Big agents not selling Windstar..why?

[Cruise Junky]

Hi. I started looking at Windstar today and thought I’d look for prices online. I was pretty surprised that at least three of the big box or big online TAs don’t sell Windstar. Is there a reason why? 

[TakingFlight]

I am also curious about this. I have always booked directly with the cruise line, then I heard on Cruise Critic about extra perks to be had when booking with a TA. I got a recommendation from a fellow traveler for a great TA, but lo and behold, they do not book Windstar.  What’s up?

[wripro]

My guess is that Windstar won't give these big box agents the kind of discount they want order to sell them. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

I know of one online TA that does book Windstar, so keep looking.

[Zukini]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I know of one online TA that does book Windstar, so keep looking.

 

Host Jazzbeau, I presume we are not permitted to name specific agents, are we?

[ridethetide]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I know of one online TA that does book Windstar, so keep looking.

I have used the same online TA for my last 10 Windstar bookings.  They have been extremely helpful and great to work with, especially when the occasional problems arise.

[Zukini]

I found that when I tried to get pricing through the Windstar "talk to a planner" function on their website, they forwarded my query to one of their partner agencies. That agency (which apparently is some sort of lead-sharing broker) then forwarded my info to ANOTHER agency.  By the time a quote was actually in my hands from Windstar I had already found an online agency and made a booking that was, overall, considerably less than what that quote reflected.  So yes, there are online agencies, you just need to find them.

 

Edited December 19, 2019 by Zukini

[milepig]

Based on my "exhaustive" survey of one upcoming itin in late 2020, I checked prices for Windstar direct and three "discount" travel agents. The pricing was exactly the same.

[Zukini]

10 minutes ago, milepig said:

Based on my "exhaustive" survey of one upcoming itin in late 2020, I checked prices for Windstar direct and three "discount" travel agents. The pricing was exactly the same.

 

I won't get into specifics without permission from the moderator, but for a cruise on the Wind Spirit, including the "all-in" package, the online agency I'm working with met the Windstar pricing and on board credit, and threw in a rebate of over $1,000 after final payment. So, yeah, you can definitely do better than direct pricing.

 

Edited to add: I haven't actually made final payment yet, so the rebate is, I suppose, theoretical at this point, but reviews from past customers indicate that the agency is honest and does follow through with the rebate.

 

Edited December 19, 2019 by Zukini

[Cruise Junky]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I know of one online TA that does book Windstar, so keep looking.

Probably the one that I originally found the cruise. It was just when I went looking at other big sites that I kept seeing Windstar as not an option.

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, Zukini said:

 

Host Jazzbeau, I presume we are not permitted to name specific agents, are we?

 

That is correct, which is why I didn't even hint at the name of my TA.  Just wanted to point out that there are online TAs who are happy to book Windstar.

[CanadianKate]

I use a highly successful, luxury travel agent in Canada. Recommended to me on my first cruise by another passenger from Canada. Neither of us live in the city where the agency is located but then again, that isn't necessary in this day and age (although I started with this agent over a decade ago.)

 

I've stuck with them due to reasonable advice, quick response on bookings and a decent on-board credit. 

The reason to use a TA is when things go badly. This will be my first test of that. Last night, I received a phone call at 8:45 from  my agent who had emailed me about the cancellation but wanted to talk to me in person to say that she would do everything she could and to give me her holiday hours (she's now out of the office until after Christmas.) 

In the reviews of Windstar, the theme that head office is a pain to work with comes up repeatedly. With this cancellation, the miserly compensation offered plus the fact that I have $20K tied up with them until they decide to refund me so can't book another cruise or all-inclusive holiday. combined with the time of year, will make this a real challenge for my agent. But I still feel I'm better off than handling head-office on my own. We'll see if they even respond to my 'request a call' that I put in last night. I've identified an alternative cruise but need to lock that up before the other 1000 or more affected passengers want to rebook. 

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by CanadianKate

[avalon1025]

Well I can tell you how they are dealing with TA's on these motor yacht cancellations is even worse than how they are dealing with passengers.   I honestly won't be recommending WS to my clients.  Too many lines out there that offer great luxury products. 

[CanadianKate]

After doing all the rebooking, I emailed my agent to keep her up to date (when she gets back to the office) and apologized for swooping in to do her job and thanked her again for the heads up last night so I could act first thing today. She emailed me back (she's on holiday but still checking email...) that she was pleased I had taken action to minimize the disruption to my holiday. 

 

If I saved her trouble, I'm glad. I know she'll go to bat for me once she is back. Due to the problems with asbestos being known before I paid in full, I want increased compensation because they took my money even though the odds of completing on time were very low. 

 

Edited to add: Windstar originally wanted me to contact my agent. I explained to them that my agent was away until after Christmas and I wanted to snag the cabin on the cruise I wanted while it was still available. I knew it was available thanks to www.WindstarWizard.com.

 

So the customer service rep then let me proceed with the change. Then again, while I'm not a travel agent, my job is to make all the travel arrangements for our business and I'm awfully good at that. But cruises is something I leave to my TA.

