Web Site

The problems with the web site are unacceptable. I was a web designer for a Fortune 200 for five years, and for other organizations for 10+ before that.

There is nothing that Windstar is doing that should be that complicated. Seriously. Use a CMS for all of the marketing side--boom, anyone who can send an email can now edit and update your web site. Use .NET or Java to call user ID's and Passwords against a SQL or ACT database that houses all reservations and customer information. Building a front end to display information is easy (I'm 10+ years rusty and could still do it with a html/xml cheat sheet), and it's not that difficult to load templates in either program in a .pdf format that would populate with the appropriate information (ie customer, cruise, boarding date/time, etc.) I do this every.single.day at my job now, and as long as you pay attention when naming so the script calls the correct template, you'll never have a problem.

Speaking of roll outs, develop in a sandbox, rename everything currently live that is being replaced before you deploy to production for a quick roll back if needed, and test your work before you deploy it for crying out loud.

PS--I'd be glad to consult and I'm sure we could work out a fair bargain that didn't involve actual cash.

I've also spent many years in various positions in the software business and agree. Especially not going live until the proper QA is signed off on by multiple testers. It keeps fares of 10 million dollars from appearing in the middle of the night. 🤗

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The IT from Windstar is strange. There is no "live-pricing"! My travelagent has to call them and you don´t know if the promo prices are available!

I sent them an email asking why this was taking so long. Here is their "in-depth" response:

"Hi Eric,

Our website is currently being worked on by our IT Department and should be up and working in the near future. We have even employed a separate IT Team to resolve these issues! Thank you so much for your patience and if you have any further questions don’t hesitate to email me back directly."

Isn't that sad? We have sailed on Windstar, but we are beginning to regret it this time. Is this just a symptom of larger problems within the company? Makes ya wonder. It is not that the web site is a disaster, its their lack of communication that is troubling.

It is a complete joke that My Windatar is not working and has not for many months. I am convinced they used the same company Obama hired to set up the healthcare website. While I have been able to get things done over the phone in place of My Windstar which has been very time consuming, I am going on my first Windstar cruise in June and it makes me wonder what the service will be like on the ship. I am hoping it is much better than their corporate office. In my opinion, the board should fire the CEO of this company for allowing this to go on.

It is a complete joke that My Windatar is not working and has not for many months. I am convinced they used the same company Obama hired to set up the healthcare website. While I have been able to get things done over the phone in place of My Windstar which has been very time consuming, I am going on my first Windstar cruise in June and it makes me wonder what the service will be like on the ship. I am hoping it is much better than their corporate office. In my opinion, the board should fire the CEO of this company for allowing this to go on.

Have no fear. We are about to book our 5th cruise with Windstar and the experience on board is a million miles away from their Corporate Head Office. Wonderful crew and beautiful ships - you will be hooked I'm sure!

Two and a half years ago their IT man was working on the web site and I haven't seen anything different yet. The service on board is great but the customer service on the web site is the worst I have ever seen. We have been on 7 Windstar cruises and currently have one booked and the web site says that I have never been on a cruise with them and have none booked. I cannot access my booked cruise nor book any excursions without calling them up on the phone.

I sent them an email asking why this was taking so long. Here is their "in-depth" response:

 

"Hi Eric,

Our website is currently being worked on by our IT Department and should be up and working in the near future. We have even employed a separate IT Team to resolve these issues! Thank you so much for your patience and if you have any further questions don’t hesitate to email me back directly."

Isn't that sad? We have sailed on Windstar, but we are beginning to regret it this time. Is this just a symptom of larger problems within the company? Makes ya wonder. It is not that the web site is a disaster, its their lack of communication that is troubling.

LOL, and Eric told me, last February, that the new and improved web site would be up and working on March 31st. I must admit, however, he didn't say what year!!

I just went to see if I could get our immigration forms for June cruise, and the website says that part of the site will be available April 20. But we will see...

I just went to see if I could get our immigration forms for June cruise, and the website says that part of the site will be available April 20. But we will see...

Just like the itineraries for summer 2018 which have been on their way 'in just a few weeks time' since February. I don't understand whats going on. Perhaps they are just short staffed.

Hey, I just checked again and the 2018 itineraries are on the website at last.

Hey, I just checked again and the 2018 itineraries are on the website at last.

