Hebridean Island Cruises vs Windstar Cruises

The core difference

Hebridean Island Cruises and Windstar Cruises both occupy the intimate, yacht-scale end of luxury cruising — ships small enough to access hidden harbours, atmospheres casual enough to feel like a private yacht, and experiences personal enough to remember years later. But they achieve intimacy through entirely different means.

Hebridean is a floating Scottish country house. Hebridean Princess carries 50 guests through Scotland’s remote islands, lochs, and coastline — tartan furnishings, a coal fire in the lounge, single malts, a chef who personalises every menu. Everything is included: meals, champagne, whiskies, every shore excursion, bicycles, and gratuities. Queen Elizabeth chartered her twice. Lord of the Highlands (38 guests) covers inland waterways. Scotland exclusively.

Windstar is the romantic sailing yacht. Three motor-sailing yachts — Wind Surf (342 guests, the world’s largest), Wind Star and Wind Spirit (approximately 148 each) — with computer-controlled sails that billow against open sky. Four Star-class all-suite motor vessels (approximately 312 each) complement the fleet. The watersport marina deploys from the stern for kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkelling. Cuadro 44 by Anthony Sasso and the 180 Under the Stars deck barbecue define the culinary programme. Star Seeker joins in 2026. Resort casual — barefoot on deck is entirely appropriate.

For Australian travellers, the accessibility difference is dramatic. Windstar’s Wind Spirit sails year-round from Papeete (eight hours from Sydney). Hebridean requires 22-plus-hour flights to Scotland. Both reward the journey — but one is dramatically closer to home.

What is actually included

Hebridean’s all-inclusive model is one of the most comprehensive in cruising; Windstar’s is a la carte with an optional package.

Hebridean includes: all meals from Scottish produce, champagne, wines, spirits including single malt whiskies, every shore excursion with entrance fees, expert guides, bicycles, fishing equipment, all gratuities. Zero bill at voyage end.

Windstar’s base fare includes: all dining without surcharges (Cuadro 44 included on Star-class), 24-hour room service, non-alcoholic beverages, speciality coffees, and complimentary watersport marina access (kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, water skiing). The All-In package adds alcoholic drinks, Wi-Fi, and gratuities for USD $99 per person per day. Without it, gratuities are USD $16 per day and drinks are à la carte.

The gap is meaningful. Hebridean includes everything — no package to evaluate, no a la carte decisions. Windstar requires choosing between the base fare and the All-In package, and shore excursions are always additional. However, Windstar’s complimentary watersport marina is a unique inclusion — kayaking into a Polynesian lagoon directly from the ship’s stern platform is something no amount of single malt can replicate.

Dining and culinary experience

Both lines take food seriously, with different regional specialities and dining philosophies.

Hebridean’s single dining room serves personalised Scottish menus: Loch Fyne oysters, Highland venison, fresh langoustines, properly made porridge, homemade scones. The chef knows 50 guests’ preferences within hours and tailors accordingly. The wine list is included and curated.

Windstar’s dining varies by ship class. Star-class motor vessels offer Cuadro 44 by Anthony Sasso (Mediterranean Italian-Basque), Amphora (main restaurant), Candles (alfresco fine dining), Star Grill by Steven Raichlen, and Veranda. Sailing yachts offer Amphora, Candles, and Veranda Café. The signature 180 Under the Stars — a deck barbecue on the open aft deck under the night sky — runs on every ship. All dining is included without surcharges.

The comparison: Hebridean offers the most personalised dining at sea — a kitchen of 50 that adapts to individual guests. Windstar offers more variety, culinary partnerships with James Beard Foundation credentials, and the incomparable romance of dining al fresco on a sailing yacht’s open deck under the stars. For personalisation, Hebridean. For romantic atmosphere and variety, Windstar.

Suites and accommodation

The accommodation reflects each brand’s heritage and purpose.

Hebridean Princess has 30 cabins varying in size and character. Tartan soft furnishings, antique-style furniture, brass fittings. No balconies. Country house charm rather than modern amenity. Some cabins are genuinely compact.

Windstar’s Star-class motor vessels offer all-suite accommodation from 277-square-foot Star Balcony Suites with a private balcony. Star Seeker (arriving 2026) introduces the Horizon Owner’s Suite at 796 square feet. Sailing yacht staterooms are 188 square feet with portholes rather than balconies — compact but with the unique character of sleeping under sail. Wind Surf’s Bridge Suites are 376 square feet.

Windstar wins on cabin size and modernity, particularly on Star-class ships. The sailing yacht staterooms are smaller and lack balconies but offer the irreplaceable experience of sleeping aboard a vessel under canvas — the sound of wind in the rigging, the gentle heel of the ship, the romance of open ocean. Hebridean’s cabins are the most compact but possess country house character that no modern ship replicates.

