Windstar Cruises Expands Award-Winning Shore Excursion Program Launching Beyond Ordinary Tours
Windstar Cruises has dramatically broadened its award-winning shore excursion program over the last three years, more than doubling its options for guests to upwards of 2,500 choices.
The small ship leader in destination delivery and diverse itineraries now sails to over 330 ports of call worldwide, with 700 cruise departure dates available through 2021.
The award-winning line has recently debuted 10 Beyond Ordinary Tours, in-depth experiences offered in select ports. These tours complement the small ship line’s popular Concierge Collection and Essentials Collection, offered in every port.
Windstar introduced three Beyond Ordinary Tours last summer to great response, and has launched seven new ones in 2019 so far.
Windstar’s 10 new Beyond Ordinary experiences include those noted above and the following:
Málaga & Almeria, Spain, Beyond Ordinary: Alhambra In Depth & Insider’s Granada Overnight Tour
Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala, Beyond Ordinary: Tikal National Park
Portimao, Portugal, Beyond Ordinary: Algarve Premium Race Tour
Ashdod, Israel, Beyond Ordinary: Masada Flightseeing & Jerusalem Exploration
Haifa, Israel Beyond Ordinary: Jerusalem, Masada Dead Sea, and Petra Overland
Melbourne, Australia, Beyond Ordinary: Decadent Wine & Foodie Experience by Helicopter
Bergen, Norway, Beyond Ordinary: Helicopter to Baroniet Manor with Horse Carriage
Heimaey Island, Iceland, Beyond Ordinary: Snowmobile & Helicopter Glacier Adventure
Windstar has doubled its Concierge Collection excursions in two years to more than 110 tours featuring intimate experiences that typically range in size from four to 16.
Examples of newly developed and popular Concierge Collection tours include:
Adelaide, Australia Concierge Collection: Sea to Wine Biking Tour — An easy bicycle ride from gorgeous Henley Beach traces the River Torrens right into the heart of Adelaide, where a private wine tasting is arranged at the National Wine Centre with a myriad of South Australian wines to learn about and enjoy. After tasting, guests stroll through the Botanic Gardens for a picnic lunch in the park.
Tracy Arm & Endicott Arm, Alaska – Signature Expedition Tracy Arm Kayaking — Windstar Signature Expeditions operate directly from the ship and are led by Expedition Leaders who provide insight, education and commentary while exploring Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness. Kayak in front of the South Sawyer Glacier or Dawes Glacier, both actively calving tidewater glaciers, spot harbor seals hauled out on ice floes, or mountain goats high on vertical granite cliffs that rise from the sea and spout waterfalls. John Muir referred to this area as “a wild, unfinished Yosemite.”
San Francisco, California – Concierge Collection: Sonoma Wine & Olive Oil Tasting with Lunch
Guests are whisked away by luxury van to the Gloria Ferrer Winery for a private cave tour followed by a wine and cheese tasting. Enjoy lunch in quaint downtown Sonoma Square before traveling to Figone Olive Oil & Production Mill for a private tour and tasting of olive oil and balsamic vinegars, finished with another private winery tasting. This tour offers a full day of classic California wine country experiences.
Balboa, Panama – Concierge Collection: Coffee & Chocolate Foodie Experience — At Casco Viejo, an UNESCO World Heritage Site, guests enjoy a walking “foodie” experience starting at a coffee house with a focus on Geisha coffee, famed for being the most expensive on earth. Naturally next stop is a chocolate shop with an expert chocolatier to guide tastings. The experience finishes in a rum distillery that uses sugar cane cut by hand in a small farm in Chiriqui. The rum tasting is complemented by local ceviche and traditional Panamanian snacks.
Cozumel, Mexico – Concierge Collection: Chichén Itzá Overnight & Sunrise — Guests head to the Hacienda Chichén Resort for a delicious dinner from acclaimed Mayan chefs serving up exclusively organic and local fare. After a restful sleep at the eco-resort, guests rise by dawn to hike and catch the first sun rays touching the Chichén Itzá ruins, one of the most important archaeological sites of the Maya, before the grounds are open to the general public.
Geiranger, Norway – Concierge Collection: Geirangerfjord RIB Adventure — On a RIB (rigid inflatable boat), guests zip through Geirangefjord with a chance to get up close to the famous waterfalls in the scenic fjord, as well as the hauntingly beautiful abandoned farms.
Windstar’s aptly named Essentials Collection offers an abundance of options for guests to maximize time in port and truly “see the sights.” These tailored tours guarantee an authentic taste of regional geography, culture and cuisine, and are deemed “must do” activities for first-time visitors providing classic experiences and a comprehensive overview.
Windstar offers more than 1,900 Essentials Collection tours, such as visits to mystical ancient Olympia, or an underwater coral garden in Bora Bora. A few of the new Essentials Collection tours include:
Lembar, Indonesia – Essentials Collection: Sasak Traditional Village & Kuta Beach — Experience the rural lifestyle of a traditional Sasak village in Central Lombok, while your guide shares insights on local culture and architecture. Kuta Beach offers the best seascape in Lombok, and an Indonesian buffet lunch is served at a beautiful tropical resort, with ample time to enjoy the beach.
Istanbul, Turkey – Essentials Collection: Turkish Bath Experience — Relax at the Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan Turkish bath, where guests are welcomed in Hammam Square with takunya (wooden sabots) and pestemal (loincloth) then ushered to heated ‘gobektasis’ for a rub down massage and bath.
Messina, Italy – Essentials Collection: 500 Vintage Tour — Visit hidden gems of Eastern Sicily while driving a classic vintage car (Fiat 500) along the beautiful Taormina seafront to the town of Savoca, Francis Ford Coppola’s infamous setting for “The Godfather.”
Windstar’s “Destination Event” Offers Up to $1,000 Shipboard Credit per Suite to Spend on Shore Excursions and more — In celebration of Windstar’s 2,500 shore excursions, the line’s “Destination Event” is offering cruise guests who book late summer and into fall, a shipboard credit to spend on board on shore excursions, alcoholic beverages and spa services. The up to $1,000 per suite shipboard credit is available on more than 700 voyages to more than 330 ports of call on sailings through 2021; credit varies based on length of cruise and cabin category:
Voyages 14 days or more:
$1,000 SBC per suite ($500 per guest) for Premium Suites
$400 SBC per suite ($200 per guest) for Standard Suites & Staterooms
Voyages 5-13 days:
$400 SBC per suite ($200 per guest) for Premium Suites
$200 SBC per suite ($100 per guest) for Standard Suites & Staterooms
Premium Suites include: Owner’s Suites, Classic Suites, Officer’s/Bridge Suites and Wind Surf Suites. To use the shipboard credit for shore excursions, tours must be booked on board.
