giscoper

You are more easy to please than we are. We finally received the refund for the 12/26 cruise yesterday (postmarked 2/5). The fact that you are willing to pay again and not use the credit till a future sailing is odd. You (like we) were inconvenienced and lost an opportunity for a long planned vacation over the holidays. I, like several others above, have no intention of using the credit. Windstar has been unresponsive and incompetent.

I have called multiple numbers at Windstar in order to find out where to address my complaints. Each time I am put on hold and then disconnected. Does anyone have the phone number or email of the president?

I too was scheduled for the 12/26 cruise and received an email that I would receive a full refund along with a credit of 50% of the base price of my cruise to be used on a future sailing. My TA got a run-a-round about using the credit on the 1/16 Sea Breeze sailing ("our computers can't handle it yet"). Eventually, on 12/28 he received an email from Ellie White, Voyage Services Specialist at Windstar, stating that the money already paid would be placed on account, the new cruise (priced at $5058) would be deducted, and the $3500 credit would be later added to my account. I would then receive a refund of the price between the 2 trips plus the credit. On the basis of her email, I purchased new non-refundable airline tickets and reserved a non-refundable room at the Bristol Panama. Despite the hassle, we were clearly excited to make the arrangements.

Much to my surprise, my TA called on 1/4 to say that Windstar had reneged on the written agreement. Since the money was on account, the 1/16 sailing would represent a "re booking" rather than a new cruise and the credit could not be applied (I would have to use it on yet another cruise!). Furthermore, the price of $5058 would not be honored, since this was a promotional rate (which anyone could get so late) and I would have to pay the regular rate of $6024! Despite multiple calls to the Windstar hierarchy, no one would budge. I cancelled the trip and will be out hundreds of dollars because Windstar did not honor their written agreement. This is not reimbursable with travel insurance.

Is anyone familiar with a mechanism to sue this outfit or at least prevent them from doing business in the state of New York? I wish I had read prior Cruise Critic threads before booking this trip. Windstar is not a reputable company.