Windstar’s “All-Inclusive” Explained: Drinks, WiFi, Dining & More

How does someone make a Windstar cruise all-inclusive, and what exactly does it include? Will you have to pay an additional fee for certain restaurants on a Windstar ship or pay extra for room service? What about excursions?

These are surely questions you ask if you have never sailed with Windstar Cruises. Such was the case for us before we vacationed with this spectacular line. But we quickly learned about the value of the all-inclusive option on the first day of our cruise. And we're glad we had it. That's why we're sharing what's included and some additional things to be aware of. We'll also share what happens if you don't book the “All-In” option, as well as additional insight into the onboard food and drinks.

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Windstar’s “All In” Package Explained

If there’s one piece of advice we have for your Windstar cruise when you book, it’s to add the “All In” package. This is the only option to make your Windstar cruise all-inclusive. There is an additional cost for All-In, but it is a great deal considering what you get: Wi-Fi, unlimited beer, wine, cocktails, and gratuities.

We advise adding it to your cruise when you book. This is because of the cost savings: It costs $89 per person per day when you book before your cruise versus $99 if you add All-In while onboard.

★ The All-In/All-Inclusive fare must be booked at least five days prior to departure. ★

As an added perk, if you book the All-In package, you get 30% off any bottles of wine and sparkling wine.

Excursions are not included with Windstar Cruises like they are with river cruise pricing. They are priced individually regardless of whether or not the All-In package is added to your cruise reservation.

Windstar A La Carte Pricing If You Don’t Get the All-Inclusive Package

If you don’t opt for All-In, you can pay for beverages, WiFi, and gratuities a la carte. For gratuities, 18% will automatically be added to your bill unless you have All-In.

Wines by the glass range from $9 to $12, cocktails are just under $10 each, and mocktails are just under $7 each. If you upgrade to premium liquor for your drinks, expect them to cost a little bit more.

Windstar Cruises has three Star Class ships: Star Pride, Star Breeze, and Star Legend. The bar options are the same on these ships and include Star Bar, Compass Rose (the main bar/lounge and where evening entertainment is), and Yacht Club Cafe & Library. Drinks can also be ordered at any restaurant or the lounge during scheduled entertainment.

If you're hungry at various times throughout the day and want a lovely setting for a beverage, snack, or both, head to the Yacht Club Cafe & Library. They offer breakfast items in the morning and salads and sandwiches mid-day. They always have sweets, too! Another lovely touch from Windstar was passed hors d'oeuvres in the Yacht Club in the late afternoon, before dinner.

Windstar Restaurants on Star Class Ships

The dining venues are the same on Windstar's Star Class ships. The dining venues slightly vary on the Star class ships from Windstar's Wind class ships, which are their ships with sails.

The wonderful thing about cruising with Windstar is that all dining is included in your cruise fare, yet you have multiple venue options. It has more options than a river cruise but fewer options than a mega-ship. 

This meant we had a change of scenery for our meals throughout the cruise. It also meant that we could repeat dining at our favorite restaurants. When you have too many options on a big cruise ship, you wind up feeling overwhelmed and like you're missing out on something if you don't get a chance to eat at every restaurant.

A Note About Windstar's Signature Dining

“Exceptional” is the word that comes to mind when comparing the food on Windstar to many other cruise lines we've been on. The top three for us would be our European Waterways experience in France (which is hard to compare anything to, but alas, we must), Windstar Cruises, and Riverside river cruises.

The dining options aboard Star Breeze, Star Legend, and Star Pride include Amphora, Veranda/Candles, and Cuadro 44 by Anthony Sasso. These dining options provide different cuisine options. The menu at Cuadro 44 and Candles is the same every day; the menu at the main restaurant, Amphora, changes daily.

The first day we sailed on Star Pride in Iceland, our first Windstar cruise, we saw a crew member advertising the ship's “Signature Dining” options. We figured this must be because you can upgrade or pay extra for specialty dining. Yet we learned that the crew members set up tables to explain how dining works and the venue options for newcomers like us, not because there's an additional cost to dine at any restaurant.

Amphora Restaurant

This is the main dining venue on the ship. You do not need reservations to dine here. The dining room is large enough to accommodate all guests. Upon arrival, we were always seated right away. Amphora is not open for breakfast.

We found the menu had something for everyone, and we always enjoyed what we ate there. I don't usually like gnocchi, but I ordered it for a meal because the combination of ingredients sounded good: fresh peas, lima beans, and goat cheese cream sauce. I was really impressed by the dish, the gnocchi was that goog! The point is, the food is great on Windstar.

The second to last night of the cruise was a special dinner at Amphora, where the Windstar chefs set up a buffet in the kitchen. The “Galley Dinner” is a fun event and a good behind-the-scenes look at where the food is made. It's especially fun if you didn't have a chance to go on a galley tour during your cruise.

Cuadro 44

As soon as we realized there was a Spanish restaurant onboard, we knew we had to try it! Thus, Cuadro 44 was the venue we chose for dinner our first night aboard Star Pride. We especially loved reminiscing about days in Spain with each Spanish dish that came to our table.

The restaurant is small, so reservations are recommended; space fills up quickly for prime times. By the third day of our 7-day cruise, the reservations for Cuadro 44 were completely full for the entirety of the sailing.

Veranda/Candles

This venue is the one we were in the most for meals. Veranda is the main breakfast and lunch dining space (even though there are other lunch options). The restaurant transforms into Candles at night.

Breakfast combines tasteful and well-executed buffet items with a la carte menu options you can order, like pancakes, omelets, waffles, etc. Lunch had many food options, including soup, a plentiful salad bar, and various hot daily options.

Veranda and Candles have an outdoor area of the restaurant to enjoy if the weather is nice.

By night, the same area turns into Candles with white tablecloths and (electronic) candlelight. The food is so excellent that we dined there twice during our cruise. We enjoyed the filet mignon (thanks to the recommendation of another passenger, who was looking out for us!), and loved several sides and starters. The desserts were also delicious.

Star Grill by Steven Raichlen

Star Grill is an open, partially covered outdoor dining venue that is open weather permitting. During our Iceland cruise, some items served here for lunch were also available indoors at the Veranda. We liked eating our grilled bratwursts outside on a particularly nice summer day. We loved the fresh air and the view.

Vegan and Vegetarian Options on Windstar Cruises

One of the most impressive things we noticed during our Windstar cruise, even though we’re neither vegetarians nor vegans, was Windstar’s commitment to plant-based options. Windstar has the most extensive vegan choices of any cruise ship we’ve been on, no matter the cruise line or size of the vessel. 

As travelers with friends and family who eat plant-based food, we found it truly wonderful to see options throughout all of the ship's dining venues that would make vegans happy. Each menu very clearly called out the plant-based options. We smiled seeing inventive and appealing plant-based entrees, snacks, and desserts on the buffet, menus, and in the café. Some even appealed to us omnivores, who eat meat but still love veggies.

All plant-based items are clearly marked.