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The Wind And The Star Traveler Download

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  The Wind And The Star Traveler Download Alicia Pitsch <aliciapitsch96@gmail.com> - 2024-01-09 22:35 -0800

#89342 — The Wind And The Star Traveler Download

We usually book a cruise with a travel agent, but after speaking with an agent in the Windstar Office, I am not sure whether one is preferable to another. The Windstar agent seemed very cooperative and helped me select our cabin based on our needs. He was also able to immediately apply a new discount that was offered to us by Windstar. What is your opinion? Any up or downsides to booking with one over another?


If you use a TA, Windstar will not speak to you directly about your booking; it all must go through the TA. TA's will sometimes offer OBC or some other perk. They can be helpful if there's a problem, and sometimes they can offer better pricing. Discussion of specific TAs on this site is not allowed.



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I usually have had the same beliefs about using a TA - let them handle problems and perhaps get some OBC - but I have had much better luck getting things resolved by going through Windstar directly. I had some issues my TA was not able to get resolved so I asked her to transfer the booking back to me and I was able to resolve a very complicated issue that my TA never would have been able to do. A few times with upgrade offers by the time my TA got back to me and then called Windstar back the opportunity was gone. When I get the email directly and reply right away I have gotten the upgrade. I have not found that a TA was able to get me better pricing very often. I guess with normal bookings a TA would be better but I now have lots of new friends with Windstar direct! Again, the exceptions are not the norm and I still value a TA for most bookings.


We have been using a TA for our Windstar bookings. For some cruises, we have gotten a better fare with her than the one on Windstar's website. We usually get some OBC; sometimes the amount is small and sometimes it has been pretty large.


We are fortunate in our TA. She has always been available when we needed her and she has been helpful when something went wrong and needed to be straightened out. E.g. when Windstar changed our room assignment in the process of getting a fare reduction.


We used an agent for our Wind Spirit Tahiti cruise. Aside from the fact that they essentially split their commission, for a substantial financial savings, when Windstar cancelled our May 2021 cruise, they REALLY went to bat for us.


Windstar just would not budge on the price for rebooking for the same cruise in May of 2022, doubling the amount. of the cruise. I took at as far as I could, but no matter how high I went, they would not give a penny. After a lot of back and forth, we finally gave up and asked to cancel. Our TA worked behind the scenes and eventually won a concession from Windstar that gave us the same cruise, at the same price in 2022, plus a cabin upgrade. Even with that, we're still getting a cash-back rebate direct from her when the cruise actually takes place.


I suppose just as there are some travel agents who are better than others there are also Windstar representatives who are better than others. There are a few from Windstar that I will not try to deal with on complicated issues but call back at a later time.


Fortunately, as Windstar and other cruise lines are returning to service with their full fleets, the U.S. government also recently dropped the requirement for Americans to present a negative COVID-19 test to return to the U.S. via air flights.


You will either be cruising on an award-winning sailboat or all-suite yachts when you book with Windstar. Our cruise was aboard a yacht, the Windstar Legend, but we were side by side with the Wind Surf for embarkation and at one of the cruise ports.






Since we were flying from Texas with a connection into St. Maarten, we came two days early. Or at least tried to. You can either make your own hotel arrangements or allow Windstar to book for you; we chose the latter.


Next, we learned about the alternative dining rooms on Windstar Legend and booked a meal time to dine at Cuatro 44 and Candles. The Windstar beverage program was explained to us, and interested guests signed up at that time.


The alcoholic beverage package has two levels, priced per day, per person, for the length of the cruise. I would recommend one of these packages for your first time sailing with Windstar, to enjoy your vacation to its fullest.


Unlike a few other cruise lines, guests in the same cabin do not have to package the same drink package. It is worth noting that coffee, tea, soda, and bottled water are complimentary on Windstar Cruises, and you do not need the drink package to enjoy them.


There is a reason cruise ships do not have scales in the bathroom. The food onboard was exceptional, and Windstar is the only cruise line endorsed by the James Beard Foundation. For breakfast, there are three choices to eat: room service, Veranda, and the Yacht Club, basically the coffee shop with limited food choices.


The staff appears to be the reason that out of 157 cruisers; one couple had sailed with Windstar over 100 times, 4 (that I met) over 50 times, and several multiple times. Eddie and I were only two of the eight newbies aboard.


