Cruise line For Windstar guests
Windstar at Kusadasi: Room for a Slower Ephesus
- Calls in the next 12 months
- 31
- Typical time in port
- 16 hours
- Most common times
- 07:00-23:00
- Tour that usually fits
- The Road of Paul and John
Windstar's small yachts stay at Kusadasi longer than almost anyone else who calls here, some past eleven at night. That is room for a slower, fuller Ephesus day than most cruise passengers get.
The short answer
Windstar's small ships dock alongside the same as any other line, but they stay far longer: a median of 16 hours ashore, arriving as early as 7:00 a.m. and some evenings not sailing until 11:00 p.m. With that much time, our full-day tours fit comfortably, and the late evening still leaves room for whatever Windstar has planned on board or at the site after hours.
Windstar's ships stay at Kusadasi longer than almost anyone else
Most cruise lines give their guests six to ten hours ashore at Kusadasi. Windstar's calls run a median of 16 hours, with the shortest still at 13. The most common pattern on the schedule is a 7:00 a.m. arrival and an 11:00 p.m. departure, which is one of the latest sailing times of any line calling here.
You are most likely to be on Wind Surf or Star Legend, which cover most of Windstar's Kusadasi calls; Wind Star and Wind Spirit appear less often. All four are small motor-sailing yachts carrying a few hundred guests, a very different scale from the port's bigger arrivals, though they dock alongside the same pier.
Why the day runs so late
Windstar has built part of its Ephesus program around an after-hours event at the Library of Celsus, where guests are reported to have the ruins to themselves for a complimentary dinner with live music once the site closes to the public. Windstar has said it intends to expand this kind of evening event across its fleet through 2027, though the exact evenings it runs can vary by sailing.
That event is Windstar's own, arranged directly with the ship, not something we run or book. What it does explain is the late departure time: the ship stays in port well into the evening so guests can take part before sailing.
The tour that fits a typical Windstar call
Windstar ships usually spend about 16 hours in Kuşadası. The highlighted row is where most of their guests land.
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Time in port: Under 5 hours ashore
The Open-Air Circle
No tickets and almost no walking: Artemis, Selcuk and a drive past the ruins.
Tour length: 3-4 hours
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Time in port: 5 to 8 hours
Just Ephesus
Ephesus from the Upper Gate down to the Lower Gate, and back with time to spare.
Tour length: 3-3.5 hours
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Time in port: 8 to 9 hours
Marble, Mosaics and Artemis
All of Ephesus, the Terrace Houses and the Temple of Artemis.
Tour length: 5.5-6.5 hours
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Where most guests on this line land
Time in port: 9 hours or more
The Road of Paul and John
Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, St. John and Artemis.
Tour length: 6-7 hours
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Time in port: Late arrival, tender or tight call
All-Aboard Ephesus
We plan backward from all-aboard and fit in only what fits.
Tour length: Fits your call
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Time in port: You have your own list
Your Ship, Your Day
Tell us your ship and your wishes; we build the day around both.
Tour length: Fits your call
Every tour is private and priced from €33 per person for groups of 8 or more; smaller groups get a private quote. Any group size: 1 to 52 people per coach, and more coaches for larger groups. Entrance tickets are extra, at the official price.
A private day still earns its place
Windstar's fare does not generally include standard shore excursions; guests who want a guided day book and pay for one separately, apart from the complimentary evening event described above. A private tour with us covers the daytime hours: All-Aboard Ephesus is built to flex around whatever your call allows, so the site visit finishes well before you would need to be back for anything Windstar has planned that evening.
If you would rather build the day from scratch, a custom day works from your own list and your ship's actual times rather than a fixed itinerary.
A quieter morning off a small ship
With only a few hundred guests aboard, the terminal at Kusadasi is noticeably quieter when a Windstar ship is in than on a morning with one of the port's larger arrivals. The walk from gangway to the exit is the same short distance for everyone, but there is less of a line at the door.
The meeting point itself does not change: our guide waits right outside the terminal exit at Kusadasi's cruise port, holding a sign with your name, the same as for every other tour we run; it takes about a minute to connect once you step out. See how we read the full port schedule for the days when Windstar shares the pier with other ships.
