cooee

Just wondering if any past Windstar cruisers like myself have ever gotten a cabin upgrade? It is listed as a member "benefit".

It may be that you have to ask.

I've read that this can be arranged IF one asks on embarkation and IF an upgrade is available . . . . . i.e. if there is an empty cabin.

It won't be to a suite, though!

When we thought back to our cruise on the Wind Star (our third cruise with Windstar), we weren't aware of this benefit if one is a member of the Yacht Club, and we weren't offered an upgrade.

We did move cabin in the end as we complained about the noise!

:)

I booked an upcoming Dalmation Coast cruise on Star Breeze with Windstar, extending two nights in Rome. My invoice shows an allowance for the Rome extension which was initially subtracted from bottom line, but added back in in the final summary. So it appears I was charged for the two "free nights". Anyone else have this experience? Their advertising is very misleading if so.

Thinking back to our booking last November, we had signed up with an offer of two nights post- our cruise.

I remember the invoice had so many add-ons for extra taxes and then the hotel cost that I was totally confused.

It did look as though we were being charged for the 'free hotel' deal when you looked at their system of billing.

Eventually, we did work it out and saw the sense.

Can you contact your TA or the Windstar office or, email them to allay your fears?

Yes, they do reserve the right. 2 couples using 2 different travel agents. One got on board credit and the other an upgrade to a room that they did not want. Windstar would not change their benefit.

 

I am not complaining but everyone needs to be aware.

So, what happened to, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."?

This is one area where I feel one is penalised for early booking (apart from being able to choose exactly which cabin one wants and book transport).

A $3,999pp start-price can end up as $2,700pp . . . . . 'hardly seems fair.

Most folk would opt to pay the lower price rather than ob credit, a next-cruise voucher or upgrade . . . . . unless (and very unlikely!) it was to the Owner's Suite!

I think we'd all be scrambling to book ASAP if they STARTED with the lowest price . . . . . . which is what it's like when booking flights . . . . . . and the prices increased.

One may not then be so disgruntled with the 'last minute offers' if they were a month away from the sail-date as the flip side would be trying to get to the embarkation point!

Do ANY of the cruise lines work this way?

Windstar will honor any price decreases up until one week before sailing. I believe the policy went into effect mid-summer for any cruise booked after the date, which I don't have. So book away, knowing you can always get a better deal if offered.

True, Windstar have, last June, issued a new policy re fare-reductions since bookings were made.

It may be worth reading it carefully as it says that there are different options re reimbursement: onboard credit, an upgrade, fare reduction or, future cruise credit BUT, it says it is Windstar who will decide.

It's in the Terms and Conditions on the Windstar website.

It also states that they reserve the right to modify or terminate this policy.

J.

Thank you for that information. :)

We sailed on Star Pride for her Venetian Passageways to Athens in August 2016.

Having sailed previously on Wind Surf and Wind Star, we loved the larger staterooms and thought she was looking very smart and very 'Windstar'!

I just wasn't sure if the Legend and the Breeze were as nice but, you have allayed my fears!

Re the bathrooms: whilst some people will like the fact that there are baths, we had a look on disembarkation day and those which have been re-modelled have a lovely large shower area where the bath used to be.

Preferring a shower, this looked great!

It was done out in grey tiling which . . . . . . and as it was a very quick peep . . . . . would match/blend in with the white and grey marble.

Perhaps someone else can help describe this if they had a refurbished one. :)

Hi, Magnum60,

You say you've sailed on the 'new' Windstar's Star Pride and the Star Legend.

1. Was the sailing on the Star Pride AFTER JUNE 2016 when she returned following repairs and refurbishment?

2. If so, was Star Legend done to the same high standard as she (and Star Breeze) had their refurbishments done the year before . . . . . or even, in 2014?

'Just want to know if they are all to the same standard now or, are more refurbishments planned . . . . . . eg. continuing to revamp ALL the bathrooms?

:)

We have sailed with the Windstar line twice on the 'sailing' ships: Wind Surf and Wind Star and enjoyed their style of cruising.

We prefer the smart-casual dining rather than formal or queuing for buffets.

We have just enjoyed the Venetian Passageways cruise on the newly-repaired and greatly-refurbished Star Pride and we LOVED it!

All the staterooms are wonderfully larger than the usual, clever-but-quite-tight ones and have a sitting area having a 2-seater sofa, two bucket armchairs and a coffee table.

Although not all the bathrooms have been re-done yet, they are roomy and marble!

The walk-in wardrobe is another bonus.

The staterooms, corridors and public areas have new carpets and some of the decking has been replaced.

The staff are always a credit to the line.

Food is delicious.

You will not be disappointed!

Water taxis are at the port, although it is can still be a fair distance depending upon which berth your ship has.

 

If you take a look at this page

http://www.vtp.it/en/operators/cruises/

 

The water taxis pickup/drop off at the green area marked 'P2'.

 

Most ships embark/disembark while at 107/108, but recently we were at 117 which is a 10 minute walk from the taxis

Thank you for this link . . . . . 'very useful to see exactly where things are.

So, even getting a land taxi from Piazzale Roma, this would still mean a fair walk with our luggage to the San Basilio check-in building?

