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Login Serving just 312 guests, Star Legend is the perfect size — small enough to offer unique experiences that set Windstar apart from other cruise lines (think crossing the Corinth Canal), yet large enough for you to make plenty of new connections on board — all without ever feeling crowded.
This intimate all-suite yacht features spacious, ocean-view accommodations, each with a walk-in closet and updated double-vanity bathroom. On board, you’ll find a fully equipped fitness center, a spa with complimentary sauna, an infinity pool, two full-service bars, on-deck hot tubs, a water-access marina platform, and so much more.
And did we mention all dining is included? From gourmet bites at our Yacht Club Café to 24-hour room service and even specialty restaurants like Basil + Bamboo (available starting December 13, 2025), Windstar’s award-winning cuisine is always complimentary, so you can indulge freely and enjoy every moment of your journey.
Ready to experience Star Legend for yourself? Join us on one of our voyages across Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, where she sails year-round — and get ready to sail beyond ordinary.
Windstar Star Legend — James Beard Foundation “French Feast: Normandy, Brittany & Aquitaine” This was our third Windstar cruise, so we knew what we were booking: small-ship scale, strong food, friendly crew, and the kind of personal treatment that makes you feel like a regular rather than a cabin number. On those points, Star Legend delivered what we have come to expect. The James Beard menus were excellent. Staff were still warm and remembered names and preferences. When things worked, the special treatment was there. A special shout-out to Derisk and Abbigale, who served us dinner every night in Amphora. They were amazing—professional, personable, and they remembered our names as well as details about us and the trip. They are the gold standard in service. What felt different this time was staffing. It seemed thinner than on our previous sailings. A number of crew members looked stretched and overworked. Service never collapsed, but the extra margin that used to make Windstar feel effortless was missing. We assume this is cost containment. It showed. We also had a laundry problem. The bigger issue was not the mistake itself; it was that no one wanted to own it. That is not the Windstar we remember. The itinerary did not match how it was sold The website treated Paris day trips as a calling card for this cruise and promoted a complimentary first night in a Paris hotel. The actual schedule did not support that story well. After the hotel night you were expected to leave around noon the next day for a two-hour transfer to Rouen and spend the first two nights on the ship. Doing a Paris excursion from Rouen then meant a two-hour trip each way—four hours on the road for a “Paris day.” That is not how the marketing read. We skipped the first night aboard, paid for an extra night in Paris, and used the time for sightseeing. That was the right call for us, but it should not have been necessary to decode the fine print that hard. Port hours were also uneven compared with what we like about Windstar. Guernsey and Lorient were half-days. Then there was a full day of sailing into Bordeaux. What we value most on these ships is sailing at night while we sleep and having the days free for the destination. This routing did more daytime transit and less full-day port time than we expected. Saint-Malo (late departure) and the culinary angle of the cruise were the strongest parts of the route. Honfleur and the evening arrival into Bordeaux were pleasant. The overall shape of the week was just not the “nights underway, days ashore” pattern we book Windstar for. Bottom line Food, friendliness, and the core Windstar personality are still there. We will sail with them again. Next time we will read the day-by-day port times and the Paris package wording more carefully instead of trusting the headline marketing. The product is still good. This particular itinerary and the thinner staffing made it a step down from our first two cruises.
