Windstar Cruises is giving travellers new ways to see Europe in 2028, with five yachts, Star Explorer, Star Legend, Star Pride, Wind Spirit and Wind Surf, sailing the Mediterranean and Northern Europe from March through October.
The season offers 348 itinerary combinations, from four-day getaways to pair with a longer European vacation to a 53-day Grand Mediterranean Adventure from Tenerife in the Canary Islands to Venice. This aligns with Australian travel preferences of longer Europe holidays.
Highlights include sailing Germany’s Kiel Canal and Elbe River, arriving in Hamburg during its major maritime festival and visiting Inis Mór, a new Windstar port in Ireland’s Aran Islands aboard the new Star Explorer yacht, which debuts December 2026. In the Mediterranean, summer is prime time to experience Europe by yacht, with opportunities to swim and paddle directly from Windstar’s marina, call at smaller ports, and explore Greece, Italy, France and Croatia at the height of the season. The 2028 program also brings enhanced Grand Prix sailings, a Mystery Cruise roundtrip from Athens and opportunities for extended exploration.
“Europe is a destination many of our guests return to again and again, and in 2028 we’re giving them new ways to experience places they may think they already know,” said Stijn Creupelandt, chief operating officer of Windstar Cruises. “Sailing into the heart of Venice, through Germany’s Kiel Canal and into small Croatian ports isn’t something most cruise lines can do,” she added. “Our yachts serve fewer than 350 guests, so the destination, and the timing of a festival or a Grand Prix, shapes the itinerary instead of the other way around.”
See Europe Differently in 2028
Windstar’s 2028 Europe season is curated for travellers who want to go deeper into a destination, whether returning to a favourite region or seeing it for the first time. New shorter sailings make it possible to add a yacht sailing to a longer European vacation, while back-to-back Star Collectors allow travellers to extend their time away, again matching Australian travel preferences.
Select sailings also put guests in the right place at the right time for major events, while Windstar’s small yachts make rivers, canals, smaller ports and city-center access part of the journey itself. In the Mediterranean, the yacht’s marina turns the sea into a main attraction of the destination.
2028 Europe Highlights
Germany & Northern Europe | Star Pride
Windstar’s expanded Germany program brings guests to Hamburg, Berlin and Binz/Rügen, with planned Berlin Cruise Tours to offer another way to explore the region. Two new Quick Getaway voyages spotlight the expanded program:
· Quick Getaway: Germany via the Kiel Canal – Four-day Copenhagen-to-Hamburg voyage featuring Binz, Warnemünde/Berlin, the Kiel Canal and Elbe River
· Quick Getaway: Hamburg’s Birthday Celebration – May 3 departure timed to Hamburg’s major maritime festival, including boat parade participation and fireworks
UK, France, and The Netherlands | Star Pride
Guests can experience some of the region’s most storied places through visits to Monet’s Giverny, the D-Day Beaches and Normandy culinary experiences, all woven into a new six-day Quick Getaway:
· Quick Getaway: Amsterdam, Normandy & London – Six-day itinerary featuring Amsterdam, Ostend/Bruges, Rouen/Paris, Honfleur and an overnight in London at HMS Belfast
Ireland and the British Isles | Star Explorer
New for 2028, Windstar adds Inis Mór as a new port, alongside enhanced offerings including scenic cruising at the Cliffs of Moher, city-center docking in Cork, and Waterford crystal and foraging tours. These experiences come together on Windstar’s newest yacht, Star Explorer, in an itinerary curated for a deeper exploration of Ireland:
· Circumnavigate Ireland – Full exploration of Ireland with calls including Belfast, Londonderry, Killybegs, Galway, Dingle, Cork and Waterford
Mediterranean | Star Legend, Wind Spirit, Wind Surf
Windstar builds on its popular Mediterranean program in 2028, enhancing signature experiences like its Grand Prix sailings while continuing guest favourites across the Greek Isles and introducing opportunities for longer exploration:
· Rome & Prix du Monde of Monaco aboard Star Legend, with both Star Legend and Wind Spirit attending the Grand Prix
· Athens roundtrip program continues with another Mystery Cruise
· Grand Mediterranean Adventure – 53-day Star Collector on Wind Spiritfrom Tenerife, Canary Islands to Venice
· Off the Beaten Path Adriatic – Wind Spirit returns to the Adriatic for an extended season of one-week voyages between Venice and Dubrovnik, with consecutive sailings combinable into two weeks without repeating ports. The itineraries pair smaller Croatian ports including Korčula and Poreč with opportunities to enjoy the yacht’s marina, while Windstar’s small-yacht size allows guests to sail directly into the heart of Venice
Book Early for Added Benefits
Travellers who book eligible newly released 2028 Europe sailings by 31 October 2026 can take advantage of Windstar’s Early Booking Offer, which includes
- A complimentary All-Inclusive package, including Wi-Fi, gratuities and unlimited select beer, wine and cocktails
- $100 shipboard credit per guest
- The opportunity to receive 5% savings on cruise fares when paying in full at the time of booking
The Pay Now, Save More offer can be combined with the Early Booking Offer and Yacht Club Member benefits, subject to applicable terms and conditions.