From Anda, our favorite servers, singing to a group of bartenders doing a synchronized swimming comic skit, I laughed until I cried. It was sensational, not to mention creating an even deeper bond between Windstar staff and guests.


Our St. Maarten cruise itinerary had changed twice before boarding the ship. During a time with uncertain COVID numbers and different rules for each country, Windstar worked hard to ensure that the passengers were safe and had a great vacation but were not over-tested and made to incur additional expenses. I appreciated this greatly.


Windstar has many exceptional amenities, but two were highly noteworthy. First is the water sports platform. I had no idea about this until I saw it on my stateroom TV video. Then, many guests who had done it on previous cruises were talking about it.


Windstar has water trampolines, inflatables, kayaks, paddle boards, windsurfers, snorkeling gear, and water skiing that they sometimes roll out of the ship aft for the guests to use at no additional charge. I saw the area where it was all housed, and while it sounded entertaining, the weather did not cooperate for us to use it.


On our day at Virgin Gorda, the Windstar crew and staff hauled our food, linens, plates, silverware, etc., to a beach where they set up a fantastic beach picnic. Even after the waves were too high for our usual docking area, Windstar persevered to ensure that the guests were treated to this unique offering.


There is also, typically, a Windstar barbecue dinner, but ours was postponed due to high winds and then canceled the next day due to exuberant winds. December in the Caribbean was pretty brutal with the squalls and moody weather.


I think it is apparent that I loved my first sailing with Windstar Cruises. The attention to detail and high customer satisfaction are easily conveyed in everything they do. The size of the cruise is a tremendous asset, and the service level is another. The ship is attractive without being fussy, organized, well maintained, and aesthetically pleasing.


I snagged these photographs of the Windstar Cruises Wind Surf in two separate Caribbean locations as we were tendering back to our ship. She is 613.5 ft. long (nearly two football fields), and because of her shallow draft (only 16.4 ft.) she can maneuver into ports that much larger ships can only dream about.


With Windstar Cruises, all meals are complimentary in all venues at all times, including the room service menu available 24 hours. We ordered breakfast in our room a few mornings, and several times enjoyed a simple sandwich, cookie, and cappuccino in the Yacht Club Sandwich & Espresso Bar.


Overall, our group gave the cuisine aboard ship 4.3 stars out of 5, with 5 being a Michelin-star rated restaurant. You should also know that our group gave the staff aboard ship a 5 out of 5 rating. They really were remarkable. In just a few days, most of the staff that we interacted with knew our names, knew our wine preferences, and really made us feel at home.


The ship on the right carries 5,400 people and once they competed the docking process, people started streaming out of the belly of this thing like ants out of an ant hill. I went to the very front of the monstrosity to capture my photograph, but from that vantage point, you could hardly see the Wind Surf. So, I opted for a photograph that compared roughly half of said monster-ship against the elegant Wind Surf.


So. Bottom line? Carol and I highly recommend that you consider getting far away from the madding crowd on your next ocean cruise and try a peaceful, elegant cruise aboard the Windstar Cruises Wind Surf.


Disclosure: our sailing was provided by the nice folks at Windstar Cruises. Thanks!

 

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As I joined the back of the line at the on-deck barbecue half way through my cruise waiting for my serving of lobster to be cooked, it struck me that this was a first. It was the only time that I had needed to queue for anything! And even then there were only four other guests in front of me. It proved to be the only time across the nine days I experienced lining up for anything. It was a very different experience, and sensation, to my travels on larger cruise ships. On those navigating crowds and waiting my turn started at check-in and only ended after finally shuffling off at disembarkation.


After modernisation and updating, it started sailing under its new owners in 2015 with the basic layout retained. Money spent went mostly on the look and quality of the decor and finish. Holding a maximum of 212 guests and served by 150 crew members, the service and attention was (not surprisingly) personal and yet informal.


My fellow guests were mostly American, 50+ and well-travelled. I realised the draw of Windstar was the focus on the places we called on and not having to engage in the ceremony that many cruise lines follow. On board dress codes were informal, with no formal nights or themed parties. The only request seemed to be no jeans or shorts at dinner.

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