We had a very good time on this Windstar cruise, but I am writing this review to highlight the limitations of the ship for passengers with mobility challenges. We had thoroughly excellent service throughout the cruise. The, crew, service personnel, housekeeping, restaurant staff, and officers worked overtime to make certain that passengers had an excellent experience. With nearly as many crew members as guests, the service was attentive, friendly, and generous. Crew members knew us by name and noted our preferences. We felt highly valued throughout the cruise. We often shared tables at dinner and found all our dinner companions to be interesting, sociable, and generally good company. Food on the cruise was generally excellent, but perhaps not as extensive as on larger ships. There was enough variety in the menu to make sure we never were bored at mealtime. This cruise went to smaller ports in Ireland, the Isles of Scilly, Guernsey, and Rouen that were beautiful, engaging and highly worthwhile. We continued on the next leg of the cruise to Bordeaux, and were glad we did, since the ports in Brittany and Normandy were fascinating. For us personally, however, there were some drawbacks to the ship. I travel with a mobility scooter. The cabins on the ship are spacious and well-appointed with wide doors, and we had no difficulty getting in and out of the room, or storing the scooter in the room. Closet hanging rod were set very high. Our cabin steward rigged an extension cord that allowed us to charge the scooter and also accommodate a CPAP machine bedside (where there were no electric outlets). However, though we had an "accessible" room, there was very little about the room that was truly accessible. The bathroom had a step to enter and minimal grab bars. A person with a wheelchair would have had a very difficult time in the room. But the greatest limitations were in the ship itself. The doorways on the ship had "ramps" that were supposed to accommodate mobility devices. However, these "ramps" were so sharply angled that they were unusable. Anyone wishing to pass through them on a wheelchair or mobility scooter would have to dismount and physically lift the chair or scooter over the threshold of the door. I note that this is not the case on cruise ships from other cruise lines in my experience. The most inconvenient of these entrances was on the Veranda, which is the only place on the ship regularly serving breakfast. It is also the venue for the Candles specialty dinner restaurant. Equally inconvenient was the doorway leading to the Star Grill--the outdoor casual dining facility. Fortunately the Main Dining Room was easy to access. The forward elevator on the ship is also extremely small. It would not accommodate a standard wheelchair. Because I have a folding mobility scooter, I was able to fold the scooter, and barely squeeze into the elevator to go up to the top deck, the Yacht Club (and Star Grill--through that awkward door threshold). After a few days, we managed workarounds to get over the obstructions on the ship, but it was always a serious effort to get to breakfast, or to the other limited venues on the ship. I note that getting on and off the ship is a logistical task no matter what cruise line is involved. Port tenders, when we were anchored, were accessed with stairs, which I was able to negotiate, but when we were docked, the ramps down to the dock were difficult and, in most cases, could not be negotiated with my mobility scooter, which had to be physically carried by the accommodating crew. A long walk down a steep ramp was uncomfortable for me and for others who were more mobile. The crew did everything possible to accommodate me and my limitations. They were most kind and accommodating, but the structural limitations of the ship were an insurmountable obstacle in many cases. All that said, we did enjoy this cruise, largely because of the excellent service we experienced, along with the interesting itinerary, but I post this detailed caveat for others to understand that this ship may not be accommodating for many with physical limitations.
Our voyage from Barcelona to Lisbon was memorable aboard the Star Legend, with Windstar both meeting or exceeding our expectations in a number of areas as well as falling far short in some other areas. On the plus side our accommodation was perfect and we really enjoyed our suite with plenty of room, plenty of storage excellent bathroom and being able to open the full length windows to enjoy the sea breeze was a real treat We were also extremely well looked after by our lady who really was outstanding We also really appreciated all the excellent facilities aboard and variety of options for meeting, relaxing and eating Our particular favorite was their Yacht Club The only downside is the Yacht Club staffing ends far too early and no food or beverage available.