Wind Star charter

We were thinking of sailing Tahiti on Windstar and decided to try a Caribbean cruise on the Wind Surf in March 2018 to see if we liked them before committing to Tahiti.

In looking on the Windstar website last week, I found no listing for our March 2018 sailing so I called them to inquire if the ship had been chartered; I was told there was no issue with our booking.

Our TA also contacted Windstar, was also given a vague response, only to be contacted by them a few days later to be told that our sailing had been chartered.

Windstar provided a full refund, but no incentive to rebook another cruise despite our TA's advising them that we were experienced cruisers and of our interest in booking Tahiti in addition to the Caribbean sailing.

Very disappointing, not sure if we will decide to try Windstar again.

If ou don't do a Windstar cruise to Tahiti you would be passing on an unbelievable experience

You have to put these kind of situation into perspective. Windstar is a small cruises line compare to NCLL, RCI, etc. The big player can offer you another cruise on the same date on another ship.

If you had fully paid the cruise (90 days prior), then I think it would be a sensible thing to do. If not, I am not sure about their obligation.

This being said, we did the Grenadines on Windstar in 2015 and loved it. Barbados to St-Lucia (first night) and Bequi-Barbados (last night) can be rougher because the ship is entering or leaving the carribean (current, wind, etc). We are doing Tahiti in July. I understand that anything can happen regarding our booking. We have our vacation time at work, flight, hotel, booked already but we have plan B (we're still going LOL )

Wind Surf in march 2018 is still early. Check if you can have another date and check for special.

good luck.

I have booked a Windstar cruise that was chartered and it is a pain. However, all cruise lines will book a charter. Your cruise is such a long time away, perhaps that's why no incentive was offered. You couldn't even book airfare yet, so maybe they assumed you had no financial loss.

If possible for you to travel later, the weather would be better. March is during their rainy season. Don't give up on Windstar, it is a wonderful experience.

Having sailed the other small ship line in French Polynesia, I'd say you're cutting off your nose to spite your face. You are talking a year out and before you bought airfare, so I'm just not seeing a huge problem and don't see where compensation should be offered.

I would think that WS would give some sort of compensation. There could be lost costs even booking over 1 year out. For example, you might have bought cruise insurance because of a pre-existing condition (which you typically need to buy within about 14 days of initial payment). Also, there is the time spent deciding on what cruise you want to take. The "new" cruise that you are willing to take may be more expensive than the first so you will not be paying more. If nothing else, give an OBC which really does not cost WS much.

I just think that WS owes the passengers something for the inconvenience of cancelling their cruise.

Person

We had a cancellation for our group of twelve about ten months prior to sailing in the Med. Without prompting, Windstar gave all of our group OBC in compensation.

I would suggest that this situation is why you use a travel agent. As new customers to Windstar your negotiating power is limited but that should not be the case if you have an effective travel agent. This is a case when they should be earning their commission, not just collecting it.

I'm not sure that I agree considering your particular situation that I think some compensation is warranted, but if you think it is, put the pressure on your TA, that's where the pressure belongs.

Your biggest mistake may be ahead of you, not taking Windstar to Tahiti. We have done it, don't miss it.

I would think that WS would give some sort of compensation. There could be lost costs even booking over 1 year out. For example, you might have bought cruise insurance because of a pre-existing condition (which you typically need to buy within about 14 days of initial payment). Also, there is the time spent deciding on what cruise you want to take.

You aren't going to get any compensation for "time spent" pondering your next cruise. Most travel insurance policies may be rolled over to another trip, nothing lost there.

You aren't going to get any compensation for "time spent" pondering your next cruise. Most travel insurance policies may be rolled over to another trip, nothing lost there.

Did not mean for payment for "time spent" but really for the inconvenience associated with the change. WS sure wants to keep some of your deposit (to pay for their expended labor) if YOU cancel. If you look at the WS pricing, each cruise date has a different price for the most part. WS offering to "transfer" the booking to another cruise on the same itinerary at no increase in price (or an OBC equal to the price difference) would be a good customer relations thing to do.

I am a potential first time Windstar cruiser, who just found out the cruise we had booked with Windstar had just been chartered (it was scheduled for Feb, 2018).

Ironically, I booked it because a few months ago, another cruise we had booked on a major line was chartered, and I was not offered any kind of fair deal on a different trip, other than two trips in January, which we could not take due to work schedule. Their representative had no leeway to consider anything other than what corporate had authorized. So I bid them adieu and called Windstar.

When I received the call today, needless to say I was worried as I was told my Windstar trip had also just been chartered. I thought, "Oh no, here we go again!"

However, I was glad to see that Windstar treated me as a person, and listened to my request. They were very flexible in accommodating my request and I was very satisfied in the offer they made. We quickly came to agreement. Now I am booked on what I consider a better cruise, with a better cabin, at a very fair price. And I am looking forward to being a happy customer.

Doug

Our January 2018 cruise was also chartered and we were very pleased with how Windstar handled the situation. They offered to move us to the next cruise which was more expensive and cover up to $500 PP in airline change fees. We had not yet booked air but had booked 3 night lodging before the cruise. The lodging could be cancelled with no penalty's but the 3 nights for the next week was $400 more. The sent me a check for the difference and we are now looking forward to our 1st Windstar cruise one week later than originally planned.

I also had a $200 referral OBC and a $80 price drop OBC that they not only transferred but also rounding from $280 to $300. The free beverage package we had from the original booking transferred as well.