Shout out to Windstar

[wesport]

We will be taking out first Windstar cruise in July out of St. Maarten.  I have had several questions, and normally send an email to them. I am amazed at how quickly I get a response. Normally within one to two hours. Other lines, you get a response that they are busy and expect to hear in two weeks. Pleasantly surprised. 

[cabosal1]

Last night we were informed by phone that our Caribbean Windstar cruise (4 days from now) will probably NOT be stopping at ANY island on their itinerary.  Why?? To me it sounds like some of the crew are not vaccinated.  That was the only explanation I was given.  If all passengers are vaccinated, I don't understand why we cant get off the boat for their vetted excursions, which I guess have also been cancelled.  Money to be refunded. Yipee

With all the confusion regarding testing, EHAS form completion, more testing, downloading, itinerary changes, etc.I am wondering if we are now only going on this cruise to prove that we can.  

[minidonuts85]

@cabosal Oh wow! Did they indicate maybe stopping at other ports of call or any stops are off the table due to vaccine status? 

[ridethetide]

Will it simply be a cruise to nowhere? Seven sea days?

[wesport]

59 minutes ago, cabosal1 said:

Last night we were informed by phone that our Caribbean Windstar cruise (4 days from now) will probably NOT be stopping at ANY island on their itinerary.  Why?? To me it sounds like some of the crew are not vaccinated.  That was the only explanation I was given.  If all passengers are vaccinated, I don't understand why we cant get off the boat for their vetted excursions, which I guess have also been cancelled.  Money to be refunded. Yipee

With all the confusion regarding testing, EHAS form completion, more testing, downloading, itinerary changes, etc.I am wondering if we are now only going on this cruise to prove that we can.  

The maiden voyage of the Star Breeze will be a cruise to nowhere!  When we booked, it sounded like a good idea at the time.  Oh well. 

[themutis]

17 minutes ago, wesport said:

With all the confusion regarding testing, EHAS form completion, more testing, downloading, itinerary changes, etc.I am wondering if we are now only going on this cruise to prove that we can.  

Frustrating for sure... but hoping you enjoy your time on Star Breeze and report back your experience.

[cabosal1]

46 minutes ago, minidonuts85 said:

@cabosal Oh wow! Did they indicate maybe stopping at other ports of call or any stops are off the table due to vaccine status? 

When I called Windstar back later I was told that that was a "courtesy" call to keep us informed and to offer alternatives if we wanted to cancel.  I think the forewarning was to prevent an onboard mutiny.  I can't believe they will not come up with something to placate those, like us, who will be taking the "damn the torpedoes" attitude.      

[honumaui]

Several years ago we caught colds ( the old fashioned stuffy nose & mild cough kind) probably from flying to Barbados or on Barbados. We were on the Surf. Didn't want to spread our germs so for several days stayed on board and ate alone. Still enjoyed ourselves! Our appetites were normal and as usual the meals were great. Just enjoyed sailing and being on the ocean. You could make believe you are on a crossing without ports and still really enjoy just being aboard . Of course we had been to the carib. multiple times before. I would be really dissapointed if it was our first time there and we missed the ports. Hope all gets better soon for all ou us. Enjoy the new Breeze.

[FLbeachbaby]

4 hours ago, wesport said:

We will be taking out first Windstar cruise in July out of St. Maarten.  I have had several questions, and normally send an email to them. I am amazed at how quickly I get a response. Normally within one to two hours. Other lines, you get a response that they are busy and expect to hear in two weeks. Pleasantly surprised. 

Hi there ! Would you be willing to share any information you received ? Glad you got some answers.

[FLbeachbaby]

1 hour ago, cabosal1 said:

Last night we were informed by phone that our Caribbean Windstar cruise (4 days from now) will probably NOT be stopping at ANY island on their itinerary.  Why?? To me it sounds like some of the crew are not vaccinated.  That was the only explanation I was given.  If all passengers are vaccinated, I don't understand why we cant get off the boat for their vetted excursions, which I guess have also been cancelled.  Money to be refunded. Yipee

With all the confusion regarding testing, EHAS form completion, more testing, downloading, itinerary changes, etc.I am wondering if we are now only going on this cruise to prove that we can.  

