Wind Star
Passengers: 148
World's Best 2016 Awards Rank: #5 Small Ocean Ship
Best for: Sophisticated, active cruisers looking to combine the romance of a sailing yacht with a small, culinary-minded ship that can explore ports the megaships can’t
Sails: Africa, the Caribbean, Central America, the Mediterranean, the Panama Canal
At a Glance: A Travel + Leisure World’s Best 2016 winner, placing fifth in the Small Ocean Ship category. Windstar’s luxury power yachts, Star Breeze, Star Legend, and Star Pride, are the newest members of the fleet. Still, when most people think “Windstar,” they picture its sail-topped vessels, Wind Surf, Wind Star, and Wind Spirit. Almost identical to sister ship Wind Spirit, the four-mast, six-sail Wind Surf feels truly yacht-like. With only 148 passengers on board, it doesn’t take long until the crew knows everyone’s names.
