Windstar Cruises is changing the way it sells cruises, now offering guests a choice between paying a single all-inclusive rate that includes amenities such as alcohol, gratuities, and other onboard services, or adding items à la carte as they go.
The all-inclusive rates are listed on Windstar’s website and in all sales materials, along with the base cruise fares, which are listed per person in US dollars based on double occupancy.
For Windstar, all-inclusive means unlimited wine, beer, and cocktails, Wi-Fi, all gratuities, as well as the cruise fare. The new fare is available for the Wind Class yachts as well.
Windstar President Christopher Prelog says, “In an effort to be more in line with other luxury offerings in the cruise industry, particularly with the rollout of our newly transformed all-suite Star Plus Class yachts, we’re now giving the option of an all-inclusive price for all of our sailings.”
But he added, “We didn’t want to take away the à la carte option from guests who enjoy going that way. We want our guests to have the choice based on their preference, what they need on board, and their general vacation philosophy. We thought about only offering the all-inclusive fare on the newly transformed Star Plus Class yachts (but) after discussing internally, we all came to the same conclusion: Why not offer both on all our yachts?
“We offer a choice between sailing yachts and all-suite yachts, and now à la carte or all-inclusive. That seems to fit the Windstar brand.”
Windstar Cruises operates a fleet of six boutique all-suite and sailing yachts carrying 148 to 342 guests. Small ship cruises sail throughout Europe, the Caribbean, Costa Rica and the Panama Canal, Asia, Alaska and British Columbia, Canada and New England, Tahiti and the South Pacific, Mexico and US Coastal and Australia.
The cruise line recently launched the “$250 Million Star Plus Initiative” to transform the three all-suite Star Plus Class yachts with new suites, restaurants, and a world-class spa and fitness centre.
Windstar’s Beyond Ordinary Care health and safety plan requires guests and crew to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and beginning Jan. 1, the line’s policies include a free COVID-19 antigen test at the pier for embarking guests. To ease travel back home at the end of the cruise, guests may also choose to purchase antigen (US$69) or PCR tests ($135) in advance of their cruise and any additional testing required by specific ports during the cruise may be purchased on board.
