Thrifty Windstar

Recently received an email from a west coast consolidator offering a Windstar cruise packaged with air, hotel, etc., at very attractive prices. So one of the ways Windstar is filling ships is by dumping unsold cabins after final payment to consolidators. They're not alone in doing this.

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Recently received an email from a west coast consolidator offering a Windstar cruise packaged with air, hotel, etc., at very attractive prices. So one of the ways Windstar is filling ships is by dumping unsold cabins after final payment to consolidators. They're not alone in doing this.

Generally speaking this does not come about by Windstar (or most cruise lines) "dumping unsold cabins". The consolidator is likely either holding "group space" which they can release if not sold, or monitoring late price drops from Windstar and then pitching them on their own website. Any travel agency could do this, but it is too labor intensive for most.

Consolidators, when not showing separate prices for air, hotel and cruise, can also often get an air price that when combined like this makes the whole thing look better than buying a la carte.

Hard to price apple as oranges, but the incentive to buy can override the type and taste of the fruit, when your customer is supper hungry right now.

Generally speaking this does not come about by Windstar (or most cruise lines) "dumping unsold cabins". The consolidator is likely either holding "group space" which they can release if not sold, or monitoring late price drops from Windstar and then pitching them on their own website. Any travel agency could do this, but it is too labor intensive for most.

 

Consolidators, when not showing separate prices for air, hotel and cruise, can also often get an air price that when combined like this makes the whole thing look better than buying a la carte.

 

Hard to price apple as oranges, but the incentive to buy can override the type and taste of the fruit, when your customer is supper hungry right now.

This guy sells only after final payment and nearly always as a package with hotel, air, meal or two, city tour, etc. In one case, his package with air, hotel, and cruise, was less than I paid for cruise-only when booking on-board a few days before getting his email.

He had not been holding "group space" nor was he "pitching late price drops on his website." I get emails from the different guy who does that, and there's a difference.