Windstar Cruises has taken delivery of its transformed cruise ship Star Breeze, which has been refurbished from bow to stern, and lengthened by 26-metres.

The newly-stretched Star Breeze can now accommodate an additional 100 guests, thanks to 50 new staterooms contained within the mid-section that was inserted to the ship, while she also features several new public spaces.

Star Breeze midsection being inserted.

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Star Breeze is now 160-metres long, 13,000-gross tons and carries 312 passengers. The work, which involved cutting her in half, positioning the 3,000-ton new mid-section between her bow and stern sections and then welding her back together, has given the 32-year-old ship a new lease on life.

Star Breeze was launched in 1988 as Seabourn Spirit for the luxury cruise line Seabourn. She was sold to Windstar Cruises in 2015, along with her sister ships Seabourn Pride and Seabourn Legend, which were renamed Star Pride and Star Legend.

Both vessels are undergoing the same bow to stern make over as Star Breeze, and will also be cut in half and lengthened. The program will cost Windstar Cruises $250-million in total, but is a fraction of the cost of having three 300-passenger luxury cruise ships built from scratch.

Star Breeze following her lengthening.

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As part of the refit program, called the Star Plus Initiative, all three vessels will also get new engines in addition to the extra 25.6-meter-long mid-body section, extensive modernization of public areas, passenger cabins and open decks.

The work is being done by Fincantieri in Palermo and will include the stripping out and total rebuilding of all ensuite bathrooms in every stateroom aboard each ship, the addition of an all-new mid-ship Owner’s Suite, two new dining rooms, a new pool area and a new One Spa by Windstar.

Star Grill by Steven Raichlin will be introduced aboard the stretched ships.

The two new restaurants are Cuadro 44 by Anthony Sasso, and Star Grill by Steven Raichlen, a steakhouse and outdoor BBQ respectively.

Star Pride is next to go into dry dock for her refit and lengthening, and is expected to debut in July, 2021. The refurbishment of the three ships was delayed by several weeks due to the global lockdown in 2020, which required work stoppages and reduced workforce on-site to counter the spread of COVID-19.