And they're now thanking us for our patience during the "unexpected delay." I looked twice to be sure it didn't say "inexcusable delay.":rolleyes:

The website My Windstar is a mess. It would look better if they just removed My Windstar from the website. It has been funky since November.

I am a newcomer to Windstar and checked the cruises and prices for this summer. There is one where I like the route and the prices. I ask my TA to proceed with the booking, only to be told the cruise is sold out. I check again on the Windstar website, and the cruise is still advertised with prices against all cabin categories.

Is this normal behavior for Windstar? Advertising on their own website products that are not available? Certainly disappointing from my perspective.

That sounds very odd. I would call them directly just to be sure. Which cruise? They just had a huge sale so anything is possible and I don't think they change the website to take down cruises in case they have cancellations.

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Often cruises post cruises that are sold out. Many will accept a wait list reservation. I have been on wait lists a few times. Always got on the ship.

Looks like MyWindstar is back up. A lot snappier than the previous version.

I am a newcomer to Windstar and checked the cruises and prices for this summer. There is one where I like the route and the prices. I ask my TA to proceed with the booking, only to be told the cruise is sold out. I check again on the Windstar website, and the cruise is still advertised with prices against all cabin categories.

Is this normal behavior for Windstar? Advertising on their own website products that are not available? Certainly disappointing from my perspective.

If you get a Windstar member to refer you as a newcomer, both parties get OBC!

I'll gladly refer you to get this offer!

Let me know.

Janey :)

There's something bordering on fraud in trolling these boards to seek a bogus referral in order to "take" a cruise line for undeserved money.

There's something bordering on fraud in trolling these boards to seek a bogus referral in order to "take" a cruise line for undeserved money.

I'm sure if Windstar had an issue with it they would have contacted Cruise Critic about it long ago.

Looks like MyWindstar is back up. A lot snappier than the previous version.

I'd love to know more about what you like. People of the other "MyWindstar is back up" thread (including me) are trashing it:

Visually identical, but:

You don't login with a userid as in the past - you need to know the ITIN number, and if you have several you need to logout and back in for each one.

there is no "past itineraries" option

there is no account/payment summary page

the passport and other immigration/contact information is lost and must be re-entrered

We waited months and months for something with fewer features than the old version.

I'd love to know more about what you like. People of the other "MyWindstar is back up" thread (including me) are trashing it:

 

Visually identical, but:

 

You don't login with a userid as in the past - you need to know the ITIN number, and if you have several you need to logout and back in for each one.

 

there is no "past itineraries" option

 

there is no account/payment summary page

 

the passport and other immigration/contact information is lost and must be re-entrered

 

We waited months and months for something with fewer features than the old version.

Agree. I thought it was just me so glad you're seeing same thing that I'm seeing. No cruise history. The flow should be user name and pw or yacht club number, then choice of past sailings or future sailings, then active links to each sailing, etc. Person who designed this is not customer or user so has no understanding of what people might actually be interested in accessing.

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I'd love to know more about what you like.

It's not that I like it, I'm just glad it's back up. They also seem to be adding features daily. Excursion descriptions are up now and they weren't before. Other minor changes keep happening.

I have a way to book shore excursions online. I'm happy.

They definitely do need to update the site as a whole, though. It's rather dated.

Im actually wondering how anyone managed to log in; we are new to Windstar (but have sailed a multitude of times with Oceania) and I find the Windstar website experience highly frustrating. When I've called Windstar for assistance, I get no help from them whatsoever. All they say is "try again later". I hope this lack of help is not a reflection of what we will experience onboard...I keep reading the Windstar board for encouragement that indeed it will be a good experience...!

Im actually wondering how anyone managed to log in; we are new to Windstar (but have sailed a multitude of times with Oceania) and I find the Windstar website experience highly frustrating. When I've called Windstar for assistance, I get no help from them whatsoever. All they say is "try again later". I hope this lack of help is not a reflection of what we will experience onboard...I keep reading the Windstar board for encouragement that indeed it will be a good experience...!

You need your trip confirmation number. With that in hand click on MyWindstar on the top bar and then enter that number and your last name. The problem for us long-timers is that the login is now trip specific and not to a customer account that has all our trips in one place, very frustrating.

But, rest assured, the WS office in Seattle is a nightmare, but the onboard experience will be fine.