Windstar Cruises Launches Sailings From Puerto Rico

Windstar Cruises recently completed its inaugural voyage from Puerto Rico after Star Legend set sail from San Juan on Dec. 5th, marking the first time Windstar has launched from a US port of call in recent history. Windstar’s San Juan & the Virgin Islands and Caribbean Hideaway itineraries, both new for 2016, offer guests the chance to experience Little Bay, Montserrat, where Windstar is the first cruise line to make regular calls to the port since the 1995 eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano that buried the island’s capital city. Often called the “Pompeii in the Caribbean”, Montserrat returns to the tourism business with the recent completion of the new Little Bay port, a starting point for guests to drive through the Buried City, experience the deep water harbor, and view the majesty of what is now the tallest mountain on Montserrat, still growing out of the old city.

New 2016 itineraries with a stop in Montserrat include:

• San Juan & the Virgin Islands—7 Days: Explore hidden harbors and legendary islands as you cruise from historic San Juan to the pristine Virgin Islands. Cruising round trip from San Juan, Puerto Rico highlights include Isla Culebra, Puerto Rico, and Montserrat.
• Caribbean Hideaways—7 Days: Spend pampered days in the secret hideaways of the Caribbean, kayaking off the Watersports Platform and walking on uncrowded beaches. Cruising from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Bridgetown, Barbados (or reverse), highlights include Montserrat and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

2016 itineraries with stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico include:

• Gems of the Leeward Islands—10 Days: Discover the breadth and depth of the Eastern Caribbean at nine distinctly different ports round trip from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Highlights include an overnight in Virgin Gorda.
• San Juan & the Virgin Islands—7 Days: Explore hidden harbors and legendary islands as you cruise from historic San Juan to the pristine Virgin Islands. Round trip from San Juan, Puerto Rico highlights include Isla Culebra, Puerto Rico, and Montserrat.
• Caribbean Hideaways—7 Days: Spend pampered days in the secret hideaways of the Caribbean, kayaking off the Watersports Platform and walking on uncrowded beaches. Cruising from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Bridgetown, Barbados (or reverse), highlights include Montserrat and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

“Montserrat is truly an amazing community filled with strength, courage, compassion, and kindness; the true meaning of human dignity,” says Michele Hanson, Windstar Cruises Product Manager. “It is incredible how this community survived something most of us can only imagine. This community learned to depend on each other to begin a recovery that somehow became their way of life. While we wish we could keep Montserrat a secret only for our guests, everyone in the world should come here and see what it means to go through such devastation and come through it stronger, wiser, and kinder.”