Any websites for checking cabin availability?

[avalong]

59 minutes ago, r&rd said:

We have also been cruising since 1999 with over 40 Windstar cruises. I have to say only one of those was disappointing and it had nothing to do with the cabin! If you look at the ship deck plans you will notice that midship is actually where the forward cabins are located. On the other hand, it is important to get the cabin you feel makes you comfortable. I agree with the suggestion to be put on a wait list - right now I think a lot of people are booking cruises at different times in hopes that at least one actually sails! I've had six cancellations so far and have 4 more booked but I'm just holding ny breath.

Petoonya, as r&d points out, on the sailing ships those forward cabins are pretty darn mid-ship. When I figured that out I booked a B cabin on the Spirit, very far forward (I think it was next-to-most-forward). We were very happy with it.

[Petoonya]

3 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Petoonya – you clearly need to find a new Travel Agent.  Unfortunately Cruise Critic rules prohibit anyone mentioning any TAs by name (or soliciting off-site contacts to do so).  Let's hope this isn't your last trip, and that you can find a good TA by asking folks on board!

Thanks Host J.

[TakingFlight]

Petoonya, first I want to give you my sincere sympathies with your personal loss.  I’ve been there and know how difficult the waiting can be.  As far as your cruise is concerned I’ve gotten a chuckle out of your postings for one reason-I think we are very much alike in wanting to make our own plans and control our own destiny. For this reason I don’t use a TA, in spite of the promise of additional discounts and OBC. For example, I’ve had  to cancel 4 major trips this year including a Viking River Cruise in Egypt in November. I moved the reservation to next year, but the date I want isn’t available so I check every day for availability. I can’t imagine having to go through a TA instead of calling Viking 

directly to get the date I want because the inventory can disappear within a few hours. That being said, I want to thank you for all your research and notes on the Tahiti shore excursions. I will be relying on them to make my plans for next year’s cruise very soon.

[Petoonya]

42 minutes ago, TakingFlight said:

Petoonya, first I want to give you my sincere sympathies with your personal loss.  I’ve been there and know how difficult the waiting can be.  As far as your cruise is concerned I’ve gotten a chuckle out of your postings for one reason-I think we are very much alike in wanting to make our own plans and control our own destiny. For this reason I don’t use a TA, in spite of the promise of additional discounts and OBC. For example, I’ve had  to cancel 4 major trips this year including a Viking River Cruise in Egypt in November. I moved the reservation to next year, but the date I want isn’t available so I check every day for availability. I can’t imagine having to go through a TA instead of calling Viking 

directly to get the date I want because the inventory can disappear within a few hours. That being said, I want to thank you for all your research and notes on the Tahiti shore excursions. I will be relying on them to make my plans for next year’s cruise very soon.

You read me all too well.

Yes big mistake in turning over the reins to someone else control freak that I am.

 

Have to share with you that I opened an email right before seeing your post and guess what? It was from my TA saying that because my cruise wasn't until 2021, checking for other cabin availability can wait for 2021 too.

 🙃

Serves me right!

[Host Jazzbeau]

I had an email from my TA today reminding me that my final payment for a land tour in Spain in October would be due in two weeks (90 days out).  I replied to her that I had seen a Covid notice on the vendor's website saying that final payment has been postponed until 60 days out and wanted to wait until August to decide what to do.  She immediately called me to say that she had discovered in the fine print that while the final payment was postponed, the penalty dates had not been changed – so if I cancelled now I would only lose $50 per person, but if I waited until 61 days out I would lose the entire deposit of $300 per person.  She then took her time to call the vendor to see if they would be flexible – and got a 'no.'  We discussed how things are developing and at her suggestion I cancelled today.  This means she loses her commission.  Why wouldn't I want a TA who does all this work for me, knowing that she isn't going to be paid for it???  She has earned my loyalty and even though I know another TA who gives very large rebates, ALL my future business is going to this one.

[Petoonya]

@Host Jazzbeau

What a dedicated TA you've found. That is truly amazing and is worth his/her weight in gold.

But.....even though I've been away from the board until recently can see that you are a wonderfully kind person who would make someone want to go the extra mile. I have a TA just like that but didn't use her on this one as no rebate. What I mistake I made and won't do it again.

Thanks for the reinforcement.

[Heartfelttraveler]

On 11/20/2019 at 9:09 PM, e39m5 said:

Hey all.  I make websites when I'm not cruising and was able to pull this together.  Sorry it's ugly, but hope it helps!

https://www.windstarwizard.com

 

I'll experiment a bit with getting it to update more frequently (right now it's just daily).  Unfortunately Windstar doesn't make this easy, but hope this beats waiting until 2021 😅

 

 

It isn't ugly and was so informative.  Any chance you would get back into updating this once a week, or even once a month?

 

[Escriteur]

Hi there! Not sure if any of you who previously posted are still following this thread, but I'm curious as to why there were some negative comments re. cabin 240 (mainly from @Strenz and @Petoonya). We'll be sailing in cabin 240 on Wind Star next month, and I'm wondering what to expect. Thanks in advance for any feedback from those of you who have sailed in that cabin!

[Strenz]

Hi Escriteur, It was so long ago 2011. Many cruises with WS since then. I think I meant that 240 is right next to the stairwell ( no elevators on the Spirit and Star ) the cabins have great sound protection but some people do not like being next to the stairs and do not like that. We have never had a bad room on any of the 27 cruises we have been on with WS. Then again we are not at all fussy. We crossed the Pacific and cruised Tahiti went she first went back, 2014. Beyond beautiful and being in that a lagoon on a sailing ship was absolutely superb. we think the lagoon screams sails.  We loved every second. Enjoy and Happy Sailing. 

[Escriteur]

On 4/1/2023 at 7:52 PM, Strenz said:

Hi Escriteur, It was so long ago 2011. Many cruises with WS since then. I think I meant that 240 is right next to the stairwell ( no elevators on the Spirit and Star ) the cabins have great sound protection but some people do not like being next to the stairs and do not like that. We have never had a bad room on any of the 27 cruises we have been on with WS. Then again we are not at all fussy. We crossed the Pacific and cruised Tahiti went she first went back, 2014. Beyond beautiful and being in that a lagoon on a sailing ship was absolutely superb. we think the lagoon screams sails.  We loved every second. Enjoy and Happy Sailing. 

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and clarify your thoughts on cabin 240, and for sharing your feedback and good wishes for our forthcoming cruise! 🙂 We're about a month and half out from our departure, and getting more excited about it by the day!

[Strenz]

Happy Sailing and make sure when you return you let us know how it went. Enjoy, be Safe, Susanne