Star Breeze Reno delayed therefore Feb 2020 sailings cancelled

[Chipshot from Michigan]

29 minutes ago, milepig said:

 

I'm not sure why you say that. I've seen nothing to indicate that she's left Palermo??

 

I say that because I looked at the dates.  How many months ago was October?

[milepig]

3 minutes ago, Chipshot from Michigan said:

 

I say that because I looked at the dates.  How many months ago was October?

 

This is what I see, which I believe is correct - the last time she "pinged" was in October, which is when she went technically "out of range" when entering dry dock. There's been no further report because the transponder is off and she's still in dry dock. They can't update the record, because there is no update, she can't be located since she's out of range.

 

Position Received: 2019-10-09 15:16 UTC

Vessel is Out-of-Range ==> She's not pinbing because she's not in service

Area: WMED - Tyrrhenian Sea

Current Port: PALERMO ==> Drydock, which is where she is.

Latitude / Longitude: 38.13948° / 13.37115°

Status: Moored

Speed/Course: 0.1 kn / 142 °

AIS Source: 4096

 

[milepig]

30 minutes ago, CanadianKate said:

 

We made it only because the in-bound was early. The weather in Indianapolis (where the plane was ping-ponging to before our flight) was also excellent so the padded schedule worked. But I would never book that connection again because it was only due to luck that we made it. 

 

Another wrinkle, carry-on luggage is not allowed on the first flight so we had to gate check which added 13 minutes to the transfer. 

That connection is only possible if the plane is on time and you do not have any carry-on luggage, or if the plane is early. Otherwise, it is not possible. 

 

We're loving San Juan and intend to return some time for a longer winter stay, without a cruise attached to it. We are having a hard time leaving our hotel room to do things because we are enjoying sitting on our terrace too much. 

 

 

 

GOOD JOB!! 

[Chipshot from Michigan]

26 minutes ago, milepig said:

 

This is what I see, which I believe is correct.

 

 

I believe it's correct, too.  Reports of the Breeze at PR or BVI are spurious.  Other vessels I have followed have made occasional pings during extended out-of-service periods, which Marine Traffic has detected.  I'm sure Windstar will announce with some fanfare when she again plies the seas.

[milepig]

2 hours ago, Chipshot from Michigan said:

 

I believe it's correct, too.  Reports of the Breeze at PR or BVI are spurious.  Other vessels I have followed have made occasional pings during extended out-of-service periods, which Marine Traffic has detected.  I'm sure Windstar will announce with some fanfare when she again plies the seas.

 

Generally, they show back up when they go out for sea trials, etc. The recent pic of her with a huge hole cut in the side makes me thick that's a ways away.

 

Like I said upthread, I checked a few other ships on ShipMate, and they all had incorrect current locations.

Edited January 31, 2020 by milepig

[new_cruiser]

On 1/27/2020 at 3:47 PM, CanadianKate said:

Heads up those who have rebooked: 

 

My rebooking counted as a new booking as far as the Pick Your Perks offer is concerned so I ended up with a much larger shipboard credit than I expected. 

 

Because the Christmas holidays meant my TA wasn't able to rebook me immediately and I was worried that the crossing I wanted would sell out*, I called WS directly to rebook. I didn't know about Pick Your Perks. My TA didn't catch that it was missing from my booking but her assistant called WS to confirm that WS had received all the docs needed for the unrefunded expenses and the WS agent went over my current booking and noted PyP was missing and added it.  

 

So, once again, WS staff were extremely helpful to us.

 

* So much for the crossing selling out, there are 47 empty cabins on it. As my TA said, less competition for spa bookings to spend that credit on! 

 

 

They are offering a reduced* solo supplement on many crossing so even if it sells out, the number of people may be low.

 

*They say it is 20% instead of their usual 75%, but the price I received on my booking was actually slightly less than the website per person double occupancy fare so it doesn't show any solo supplement. The booking had pick-your-perks.  My cruise was on 7-for-7 last week so my agent called Windstar and got the fare reduced by ~$800 - lost pick-your-perks because that's not combinable with 7-for-7, but apparently reduced solo supplement is combinable with either.

[CanadianKate]

6 hours ago, new_cruiser said:

They are offering a reduced* solo supplement on many crossing so even if it sells out, the number of people may be low.

 

 

 

We sailed with 109 people. So it isn't a good sense for us what a regular Windstar cruise will feel like but other experienced ocean crossers say the low numbers are the norm. 

[ridethetide]

On ‎1‎/‎30‎/‎2020 at 12:41 PM, ridethetide said:

Lucky you! Our over $3000 refund, submitted the first week in January, is still under review.

After having our refund denied twice, I received good news late yesterday.  My TA went to her upper management, who then went to WS upper management, and the check will be cut and sent next week for the full amount.  Squeaky wheel....

[milepig]

Just wondering if there’s any 411. She’d not yet showing up on the tracking sites and I’d expect she’d be having sea trails by now. 

[O2B@Cagain]

They just installed the new engines: https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22415-new-engines-installed-on-star-breeze.html

[CanadianKate]

According to rough guesses on board the Legend, Breeze will be 11 weeks late getting back to carrying passengers. The Legend will be 6 weeks late and the Pride 3 weeks later than planned. 

They are learning from the Breeze. 

She'll sail back to NA without passengers but with contractors and crew on board. The contractors will be finishing up work (and working during her trials) and the crew will be testing the passenger areas and restaurants to get an idea of load and flow of people. 
 

This is my first WS cruise and it is sad that it is the last chance in this suite (I have #5 which I declare the best on the whole ship.) But she's showing her age in places. For instance the door handle on my balcony door is rusted open so it is just the deadbolt that holds the door in place. We've had a very calm crossing so this isn't an issue but in rough going, that might be quite noisy. 

 

 

[milepig]

I just received a random unexpected 10% future cruise credit certificate. I’d thought we were all finished, so I sent it on to my TA to see if this is just finishing up paperwork or an actual additional credit.

 

Windstar accounting remains a work in progress. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, milepig said:

I just received a random unexpected 10% future cruise credit certificate. I’d thought we were all finished, so I sent it on to my TA to see if this is just finishing up paperwork or an actual additional credit.

 

Windstar accounting remains a work in progress. 

 

That's part of the deal.  I got mine today also.

[milepig]

Yes. My TA just confirmed that this is just a delayed loop closing (it’s dated 12/24!!) and he’d  long ago assigned it to our upcoming itin. It is not anything beyond the initial offer.