My February-March 2025 Star Breeze Tahiti cruises cancelled.

[oakridger]

I received emails today letting me know that my two back-to-back cruises in late February and early March 2025 are cancelled.  This is what Windstar said:

 

"... We have been looking forward to you joining us on the Tahiti & the Tuamotu Islands itinerary – Star Breeze, February 23, 2025. At this time, we need to inform you that the Star Breeze is no longer available during this timeframe as the ship has been taken out of public service for these dates, and as a result this cruise has been cancelled..."   The following part of my Collector back-to-back is also cancelled. "Dreams of Tahiti", which I was also booked on.

 

They have offered to reschedule to other Tahiti cruises in March and May, which is not an option for me to take two short cruises which are two months apart!  They have also offered options to rebook the same itineraries with a $300 OBC or to book other itineraries with a $300 OBC at prevailing prices.  The last option is to cancel completely with a refund and $200 OBC to use on a cruise through Februaty 2026.

 

It all seems fair enough, but of course my whole other trip plans surrounding these cruises has to be scrapped.  I booked this in July 2023.

 

My point in posting here is to let others know what happened to my long-term booking and what Windstar is offering as replacement and good will OBC for the disruption of plans.

 

Lastly, I wonder what the Star Breeze will be doing while it is "taken out of public service"?  I doubt it's for maintenance.  A possible charter that will be more profitable to Windstar?  It's a done deal, but does anyone know?  I'm just curious!

 

~Nancy

 

 

[6rugrats]

I have booked several Windstar cruises in the past that have been chartered, and since this ship recently was renovated, it could be a charter.  

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Thanks for posting this. I’m new to WS and have the 17 day Twice the Tahiti booked for 2026. (As well as 2 others before that). It had not occurred to me that this could happen but I guess it makes sense that with such small ships charters would happen.  
 

I would really be interested in other folks experiences with this. A year in advance is horrible and the options seem fair enough (but still incredibly disappointing to have to change plans). But has WS ever done this closer to sailing I wonder?  

[Ski Mom 2]

This happened to us as well for a Star Breeze around New Zealand that was scheduled for January 2024. We took our money and the $200 OBC for another cruise. We too had had the cruise scheduled for over a year or more and were pretty unhappy. I don’t think we received any reason why. 

[Breckski]

I would think WS would not cancel cruises subsequent to the date when airfare could be booked (11 months or so).  I'm sure their contract states they could do so, but from a public relations standpoint I doubt they would do this even if they have a bigger fish on the line.  

 

Very curious if someone has had a cruise cancelled while having airfare purchased.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Thanks @Ski Mom 2for sharing your experience.  @mwike. I book my airfare the minute it comes out as I’ve found that business class lie flat seats have the best prices and selection early. So I am also very curious if WS has cancelled after airfare was available to purchase and if so how did they handle the expense the passenger would have faced. Of course I have travel insurance but it would be one less thing I have to do if WS took care of any change fees. 

Edited February 29 by HaveDogWillTravel

[Ski Mom 2]

BAD NEWS! our WS cruise from Papeete to Fiji in January 2025 has just been canceled!!😡 This is the second time they have done this to us and now I’m not sure we will sail with them again. 

Edited February 29 by Ski Mom 2

[oakridger]

Guess what?  My other Auckland to Papeete February 1 to 16, 2025 just got cancelled also!  They are offering a Future Cruise Credit for the money already paid (the deposit) and $200 On Board Credit for a future booking within 2 years.

 

Here's what they said: "We have been looking forward to you joining us on the Star Breeze, South Pacific – January  2, 2025 – February 5, 2025 sailings. Due to necessary fleet maintenance, it is our regret to inform you that the Star Breeze will not be operating in this region. As a result, your itinerary has been cancelled."

 

Like @Ski Mom 2 I'm wondering what's going on?  I'm becoming leery about rebooking on the Star Breeze.  They just moved her to be a permanent Tahiti itinerary with great fanfare.  Hmmmmm????

 

@HaveDogWillTravel they have offered to give change fees for airfare.  This is what they said:

"If air travel has already been booked independently of Windstar Cruises, we will reimburse you for change fees you incur due to flight changes up to a $300 cash refund."

 

I almost booked my airfare to Auckland 3 days ago but got sidetracked and didn't....thankfully!

 

Dang!!!  

 

~Nancy

[Ski Mom 2]

We already have our airfare booked to Tahiti. This is just ridiculous if you ask me. We are currently on hold with Paul Gauguin; they have a cruise that matches up with what we were doing Tahiti to Fiji. But I'm serious when I say my WS days may be over...

