Love Small Ships? New Windstar Cruises in Europe 2018

Itineraries for Windstar Cruises in Europe continue with big changes in 2018 season. Eight new itineraries for Northern Europe and 12 new Mediterranean itineraries are planned. Included are 26 new European ports, increasing the number of maiden ports to 93 for 2018.

Next year’s season for Windstar Cruises in Europe next year runs from April through October. New voyages include passage through the narrow Trollfjord in the Lofoten Islands, docking in downtown London near the Tower of London and a visit to San Remo on the Riviera of Flowers, known as Italy’s Monte Carlo.

“These 20 new itineraries are just the latest development in response to our growing customer demand, we’re keenly focused on offering more and varied sailings that effectively leverage our fleet of six small ships,” said Windstar President John Delaney. “Our team constantly seeks out new experiences, lesser known ports and harbors everywhere we sail — hidden treasures that only true small ships can access. Unveiling these new itineraries further demonstrates our commitment to destination authenticity – delivering incredible experiences in a highly customized way.”

Windstar’s three all-suite power yachts, Windstar Legend, Windstar Breeze and Windstar Pride, have opened up new places for the company to explore, including more ports in Northern Europe and smaller, charming ports in the Mediterranean. The yachts are perfect for sailing into smaller harbors and fjords, scenic coastal cruising, and traversing larger distances at higher speeds.

Windstar’s destination expansion brings a ship to Asia later this year on a host of new itineraries, also on tap for 2018 are recently announced new voyages in Alaska and Canada and New England.

Europe 2018 cruises will have something for everyone, including shorter week-long sailings to multi-week voyages.

Among the new Northern Europe and the Mediterranean:

Secrets of the Faroe, Shetland & Orkney Islands

Difficult to get to and often listed on “the traveler who has done it all’s must-see list,” the remote islands of the North Atlantic are perfectly suited to exploration by small ship. Most cruise ships merely stop briefly on their way to Iceland, but Windstar is the only cruise line to offer a seven-day journey (round trip from Edinburgh) to these wild landscapes, with access to Shetland ponies, Atlantic Puffins, and the opportunity to meet the laird of a castle.

Norway’s Famous Fjords

With a focus on scenic cruising in some of the best fjords in Norway, this eight-day, round-trip journey from Copenhagen puts guests into ports like Geirangerfjord and Sognefjrod, which are stunning from every angle. Windstar will ensure guests can take advantage of the region’s hiking, kayaking, and fishing opportunities, as well as immerse them in the traditional mountain lifestyle with visits to local sheep farms.

Sailing Southern Italy & Croatia

Windstar’s new 11-day exploration of both coasts of Italy and the Croatian Riviera lets guests take in medieval walled cities, glittering resort towns, and some of the finest cuisine in the Mediterranean. From Rome to Venice, the itinerary includes two stops in trendy Puglia’s whitewashed villages: Bari and Brindisi.

Hidden Harbors of the Côte d’Azur

From Nice to Barcelona over eight days, this sailing visits less-frequented ports of call along the famous coastline. With stops in Bastia, Corsica; Le Lavandou, Marseille, and Sanary-sur-Mer in France; as well as Palamos in Spain, guests can enjoy plenty of palm-lined promenades, local delicacies like Provençal bouillabaisse, and an eclectic mix of art and architecture.