Wind Surf ship to undergo 'stem-to-stern' renovation

Windstar Cruises says its flagship, the 310-passenger Wind Surf, will enter a five-day dry dock at a Portuguese shipyard Nov. 12, to begin a "stem-to-stern" renovation.

The upgrades — which include new decor in public rooms and changes to dining areas — will be completed as the ship cruises across the Atlantic during a 13-day wet dock, with only crew onboard. The ship will begin a season of Caribbean cruises Dec. 1, sailing from St. Maarten.

The cruise line's $18 million fleet-wide renovation project also includes refurbishment of public spaces on the 148-passenger Wind Star, which will begin a two-week dry dock followed by a wet dock on Nov. 25. Sister ship Wind Spirit was fully renovated in April.

Windstar expects all the renovations to be completed in December.

"We are looking forward to having our whole fleet enter 2013 with an elevated feeling of private yacht style," said CEO Hans Birkholz.

During the upcoming round of renovations, Wind Surf and Wind Star will be outfitted with new furnishings and a color palette designed to elevate the ships' look and feel to one of "casual elegance," officials said.

The main dining room on both ships, The Restaurant, will be prepared for reintroduction as AmphorA Restauarant, with a redesigned seating layout, a state-of-the-art wine display and a new menu spotlighting local dishes and upscale ingredients. Outdoor seating in The Veranda restaurant also is being expanded.

On Wind Surf, the Degrees Restaurant will also get a redo and be reintroduced as an "elegant French Bistro," the new name and menu not yet announced.

The staterooms and suites on all three Windstar ships were refurbished in a project completed in the spring.

This item was written by Fran Golden, a cruise expert and Trip Coach for Budget Travel magazine. Golden is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is away.