French Polynesia

[Essiesmom]

Today we received notice the Ocean Crossing of Star Breeze has been cancelled.  They will still sail the ship there, but can’t take passengers.  EM

[susiesan]

16 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

Today we received notice the Ocean Crossing of Star Breeze has been cancelled.  They will still sail the ship there, but can’t take passengers.  EM

How do you know the Breeze will actually make the crossing?  As of today she is about to enter the Panama Canal, currently at Colon. With Tahiti still in a lockdown that may be extended through September, Windstar may have decided to wait and see when they can actually cruise in Tahiti before sending a ship over just to park. Far less expensive to wait it out in Costa Rica than in Papeete.

[Essiesmom]

1 hour ago, susiesan said:

How do you know the Breeze will actually make the crossing?  As of today she is about to enter the Panama Canal, currently at Colon. With Tahiti still in a lockdown that may be extended through September, Windstar may have decided to wait and see when they can actually cruise in Tahiti before sending a ship over just to park. Far less expensive to wait it out in Costa Rica than in Papeete.

This was part of the email we received:

 

We regret to inform you that the government of French Polynesia has announced a containment order due to a spike in COVID-19 cases. This means that everything in Tahiti is in lockdown through at least September 6 and cruises aren’t allowed to operate at this time. Unfortunately, this means your cruise is canceled as we are unable to carry guests to Tahiti. We were working with the Tahiti government to allow us to sail this crossing and just received notice it is not possible. We are still positioning the Star Breeze to Tahiti so she can resume sailing there when the containment order is lifted.

[Mandolorian]

It appears all we can do is wait and see what the government of French Polynesia does. We have an 18 September scheduled cruise on the Star Breeze out of Tahiti. Currently cruisemapper shows there are 3 cruise ships "suspended" in Papeete harbor, Le Paul Gauguin, Le Boreal and the Windstar Wind Spirit. Several of these cruises are scheduled to resume cruising right after the 6 September current suspension date, so we are going to see if / when these ships are released or not. 

[LTCOP]

Yes, I have a friend currently on board the Breeze and they will still sail to Tahiti without passengers.  Hopefully, the Covid numbers will come down quickly and cruises will be able to resume soon.

 

[HuliHuli]

3 hours ago, LTCOP said:

Yes, I have a friend currently on board the Breeze and they will still sail to Tahiti without passengers.  Hopefully, the Covid numbers will come down quickly and cruises will be able to resume soon.

 

I think we all have friends on the Star Breeze!  So sad to see such a wonderful ship taken offline.  Fair winds and following Breezes during the transit.

[imallears]

On 8/19/2021 at 4:11 PM, Wilcoam said:

We are booked on the Oct 17th Breeze 11 nighter, if it goes, it will be our 3rd visit to Tahiti 

 

Our thoughts, living in Canada, if we want to go to the USA, Europe, or the South Pacific, we gotta multi test, PCR or Antigen, whatever, its no biggie to us, we think it's gonna become one of those things you have to get used too if you want to travel internationally, from what I can read all the PPT resorts/hotels will be offering them for a fee, as well as every airport, including transiting airport(s), so it'll be less time in the lounge, more time standing in airport line(s) 🙂  

 

But yes, every time you take a COVID test, there's a risk build in that you might test positive, though if I ever have to quarantine again, and for 10 days, a resort in PPT seems like an awfully nice place to get stuck in, pricing aside, as long as someone continually delivers poisson cru and creme brûlée I'm good!

 

Same for wearing masks, its no biggie to us, we think its gonna be part of the international travel regiment for years to come, as is sometimes getting a non COVID vaccine, so especially indoors in the ship, airports, transport, etc, we'll eagerly be masked  

 

This is also our take on infection breakouts, look its gonna flair up everywhere, every so often, whether it's Austin, London, Toronto, PPT,  NYC, and it'll come in waves, I can see if you travelling to the Islands in Aug or early Sept, why you might want to postpone to say later in Sept or Oct, the enviro everywhere changes like every 10-14 days, and no question a negative wave has hit the Islands, but hopefully French Polynessia continues to increase their domestic vaccine rate, and the infected numbers subside in the coming weeks, fingers and toes crossed

 

Anyway, safe travels to everyone, may you get to paradise this fall, or if not, in 2022, we just adore Tahiti and dream about dangling our feet in that shallow lagoon ocean, dining at Villa Mahona, touring with Patrick, listening to his stories, having breakfast on the rear of a Windstar ship looking at the Bora Bora peaks, and that brisket BQQ photo at the new grill looks Texas tasty....

