NEWS SPECIAL REPORT


Windstar wows W


Windstar Cruises looks to gain a foothold in the UK market with a Mediterranean fam trip sailing on newly-lengthened vessel Star Legend. Harry Kemble reports


indstar Cruises’ UK boss has outlined plans to grow the line’s sales by 30%


compared with 2017 over the next 12 months as its revamped fleet resumes operations. Anna Perrott, UK and Ireland


business development manager, hosted 17 agents on Star Legend on an eight-day Mediterranean sailing from Barcelona to Piraeus. The all-suite ship has 50 extra


cabins after an 84ft lengthening at a Fincantieri shipyard, increasing capacity to 312 passengers. Perrott said the line would use


feedback from agents to try to make the product “more appealing to the British market”. “This is the first time we’ve


focused heavily on the UK market,” she said. “We’ve dipped our toe in a little bit a few years ago but this time we’ve come back with a vengeance and want to make sure we’re doing it properly.” The line’s best-ever sales


performance in the UK came in 2017. Perrott is targeting sales levels 30% higher than that year with “bigger growth targets after that”. “The plans are to get the brand


name out there and let people know there are different styles of ships [in Windstar’s fleet],” she said. Windstar has three Wind-class


sailing vessels – Wind Star, Wind Surf and Wind Spirit – and three Star-plus ships – Star Breeze, Star Pride and Star Legend. The final vessel to return will be Star Pride on November 3.


All six have been upgraded during


Covid as part of a $320 million programme to overhaul the fleet and add air filtration systems on board. Spas have been added to each


vessel and Spanish tapas restaurant Cuadro 44 has been added to Wind Surf. Windstar has three agent


training modules on Online Travel Training to help the trade learn about its product. Perrott added: “Experiencing a sailing is completely different to stepping on board.”


STAR LEGEND IN NUMBERS


36– Dining capacity in new restaurant Cuadro 44 50– Cabins added 84– Length in feet of ship’s new section 222– Capacity in main dining restaurant 312– Passenger capacity


Star Legend


Agents call for trade sailing round the UK


Agents have called on Windstar Cruises to increase the number of UK departures and showcase events where the trade can step aboard. Many UK agents on the Star


Legend sailing experienced a Windstar ship for the first time. Hays Personal Travel Consultant


Julie Chapman said: “I’ve not sold any Windstar, but now I definitely know how to. The onboard experience is incredible. The product offers value for money.” She said there was “a corner of


the market” for departures out of Southampton as she urged the line to add departures from the port in addition to its four departures from Leith, Scotland, in 2022 and 2023. Kirkham Travel owner Carol


Kirkham said it was “easier” to sell a particular cruise line once an agent had been on board. Scott Anderson, cruise product and marketing director at Luxury Cruise And More, suggested Windstar operate a showcase sailing round the UK for the trade. “That would be brilliant because it’s quite niche,” he said.


Star Breeze has also been lengthened 18 14 OCTOBER 2021 travelweekly.co.uk


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