- here or any where else on the ship? Having a self service multi option coffee machine installed together with a cookie and cake display unit would allow guests to enjoy this area 24/7 and when no staff on hand We dined at both Amphora and Candles - both serving impeccable meals. Surprisingly we werent aware of any local regional meals being featured as examples of Spanish and Portuguese cuisine In terms of staff and quality of amenities on the ship. Excellent and in particular the staff are superb. Where Windstar really falls short is the casual dining buffet style self service. Many of the food displays were unappetizing and the actual food no better or even worse. For example simple things like the “New York pastrami” was undercooked, tasteless and tough to boot. Preparing a brisket is quite simple if one follows the recipe This bore little resemblance to a correctly prepared and seasoned brisket. Arriving at any of the food stations towards the end of a set meal time was enough to put anyone off, and on several occasions we skipped breakfast and instead went to the Yacht Club for a good coffee and delicious snack. If some areas can get it right why can’t others ? In comparison we have taken a number of river cruises; Emerald, Avalon and Riverside. In every case they maintain a consistently high standard throughout. In particular their buffets and breakfasts not only look outstanding but also pass the taste test. Even towards the end of a set meal time, the food is still appetizing and appealing Windstar seems to have a great difficulty in maintaining a consistently high standard from excellent in Amphora to mediocre at best in other areas We also tried their room service. Once for an evening meal in our suite. Crudités, burger and tuna salad roll. The fresh vegetables were a minuscule portion and of little interest, the burger was just passable and the tuna salad roll inedible On our departure we ordered a 7am room service breakfast. Orange juice, cappuccinos, yoghurt and pastries all arrived on time and excellent. So clearly Windstar has a real problem in maintaining a consistent and high standard probably due to the competence, training and supervision of the chefs in the various kitchens Another area we always appreciate on the river cruises is the included shore excursions with great guides and never any issues. I understand the need for ocean cruise companies to make this an extra paid for option. If all the river cruise companies can ensure that the shore excursions they are paying for are of a consistent high standard why can’t Windstar ensure that passengers are getting good value with good tour content with great guides? The one shore excursion in Tangier we signed up and paid for turned out to be half tour and half carpet sales event. One should be prewarned Another small bone of contention is the nickel and dime charging on Windstar. Their drinks package of $89 per day would be excessive for someone who is a moderate drinker but charging between $9 and $11:50 per glass for inexpensive wines that retail at around $11-$12 a bottle and much less at wholesale, is excessive, and in my opinion unnecessary. This might be the going rate at American restaurants who rely totally on their food and wine for income, but not for passengers who have already paid for their cruise. So to sum up. What Windstar does well is exceptional particularly with regard to the immaculate condition of the Star Legend, comfort of the accommodation, fine dining, staff friendliness and attitude. But what Windstar fails to get right, particularly is the inconsistency of the food on display and quality, that detracts from this being a total A+ experience. And probably the easiest thing to correct
All Accommodations Feature
World Class Dining Experience
We’ve upped the onboard dining game with our culinary program, featuring an array of fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from each ports along the journey. The menu us crafted to highlight the spectacular flavors of the regional cuisine.
At Windstar, we don’t just take you to fascinating destinations, we take you into them, giving you unique access to knowledge and activities that enhance your understanding of the places you visit. Complimentary Destination Discovery Events treat you to iconic experiences that capture the essence of your locale. Guest Lecturers intrigue you with regional topics, adding new dimensions to your voyage. And small group excursions take you to meet locals who are delighted to share their homes, cuisines, and cultures with you.
A day on board your Windstar ship is a day of choices, all of them good. Perhaps you’ll begin with a relaxing massage in World Spa by Windstar. Or maybe an invigorating workout in the Fitness Center. Even better, why not both? After a sumptuous lunch in Veranda, make a splash from the Watersports Platform off the ship’s stern. Everything you can think of for fun in the water is there — swimming, kayaking, sail-boarding, even water skiing. And it’s all complimentary, of course. Sun yourself on deck, take a dip in the whirlpool, then catch up on email ororder a cheese plate for your stateroom or suite. After dinner, dance to live music in the Lounge. This is your yacht, so of course you’re welcome on the Bridge, where the Captain and officers are delighted to share charts, routes, and vistas with you.
As you prepare for another amazing Windstar day, enjoy a nightcap anywhere you like — on deck, in the Lounge, or why not let us bring it to your suite or stateroom? Your day ends just as it began, blissfully.
See, hear, smell, taste and feel what it's like to sail on a small ship. No two days are the same. Be as active or as laid back as you want. After all, this is your yacht.
Please note: Star Legend does not offer any dedicated children's facilities.