Will you pretty please let us know as soon as hear what your new itinerary is ? I will definitely cancel if it is not the OG. I live on the beach so I picked this cruise specifically for those islands. I can sail out of FL or hop on Celebrity if I want to go someplace I have been before. Thank you for helping us with this.

[FLbeachbaby]

4 hours ago, wesport said:

We will be taking out first Windstar cruise in July out of St. Maarten.  I have had several questions, and normally send an email to them. I am amazed at how quickly I get a response. Normally within one to two hours. Other lines, you get a response that they are busy and expect to hear in two weeks. Pleasantly surprised. 

Oh Westport- our saga continues with the "cruise to nowhere" info. This will go down as the award for- most stressful vacation planning that may not end in an actual vacation. 

[wesport]

42 minutes ago, FLbeachbaby said:

Oh Westport- our saga continues with the "cruise to nowhere" info. This will go down as the award for- most stressful vacation planning that may not end in an actual vacation. 

It’s not really a vacation. Seems more like an expedition. 

[sail2day]

9 hours ago, FLbeachbaby said:

Will you pretty please let us know as soon as hear what your new itinerary is ? I will definitely cancel if it is not the OG. I live on the beach so I picked this cruise specifically for those islands. I can sail out of FL or hop on Celebrity if I want to go someplace I have been before. Thank you for helping us with this.

I agree. I am booked on the July 3rd sailing of the Star Breeze. If my cruise will also be a "cruise not nowhere" I would rather re-book on the Celebrity Edge out of PEV and I know that I will be going to Mexico and the Bahamas. I just need to know what the reality is before it is too late. I imagine Windstar will refund the cruise in full if we will not be stopping at any ports due to their poor planning.

Edited June 17, 2021 by sail2day

[honumaui]

Out of our 10 Windstar cruises we only had a port change once..It was only one of several ports..We got an OBC for the "inconvenience". Didn't mind as all the other ports we wanted were still planned. If all the ports had been changed I would want to cancel too. Our exception is the Surf. We don't care where it goes as long as they open the sails,

We just cancelled a crossing on Regent for next year as they re positioned the ship and changed the whole itinerary .  Now we have to wait until 2023 to get the one we wanted for 2022. And we are not getting any younger. Covid has messed up the whole industry. But we are very thankful we have not gotten sick.  Good luck.

[sail2day]

Does anyone have new info on the port cancellation saga?

[Heartfelttraveler]

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Caribbean-calls-canceled-Windstar-return-cruise
 

This article says Windstar has made the cruise free for all passengers.

 

is this really happening?

[themutis]

Interested to hear if Windstar will offer a full refund for those who choose not to go, and what they will offer (thinking a future cruise credit) for those who decide to go.

[avalong]

16 hours ago, honumaui said:

Out of our 10 Windstar cruises we only had a port change once..It was only one of several ports..We got an OBC for the "inconvenience". Didn't mind as all the other ports we wanted were still planned. If all the ports had been changed I would want to cancel too. Our exception is the Surf. We don't care where it goes as long as they open the sails,

We just cancelled a crossing on Regent for next year as they re positioned the ship and changed the whole itinerary .  Now we have to wait until 2023 to get the one we wanted for 2022. And we are not getting any younger. Covid has messed up the whole industry. But we are very thankful we have not gotten sick.  Good luck.

We too are thankful that we haven't gotten sick, but I really feel your pain about "not getting any younger."  Covid has messed with what we call our "QTY's."  "Quality Travel Years"

[honumaui]

Our quality travel years are long gone. We are into "whew...we made it to the ship" years. Will be 79 & 80 for next cruise in Dec..if it takes place. Prefer Windstar but booked Oceania for the carib because it is round trip Miami. Last flight from St Maartin almost did us in.

Booked Windstar for fall east coast next year. Third trip there but WS has two new ports in Canada.

