Summer 2020 Cruises

[RemPuck]

With life as we know it changing by the minute, I know that there’s no way to know what things will be like later this summer.  But we are approaching a point where we need to make some decisions and I’m wondering what others are doing.

 

We are booked on the August 2^nd Star Breeze sailing from Seward to Vancouver.  I’ve created our own pre-cruise trip including time in Denali (which is already paid).  I’ve also arranged one non-ship excursion in Hoonah (whale watching, also paid).  At this point, it appears that I can get full refunds for both of these.  Our flights were booked with miles and I should be able to cancel/change without too much impact.

 

Even before COVID-19, the Star Breeze renovation delays were becoming a concern.  I know early summer Alaska trips had been impacted (and other spring trips cancelled) and I was already wondering if ours would get hit.  Now throw in the virus as well as Canada’s restrictions (the Star Breeze is literally on the borderline of eligibility with a new total capacity of 500-502, passengers plus crew).  To that end, while final payment is not due until May 3, we reach 120 days on April 4^th; that’s the date when cancellation penalties begin.

 

Part of me really wants to wait through April to see how things progress.  However, I really don’t want to lose my full deposit.  I do know that Windstar’s Assurance program has an opportunity to cancel 15 before the cruise for a FCC, but there are a lot of restrictions on the credit, like SAILING within one year of cancellation.  (There’s a similar Alaska itinerary in early August 2021 we could take, but that would be close to 13 months after we’d cancel.)

 

I’m sure we’re not alone with cruises in the summer with final payments coming due in the next 4-6 weeks.  What are others doing?

 

Stay safe.

[sb44]

29 minutes ago, RemPuck said:

With life as we know it changing by the minute, I know that there’s no way to know what things will be like later this summer.  But we are approaching a point where we need to make some decisions and I’m wondering what others are doing.

 

We are booked on the August 2^nd Star Breeze sailing from Seward to Vancouver.  I’ve created our own pre-cruise trip including time in Denali (which is already paid).  I’ve also arranged one non-ship excursion in Hoonah (whale watching, also paid).  At this point, it appears that I can get full refunds for both of these.  Our flights were booked with miles and I should be able to cancel/change without too much impact.

 

Even before COVID-19, the Star Breeze renovation delays were becoming a concern.  I know early summer Alaska trips had been impacted (and other spring trips cancelled) and I was already wondering if ours would get hit.  Now throw in the virus as well as Canada’s restrictions (the Star Breeze is literally on the borderline of eligibility with a new total capacity of 500-502, passengers plus crew).  To that end, while final payment is not due until May 3, we reach 120 days on April 4^th; that’s the date when cancellation penalties begin.

 

Part of me really wants to wait through April to see how things progress.  However, I really don’t want to lose my full deposit.  I do know that Windstar’s Assurance program has an opportunity to cancel 15 before the cruise for a FCC, but there are a lot of restrictions on the credit, like SAILING within one year of cancellation.  (There’s a similar Alaska itinerary in early August 2021 we could take, but that would be close to 13 months after we’d cancel.)

 

I’m sure we’re not alone with cruises in the summer with final payments coming due in the next 4-6 weeks.  What are others doing?

 

Stay safe.

They extended the rebook to 12/31/2021 so if you make final payment the 2021 date would be covered and I think Alaska is a pretty safe bet. We have a final payment due in a few days for end of June/July with many different countries involved. Not sure we want to pony up a chunk of money for an itinerary that probably won't happen. 

[RemPuck]

49 minutes ago, sb44 said:

They extended the rebook to 12/31/2021 so if you make final payment the 2021 date would be covered and I think Alaska is a pretty safe bet. We have a final payment due in a few days for end of June/July with many different countries involved. Not sure we want to pony up a chunk of money for an itinerary that probably won't happen. 

I am not sure about being able to rebook Alaska for August 2021.  While the policy covers trips through December 2021, the use of the FCC is still limited.  (emphasis mine)

 

https://www.windstarcruises.com/travel-assurance-booking-policy/

 

"Windstar’s interim Travel Assurance Booking Policy is effective immediately and automatically applies to new and existing cruises departing through December 31, 2021.
 
