Windstar's New 79-Day European Cruise Hits up More Than 20 Countries

Feel like you missed out on a lot of travel in the past 18 months? Need to make up for lost time when it comes to crossing off that bucket list? Never fear, Windstar is here—and they’ve just opened up reservations for their brand new Grand European Bucket List Adventure sailings.

And when they say grand, they mean it. The Grand European Bucket List boasts a whale of an itinerary. At 79-days, it’s the longest ever for the small ship cruise line.

Before you go booking, know this: it’s going to be busy—only eight of your days on the journey will be spent at sea. Yup, you’ll be in and out of a plethora of European ports, crossing lines off your bucket list nearly every single day.

Don’t worry; you’ll have time to mentally and physically prepare, adjust your must-do lists, and load up on whatever goodies you’ll want to have on hand for the 11-plus-week sailing. The first Grand European cruise isn’t scheduled to leave from Stockholm, Sweden, until July 25, 2023.

On this trip of a lifetime, you’ll disembark in over 22 different countries, get a ship’s-eye-view of the Baltic, Northern Atlantic, Mediterranean, and the Black Sea. The longer length of the itinerary also means you’ll get to spend more time in select destinations, such as Cophenhagen, Amsterdam, and Bordeaux, by staying overnight in port.

Guests aboard the Grand European cruises will also get first looks at some new Windstar ports, including Arendal, Norway, and Hamburg and Binz, Germany. The cruise ends in Turkey where guests will transfer to Windstar’s brand new all-suite, 312-person yacht, where the last legs of the itinerary will wind through the Kiel and Corinth Canals.

“We’re attributing our bookings to a pent-up demand for travel after most of the world has been sequestered for a year,” says Windstar’s president, Christopher Prelog.

Don’t know if you can commit to over 11 weeks on a cruise, but want to get out and see the world nonetheless? Consider Windstar’s 60-day Grand South Pacific or the 56-day Grand Caribbean Adventure instead.

Whichever you choose, Prelog advises you to get it locked in as soon as possible: "My advice is to book early as increased demand is real."