[avalong]

33 minutes ago, honumaui said:

Our quality travel years are long gone. We are into "whew...we made it to the ship" years. Will be 79 & 80 for next cruise in Dec..if it takes place. Prefer Windstar but booked Oceania for the carib because it is round trip Miami. Last flight from St Maartin almost did us in.

Booked Windstar for fall east coast next year. Third trip there but WS has two new ports in Canada.

You and I have twin brains!  My round-trip on the Windsurf out of St. Maarten was the first cruise cancelled by Windstar in April of last year. Since that time I have re-thought those hideous flights to/from St. Maarten and have booked a round-trip out of Miami in Feb. '22  with Oceania! I'm using my Windstar cruise credit on a Norway cruise next summer.

[honumaui]

We must have been on one of the last cruises before covid shut everything down. Returned from 2 weeks on the Wind Surf  Feb 29, 2020. Have you been on Oceania before? I assume you are on the Riviera. We sailed with them once...Alaska cruise & Denali land tour on the Regatta ( 684 passengers) in 2017. It was great. Also did Alaska again in 2018 on the Star Legend.

The Riviera has 1250 occupancy if they fill all the cabins. Largest ship we will have been on since 2010 ! Hope we don't get lost!

[avalong]

37 minutes ago, honumaui said:

We must have been on one of the last cruises before covid shut everything down. Returned from 2 weeks on the Wind Surf  Feb 29, 2020. Have you been on Oceania before? I assume you are on the Riviera. We sailed with them once...Alaska cruise & Denali land tour on the Regatta ( 684 passengers) in 2017. It was great. Also did Alaska again in 2018 on the Star Legend.

The Riviera has 1250 occupancy if they fill all the cabins. Largest ship we will have been on since 2010 ! Hope we don't get lost!

Yes, the Marina and Riviera are big compared to Windstar's ships. We did a transatlantic on the Marina a few years ago so we know what to expect. We like Oceania but love Windstar. It's their small ships and super friendly crew. And of course the sailing ships just have that certain something....

[honumaui]

How was the trans Atlantic? Haven't done one yet. We were scheduled for three different ones on Regent. All were cancelled. Now we are on the Splendor Miami to Lisbon with a post cruise land tour. It was supposed to take place next year but the itinerary was changed. Now we have to wait til March 2023. If we last that long.

[avalong]

8 minutes ago, honumaui said:

How was the trans Atlantic? Haven't done one yet. We were scheduled for three different ones on Regent. All were cancelled. Now we are on the Splendor Miami to Lisbon with a post cruise land tour. It was supposed to take place next year but the itinerary was changed. Now we have to wait til March 2023. If we last that long.

LOL. You will! Think positive. 

We liked our TA, but it was a bit different than most. It was New York to Quebec City by way of various Maritime ports then back out to the Atlantic for more Maritimes, then crossing from Newfoundland to Cork. So only 3 days at sea, as I recall. Next time I'd prefer a westbound TA because it's easier on you to keep setting the clock ahead rather than back as you progress.

[CanadianKate]

On 6/17/2021 at 5:11 PM, avalong said:

Next time I'd prefer a westbound TA because it's easier on you to keep setting the clock ahead rather than back as you progress.

 

Our first TA was NY to Southampton via Boston & Halifax and the Azores, then Cork. I was exhausted trying to do all the great ship stuff plus the 23 hour days. I swore I'd never to that again.

 

In 2019, I book the inaugural TA on the Breeze WB from Barcelona. Which was cancelled in December so we ended up on an EB from San Juan on the Legend. 

This sounds like an insult but really, I don't mean it that way... if you have to an EB ocean crossing, do it on Windstar because there isn't a lot of entertainment or enrichment on board. We had a lovely cruise, just drifting along. We can amuse ourselves visiting with others, reading, watching movies and eating. On the shorter days, we did just a bit less of that.

 

On our EB TA on another line, there were multiple lectures each day, and other activities that I didn't want to miss out on, then shows every evening that I didn't want to miss. So I was exhausted from FOMO.  There's not much to miss on Windstar, so it was perfect for me, a person who adores sea days and only tolerates port days.