Taken the plunge and booked on Windstar Legend - insider knowledge please

[pjtkl]

Hi All

We are an active couple in our 60's who are booked on our first Windstar cruise and need all the help we can get!

We have previously cruised with RSSC, Seabourn, Siversea, Celebrity and when the kids were young, Royal Caribbean.

I find the information on the Windstar official site fairly limited so I am turning to you for help.

Can we go to any restaurant at any time or is it the same as other ships where a reservation for speciality restaurants is necessary?

Where will we find the best cappuccino?

What are the little secrets that you have found out over time and wouldn't mind sharing with us???

Best place for a cocktail?

 

Thank you so much for giving us some hints and tips!

[milepig]

In the spirit of being welcoming, you'll love Windstar.

 

Breakfast and Lunch, all just walk in. Hours differ by the day schedule so check the sheet you'll get in the room the night before. On a nice day we love the chow at the Star Bar and you can sit as long as your want.

 

Candles and the Quadro 44 are technically by reservation and one each per cruise. You can book when you check in so it helps to have an idea of what nights you might like - avoid late departures you may decide to dine on what. Depending on how full the are you may be asked at the bar later if you'd like a reservation, or we've even just walked up. It helps to be a regular, we're top level Yacht club and they all recognize us (small ships, and the same crew in some cases for years).

 

The night of the BBQ everything else is closes, except IIRC in room dining. But the BBQ is the place to be.

 

The main dining room is only open for dinner, and totally no reservation so just walk in, you may be asked if you'd rather dine along or share a table - we like sharing.

 

Cocktails, lots of choices. On a nice night we sit by the star bar (outside), the yacht club is usually quite and has great views. Compass Rose is a little more upscale (but still casual) with a traditional bar. This is sometimes closed for receptions. All are open after dinner as well, Compass rose will likely have a show of some type or live music. We tend to go to the star bar our Yacht club, both will also serve all day. After dinner, we've trained the bar staff to drop off night caps in our cabin, they just appear after dinner. At Lunch, they're also pouring wine/beer (and I guess cocktails, a little early for us) in Veranda and at the Star Bar.

 

The best coffee drinks are in the Yacht Club in the morning, they open early and have some light food. You can take your coffee outside if the weather is nice. It's usually very quiet that time of day. I'm up first so I'll get a cup of some coffee up there and then meet my wife at veranda for breakfast.

 

Secrets? Sign up for the kitchen tour -fantastic. Go to the cooking demonstration. If offered (I haven't seen one recently) sometimes the chef will take a group to the local market - I think this is off for Covid. For all of these ask at Reception.

 

Buy the All Inclusive package, it not only covers most beverages but also shipboard daily fees and other things. And, you're never bothered for any signing of chits, etc. Once you've done it once on the first day they'll remember.  It's cheaper if you buy it  before the cruise, and you won't pay and VAT if you're in an area where they're required to charge that.

 

The smiling people at reception know everything.

 

If you've booked shore excursions pay attention to the "cancel by date" so if you're plans change they'll cancel it if you're withing the time where it's allowed. Cancellations show up on the bill as a credit. But if you buy an excursion on board it will be charged to your shipboard credit if you have any.

 

Get the laundry package - a deal!

 

They don't carry lots of extra bedding, etc., on board. If there's something you want - more or different pillows a lighter or heavier coverlet, etc. Ask early And do treat the cabin crew nicely, they're great.

 

Last secret. This is hit or miss, but they sometimes are offering cabin upgrades, check at reception as early as possible, and they'll put you on a list.

Edited July 19, 2022 by milepig

[zentraveler]

On 7/19/2022 at 9:05 AM, milepig said:

Last secret. This is hit or miss, but they sometimes are offering cabin upgrades, check at reception as early as possible, and they'll put you on a list.

Wonderful post - thank you. Have only been on one Windstar cruise before. Regarding the upgrades, are these comp UG or the opportunity to buy up to a higher level cabin? We have no status so am guessing we would be at the bottom of the list unless it is whoever gets there first. 

[marinaro44]

Paid upgrades.

[milepig]

2 hours ago, marinaro44 said:

Paid upgrades.

On board in normally paid. I don't know offhand if you can use shipboard credit?

 

Maybe 3 times in 25+ itins we got a surprise "you've bee upgraded" message at varying times before sailing. I've suspected that these are because the lower priced cabins are sold out and they rewarding frequent pax with an upgrade while also opening up a lower tied cabin for booking. One time the lighting really struck and got an owners suite.

