date, the group has planted 30,980 corals.
Windstar and its guests have “adopted” more than 2,500 corals with Coral Gardeners, which helps fund the organization’s work. By 2025, the cruise line also hopes to open a dedicated nursery supporting 5,000 corals.
“We have dialed in our itineraries and curated cultural experiences on and off the ship,” adds Prelog. “We can’t wait to share it with more travelers.”
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