Edited February 29 by Ski Mom 2

[oakridger]

I had planned on a New Zealand land trip prior to boarding Star Breeze. I think that plan just got messed up/postponed as well.

I'm so disappointed.  😔

 

~Nancy

[Ski Mom 2]

We are also on Azamara New Zealand Intensive departing Auckland on 1/20/2025. We had added Star Breeze Tahiti to Fiji so my air is booked, some of my hotels are booked etc. Now it looks like Paul Gauguin has almost the same itinerary for almost the same dates (althought more expensive) so we are working on that now. Something is up and it doesn't sound pretty.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

@oakridger thanks!

and wow!  This doesn’t seem like a charter!  

[oakridger]

"...fleet maintenance..."

 

🤷‍♀️

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Nancy, I am so sorry to hear this and from your first email it does in fact sound like it is being Chartered but that second email for the other voyage about maintenance is very confusing. Hopefully more info can come out and there might be another option with Windstar. I agree it all seems strange especially with making the big change and celebrating the Breeze in Tahiti recently.

[fidldidi2]

The late Feb/early March cruise can be explained by this charter:  https://www.gohagantravel.com/programs/tahiti-and-french-polynesia-2025/

[oakridger]

Welcome to Cruise Critic and Thank you @fidldidi2 for this information!  It is indeed some kind of charter, and the following week probably is as well.  The January cancellations were attributed to fleet maintenance by Windstar. 

 

I hope the ship will be all spiffed up after that because I did decide to reschedule my cruises for a little later in 2025.

 

On Monday I will get the final itinerary and pricing so will report then how Windstar responded to accommodating me because of the cancellations. I "think" they are going to make me feel happy about giving it a second shot!  😉

 

~Nancy

 

 

 

 

[susiesan]

I was just about to book Star Breeze Dreams of Tahiti for March 13 but now I wonder if it will get cancelled also? My other option is a Oceania cruise in early February, the Nautica does 1o day cruises on Jan. 26 and Feb.5.

 

I wondered why there were no 7 day Star breeze cruises between January and mid March, now I know it's charters.

[pappy1022]

What a crap way to do business Windstar. Glad I booked with Paul Gauguin (PG) instead. It was a close call for me but my gut kept telling me to go with PG. 

[6rugrats]

I disliked my cruise on PG and wouldn’t consider them again.  I have had several booked cruises chartered and most cruise lines do this.  I was annoyed after Windstar did this a couple of times, and didn’t sail them for a long time.  I now just book very last minute and it’s not a problem.  I realize not everyone one can do this.

[susiesan]

2 hours ago, pappy1022 said:

What a crap way to do business Windstar. Glad I booked with Paul Gauguin (PG) instead. It was a close call for me but my gut kept telling me to go with PG. 

Looks like PG has chartered the ship from late Jan.-March 2025 as there are no cruises shown.

[pappy1022]

Not true. It is a scheduled dry dock.

[oakridger]

Here's the official explanation for the January and up to February 16,2025 cancellations! The next couple cruises after that are the Plant Based Food cruise and a charter.

 

My Windstar Cruises in February and March 2025 were cancelled.  I received a very contrite email from them today with the full explanation ("better late than never").

 

The drydock/maintenance that was supposed to be done in New Zealand is now getting done in Central America so that is why it's going to take the ship out of service longer.  Star Breeze will be back in Papeete for the already scheduled cruises from February 16, 2025 on.  Apparently, the New Zealand taxes/fees charged to Windstar for the dry dock became so high that it's worth it to WS to make the changes and pay the cancelled passengers the compensation and goodwill OBC.

 

If anyone is interested in the other details I can post the email.  Let me know.

 

~Nancy

[ridethetide]

For those who might be interested, the Plant-Based  Food cruise is fully booked and they have created a wait list.

[Strenz]

21 minutes ago, ridethetide said:

For those who might be interested, the Plant-Based  Food cruise is fully booked and they have created a wait list.

Good way to cruise and diet! I open mindedly tried it on WS, not my cup of tea to say the least. I do not eat processed

food felt it was overly processed, each to our own.

[Nearpost345]

We were on the Legend last April, and presumably experienced the “pilot program”, for me the plant based offerings were tasteless. There is another thread on here so I won’t complain any further.

 

Hopefully they have made some adjustments along the way, or maybe I just don’t have the right taste buds.  Here is a link I just found

 

https://www.windstarcruises.com/BlankSite/media/Press-Releases/plant-based-menus-revisions.pdf?ext=.pdf