Travelers who cancel a cruise booking up to 15 days prior to departure will receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit to be used on another Windstar departure within one year of the issue date of the credit. The offer is good for cruise fare only."

[sb44]

Hmm. See what you mean. It may just be the way someone worded it without thinking it through. We just cancelled our June 30th and will use the deposit for another cruise. They could not have been any nicer.  Have Greece & Turkey booked for October so will apply it to that if the world calms down by then. We were there on Surf last year and loved it so much that booked again this year. 

Edited March 24, 2020 by sb44
tyoo

[RemPuck]

We really do want to take the trip.  It's been on our agenda for some time and we almost took a last minute deal for an August 2019 trip.  The timing wasn't perfect, but there was a good offer for 2020 and we've took that.  That seems like a LONG time ago now.

 

We were on the Star Breeze in the Panama Canal in December 2018 and really enjoyed the small ship and we've been looking forward to the "new and improved" version.

 

I'm trying to get a hold of my TA (I'm sure she's swamped) as I'd really like to understand what I may be out if we cancel in late April.  If I could roll the deposit to August 2021, I'd be happy to do that. 

 

Hoping we're all able to get back on a cruise soon.

[kayakguy13]

We are booked for Star Breeze from Vancouver to Seward, 6/30 to 7/11.  Our remaining payment (which in our case is 99% of the total) is due April 1. In addition to the cruise, we have booked our own Alaska land trip on the back end of the cruise with family flying to Alaska to join us when we get off the boat.

 

Checked in with TA yesterday and he said the WS plans to sail on our dates and will demand our remaining payment as planned on 4/1.  For a guy about to be furloughed, I'm very torn.'

 

 

[RemPuck]

@kayakguy13 I'm sorry to hear about your potential furlough. That definitely adds to the stress about making any decisions.

 

Everything seems really up in the air.  The Canadian restriction on "ships over 500 occupants" currently is set to run through June 30. (https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2020/03/government-of-canada-announces-intention-to-defer-the-start-of-cruise-ship-season-in-canada-as-covid-19-response-measure.html) From what you're hearing, Windstar seems to be taking the approach that the ship qualifies to dock in Canada, especially if the sailing date is the 30th.  If nothing else, I think it would be helpful for Windstar to make a statement around the restrictions.

 

Best of luck in your decision making in the coming days.

[Host Jazzbeau]

We were scheduled to be on Star Legend this coming September, but our cruise was cancelled by the 'domino effect' of the original asbestos delay.  Windstar was easy to deal with over that:  they refunded our deposit, quickly paid our air rebooking expenses, and gave us a 10% FCC that we may or may not be able to use.  I have also been watching many people on the River Cruising forum go through the same choice you now face, and have gleaned the following across-most-cruise-lines advice:  do not cancel your reservation – wait and let them cancel the cruise.  Cruise lines tend to be more generous when they have cancelled (even if few are actually giving money back these days), so as long as you expect to cruise again in the future, you are likely to come out ahead.

[sb44]

Really, we tried to keep the reservation with the small deposit so we could make a decision 30 days out but that was no allowed as an option. If final payment was not made 4/1 they would automatically cancel. So it was pay another $13,000 for a cruise that probably won't happen (9 countries in 20 days) or get the small deposit back as a FCC. No reason to turn over that money now that I could see. If it turns out that things are back to normal and Europe is open we can book then. What I'm not canceling is air as the better deals there are when the flights get cancelled by the carrier which I fully anticipate will happen. Hopefully Greece will go as booked in October.  I can't go a year without Windstar! 

[Host Jazzbeau]

55 minutes ago, sb44 said:

Really, we tried to keep the reservation with the small deposit so we could make a decision 30 days out but that was no allowed as an option. If final payment was not made 4/1 they would automatically cancel. So it was pay another $13,000 for a cruise that probably won't happen (9 countries in 20 days) or get the small deposit back as a FCC. No reason to turn over that money now that I could see. If it turns out that things are back to normal and Europe is open we can book then. What I'm not canceling is air as the better deals there are when the flights get cancelled by the carrier which I fully anticipate will happen. Hopefully Greece will go as booked in October.  I can't go a year without Windstar! 

