By
Laura Hyde |
Windstar Cruises is launching a fleetwide speciality restaurant serving a fusion of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine.
Basil + Bamboo will debut onboard Star Breeze in February 2025 and will then be rolled out across the rest of the fleet throughout the year, replacing the Cuadro 44 restaurants. It will also be the main dining venue onboard the cruise line’s newest yacht, Star Seeker, when it enters service in December.
Basil + Bamboo will offer guests an intimate dining experience due to its limited seating and serve dishes made with a “fusion of flavours”, according to Windstar Cruises. The restaurant will offer guests an array of dishes including miso soup, free-range young chicken served with Jerusalem artichokes and yuzu kosho, and citrus olive oil cake with lemon cream aside Greek yogurt ice cream. Reservations will be required at Basil + Bamboo, which will only be open for dinner.
Basil + Bamboo will offer guests a “fusion of flavours”
“The introduction of Basil + Bamboo will further enhance and diversify the culinary offerings available aboard,” said Stijn Creupelandt, chief operations officer at Windstar Cruises. “This new dining venue perfectly complements the elevated ambiance of Star Seeker and the exciting destinations she will visit.”
Star Seeker will also feature three other dining venues including Amphora, a reimagined main dining room serving a variety of “inventive” dishes; The Yacht Club, which will offer breakfast and lunch; and Star Grill, which will serve smoked, grilled and barbecued meats, seafood and vegetables at lunch and dinner. Guests will also be able to order from the complimentary room service menu 24 hours a day.
After it enters service in December, Star Seeker will spend its maiden season sailing to Alaska, the Caribbean and Japan in 2026.
Windstar Cruises will also offer 13 itineraries in the Caribbean and Latin America onboard the 148-guest yacht Wind Star and 312-guest, all-suite yacht Star Pride in 2026-2027. Some of the highlights will include a 25-night ‘Southern Caribbean Thanksgiving Jubilee’ itinerary departing from Lisbon, Portugal, on Wind Star on 10 November and an 18-day ‘Star Collector: Reefs & Rainforests’ cruise, which will visit ports in the Caribbean, Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica. The brand will also provide a seven-day ‘Costa Rica & Panama Canal’ voyage.
“Windstar embraces a laid-back, yachting vibe in the Caribbean,” said Jess Peterson, director of destination experience and itinerary planning at Windstar Cruises. “We focus on relaxing beaches and the more exclusive islands such as Jost Van Dyke, St. Barths and Virgin Gorda. We layer on our signature experiences like a beach barbecue on a remote island and swimming from the ship’s stern platform. A small-ship Caribbean cruise is a totally different experience.”
Windstar Cruises’ Star Pride (pictured) will spend 2026-2027 sailing in the Caribbean and Latin America