Windsurf Cabin Selection Advice

Hi,

I am currently booked on a January 2015 sailing on the Windsurf. We are doing the Classic Caribbean itinerary and have a category A booked (cabin 222). However, I am considering going up to a suite. Typically when we cruise we book suites but we are on larger ships with sea days. Windsurf is a considerably smaller vessel and each day we have a port (although there are afternoons/mornings where we are at sea). I know value is subjective, but I'd like to solicit opinions on whether going to a suite for an extra $1000 pp is worth it on the Windsurf. This is our first time sailing with Windstar so I have no idea what to expect. Is the only different between a suite and a non-suite the size? Are there perks that Windstar offers to suite guests?

Thank you for your advice.

Hi,

 

I am currently booked on a January 2015 sailing on the Windsurf. We are doing the Classic Caribbean itinerary and have a category A booked (cabin 222). However, I am considering going up to a suite. Typically when we cruise we book suites but we are on larger ships with sea days. Windsurf is a considerably smaller vessel and each day we have a port (although there are afternoons/mornings where we are at sea). I know value is subjective, but I'd like to solicit opinions on whether going to a suite for an extra $1000 pp is worth it on the Windsurf. This is our first time sailing with Windstar so I have no idea what to expect. Is the only different between a suite and a non-suite the size? Are there perks that Windstar offers to suite guests?

 

Thank you for your advice.

There are no extra perks - but for me the two bathrooms are worth every cent!

IMHO I would spend your money on a B2B on the Surf instead of one week in a suite. The Wind Surf is a beautiful and you want to be up on deck whenever possible. We did the B2B in December of 2012. It was a great two weeks.

IMHO I would spend your money on a B2B on the Surf instead of one week in a suite. The Wind Surf is a beautiful and you want to be up on deck whenever possible. We did the B2B in December of 2012. It was a great two weeks.

That's not a bad idea. We were going to fly in 3 days earlier but considering that week includes the Martin Luther King holiday, we will only need 1 more vacation day to do a B2B.

I couldn't agree more. We did a B2B on the Surf in 2012, best vacation EVER. We loved it so much that we are planning a second B2B in the Surf in 2016. We booked a mid ships Cat B and were upgraded to a Cat A near the front. Looking at that ship, that cabin is still near the middle, we felt no motion. We would book the same cabin again without hesitation. I wouldn't book a suite on Windstar. We felt the cabin was plenty of space for the little we were actually in it.

Another advantage of a B2B is a 5% discount on the cruise fare.

Also on the second week you will be considered a returning passenger and get an invitation to the returning passengers cocktail reception and you might get an invitation to sit with the captain or hotel manager for dinner.

Another advantage of a B2B is a 5% discount on the cruise fare.

Also on the second week you will be considered a returning passenger and get an invitation to the returning passengers cocktail reception and you might get an invitation to sit with the captain or hotel manager for dinner.

I knew there was a 5% discount for previous cruisers--is this the same, or a separate discount? Can they be combined?

Ducklite,

We received the B2B 5% discount and our alumni 5% discount last year on the Wind Star from Istanbul to Rome. Our travel agent found it for us.

Ducklite,

We received the B2B 5% discount and our alumni 5% discount last year on the Wind Star from Istanbul to Rome. Our travel agent found it for us.

Wow--that's fantastic! So it's actually just shy of a 10% discount? That can really add up! Can that be off sale rates, or just the "rack" rates? In other words if the cruise fare is $2000, but they are offering it at "50%" off--$1000, you would pay $902.50? (I used those numbers to make it easy--we know that's not happening in this lifetime. ;) )

Usually the 50% off is the brochure fare which I don't think anyone ever pays - after they take off the 10% then they add on the fees and taxes (which are not discounted) - so your $2000 fare comes close to.......$2000

Right, I was talking about the base fare. Basically the discounts cover the various fees and taxes as opposed to those being additional. It's still a pretty substantial amount of savings.