 

In your case, I agree:  get the deposit as FCC and minimize your risk.  Thankfully Windstar is no longer a stand-alone undercapitalized company, but part of Xanterra [a much larger, although possibly still undercapitalized--what do I know?--company].  But if the ships sink, you can always go to Yosemite!

[dandee2]

I have another cruise on another line leaving Aug. 30, 2020. It will be cancelled. An believe me, there is no way I"m going anywhere soon, at least not until summer 2021. We,re looking at 3-4 millions unemployed in Canada by week-end. I'm fortunate to be close to retirement and I hope my pension fund doesn't go belly-up.

Stay home, buy some good wine and stay safe.

[RemPuck]

45 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

In your case, I agree:  get the deposit as FCC and minimize your risk.  Thankfully Windstar is no longer a stand-alone undercapitalized company, but part of Xanterra [a much larger, although possibly still undercapitalized--what do I know?--company].  But if the ships sink, you can always go to Yosemite!

This is what I lean towards but I’d like to understand the FCC for the deposit. There’s still a lot of uncertainty and I don’t know if I want $12k tied up.   A lot can change in 6 weeks ... the point when I really need to make a decision. 

 

40 minutes ago, dandee2 said:

Stay home, buy some good wine and stay safe.

This is what we’re already doing...I’m almost concerned about the empty bottles in the recycling bin! 🍷

[Host Jazzbeau]

26 minutes ago, RemPuck said:

This is what we’re already doing...I’m almost concerned about the empty bottles in the recycling bin! 🍷

 

Break them up and use the shards for Craft projects!  Sort of "Gaudi's green period"...

[ducklite]

10 hours ago, RemPuck said:

This is what we’re already doing...I’m almost concerned about the empty bottles in the recycling bin! 🍷

I've switched to vodka for the time being.  Less bottles.  😉

[ducklite]

Our cruise is July 20, the Baltics.  It's rescheduled from a cancelled cruise due to the dry dock extension domino effect.

Our final payment is due 4/21.  We applied our FCC from the cancelled cruise to be able to take the Baltic cruise, as it really wasn't in our budget this year to begin with.  I'm not sure that they would allow us to keep that FCC and apply it along with another if they cancel on us again.  I'm not sure what the insurance will cover, because I'm reading they are denying claims related to cancellation due to CV.  If we could use the airfare for something else we'd be out over $1500 in prepaid hotels and change fees. 

We'd also have to use the airfare by November 2020 (a year after it was originally purchased) and I'm not sure where we'd be able to go between them cancelling and it expiring considering so much of our travel funds would be tied up with Windstar.  On top of that, my employer has deferred a bonus check that was about 15% of my income for the year and I won't get it until late November now, which really puts a crimp in having extra cash laying around.

I'm taking a wait and see approach, but if Windstar is going to cancel and keep my money tied up, I might just have to cancel them, pay change fees for the airfare out of pocket, and eat the prepaid hotel.  I really wish they would delay final payments for an extra 30 days.

[RemPuck]

To follow up....I'd asked my TA for clarification around cancellation, use of FCCs (time limit), the Canadian restrictions and the overall state of Star Breeze's renovation.  Below is pasted from an email reply from her:

 

"If you want to cancel now, you will get a $50.00 per person FCC and the remaining amount would be issued as a refund to the original method of payment used.

 

Once the Final Payment has been made and if you want to cancel later, you can do so, up to 15 days prior to sailing to cancel. The total amount paid will be issued as an FCC. This would include the deposit, which would normally fall under regular penalties of not being refunded, but instead Windstar will take the penalty amount and issue an FCC. Nothing will be refunded to a credit card.

 

With this being said, you are correct, there are some cruise lines that are issuing FCC’s that you can book in one year and sail within two years. Windstar has advised us this is not the case with the FCC’s they will reissue. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.

