On an e-bike ride tracing the recumbent, southern shoreline of Huahine, one of the less known Society Islands in French Polynesia, we cruised past azure lagoons underlined by ribbons of white sand. Ancient seaside ruins dot the coastline, and at Anini Marae, surfers paddled out for a reef break. Islanders we encountered smiled and waved, and over the course of our 17-mile guided ride, we met barely a dozen cars — each of them passing us cautiously, if at all.
I’ve been fortunate enough to travel extensively in the Caribbean and Hawaii for all of my adult life, but on gentle Huahine, on the last day of my first visit to French Polynesia, the thought that nagged at me was: Why had it taken me so long to get to here?
Windstar Cruises is counting on more “newbies” like me to sign on for an overdue French Polynesia experience. In February, Windstar swapped its longstanding year-round operation of the 148-passenger sailing ship Wind Spirit out of Tahiti in favor of the 312-guest Star Breeze. The decision to base the larger ship in the South Pacific came about in the wake of the pandemic, when many ports were closed to cruise ships. French Polynesia was one of the first destinations to re-open, and for a few months in 2021-22, Windstar had both ships operating out of Tahiti.
The facilities on the ship really allow for very comfortable sailing in Tahiti, and the guest satisfaction ratings were through the roof.
“We had nowhere to go,” explained Christopher Prelog, president of Windstar. “But we learned Star Breeze is very well suited to this market. The facilities on the ship really allow for very comfortable sailing in Tahiti, and the guest satisfaction ratings were through the roof. The other thing we learned was we could go farther on longer cruises because we had a little more speed.”
What Sets Star Breeze Apart — and Why Tahiti is a Fitting Home
With new and more efficient engines, Breeze can easily reach destinations that were off-limits to Spirit. While a seven-night itinerary focused on the Society Islands has long been the bread-and-butter of Windstar’s operation, the remote Marquesas archipelago, located almost 900 miles from Tahiti, is the target of several itineraries on the schedule for the first time.
Star Breeze’s pool deck
Credit: 2024 David SwansonDoubling the capacity of a cruise line in a given destination overnight might seem hard to justify, were it not for two other changes in Tahiti’s tourism.
Several major hotels that closed during the pandemic have yet to come back, including the InterContinental Resort and Spa Moorea and Le Meridien Bora Bora (the latter is scheduled to reopen in August as The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa). In total, French Polynesia currently has 10% fewer hotel rooms than it had in 2019.
At the same time, however, air service from U.S. gateways to Tahiti has expanded. Air Tahiti Nui refreshed its fleet with the Boeing 787-9 in 2018, United Airlines launched service from San Francisco in 2018, and Delta Air Lines added flights in 2022.
“There’s more airlift than there are hotel beds,” Prelog said. Noting that Tahiti is closer to the U.S. West Coast than Europe or the Caribbean, he adds, “It’s a dinner and a movie beyond Hawaii.”
What to Expect Onboard Star Breeze
Given that there are two other cruise ships sailing out of Tahiti year-round — Paul Gauguin Cruises’ Paul Gauguin and Aranui Cruises’ Aranui 5 — what sets Windstar’s operation apart is the ship itself. Breeze, along with two sisters, Star Legend and Star Pride, were acquired from Seabourn in 2014-15. Just a few months before the pandemic arrived, the ships were sliced in half and an 84-foot-long midsection was inserted. Fifty cabins were added, along with two additional restaurants, an expanded spa and fitness center, and a bigger pool and pool deck.
The cabins are actually suites, as none measure smaller than 277 square feet (about 50% larger than standard cruise cabins). They’ve been refreshed with upgraded electronics, and bathrooms were redesigned with tile and roomy showers. And, while a dose of elegance was added, Windstar’s flip flop-friendly ambiance — perfect for Polynesia — remains.
Guestrooms are large onboard Star Breeze.
Credit: 2024 David SwansonI love the unpretentious air that invites crew and passengers to engage on a first-name basis. Just a couple days into a cruise, bartenders knew our drinks — cappuccino at dawn in the Yacht Club Cafe & Library, and a Negroni for sunset at Compass Rose while the four-piece band Appalooza played.
Windstar also specializes in what it calls Destination Discovery Events, included in the cruise fare. In French Polynesia, this is a barbecue dinner and spectacular Polynesian fire dance held on a private motu (island) just off Bora Bora. On another motu near Tahaa, all are welcomed to a lunch spread along a scintillating beach equipped with watersports toys.
Windstar guests enjoy a dance performance at Motu Tapu as part of the program.
Credit: 2024 David SwansonDespite 50% more cabins, passengers and crew, Star Breeze doesn’t feel bulkier or more crowded. Following the stretch, the ship is still sleek enough to slink into smaller ports. And on Huahine, when it is time to return to the ship for a farewell dinner and overnight sail to Tahiti, I found myself gazing back at the tranquil island from the tender boat, already longing to return.
