travel with your bffs

"If you wait until retirement to go see the Parthenon, you might not make it up the steps." Wise words from an anonymous traveler.

Windstar Cruises--with small ships visiting 170 ports from Asia to Alaska, Canada, New England, the Caribbean, South Pacific, and Europe--is targeting a growing trend among its guests: celebrating self-defined milestone moments. We’re talking about taking that cruise to Alaska because you crave one more child-free adventure with your friends before the baby is born. Or maybe you just got divorced and want to enjoy your new happiness with those BFFs who truly support you.

People are living more and more in the moment with their friends and family, celebrating these decisions and markers that go far beyond the typical and expected times to commemorate lifemilestones.

WIndstar--with yachts that carry no more than 310 passengers--saw this trend, and decided to do something to support it. Why just have corporate incentives for groups? Why not let people define their own friends and family group and reward themselves?

So that's what they did. So many people are traveling in groups that Windstar, on select dates, will give a free cruise to the eighth cruiser for every seven people booked. Some people keep the free cruise for themselves, while others divvy up the savings with the rest of the group. Either way, that's some savings. (On higher-demand cruises, it’s one free cruise for every nine people that are booked.)

In addition, groups also get a discount off of standard guest fares, as well as a $100 per person shipboard credit to use on things like massages, shore excursions, or a bottle of bubbly.

However guests choose to celebrate or share the savings, Windstar is also able to help elevate the festivities with a variety of intimate celebration options on board their vessels. From vow renewals performed by the captain with a personalized cake baked by the culinary crew (gluten-free if need be), to private cocktail parties in one of the larger public spaces on board or a guest suite, there are plenty of ways to make moments special together. Windstar may also arrange for memorable shore excursions and other activities exclusively for the group. And of course, there’s also the option of gathering a group to join one of Windstar’s incredible themed cruises, or a delicious foodie-focused sailing on Windstar’s James Beard Foundation Culinary Cruise Collection. Beard Foundation-level cuisine, without the fussy "formal nights?" Sign me up!

This is the beauty of small ship cruising with Windstar: flexibility and completely tailor-made revelries, no matter what milestone you’re celebrating or just because. 

Got something to celebrate and want to take your besties along? Let us know, because it just so happens that Windstar is one of our preferred cruise lines!