Windstar’s Luxury Yachts Offer Swimming From the Ship and Access to Smaller Ports

Disclosure: This story was made possible by a hosted media visit. As always, all opinions are our own, and we only recommend experiences we believe our readers will love. On my first day aboard Wind Surf, the flagship yacht of Windstar Cruises, I overheard a woman asking to book a cruise for January through April. “We’ll pay in full, up front,” she told the lady at the Future Cruises desk. “We just want to stay on the ship for four months.” Later, a passenger from Bentonville, Arkansas, told me she had already sailed every Windstar itinerary in Europe and was now repeating her favorites. She gave me a hot tip: Once your cruise starts, you can ask for an extension. If there’s any availability on the next one, you can stay on board for an extra $200 per person, per day. Windstar fans are obsessed, and after a week of sailing from Italy to the Dalmatian Coast, I get it. The brand brings the magic of ocean cruising to smaller ships that can navigate narrow passageways and shallower water. This means incredible coastal scenery and port days in cities where larger vessels can’t dock. Get On Board With Yacht Life Breakfast on Wind Surf (Heidi Gollub) I’ve been on more than a dozen cruises...