 

We did inquire about the Ship being behind in schedule and in dry dock. We were not able to obtain any information, and there has not been an notification or announcement regarding the matter.

 

We further inquired about the maximum occupancy of 500 and if it can sail due to the Canadian restrictions of more than 500. We have been advised the ships maximum occupancy is 300 has been approved and able to sail with the new guidelines in place."

 

 

So if nothing else, we may have learned that the Canadian regulation is around passenger occupancy rather than ship occupancy.  I hope that the "approval" above is really from the Canadian authorities and not an assumption by Windstar.

 

I know now that if I wait another 6 weeks (to final payment date) to cancel, the most I am will be "out" is my deposit which will be rolled into an FCC but I'll need to use that by actually sailing within a year.  The one thing I'm concerned about is making final payment and then waiting (and waiting) through the summer with big question marks over everything.  Most of my pre-paid expenses are refundable (flexible policies put in place since booking) and the airlines are being flexible with changes (and the flights were booked with miles and the reinstatement fees are not much).

 

While I think it's likely we won't make final payment, I think we're leaning towards waiting through April to see how things progress.

[ridethetide]

3 hours ago, RemPuck said:

To follow up....I'd asked my TA for clarification around cancellation, use of FCCs (time limit), the Canadian restrictions and the overall state of Star Breeze's renovation.  Below is pasted from an email reply from her:

 

"If you want to cancel now, you will get a $50.00 per person FCC and the remaining amount would be issued as a refund to the original method of payment used.

 

Once the Final Payment has been made and if you want to cancel later, you can do so, up to 15 days prior to sailing to cancel. The total amount paid will be issued as an FCC. This would include the deposit, which would normally fall under regular penalties of not being refunded, but instead Windstar will take the penalty amount and issue an FCC. Nothing will be refunded to a credit card.

 

With this being said, you are correct, there are some cruise lines that are issuing FCC’s that you can book in one year and sail within two years. Windstar has advised us this is not the case with the FCC’s they will reissue. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.

 

We did inquire about the Ship being behind in schedule and in dry dock. We were not able to obtain any information, and there has not been an notification or announcement regarding the matter.

 

We further inquired about the maximum occupancy of 500 and if it can sail due to the Canadian restrictions of more than 500. We have been advised the ships maximum occupancy is 300 has been approved and able to sail with the new guidelines in place."

 

 

So if nothing else, we may have learned that the Canadian regulation is around passenger occupancy rather than ship occupancy.  I hope that the "approval" above is really from the Canadian authorities and not an assumption by Windstar.

 

I know now that if I wait another 6 weeks (to final payment date) to cancel, the most I am will be "out" is my deposit which will be rolled into an FCC but I'll need to use that by actually sailing within a year.  The one thing I'm concerned about is making final payment and then waiting (and waiting) through the summer with big question marks over everything.  Most of my pre-paid expenses are refundable (flexible policies put in place since booking) and the airlines are being flexible with changes (and the flights were booked with miles and the reinstatement fees are not much).

 

While I think it's likely we won't make final payment, I think we're leaning towards waiting through April to see how things progress.

We were booked and fully paid up for a Wind Star cruise out of Colon a couple of weeks ago. We cancelled due to Coronavirus, three days before WS cancelled the cruise.  They gave us 100% FCC toward our Summer 2021 Alaska cruise.  Had we waited three more days, it would have been 125% FCC.  We stand to lose our airfare since it is unlikely we will be flying anywhere before one year from purchase of the airline tickets.  Trip insurance, of course, was not helpful since we were not sick.

[RemPuck]

12 minutes ago, ridethetide said:

We were booked and fully paid up for a Wind Star cruise out of Colon a couple of weeks ago. We cancelled due to Coronavirus, three days before WS cancelled the cruise.  They gave us 100% FCC toward our Summer 2021 Alaska cruise.  Had we waited three more days, it would have been 125% FCC.  We stand to lose our airfare since it is unlikely we will be flying anywhere before one year from purchase of the airline tickets.  Trip insurance, of course, was not helpful since we were not sick.