 

JC   

 

 

 

 

I loved reading your upbeat attitude about travel. I'm scheduled for the Wind Spirit October 14th sailing and an additional week staying in Moorea and Bora Bora. All the testing and mask requirements are fine with me. I went through it all for my 3 1/2 week trip to Hawaii last spring. I really needed to read your post...it gave me hope for our trip. We are now on our 4th booking after close downs and cancellations.  Thanks

[Wilcoam]

Hang in there IM, the trip to Tahiti came about for us because all our proposed trips to the UK in Sept, and two music festivals in your country in Oct, one in San Fran, and one in Alabama, which all fell through for various reasons, mostly due to a combo COVID and flights/events cancelling

 

Somewhat exasperated my wife looked up the situation in French Polynesia, and so at the time we booked the Breeze for Oct 17th, things looked pretty good infection and ICU wise

 

However I think every 10-14 days, everything can change rapidly in this enviro, anywhere in the world, even in Canada, and you have to book travel this fall knowing it's a 50% probability, our 'tude being, if the Oct 17th sailing is a no go, there's always future dates we can sail with Windstar, we already have our eye on the 7 day Dec 30th as a backup plan, (it's really inexpensive to boot) so all will not be lost (though moving flights could be problematic, but it's a first world problem)  

 

On the other hand us Canadians (who have one of the worlds best vaccine rates)  just got green lighted to be able to go to the UK just this weekend without having to quarantine so our London/Camden Sept trip so it's now 100% back on, and thus we are staying positive about Tahiti's chances in Oct, still empathy for those who were cancelled on the Costa Rica to Tahiti sailing, and or were on cancelled PG cruises, I hope you'all can re-route and re-book later in the fall or next year, without a ton of hassle, but for us Sept/Oct/Nov WS Tahiti bound folks it's great news that there will in fact still be two Windstar ships in the region come then

 

jc

Toronto   

 

   

[Petoonya]

@Wilcoam

LOVE your positivity. Want to cruise with you!

In the event that you can't cruise 10/17, consider joining a several of us CCers who, because of cancellations, have interestingly booked the same cruise. It's a 7, 11 or 18 day cruise 8/4/22. Not a group certainly; we'll probably all go our own way. But nice to have built in companions for independent tours if we're allowed them. And dinner companions if you choose.

AND in the summer in Tahiti, you can swim with the whales.

 

[susiesan]

The Tahiti lockdown is now extended until Sept. 20. Next scheduled WindSpirit sailing on Windstar web site is Sept. 23 and Star Breeze Sept. 26. The Sept. 16 and 19 sailings will have to be cancelled, they may have been by now. Such a shame.

[amandas friend]

I’m sure they will extend it 2 weeks more on September 20

[ndcpa]

Well this new article from 9/4:  https://apnews.com/article/europe-health-paris-coronavirus-pandemic-french-polynesia-ed4931273c5c51fe57c6ecad7d3e0454

 

Also.....today when I looked, Windstar is not selling any Tahiti cruises until December 2020 on their website.  

 

I'm feeling like the writing is on the wall for Sept-Nov cruises at this point....

 

[rdowney]

3 hours ago, ndcpa said:

Also.....today when I looked, Windstar is not selling any Tahiti cruises until December 2020 on their website.  

December 2020? I'm still seeing Sept 23, 2021--not that I think it will actually sail.

[Petoonya]

Who'd book October to December. Not me. But the prices are so nice it's tempting. Not quite as low as the big sale 18 months ago but still pretty nice. $1899 for 7 day, $2699 11 day. Spirit or Breeze. Like who would commit to October? Back to usual price end of December and 2022. I wish I wish I wish.

[susiesan]

What's wrong with Oct.-Dec.? I thought about trying again for Tahiti between Oct-Dec. this year but then all the FP lockdowns started happening. So I booked a road trip for Colorado, leaving next week for 10 days.

