Words of wisdom before bailing

[jumelle]

My husband are booked for a July 21 10 day Tahiti cruise this year. After everything that we have read here we are seriously considering cancelling. This would probably be our only trip to Tahiti and we want it to be perfect. The fact that Windstar is now only starting up in June makes us very nervous. We do not like the new excursion restrictions, we had reserved with private outfitters and prefer to go that route. How can they provide excursions like snorkeling to everyone who wants to go? The expanded dining hours only means fighting to get the dinner time you prefer or eating dinner at 6. We got an amazing deal on this cruise. Half what the present fares are. Also got great first class airfare on Delta also half of United. It doesn’t seem that Windstar will honor our great fare and transfer to new cruise. Also there are very few 10 day cruises in 2022 on Wind Spirit. Do you think the fares will come down next year from what they are now? We hate to cancel it all but it doesn’t sound that cruising on Windstar in 2021 will be anything like we have known.

[MNgardens]

Have you tried monitoring the Tahitian news sources for information as to how their local vaccine efforts are progressing? Perhaps there are updates from WHO or the UN that would have data. If the country is not on track to have a significant portion of their population vaccinated, I would doubt that they would open for tourism.

 

As of Feb 1 they were vaccinating the elderly and health workers. https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/435567/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-in-tahiti-targets-health-staff

 

Here is an article from Feb 8 https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/08/new-covid-variants-end-travel-to-tahiti-bora-bora-and-st-barts-.html

The article makes it sound like they do not control opening or closing - the French government does.

 

Article from 2 weeks ago mentions that they are using the Pfizer vaccine and the cold storage needed is limiting distribution. https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/436104/covid-19-death-toll-in-tahiti-now-at-135

 

I guess if I had a once in a lifetime trip planned that I wanted to be perfect, I would put it off.

 

 

[Petoonya]

@jumelle

You are stuck between a rock and a hard place for sure, just as a lot of us have been. From everything you say, in your heart of hearts this is not ideal, and first trip ought to be. Your choice is 1) cancel now and give up the good fare 2) wait until WS cancels, (who knows if they will). But if they do you can fight like heck to get the same promotion you booked it at for another date. It's not guaranteed but it's definitely possible, yet only if WS cancels first.

 

It's stressful waiting but if you make the decision not to go, you should be able to postpone (negotiate this) putting down your final payment until 2-3 months prior to sailing. That way you can hope WS cancels, and then you push hard for that promotional fare for later. If WS doesn't cancel before FP, you can cancel the day before and just lose $100. All is not lost. Sounds like you really don't want to go and you have some money saving possibilities.

 

I'd wait till FP and see what happens. We're booked for Nov 2021, and Aug 2022. Sensing that shorex will be the same as now in Nov (I won't go) but maybe Aug 2022 things will be better. Sorry for you.😞

[susiesan]

The airlines that fly to Tahiti have severely cut back on their flights. Take a look at airline schedules for July and see if you can even get there assuming W is sailing by then. Since FP has to do what France says, and France won't be allowing any tourism there this summer , it is unlikely FP will have any tourism visits. No other cruise line has anything sailing in June, Windstar won't either.

[Petoonya]

 No other cruise line has anything sailing in June, Windstar won't either.

 

@susiesan

PG has June 16 and 26 scheduled. Not that they'll sail but who knows?

Edited February 28, 2021 by Petoonya