Windstar Cruises has announced enhanced guest experiences ranging from professional sommeliers on four ships, beverage experts on James Beard Culinary Cruises and new beverage package enticements on Longer Star Collector Voyages
Windstar Cruises has recently hired a team of sommeliers to enhance the guest experience as part of their ongoing fleet-wide wine, beverage and culinary 2018 development programs.
The sommeliers will be available to guests on-board four Windstar Ships in 2018 including the 310-guest Wind Surf, which arrived in Lisbon in April for the northern summer season in the Mediterranean. Windstar’s three all-suite ships serving 212 guests each also offer on-board sommeliers — Star Breeze and Star Pride – sailing throughout Europe – as well as Star Legend, which kicked-off the new wine offering in January on board Asia voyages, and will arrive in Alaska for her maiden season in May.
All Windstar sommeliers have been chosen for their professional training and global experience, having previously worked in various wineries, restaurants, and for travel and hospitality brands including Celebrity, Disney and Seabourn cruise lines, Hermitage and Radisson hotels and Le Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux.
The recently announced multi-year partnership, as the Official Cruise Line of the James Beard Foundation, is another component of Windstar’s fleet-wide enhancements. This year the culinary-themed cruises feature James Beard-recognised guest chefs and beverage experts hand-selected by the James Beard Foundation, including top sommeliers from across the United States such as Belinda Chang and Shelley Lindgren.
Beyond the wine enhancements, Windstar will now also offer less restrictive and more affordable beverage packages for longer sailings such as minimum 14-day back-to-back Star Collector Voyages. The boutique line unveiled a new beverage package program in the 2017 northern autumn season, allowing for a variety of tiered levels of premium products.
The Voyager’s Adventure (USD32 per person per day) and Topmast Discoveries (USD42 per person per day) beer and wine packages include a healthy mix of New and Old World wines. Many of the selections come from regions visited on Windstar itineraries, including Bordeaux, France and Barcelona, Spain. The Captain’s Exclusive (USD52 per person per day) package includes an array of wines, beers and spirits, including Dalmore Single Malt Whisky, distilled just outside of Invergordon, Scotland; a port visited on Windstar’s Gaelic Explorers and Norwegian Fjords & Scottish Isles cruises.