The ship
Five-masted flagship yacht: more dining, still yacht-scale
Wind Surf is Windstar’s flagship motor-sailer — five masts, about 14,700 GT and 342 guests, in the fleet since 1998 after earlier lives. She is bigger than Wind Star and Wind Spirit but still a fraction of a megaship’s crowd: more restaurants and spa room, same soft-sail and marina DNA. UK bookers pick her when they want Windstar’s yacht product with a little more choice at dinner.
Dining runs through the dining room, Candles and Degrees / casual. Yacht-scale dining — open seating and weather-led al fresco more than specialty circus spend.
The watersports marina is the daytime sell when sea state allows. Spa and fitness are larger than on the 148-guest sisters; pool deck and teak runs cover the rest. Evenings stay yacht-scale — lounge music, not a Broadway transfer. No kids’ club, no casino megaplex — adult destination weeks at 342 guests.
Wind Surf is the big Windstar yacht — five masts, more restaurants, still a fraction of a megaship’s crowd.
On board
More yacht, still not a megaship
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Dining choices
Highlights include the dining room, Candles and Degrees / casual. Yacht-scale dining — open seating and weather-led al fresco more than specialty circus spend. Reserve popular rooms on embarkation or before you sail — sea days still fill. Pick deliberately rather than treating the deck plan as a checklist.
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Lounge and evenings
The lounge is the centre of Wind Surf’s show nights. Evenings centre on yacht-scale music and local colour — not a Broadway transfer. Check your sailing — titles change by season. — the programme changes by season, so check your sailing before you plan the week around one title. Beyond the main house, notable entertainment rooms — among them piano bar, deck music and open-air evenings when weather allows — are the spaces guests actually plan around, not every bar on the deck plan. Book a centre seat on night one if the headline matters; wandering in rarely beats a reservation on sea days.
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Watersports marina
The signature platform — kayaks, water-ski, sailboats, paddleboards — operates when sea state and port rules allow. It is a core reason people pick Windstar over conventional small ships, and Surf’s size still supports a serious marina team. Not every sea day is a marina day; open-ocean passages stay about sails and deck. Bring water shoes and patience for busy warm-water mornings when half the ship wants a kayak at once.
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Spa, pool and fitness
Larger spa and fitness than the 148-guest sisters, a pool deck, and long teak runs for walkers. Treatments are extra; the gym is simple and rarely crowded. Evening sail still wants a layer even in the Caribbean or Med. Bridge visits and sail-watching remain part of the onboard culture. No jogging stadium — the sell is teak, masts and a quieter sundeck than any mainstream pool deck you have known.
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Adult-oriented mix
No kids’ club. Guest mix is couples and friends on destination weeks; school holidays stay softer than mainstream family ships because the product does not court that market. Check age policies if sailing with older teens. Quiet yacht energy with a bit more dining choice than Wind Star or Wind Spirit is the fit; multi-gen waterpark weeks belong on Royal, NCL or a similar big-ship line — not under five masts.
Amphora
Main restaurant in the included dining — yacht-scale open seating more than specialty circus. Best for most evenings. Confirm any cruise nuances on your booking. Best for guests who want a classic plated evening without budgeting extras every night.
Stella Bistro / Degrees
Alternative dining on board — Degrees / Stella-style options depending on the programme. Inclusive variety on typical Windstar framing; check your sailing. Good when you want a different room without megaship covers.
Candles
Romantic deck dining — may surcharge depending on the night and cruise. Occasion al fresco. Book if candlelight on deck is your plan. Check opening hours on your sailing — they shift by sea day and port day.
Lounge
Evening shows and music at yacht scale — local colour and soft sets, not Broadway transfers; titles change by season. Intimate lounge; arrive on time. Drinks and fancy coffees usually sit outside the simple cruise — price what you will actually order.
Pool bar & deck
Daytime swim and sail-away on the pool deck. Included outdoor hub. Claim space early when the ship is full. Peak sea days mean queues and early lounger hunts — plan around that.
Watersports marina
Kayaks, ski, sailboats and boards when sea state and port rules allow. Included marina signature. A core reason people pick Windstar over megaships. Peak sea days mean queues and early lounger hunts — plan around that.
The Spa
Treatments extra. Larger spa than the 148-guest sisters. Book if wellness is part of your week. A quieter daytime corner than the pool scramble.
Fitness
Compact gym open to all guests. Included fitness on a sail-ship footprint. Simple kit and rarely a queue — enough for sea mornings between marina sessions.
Bridge & teak decks
Open-bridge culture on many calls — visit when invited. Included ship experience. Part of the sail-ship transparency guests remember. Check opening hours on your sailing — they shift by sea day and port day.
Suite sitting areas
More suite inventory than the small yachts — sitting areas and space to unpack. Category choice matters. Couples and friends are the core mix; no kids’ club.
Fit
Who she is for
- UK bookers who want Windstar’s sailing product with more dining and spa room than Wind Star or Wind Spirit — five masts, about 342 guests, still a fraction of a megaship’s crowd and built for yacht-scale ports.
- Couples after marina mornings, Amphora-to-Candles dining variety and lounge evenings under sail — happy without Broadway barns, casino floors or a kids’ club timetable dictating the week.
- Not the ship if you want megaship theatre, a casino floor, or a family club programme — choose a mainstream big-ship line; Wind Surf stays yacht-scale even at 342 guests, with sails and marina over parades.
Where
Where Wind Surf tends to go
Windstar often programmes her on the Mediterranean, Caribbean and longer exotic seasons where the five-masted silhouette is part of the sell.
Treat this as the ship’s range, not a fixed timetable. When this guide is public, sailings with two or more UK agent prices will sit at the bottom.
Before you book
What the brochure skips
- All-inclusive drink packages and wi-fi deals vary by cruise code — confirm what your UK booking actually includes before you compare agents.
- Compare UK agents on the same sailing — same ship, same date, cruise-only, two sharing. The hero price should be the lowest bookable one, not the first logo you recognise.
Next step
Find a sailing
Compare cruise prices for Wind Surf, or open the live map and see where she is now.
Compare all Windstar Cruises prices