Pricing and value

Windstar is substantially more affordable — particularly for Australian travellers factoring in flight costs.

Hebridean’s per-diem runs approximately GBP $500–$900 per person per night, all-inclusive. A 7-night Scottish Islands voyage: GBP $4,000–$7,000. Total for Australian couple with flights to Scotland: approximately AUD $25,000–$40,000.

Windstar’s per-diem runs approximately USD $250–$500 per person per night depending on ship and itinerary. A 7-night Tahiti voyage on Wind Spirit: approximately USD $3,000–$5,000 per person. Add the All-In package (approximately USD $700 per person for 7 nights) and return flights from Sydney (AUD $2,000–$5,000 economy, AUD $6,000–$12,000 business per couple). Total for Australian couple: approximately AUD $12,000–$24,000.

The total cost gap is significant — Windstar’s Tahiti voyage costs approximately half what a Hebridean Scottish voyage costs for an Australian couple. The saving buys less inclusive services (drinks and excursions additional on Windstar) and a larger ship (148 versus 50 guests on the most comparable pairing), but the accessibility and value are compelling for budget-conscious luxury travellers.

Spa and wellness

Neither line is spa-focused, but both deliver wellness through active outdoor experience.

Windstar’s spa offers treatment rooms and a small fitness centre. The real wellness experience is active: the watersport marina provides kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, and water skiing directly from the ship’s stern. Swimming in Polynesian lagoons, standing on deck as sails fill and engines go quiet, watching the sunset from the bow — this is Windstar’s version of wellness.

Hebridean has no dedicated spa. Wellness is the Scottish environment: walking deserted island beaches, cycling Hebridean villages, breathing Atlantic air, and the restorative calm of lochs so quiet you hear only seabirds.

Neither line attracts spa-focused travellers. Both deliver wellness through nature, activity, and the peace of small-ship sailing.

Entertainment and enrichment

Both lines let the destination and the sailing be the entertainment.

Windstar’s entertainment is the ship itself. The sail-away ceremony — computer-controlled sails unfurling against the Vangelis soundtrack — is one of cruising’s iconic moments. Beyond that: a duo in the Compass Rose lounge, stargazing from the open deck, destination lecturers. The watersport marina creates daily activity in port. Dress code is resort casual with no formal nights.

Hebridean’s enrichment comes from expert guest speakers on Scottish history, wildlife, and culture. Shore excursions to castles, Neolithic sites, distilleries, bird colonies. Evening conversation by the coal fire with a single malt. Perhaps a local musician or storyteller. The ship’s library. Smart casual dress.

Both lines understand that intimate ships do not need manufactured entertainment. The sailing, the destination, and the conversation are sufficient.

Fleet and destination coverage

Windstar’s seven-ship fleet covers far more territory; Hebridean’s two vessels serve Scotland exclusively.

Hebridean operates two vessels. Princess (50 guests) and Lord of the Highlands (38 guests). Scotland — Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland, Caledonian Canal, west coast. No international deployment.

Windstar operates seven ships. Three motor-sailing yachts and four Star-class motor vessels. Mediterranean, Caribbean, Alaska, French Polynesia (year-round from Papeete), Northern Europe, and seasonal Australia/New Zealand from Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns. Star Seeker joins in 2026.

Windstar’s fleet offers global breadth with the unique addition of year-round Tahiti. Hebridean offers Scotland at a depth no global line can match. For Australian accessibility, Windstar’s Polynesian and Australian deployments are decisive.

Where each line excels

Hebridean excels in:

• Ultra-intimate scale. Fifty guests — the most personalised cruise experience in the world.
• Scottish exclusivity. Remote lochs, islands, and anchorages no other ship can reach.
• Complete inclusion. Every drink, excursion, gratuity covered without exception.
• Heritage atmosphere. Tartan, coal fire, single malts — a floating country house.
• Royal endorsement. Queen Elizabeth chartered Hebridean Princess twice.

Windstar excels in:

• The romance of sailing. Computer-controlled sails on motor-sailing yachts — unique in luxury cruising.
• French Polynesia. Year-round from Papeete, eight hours from Sydney. The most accessible luxury South Pacific cruise for Australians.
• Watersport marina. Complimentary kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, and water skiing from the stern.
• Value. Intimate yacht-scale cruising at per-diems 50 to 70 per cent below Hebridean.
• Australian deployments. Star Breeze seasonally from Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns.
• Alfresco dining. 180 Under the Stars and Candles under the night sky.

Standout itineraries for Australian travellers

Hebridean Island Cruises

Scottish Islands Discovery (7 nights, Hebridean Princess, May–September) — Roundtrip Oban visiting Mull, Skye, Outer Hebrides, remote anchorages. All-inclusive with expert guides.