[Wilcoam]

We are still sticking with our Oct 17th WS sailing, things are stabilized in FP, or we hope, it 'may' have reached it's wave peak, and the vax rates continue to climb, 51% first shot now 

 

Though we suspect the Sept 20th will be extended to Oct 4th shortly 

 

However being realistic, we've already picked backup sailings for both WS and PG over NYE and or early Jan, if that's the case it's just a question of taking 100% cash, to have choices, or sticking with WS at 125%  credit, which is what we're leaning too, as we love the WS 10-11 day tin's, which is harder to find on PG

 

Plus we;'ve previously sailed the Wind, love the idea of cruising on the slightly larger and balcony laden Breeze, but the next 7-10 days in FP will give us all a bigger picture of the fall enviro, fingers crossed everyone here eventually gets to FP,  and or an a WS cruise

 

jc 

[cmyawn]

We have the situation that we are booked on the Star Breeze 10-day cruise on 11/22, and have a fabulous deal (rate far less than half of the current rate shown online), and lots of onboard credits, but are almost surely not going to take that cruise. Our final payment is due 9/23. Out TA thinks we should make the final payment, which then allows a scenario that if Windstar cancels our cruise, we would be eligible for either the 125% FCC, OR that Windstar will allow us to book at a future date (possibly a date of Windstar's selection) and keep our rate and onboard credits. She also strongly recommends trip insurance, should the highly unlikely even that Windstar goes belly up occur, so we could get a refund using the trip insurance. Thoughts?

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, cmyawn said:

We have the situation that we are booked on the Star Breeze 10-day cruise on 11/22, and have a fabulous deal (rate far less than half of the current rate shown online), and lots of onboard credits, but are almost surely not going to take that cruise. Our final payment is due 9/23. Out TA thinks we should make the final payment, which then allows a scenario that if Windstar cancels our cruise, we would be eligible for either the 125% FCC, OR that Windstar will allow us to book at a future date (possibly a date of Windstar's selection) and keep our rate and onboard credits. She also strongly recommends trip insurance, should the highly unlikely even that Windstar goes belly up occur, so we could get a refund using the trip insurance. Thoughts?

Double check that Windstar is covered for provider default.  Allianz doesn't list Windstar or Xanterra.

[cmyawn]

Many Thanks, great advice.

[NMTraveller]

We will wait for final payment for our holiday sailing to see what it looks like then.

[imallears]

I know my October 14th cruise is planning to sail. Cruising restrictions are now lifted and I called Windstar to verify this sailing. The current cost is $1899.00 pp. This is as cheap as I've ever seen it.

[imallears]

On 9/10/2021 at 12:33 PM, Wilcoam said:

We are still sticking with our Oct 17th WS sailing, things are stabilized in FP, or we hope, it 'may' have reached it's wave peak, and the vax rates continue to climb, 51% first shot now 

 

Though we suspect the Sept 20th will be extended to Oct 4th shortly 

 

However being realistic, we've already picked backup sailings for both WS and PG over NYE and or early Jan, if that's the case it's just a question of taking 100% cash, to have choices, or sticking with WS at 125%  credit, which is what we're leaning too, as we love the WS 10-11 day tin's, which is harder to find on PG

 

Plus we;'ve previously sailed the Wind, love the idea of cruising on the slightly larger and balcony laden Breeze, but the next 7-10 days in FP will give us all a bigger picture of the fall enviro, fingers crossed everyone here eventually gets to FP,  and or an a WS cruise

 

jc 

I feel your cruise will sail. As of tomorrow, cruising is again allowed. I called Windstar yesterday and my Wind Spirit sailing on October 14th is a go. Good luck to both of us.

[Wilcoam]

With today's news of the cruise moratorium being lifted, it looks like all the Oct cruises will likely proceed, just not so certain about the Sept one's, with the Breeze still in Costa Rica 😉 

 

It's also positive news that the restrictions were only extended for a week instead of the usual two weeks 

 

However, the current restrictions do affect one's paradise experience, if the sailing cannot land in a port on the weekend, or you have to dine at a resort after 6:30p/7:00p (8:00p closing) - Not certain if resort bars will stay open past 8:00p (maybe someone can clarify) - No non crusiseline tours, no off site resort tours, you have to stay in your lagoon, no jet skiing 

 

When you add in all the testing protocols I get why some folks will just postpone and move into Nov-Dec and or 2022, but there's superb deals to be had if you stay put in Oct, (if you can cancel, after final payment, take the 100% credit, then re-book) or jump in for Nov 

 

jc