Star Explorer, the 224-guest sister ship to Windstar’s Star Seeker, will make its debut on December 28, 2026 and can cruise year-round within the Mediterranean. Whereas the ship finally goes to look similar to Star Seeker in shade scheme, design, public rooms and staterooms, John Gunner, the long-time shipbuilding government who’s overseeing the Star Class mission, fills in an attention-grabbing again story.
The pair of ships, he says, got here to Windstar in very totally different levels of development. Basically, the vessel now generally known as Star Seeker was nearly constructed from scratch with some exterior work (creating the ducktail and the marina platform) required. In any other case, the design modifications that Windstar made have been capable of be included into the newbuild course of.
Star Explorer, already in lively service as an expedition ship (at the moment underneath contract with Quark till March 2026), affords totally different challenges, Gunner says. “With Explorer, we’re beginning with an current ship. So changing that current ship is plenty of work. It requires demolition. And it’s slightly bit extra work to take issues down earlier than you construct them again up once more.
Massive areas of change embrace changing a mud room (on expedition ships, whose itineraries require enhanced cleansing of passenger tools and kit, are a necessity – not a lot on Windstar’s Mediterranean itineraries) will likely be transformed into further crew cabins.
On deck 8, there may be now a helicopter touchdown pad that will likely be reworked right into a leisure crew space. “We wouldn’t use the auditorium, the place expedition voyages function lectures, in fairly the identical means, so we’re remodeling it right into a spa,” Gunner says. “And on deck 7, aft, the place zodiacs are at the moment saved, we’ll have two lovely house owners’ suites with an enormous wraparound balcony.”
Finally, he says, vacationers received’t acknowledge many, if any, variations from Star Seeker, however the totally different course of has made for an attention-grabbing journey.
Talking of Star Seeker, Gunner affords an replace on its progress, and it’s transferring proper alongside. “The metal is full which suggests the ship is constructed,” he says. “We’re now transferring into the outfitting part.” Over the following 5 months resulting in its launch, shipyard staff are constructing public rooms. Staterooms and suites are literally crafted proper on board, by hand (versus large ships, which regularly contract with “cabin factories” to construct their lodging). And inside design decisions have been finalized and orders have been positioned for requirements, from bedding to bar glasses.
Keep tuned for our subsequent replace on Windstar’s Star Class.
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