19 Avalon Waterways invests in refresh of European fleet Between 2024 and 2026, Avalon Waterways will refurbish its Europe-based Suite Ships to ensure they offer the same style as its newer vessels, Avalon Algeria, Avalon View and Avalon Envision. All public areas, including the Sky Deck and Observation Lounge, will get fresh decor and new furniture. Fitness rooms will be fitted with Kinesis weight machines and free weights. Each ship will also be equipped with 15 new bikes and four new e-bikes. In addition, the cruise line will install a second Starlink antenna on each vessel to improve internet connectivity. Windstar Cruises’ newbuild Star Seeker will offer 12 types of suite accommodation when it debuts in January 2026. The ship will have 72 suites with large verandas, 10 oceanview suites and 30 infinity suites with floor-to-ceiling windows that slide down halfway. Star Seeker, which is currently under construction at the WestSEA Shipyard in Viana do Castelo in Portugal, will also introduce a new category of accommodation: the Horizon Owner’s suites. The two suites (each with a wraparound balcony) can be combined with adjacent suites to accommodate multigenerational groups. “Catering for just 224 guests, Star Seeker is small enough to feel intimate, but also large enough to offer variety,” said Stijn Creupelandt, chief operating officer of Windstar Cruises. “Although the ship only has two restaurants, we’ve really thought about how the spaces can serve multiple purposes. The Yacht Club, for example, functions as a coffee bar during the day, but transforms into the perfect spot for pre- or post-dinner cocktails in the evenings. Even though the Seeker is a different ship to what people are used to as it doesn’t have sails, I hope guests will still recognise that it’s Windstar.” Windstar’s Star Seeker to offer 12 accommodation categories The Sky Deck onboard all Suite Ships will be given a new look, similar to Avalon Waterways’ Avalon Algeria
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