Windstar Cruises

Windstar Cruises is a luxury cruise line that operates a fleet of small cruise ships. Its six yachts carry just 148 to 310 guests and cruise to 50 nations, calling at 150 ports throughout Europe, the South Pacific, the Caribbean, and Central America. They’re famous all over the world for being the only cruise line with sailing vessels.

The line was established as Windstar Sail Cruises in 1984, and its first ship, the Wind Star was launched in 1986. Holland America Line (HAL) purchased 50% of Windstar Sail Cruises in 1987 and purchased the balance of the company in 1988. HAL became a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation in 1989. In March 2007, Carnival sold Windstar to Ambassadors International for $100 million, and a few years later on April 1, 2011, they filed for bankruptcy. A bankruptcy court in Delaware held a two-day auction and Anschutz Corporation won Windstar Cruises with a bid of $39 million.

Despite being an upper premium service, many crew members and officers frequently critisize significant issues with middle management, lack of career growth, outdated resources, and sometimes unprofessional leadership.