Thanks ridethetide. 
 

It’s interesting that you were able to roll your FCC to a summer 2021 cruise. I specifically asked my TA about this and she confirmed with Windstar that even if I waited until the last minute, I couldn’t use an FCC on an Alaska cruise in August 2021. 
 

We’ve got some thinking to do over the next 6 weeks. 
 

 

[r&rd]

My understanding is that if they cancel the cruise you have two years to apply the FFC, if you cancel you get one year from the date of the issue of the credit.

 

I am scheduled for June 1 and 9 cruises as well as the July 7 cruise on the Breeze. Final payment on the Alaska cruise is due in two weeks but I don’t want to give them full payment for three cruises that may not happen. I ordinarily would wait it out but I may have to cancel the June cruises and apply the FFC to the Alaska cruise. It gets very complicated trying to predict the future!

[new_cruiser]

I'm in a similar boat. Final payment is coming up for June 30 Norwegian Fjords on Wind Surf. I don't have the uncertainty of whether the ship will be ready. But we don't know whether this virus will subside before summer like a flu virus or whether travel will still be a problem then. I hate to let this cruise go because it was booked under their no solo supplement deal and it was the only one of those that worked for me. 

 

Part of what I liked about the cruise was that I've never been to Scotland before so I would combine it with a week or two of land travel before hand but I don't want to book that and the flights either until I see how this is panning out. It is so hard to plan on travel right now. 

 

I really wish they would push out the final payment date.

[RemPuck]

@r&rd thanks for the explanation of the cancellation and FCC usage. Makes sense. 
 

@new_cruiser yes, an extra 30 days to make final payments would be nice. Some other lines are doing that. 
 

Challenging times all around.
 

Stay safe and well. 

[ridethetide]

10 hours ago, RemPuck said:

Thanks ridethetide. 
 

It’s interesting that you were able to roll your FCC to a summer 2021 cruise. I specifically asked my TA about this and she confirmed with Windstar that even if I waited until the last minute, I couldn’t use an FCC on an Alaska cruise in August 2021. 
 

We’ve got some thinking to do over the next 6 weeks. 
 

 

The 2021 Alaska cruise was already booked as a replacement for the cancelled July 2020 Star Breeze cruise.  Maybe they allowed us to transfer the FCC because it was an existing reservation.

[RemPuck]

As stated in the opening post, we are booked on the August 2nd Star Breeze Seward to Vancouver sailing.  Feedback from my TA as recently as late last week was "all is still good.

 

As of today, all the Star Breeze sailings through the summer have been changed to "Call for Availability" on the Windstar website.  While the sailing ships all have available trips during the summer, NONE of the motor yachts have any listings.

 

I think Windstar is essentially saying that there will not be a summer season on the motor yachts.

 

Very disappointing if this is the case.  But it would also be helpful to know that our trip in particular has been cancelled.  At this point, I am going to hold off cancelling and wait for them to do it in hopes of getting some expenses covered for associated travel plans.  Our final payment is in one month and i definitely WILL NOT be making final payment.

[sb44]

I noticed the same on their website. It only stands to reason as 2 ships are tied up in Italy with work halted and the Legend is in San Juan and probably not moving anytime soon. I haven't seen anything about exactly what the cruise lines are getting from the bailout so it's possible they don't need to sail to stay whole and weather this. Hope that it all turns out okay for them and the sailing public! The important thing right now is to stay well so we can travel again!

Edited March 31, 2020 by sb44
typo

[TakingFlight]

Windstar management is working right now on the Wind Surf sailings in May that were going to Italy and the Med. I just got notice yesterday about the cancellation of my May 20 Rome and Monaco Grand Prix Cruise (Windstar has proactively transferred all bookings from this year’s cruise to next year’s at the same price or we could get a full refund—well done, Windstar). My cruise was a specialty theme cruise and I don’t expect other cruises to necessarily be handled in the same way. Just saying that they’re struggling with May cruises right now and probably haven’t gotten to the summer cruises yet. I feel your pain-I’ve been wondering for weeks what they would do with my cruise.