Ponant Cruises
L'Austral
- Cruises
- 0
- From
- —
Ship comparison
L'Austral vs Star Legend
Windstar Cruises
Star Legend
- Cruises
- 91
- From
- $1,100
The verdict
Which should you choose?
L'Austral is a small Ponant Cruises ship carrying 264 passengers, in service since 2011. Star Legend is a small Windstar Cruises ship carrying 312 passengers, in service since 2015.
Choose L'Austral if you want more adventure and nature, better-rated dining or a more active cruise: it outscores Star Legend for adventure & nature (10.0 vs 7.0), dining (8.0 vs 6.5) and active (9.0 vs 8.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Star Legend if you want more culture, a more romantic trip or a better-rated spa and gym: it outscores L'Austral for cultural (10.0 vs 7.0), romantic (10.0 vs 8.0) and spa & fitness (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| L'Austral | Star Legend | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Ponant Cruises | Windstar Cruises |
| Ship size | Small | Small |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2011 | 2015 (better) |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | — | 2021 |
| Gross tonnage | 10,944 | 12,995 |
| Passengers | 264 | 312 |
| Crew | 139 | 188 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 1.9 | 1.7 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 41.5 | 41.7 (better) |
| Cabins | 132 | — |
| Decks | 6 | 6 |
| Length | 465 ft | 522 ft |
| Beam | 59 ft | 63 ft |
| Speed | — | 17 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 (better) |
| Cruises on sale | — | 91 |
| Upcoming sailings | — | 141 |
| Cruise lengths | — | 3 to 23 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | — | $1,100 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. L'Austral leads on 3 of the ten, Star Legend on 4, with 3 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Ponant Cruises
L'Austral
Launched in 2011, L’Austral from France-based Ponant provides an intimate, luxurious cruise experience. Her small size makes her ideally suited for visiting ports that bigger ships can’t reach.
Highlights
- Three lounges offering evening entertainment, bars and access to the open decks
- Suites featuring ocean views and private balconies
- Multiple observation areas
- French sophistication at every turn
Windstar Cruises
Star Legend
Star Legend is one of the sleek, spiffy power yachts from Windstar Cruises. With just 312 guests, you'll feel as if Star Legend is your own private yacht when you step aboard. For additional luxury, its refurbished suites provide an expansive ocean view from the sitting area, making it a welcome retreat.
Highlights
- Three whirlpools
- Windstar's open bridge policy
- Computer center
- Pool
Sailing now
91 cruises on sale, from $1,100.
Questions
L'Austral or Star Legend?
Which is bigger, L'Austral or Star Legend?
Star Legend is bigger at 12,995 gross tons, against 10,944 gross tons for L'Austral. L'Austral carries 264 passengers and Star Legend carries 312.
Which ship is newer, L'Austral or Star Legend?
Star Legend is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2015 against 2011 for L'Austral.
Which has more space per passenger?
Star Legend, with 41.7 gross tons per passenger against 41.5 on L'Austral. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Star Legend, with one crew member for every 1.7 passengers against one for every 1.9 on L'Austral.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 4.0 out of 10.
Still deciding?
Tell us what matters and we will match the sailing
Send your dates, budget and who is travelling, and our partner travel agency will come back to you about L'Austral, Star Legend or a ship that suits you better.