| A Legend returns

STAR Legend has been delivered to Windstar Cruises, the second yacht to complete its Star Plus Initiative transformation.

Windstar President Chris Prelog (pictured right) officially received Legend back from the Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo yesterday after it went through the US$250 million Initiative.

Legend begins cruising in Europe on 04 Sep with the Belles of the British Isles itinerary, sailing roundtrip from London.

The Star Plus Initiative has added 50 new suites, with categories and open floor plan configurations, as well as two larger Owner’s Suites.

Every suite on board will also feature an all-new bathroom.

Other highlights of the renovation include two new restaurants: Cuadro 44 by Michelin chef Anthony Sasso, a Spanish small plates restaurant, and Star Grill by Steven Raichlen, an outdoor barbecue concept.

Legend also now features a re-imagined and enlarged spa and fitness centre, a larger pool and hot tub on an elevated top deck, an expanded outdoor deck, and two new 90-passenger tenders, which will be boarded from a new loading area.

Prelog said the outcome of the project is akin to a newbuild.

“This is the ship I began my seagoing career on 20 plus years ago and to see it today like a new ship is more than exciting for me…I am blown away,” he said.

Windstar VP of Expansion Projects John Gunner thanked the Fincantieri team in Palermo for their hard work and diligence on a “long, complicated project.

“It was an amazing process to get the ship to where she is now; and we have one more to go,” Gunner said.

The transformation also covers Windstar’s health & protocols through its Beyond Ordinary Care program, a multi-layered strategy including HEPA filters and UV-C ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to filter and disinfect the air, and electrostatic sprayers to sanitise all surfaces throughout Legend.

Windstar will require proof of coronavirus vaccination for all guests sailing with the cruise line.