Orkney & Shetland (7–10 nights) — Neolithic sites, seabird colonies, Viking heritage.

Whisky-themed voyages — Islay, Speyside, Highland distilleries with tastings. All whisky included.

Windstar

Wind Spirit: Tahiti & the Society Islands (7 nights, roundtrip Papeete, year-round) — Moorea, Bora Bora, Raiatea, Taha’a, Huahine. Air Tahiti Nui direct from Sydney. Under-sail arrivals into lagoons. From approximately USD $3,000 per person.

Star Breeze: Australia & New Zealand (seasonal, Sydney/Melbourne/Cairns) — Intimate port-intensive Australian and New Zealand itineraries. No international flight required.

Wind Surf: Mediterranean (7–11 nights, 2026) — The world’s largest motor-sailing yacht in Greek Islands, Italian coast, Dalmatian coast. 342 guests, watersport marina, 180 Under the Stars.

Star Seeker: Inaugural Season (arriving 2026) — Newest Star-class ship with ice-strengthened hull. Watch for Alaska and Northern European itineraries.

Ship-by-ship recommendations

Hebridean

Hebridean Princess (50 guests) — The only choice for the Scottish island experience. No equivalent anywhere in world cruising.

Lord of the Highlands (38 guests) — Caledonian Canal and inland lochs. The most intimate option.

Windstar

Wind Spirit (148 guests) — The Tahiti specialist. Year-round from Papeete. The most intimate sailing yacht and the most accessible Windstar deployment for Australians.

Wind Surf (342 guests) — The flagship sailing yacht. Five masts, largest watersport marina, most cabin variety. Choose for Mediterranean sailings.

Star Breeze (312 guests) — All-suite motor vessel. Seasonal Australian and New Zealand deployments.

Star Seeker (arriving 2026) — Newest Star-class with ice-strengthened hull. Watch for inaugural-season pricing.

For Australian travellers specifically

The accessibility comparison overwhelmingly favours Windstar — and shapes the practical recommendation for most Australians.

Windstar from Australia offers two accessible options. Wind Spirit sails year-round from Papeete, just eight hours from Sydney on Air Tahiti Nui — making Tahiti closer than most European destinations. Star Breeze deploys seasonally from Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns — no international flight at all. Travel the World Group has represented Windstar in Australia for over thirty-eight years. The pricing is accessible enough for annual or biannual cruising.

Hebridean from Australia requires 22-plus-hour flights to Glasgow or Edinburgh, a pre-cruise hotel night, and a minimum two-week commitment including travel. The investment — in time, money, and jet-lag management — makes this a once-in-a-lifetime holiday for most Australians rather than a regular escape.

The recommendation: Windstar for regular intimate yacht-scale cruising — Tahiti annually, Australian waters seasonally, Mediterranean when the mood strikes. Hebridean for the singular Scottish voyage when the pull of the Highlands becomes irresistible.

The onboard atmosphere

Both lines create casual, yacht-scale atmospheres — but the cultural tone is poles apart.

Hebridean’s atmosphere is a Highland house party. Coal fire, single malts, 50 guests forming a close-knit group over the week. Predominantly British. Smart casual — tweeds and comfortable shoes. Quiet, reflective, deeply personal.

Windstar’s atmosphere is barefoot, romantic, and yacht-intimate. The small scale (148 guests on sailing yachts) means officers and crew know guests by name. Many guests are on honeymoons, anniversaries, or milestone celebrations. Resort casual — bare feet on teak entirely appropriate. The soundtrack is wind in the sails, waves against the hull, and live music from the Compass Rose lounge.

The contrast is vivid: fireside whisky in the Scottish rain versus sunset cocktails under Polynesian stars. Both are perfect. Neither is substitutable.

The bottom line

Hebridean Island Cruises and Windstar Cruises share a commitment to yacht-scale intimacy and casual luxury — but they deliver it in entirely different destinations, at entirely different price points, and for entirely different moods.

Choose Hebridean if Scotland calls — the islands, the whisky, the wild coast, and the most personalised cruise experience in the world. Accept the long journey from Australia, the compact cabins, and the premium pricing. What you receive is a week with 50 guests, every malt included, and a Scotland that even most Scots have never experienced.

Choose Windstar if you want the romance of sailing under canvas, yacht-scale intimacy, Tahiti just eight hours from Sydney, the 180 Under the Stars barbecue under the night sky, and accessible pricing that makes luxury cruising achievable regularly. Accept smaller cabins on the sailing yachts, drinks and excursions outside the base fare, and a larger passenger count than Hebridean’s ultra-exclusive 50.

For Australian travellers, Windstar’s accessibility makes it the line you sail often. Hebridean is the line you save for the trip of a lifetime. Both deserve a place on the list.