[zentraveler]

36 minutes ago, milepig said:

On board in normally paid. I don't know offhand if you can use shipboard credit?

 

Maybe 3 times in 25+ itins we got a surprise "you've bee upgraded" message at varying times before sailing. I've suspected that these are because the lower priced cabins are sold out and they rewarding frequent pax with an upgrade while also opening up a lower tied cabin for booking. One time the lighting really struck and got an owners suite.

What has usually happened on other cruise lines is that they do this shortly before the cruise (a few days to a week) by sending out a notice, either from the cruise line of TA, and  with the offer and price and  they go to whoever responds first. Sounds like for Windstar one goes to guest services once on board to ask about them.

[milepig]

4 hours ago, zentraveler said:

What has usually happened on other cruise lines is that they do this shortly before the cruise (a few days to a week) by sending out a notice, either from the cruise line of TA, and  with the offer and price and  they go to whoever responds first. Sounds like for Windstar one goes to guest services once on board to ask about them.

 

These are two different options. Before the cruise I've never been asked to pay, these have always been complimentary upgrades.

 

On board guest services will put you on a list and will call if there's something available, but these are for a fee upgrades. I start that conversation by asking "is the ship full or might there be some upgrade opportunities" and remain silent on any cost, that discussion happens when they say they DO have upgrades. They will then give the cost and I have chance to so "thanks but no thanks."

Edited August 3, 2022 by milepig

[r&rd]

I have been upgraded without being notified, I have been offered  a fee upgrade 3 weeks before sailing (usually for owners or classic suites), I have been given a free upgrade after boarding and been offered a fee upgrade after boarding. I have also been told I could negotiate an upgrade 2-3 weeks before sailing. I would like to think there is a policy but I think not. I also suspect that policies have changed post Covid. 

[zentraveler]

3 hours ago, r&rd said:

I have been upgraded without being notified, I have been offered  a fee upgrade 3 weeks before sailing (usually for owners or classic suites), I have been given a free upgrade after boarding and been offered a fee upgrade after boarding. I have also been told I could negotiate an upgrade 2-3 weeks before sailing. I would like to think there is a policy but I think not. I also suspect that policies have changed post Covid. 

I suspect that you are right. That the "policy" is a fluid thing depending on several things I can think of (general "hotel" manager of the ship, pax status, cabins left available,  etc). On my last trip I missed out on an UG to a classic suite (not fast enough with email) but ended up being very happy I did not get one. There were 4 on the Pride and I checked them out over the week when I ran across them being cleaned and didn't like any of them. First time that has ever happened!

[new_cruiser]

On 8/3/2022 at 12:49 PM, r&rd said:

I have been upgraded without being notified, I have been offered  a fee upgrade 3 weeks before sailing (usually for owners or classic suites), I have been given a free upgrade after boarding and been offered a fee upgrade after boarding. I have also been told I could negotiate an upgrade 2-3 weeks before sailing. I would like to think there is a policy but I think not. I also suspect that policies have changed post Covid. 

I have been upgraded without being notified by Windstar, but my TA notified me. Two times when that has happened, I have promptly asked her to let Windstar know that we didn't want the upgrade and it has been undone. Once it was because it was from an old suite to a Star Suite - technically an upgrade because the rooms are newer and priced slightly higher but we prefer the original configuration with the living area next to the window. An upgrade to Windstar may not be an upgrade to the passenger. I think the other time, we preferred our original cabin location, but can't recall the specific reason. One time we accepted the upgrade. 

 

They do it because a cabin class is sold out and they want to make more cabins available in that class I think. The times it happened to us, the cabin class was sold out. 

[new_cruiser]

On 8/3/2022 at 7:32 AM, zentraveler said:

What has usually happened on other cruise lines is that they do this shortly before the cruise (a few days to a week) by sending out a notice, either from the cruise line of TA, and  with the offer and price and  they go to whoever responds first. Sounds like for Windstar one goes to guest services once on board to ask about them.

On my most recent cruise (May 2022), there was an offer when we were boarding to upgrade to a Star Suite for some amount per night. I think that's because they are trying to market the Star Suites - falls on deaf ears in our case because we prefer the original configuration. Other than that, the upgrades I've seen from Windstar have been free upgrades. Yacht Club members used to be entitled to a free one category upgrade on boarding based on availability. I don't see that mentioned on the Yacht Club page anymore - which is okay - a one class upgrade is often pretty uninteresting.