"ALL INCLUSIVE" or not?

[woodmiser]

Are the Windstar cruises to the Carribeans "all inclusive" like the Paul Gaugan cruises to and around Tahiti? If they arent, what is included and what isnt?

 

Thanks in advance,

Woodmiser

[6rugrats]

Alcohol, bottled water and sodas are not included. Shore excursions are not included. Gratuities are not included.

 

Your cabin and meals are included; the alternate restaurants don't charge an additional fee. Is that what you are asking?

[Reposant]

Gratituties area included. They automatically added $84 pp to our tab at the end of the cruise.

[6rugrats]

Gratituties area included. They automatically added $84 pp to our tab at the end of the cruise.

Usually when one says they are included, it means they are "included" in the cost of your cruise. On Windstar, they are not included, unless you have some sort of special package. You will have $12 per person daily added to your bill to cover gratuities:

 

To ensure that the efforts of all of our crewmembers are recognized and rewarded, a Hotel Service Charge of $12 per passenger is automatically added to each guest’s shipboard account on a daily basis.

 

OP, also from Windstar's webpage:

 

Your fares include ocean transportation, stateroom accommodations and all meals and entertainment on board the ship. Not included, however, are items of a personal nature, such as alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, and laundry, transfers prior to or after cruise (dis)embarkation, or optional programs or activities. You¹ll also be charged separately for shore excursions, Home City Air program and additional conveniences or conveyances not specified in the itinerary. All rates shown are per person based on double occupancy. Fares are published in U.S. dollars. Note: Canadian and third-person rates available upon request.

[SellaVee]

As well as the "hotel charge" of $12pp per day, 15% is added to all drinks and to spa services. Iced water and iced tea are free of charge. All meals and afternoon tea in the Compass Rose are included, and you can now order complimentary sandwiches from the Yacht club bar, but if you want bottled water to take ashore for a picnic, or to have in your cabin, you have to pay. Coffee after meals is included, but costs a few dollars if you want some during the day in the Yacht Club. However, it's available until 11am as part of breakfast, and from 4 - 5pm as part of the afternoon snacks. There are also beverage packages which have been discussed at length in other posts on this forum. We're not big drinkers, but I did use one of the Cocktail packages, and found that to be good value.

 

We just got back from a RT Barbados this morning, and I'm missing it already!

[Mands&Ian]

Coffee after meals is included, but costs a few dollars if you want some during the day in the Yacht Club. However, it's available until 11am as part of breakfast, and from 4 - 5pm as part of the afternoon snacks.

 

On Wind Surf there's a pretty good coffee machine in the Compass Rose and the boys there are happy to serve coffee whatever time of the day, you just need to ask at the bar.

 

Mands

[lb5vb]

We're not big drinkers, but I did use one of the Cocktail packages, and found that to be good value.

 

We just got back from a RT Barbados this morning, and I'm missing it already!

 

How much was the cocktail package? What did it include? Were there different options?

 

Thank you!

[Mands&Ian]

How much was the cocktail package? What did it include? Were there different options?

 

Thank you!

 

As of late last year there were two packages: one alcoholic drinks and one non-alcoholic drinks. The price of the first was $49 per day plus the standard 15% gratuity. The package had to be purchased for an entire voyage but not all people in a cabin had to purchase it. From memory it covered pretty much all cocktails, wine up to $42 a bottle, all soft drinks, no mini-bar.

 

The detail has changed from time to time but the price seems to remain stable. If someone has bought it recently they may be able to update the latest particulars (previously mini-bars have been included but wine prices have been lower).

 

No idea of the price of the other package.

 

Mands

[Fl Travelers]

I don't know if this will be a welcome note or not. We've traveled all the Windstar ships, caribbean, pacific and Med and never thought any other cruise line could compare. We took the Azumara Journey 12 nights out of Miami past Dec. Tips, wine, soft drinks, cappuccino all day all included in these 600 passenger ships. Going again this July, Nothern Europe

[r&rd]

I don't know if this will be a welcome note or not. We've traveled all the Windstar ships, caribbean, pacific and Med and never thought any other cruise line could compare. We took the Azumara Journey 12 nights out of Miami past Dec. Tips, wine, soft drinks, cappuccino all day all included in these 600 passenger ships. Going again this July, Nothern Europe

We've done 20 Windstar cruises (with 2 more this July) and 4 Azamara (with another this January). It's hard to compare the two - they are so different. Yes, Azamara may be a little more cost effective, but there is still nothing like being on deck on Windstar. I like some things about each line better than the other. So for me: cold weather ports I go Azamara, warm weather I go Windstar. I let the itinerary choose the ship!

[ships08]

Windstar's Beverage Packages Update:

Option 1:

Unlimited premium cocktails, wines and champagnes, imported and domestic beers, soft drinks and bottled water. $54 per person, per day.

Option 2:

Unlimited non-alcoholic wines and beers, “virgin” cocktails, soft drinks, and bottled water. $18 per person, per day.

· Beverage packages must be booked on the first day of the cruise at the reception desk.

· Beverage packages are based on unlimited consumption, including drinks with meals.

· Wine and champagne selections based on wine by the glass up to $11.50 per glass.

· Mini-bar consumption is not included.

· Super Premium Cognacs and Deluxe Cognacs not included.

· Both guests in a cabin must purchase beverage package.

· All package prices inclusive of applicable taxes.

· All beverage packages are subject to a 15% gratuity.

[ctab]

Can someone give me an idea about how much bottled water costs? I am assuming mixed drinks are $8-9 range, is that correct? Also, how about orange juice at breakfast?

Thanks!

[6rugrats]

I never purchased bottled water, so don't know the price. You can bring your own water onboard. I can't believe it would be less than at least $2.50 a bottle or even more.

 

OJ at breakfast is free. You are in about the right range for drink prices, though some are a bit higher. Add a 15% gratuity to your prices, as that will be added to each bar bill.

[ILCruiser]

Bottled water on other cruise lines is $4-$4.50 for a liter of Evian. Can't imagine Wind Star would be less.