The ultra-premium travel brand Windstar Cruises introduces inaugural cruises in South America, set to commence in December 2025 with the all-suite Star Pride ship.
The brand's expansion into the region presents novel opportunities for the small ship company's well-traveled customers to explore iconic destinations like Peru's Machu Picchu and Ecuador's Galapagos Islands.
The new 16-day Marvels of Latin America Cruise Tour, departing from Colon, Panama, and heading to Lima, Peru (or vice versa), includes a pre- or post-cruise tour to Machu Picchu. An optional mid-cruise overland tour to the Galapagos Islands is also available. For a condensed version, an 11-day Marvels of Ecuador, Peru, and the Panama Canal encompasses the cruise and the optional Galapagos overland tour.
Starting with the New Year's voyage on December 27th, 2025, through January 2024, the itinerary features a daylight transit of the iconic Panama Canal waterway and incorporates overnight stays in Manta, Guayaquil, and Lima, allowing ample time for exploration. Additional port visits include Machala and Trujillo, offering guests the opportunity to explore the nearby pre-Colombian Chimu tribe archaeological site of Chan Chan.
The 5-day Machu Picchu tour is available as a pre- or post-cruise excursion and includes highlights such as visiting local farms in the Sacred Valley, riding the Vistadome train through the Andean landscape to and from Machu Picchu, exploring the Urubamba market and a local ceramic workshop in Cusco, and navigating Lima's bustling streets with a knowledgeable local. Accommodations during the tour are in luxury boutique hotels, with meals showcasing Peru's renowned local ingredients and flavors.
The 3-day mid-cruise excursion to the Galapagos begins in either Manta or Guayaquil, depending on the sailing date and direction. Guests fly from Guayaquil to the Galapagos, explore the Santa Cruz Highlands, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, embark on a navigable tour to one of the uninhabited islands, and return to the Windstar yacht via a short flight.
Windstar Cruises has responded to customer demands for extended exploration time in each destination by significantly increasing the number of cruise tours in every region it sails, including these inaugural offerings in South America.