If we get a vaporetto, are they 'happy' about folk having suitcases too?!

I've read scary stories about fines if one doesn't swipe the ticket properly!

Which vaporetto from PRoma to San Basilio and how much?

Thank you.

When you say your neighbors moved also, which neighbors do you mean, specifically? Both next door neighbors? Across the hall as well? I'm compiling a list of noisy cabins and this information will really help. Thanks!

We were in 109 and our neighbouring cabin, 111, also requested being moved.

People opposite said they were used to using ear plugs.

We are not.

When the ship was running through the night, it was a problem for some people who were light sleepers!

Exciting times here as my wife and I are considering the Wind Spirit in Tahiti in just a few weeks!

 

I currently have an option for Cabin Category BX #109. My concerns are being close to the ship's props & being close to where the tender boats would approach.

 

Does anyone have insight if this is a good cabin choice? Thank you!

We were in 109 on the Wind Star in the Caribbean and requested to be moved as the noise when doing sailing through night was too much.

Our neighbours also moved.

We spoke to fellow cruisers who were happy to use earplugs but, I am a very light sleeper.

Scroll back to June 14th where there are 18 responses to this same question. :)

Thanks for the review link. Looks like they've addressed the problems. Nice to know.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

At last we have a review from someone who has sailed on Star Pride since her refurbishment and repairs. Many thanks! :)

We still do not know what aldansam's concerns were which merited taking the decision to leave before she sailed.

Someone suggested there was a problem with mobility-challenging access, perhaps.

Someone thought they may have had small children and there were safety concerns.

Perhaps we'll never know . . . . . . . which is a pity.

The site IS called 'Cruise Critic' and is for sharing thoughts, worries, questions, advice, recommendations, tips, criticisms and praise.

Aldansam, did Windstar satisfy your concerns after their meeting?

Petenmarion,

 

Thank you for the reasonable reply. I told Windstar that I would not post about this even until the "executive committee" meets later in the week.

 

In terms of the issues you listed, it would be fair to say that at least 2-3 of our issues were far more serious. In fact, not even close.

 

In terms of Cruisecritic, I assumed that the site was for an exchange of information and ideas, and not as a rooting site for a cruise line. One post I found to be personal, vile, and someone has redacted it.

 

Somehow, were I to have understood that the WS contingent would react in this fashion, I would not have posted.

As far as I'd like to assume and hope, CC is to share advice, knowledge, recommendations and, to be fair, warnings and 'things to be aware of'.

I look to CC and TripAdvisor for this and not just 'Had a great time/This cruise was disappointing' posts.

Others' experiences are invaluable and useful eg. a ship not having any lifts/elevators; unsuitable for young children; cabin very noisy etc.

If you know there is a danger or an issue you are concerned about, prospective cruisers would appreciate your posts . . . . . . even those who are fans of a particular line or boat.

Have the courage of your convictions to share . . . . . . as you had the courage to act on them yourself. :)

"Silence gives consent."

I'm booked on the Venice to Athens trip in late August on the Star Pride and I booked after the accident.

If it was me I would stick with the trip. I am sure you will have a wonderful time.

Are we any nearer to hearing how the Star Pride is, now she has been repaired and had renovation and refurbishment work done?

We are also booked on the August 26th Venice to Athens cruise and, having read about problems serious enough (but not yet elaborated on) for one party to recently walk off the boat and not cruise, we eagerly await the latest review.

Nothing has been posted on the reviews since December 2015.

'Looking forward to reports and reviews.

This question about Wind STAR has been slightly hijacked by Wind SURFERS!

We were on the Wind STAR in Cabin 109 on Deck 1 and found the noise so bad at night when the boat was running that we had to move.

I should have been alerted when I found ear plugs tucked into the corner near the bed!

The people in the cabin next to us also managed to move.

Heaven knows how the folk in the Owners' Suite felt as they are down there also.

Staff said the problem was always being 'investigated'. :(

Perhaps some sound-proofing needs to be installed.

We were not aware of any WS policy to automatically reduce any 'already-booked' cruises down to the latest offer.

We had noticed the fare reducing in subsequent offers for the Star Pride's Venetian Passageway, August 26th 2016, and when we contacted them, we were given the opportunity to upgrade our cabin to a balcony, mid-ship, for the same price.

When we later noticed yet another reduction, we emailed, once again, pointing out the significant difference between the offer last October and the latest one in May.

We were offered the opportunity to pay the latest price but, without the free, post-cruise hotel in Athens.

We gladly took this offer and booked the same hotel separately. (For the same allowance, we have booked a room with a view of the Acropolis and not a standard room.)

The only thing we need to do now is to book the taxi from the cruise port to the hotel and decide whether to incorporate this with a half-day tour of Athens before we book into the hotel in the afternoon.

Isobel from Windstar was our booking contact and has been efficient and helpful.

We now look forward to our fourth WS cruise, (first-time on one of the 'new' ones), and hope that the length of time she has been out of service will have been used to restore her to some luxury.

Anyone else staying at the St.George Lycabettus and thinking about an Athens' tour? :)