Windstar's season and what to tell us
Windstar's Kusadasi calls run from spring through fall on the current schedule, with nothing over the winter months. If your cruise falls in that window, send us your ship's name and date, the all-aboard time from your daily program, your party size, and whether you already have Windstar's own evening event booked, so we can plan the daytime hours around it rather than against it.
Reach us through the inquiry form; nothing is paid in advance, and we reply within 24 hours.
Windstar ships in Kuşadası, next 12 months
Ships: Wind Surf (21), Star Legend (11), Wind Star (3), Wind Spirit (2).
October 2026 2 calls
| Date | Ship | Arrives | Departs | In port |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 16 Oct | Star Legend | 09:00 | 23:00 | 14 h |
| Thu 22 Oct | Star Legend | 08:00 | 23:00 | 15 h |
April 2027 3 calls
| Date | Ship | Arrives | Departs | In port |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 14 Apr | Star Legend | 09:00 | 23:00 | 14 h |
| Tue 20 Apr | Star Legend | 08:00 | 23:00 | 15 h |
| Fri 30 Apr | Star Legend | 09:00 | 23:00 | 14 h |
May 2027 5 calls
| Date | Ship | Arrives | Departs | In port |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 6 May | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Thu 6 May | Star Legend | 08:00 | 23:00 | 15 h |
| Thu 13 May | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Thu 20 May | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Thu 27 May | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
June 2027 4 calls
| Date | Ship | Arrives | Departs | In port |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 3 Jun | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Thu 10 Jun | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Thu 17 Jun | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Thu 24 Jun | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
July 2027 4 calls
| Date | Ship | Arrives | Departs | In port |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 Jul | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Thu 8 Jul | Wind Surf | 08:00 | 23:00 | 15 h |
| Thu 15 Jul | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Thu 22 Jul | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
August 2027 4 calls
| Date | Ship | Arrives | Departs | In port |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 7 Aug | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Sat 14 Aug | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Sat 21 Aug | Wind Surf | 08:00 | 23:00 | 15 h |
| Sat 28 Aug | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
September 2027 9 calls
| Date | Ship | Arrives | Departs | In port |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 1 Sep | Star Legend | 10:00 | 23:00 | 13 h |
| Sat 4 Sep | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Sat 11 Sep | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Mon 13 Sep | Star Legend | 09:00 | 23:00 | 14 h |
| Sat 18 Sep | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Sun 19 Sep | Star Legend | 08:00 | 23:00 | 15 h |
| Sat 25 Sep | Wind Surf | 07:00 | 23:00 | 16 h |
| Sat 25 Sep | Star Legend | 10:00 | 23:00 | 13 h |
| Mon 27 Sep | Wind Surf |
From the published port schedules, checked September 28, 2026. Times can change; your ship's program always wins.
Questions cruise guests ask us
What time do Windstar ships leave Kusadasi?
Often not until 11:00 p.m., among the latest departures of any line at this port. The median call runs 16 hours ashore, so a full daytime tour still leaves the evening free.
Does Windstar include shore excursions in the fare?
No. Standard shore excursions are booked and paid separately, apart from Windstar's complimentary after-hours event at Ephesus, which is open to every guest on an eligible sailing.
What is Windstar's evening event at Ephesus?
A complimentary dinner staged at the Library of Celsus after the site closes to the public, with live music, arranged directly by Windstar rather than by an outside operator. Windstar has said it plans to run this kind of event fleetwide through 2027.
Which ships does Windstar sail into Kusadasi?
Mainly Wind Surf and Star Legend, with Wind Star and Wind Spirit calling less often. All four are small motor-sailing yachts that dock alongside the pier.
Is a private tour worth booking if I already have Windstar's evening event?
Yes, if you want to see Ephesus by day with your own private guide. A daytime private tour and Windstar's evening dinner cover different hours, so one does not replace the other.
Info Ephesus is an independent, TÜRSAB-licensed local operator. We are not affiliated with Windstar; the name is used only to show which ships call at Kuşadası.
On a Windstar ship to Kuşadası?
Send the ship, the date and your all-aboard time. We reply within 24 hours with a plan and an exact price.
Get My QuoteNo prepayment · Reply within 24 hours · TÜRSAB 15746
Prefer email? info@infoephesus.com
