Vaccine

[msears101]

For those who are concerned about "Vaccines" and/or travelling with people who are unvaccinated, might appreciate this link, which is updates very often.  It gives lots of "extra" information like "the percent of the eligible people" who have taken the vaccine.  The percent of eligible people who are getting vaccinated is not as high as I would have thought.  In my state (NY) .  It got as high as 66% of eligible people (over 65, preexisting conditions, and at risk workers - people who without debate should have the vaccine)  before they expanded the criteria (and the number obviously fell) because there were unused appointments.  In my area, there are available appointments for anyone over 50 only waiting a day or two (starting tomorrow)

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/health/covid-vaccine-states-distribution-doses/

 

A quick note on the vaccine card that you will receive after being vaccinated - it is not an official document, and it is downloadable on the internet, which means for US citizens for now, it will be the honor system.  The cards are not signed in any way or in any way legal. I am not saying it to be a negatively nelly, but because I respect many people on this board, and want to make sure you all are making informed decisions about your safety. At least with Windstar you only have to trust 150-300 people (compared 4000+ on RCL).

 

 

 

 

[Strenz]

I am a numbers person and as far as trusting people and the vaccine and individual behavior sadly my trust is not there. Therefore , I really believe in the vaccine passport.  I think it makes good sense, does not put people in danger for other people's dishonesty. I have read extensivey that IATA is coming out with a passport as well IBM and the various airlines. As for cruise ships more and more are making  it it a policy that a vaccine is mandatory to sail, more and more are vaccinating their crews. I hope that WS follows this policy as well. All they need is one case and instant shut down, rerouting passengers and a flood of cancellations. It is a win win policy. Fingers crossed they will do what is right because we are sitting on 2 cruises this year. We can not wait to carry on with WS.Happy Sailing. 

[Barrycat]

As far as I can tell, the current Windstar Health and Safety Guidelines do not deal with passengers who have had the vaccine regimen. Those guidelines require a negative test result either 96 or 72 hours before boarding. The 72 hour requirement applies if you plan to tour outside the US before boarding which means that in many cases you would need to get tested outside the US.

Hopefully Windstar will update the requirements to reflect the fact that by the time that they sail again, many, hopefully most, passengers will have been vaccinated.

My hope is that proof of vaccination not just negative test will be the requirement.

[SailingSteve77]

I just received this from my TA and note that final payment is not due now until 60 days prior to your sailing date.  Good news indeed!  Cheers.

 

March 30, 2021

 

Dear Travel Advisor partner,

We hope you are as excited as we are to send your clients off to sail again after a year plus without cruising while hunkering down at home waiting for the pandemic to let up. During this pause in operations, we’ve been busy researching and collaborating with experts for guidance on creating a safer environment on board, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cruise Lines International Association and through our partnership with the Senior Medical Director at the UC Health Infection Control and Prevention Department at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

 

With the knowledge and science available to us today, until further notice we have made the decision to require a current COVID-19 vaccine for all guests sailing aboard Windstar’s yachts . As you can imagine, we came to this decision after much thought and expert consultation, as well as after surveying our own guests. The vast majority of our guests are in favor of requiring a vaccine to cruise. In looking at the science behind the virus and how it spreads, we see consistent recommendations for mask wearing, social distancing, testing, enhanced cleaning, safer HVAC systems, and now that they are available, vaccinations. We are not alone in our thinking. We’ve seen many countries, other cruise lines and airlines require vaccines. A vaccine is the ultimate (though still not perfect) layer of safety for all of us. Combined with our Beyond Ordinary Care protocols, we believe requiring vaccinations of guests and crew is the right thing to do to create a healthier and safer environment on board. This Windstar standard is subject to change as CDC guidelines change. Windstar will periodically review this and all other COVID-19 policies for updates as the pandemic evolves.

 

At the cruise terminal prior to embarkation, guests will be required to provide proof of a completed vaccine course (one or two shots depending on the brand) finished at least 14 days prior to their embarkation date. For example, if they are boarding on July 17, then they should have their second shot (or first if it’s the Johnson & Johnson single shot) by July 3 at the latest. Our first sailing date is June 19th, nearly three months away. Recent news reports about increased vaccine availability in the United States and abroad give us confidence that guests who wish to sail with us will have time to be vaccinated before travel. To provide you with more confidence, we have moved the final payment date from 120 days to 60 days prior to cruise departure.

 

Additionally, proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before embarkation will be required and Windstar will test guests again at the pier prior to boarding. There also may be country and airline specific requirements for testing prior to travel. Guests should monitor these requirements as well so they may make appropriate arrangements for this pre-travel / pre-arrival testing.

 

Much thought and planning went into this decision. We realize not everyone can or will receive the vaccine for differing reasons. If this is the case for your clients, please know that we sympathize with their feelings of disappointment, perhaps tinged with frustration. We are sorry and will miss seeing your clients on board while the pandemic continues.

 

If your clients are unable to meet the COVID-19 vaccination requirement, we will gladly provide them a refund for cancellations that occur greater than 60 days prior to sailing, and a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) will be issued for cancellations occurring within 60 days before sailing. They may contact Windstar guest services to request a refund. Windstar will process the refund to the original form(s) of payment at 100% of the amount paid to Windstar Cruises. Please note Windstar does not reimburse third party (non-Windstar) travel expenses or fees.

 

In preparation to return to sailing, we continue to review and update our health and safety practices including enhanced sanitation protocols, health screenings, pre-embarkation testing for guests and crew, additional medical staff on board, flexible indoor and outdoor dining, and crew training. Our Beyond Ordinary Care program is a multi-layered strategy with key hospital-grade elements: HEPA filters and UV-C germicidal irradiation to filter and disinfect circulated air, plus electrostatic sprayers to sanitize all surfaces throughout our yachts. Learn more about these measures here.

We are excited to get back on the water and deliver that extraordinary experience you expect from us. Our first sailing dates are as follows:

• June 19, 2021: Star Breeze in the Caribbean and Wind Star in Mediterranean
• July 15, 2021: Wind Spirit in Tahiti
• August 8, 2021: Wind Surf in the Mediterranean
• September 4, 2021: Star Legend in the Northern Europe
• November 3, 2021: Star Pride in the Caribbean

Please be advised that we anticipate longer hold times due to high call volumes. We appreciate your patience.

It’s important to encourage your clients to check back for updates to policies and procedures before they travel to embark on their Windstar cruise. Pay special attention to these items:

• COVID-19 vaccine requirements
• Testing policies including a timeline to present a negative COVID-19 test and type of tests accepted
• Mask wearing rules
• Shore excursion policies

The health and well-being of our guests, crew, land-based employees and people in the communities we visit is always a top priority. We have taken extraordinary measures in an effort to safely operate our yachts for our guests and crewmembers and will continue to do so once we resume operations.

 

Our mission has always been to create exceptional private yacht-style cruises so that our guests may experience and gain a personal understanding of the world. We appreciate your patience as we navigate these new measures so that we can get back to what we do best – cruising and exploring.

 

We wish you and your family good health. We look forward to welcoming your clients on their Windstar cruise for a 180 degrees from ordinary experience. 

 

Very truly yours,

Christopher Prelog

President

WINDSTAR CRUISES

[Strenz]

Bravo Windstar Cruises you have done the right thing. I guess time will tell re excursions getting off the ship etc.  etc. Certainly  if people behaved better, were less selfish perhaps multiple tests and their excursions only policy would not be necessary. Here's hoping. Happy Sailing.