When it comes to air, even on holidays, I also make my own arrangements unless the cruise line is cheaper (that's happened only once over the last decade.) If something happens when I'm on the other side of the world and I need to make changes, I can without having to go through the agent. Cruise line air departments often won't make arrangements from my city. I have to get to a proper international airport and then transfer to the cruise line flights. I'd rather not have that additional expense. 

Edited December 21, 2019 by CanadianKate

[CruiseOrLand]

Kate, I use travel agents less than I used to, but it seems unreasonable to expect Windstar (or any provider ... ) to allow you to use an intermediary when you want one, and work direct when it suits you! The airlines certainly don't allow that. I also question the definition of "Luxury" TA if they have no one to cover them when they are out of the office. (Indeed, one reason I stopped using the big local company I had was the discovery that my agent was not an employee, and did not have a dedicated desk in the office suite.)

 

I apologize if this seems to be a personal critique, but the general issues your booking raised seem worth considering. I certainly agree that many travel customers, today (and not just you), expect to have ad hoc flexibility, at the touch of their cellphone!

[CanadianKate]

For emergencies, there is always someone available to respond at this TA's office. 

But, to be reasonable, rebooking a cancelled cruise is not an emergency. 

 

In fact, while my agent is technically off work now until after the holidays, she is doing emergency coverage in the office for 8 hours on Tuesday and when she called me on Thursday night, she offered to do work with Windstar then. I told her to focus on clients currently traveling and we'd wait until the New Year. 

 

It was only about an hour later that I realized how screwed I was since Windstar had my money and different cruiseline would need payment immediately.  When  I cancelled my air arrangements only to be met with the response that it would take up to 2 billing cycles for the airline to return my money, I realized I was in danger of losing an affordable winter holiday since I'd be paying last minute rates for resorts and flights, if Windstar was the same (they are not, but I didn't know that on Thursday night.)

 

It took about 3 hours in total to come up with another plan, and 2 hours to implement (although I haven't yet snagged the flights, that's a task for this morning) which took much less of my time, and worry-brain-cycles, than waiting until Christmas Eve which is always a busy day for me.  As my son explains to his friends, "It's Mom's boss' birthday so He wants her to work every Christmas Eve" so it is a pretty big work day for me. (I'm a part-time preacher.) 

[O2B@Cagain]

My TA was able to shave $500 per person off of Windstar's price for our next cruise. Also, she noted in my documents that the hotel service charge is going from $13.50/day to $14.50/day (per person) on 1/1/20. I am curious to hear from January travelers if the "All-In" package increases. I suspect it will...

[milepig]

This debacle with the large number of cancellations indicates why TAs maybe don’t bother with WS. Our TA reports than he couldn’t get through on the “special” TA secret line all day yesterday and we’re left hanging. I love Windstar and our replacement with Silversea will be a learning curve that we will deal with, but OMG, Seattle sucks. This on top of my needing to prove our previous itins without even a list to start from. Really a poor showing. 

Edited December 23, 2019 by milepig

[minidonuts85]

On 12/22/2019 at 7:58 AM, O2B@Cagain said:

My TA was able to shave $500 per person off of Windstar's price for our next cruise. Also, she noted in my documents that the hotel service charge is going from $13.50/day to $14.50/day (per person) on 1/1/20. I am curious to hear from January travelers if the "All-In" package increases. I suspect it will...

 

We bought the All-In package in Oct for our 1/4/2020 Surf cruise. I guess we'd be grandfathered in at the service charge rate from Oct? Idk....I dont mind the extra buck a day but will be curious if we have an additional charge implemented on our bill.

[O2B@Cagain]

My TA was also dealing with the home office on the day the cancellations became known. She said she was having a heck of a time getting anyone to respond; I guess we know why now!

 

I brought up the extra buck, not to complain, but to try to figure out if the "All-In" is worth it or not. We keep looking at our invoice from this last trip and adding up drinks, bottles of wine, etc. The laundry service is great, but is it worth $112 per week?

 

mini: I thought you could only buy it on board?

[minidonuts85]

5 hours ago, O2B@Cagain said:

My TA was also dealing with the home office on the day the cancellations became known. She said she was having a heck of a time getting anyone to respond; I guess we know why now!

 

I brought up the extra buck, not to complain, but to try to figure out if the "All-In" is worth it or not. We keep looking at our invoice from this last trip and adding up drinks, bottles of wine, etc. The laundry service is great, but is it worth $112 per week?

 

mini: I thought you could only buy it on board?

For awhile yes only available on board, but thats changed.

 

Normally we wouldn't get it because we dont use the laundry, but we will be spending a week on Jost Van Dyke prior and will show up to the Surf with a suitcase full of of dirty clothes 🙂

[Petoonya]

On 12/22/2019 at 7:58 AM, O2B@Cagain said:

My TA was able to shave $500 per person off of Windstar's price for our next cruise. Also, she noted in my documents that the hotel service charge is going from $13.50/day to $14.50/day (per person) on 1/1/20. I am curious to hear from January travelers if the "All-In" package increases. I suspect it will...

Frustrating sometimes that we can't share info about TA's. I love my TA but on WS on a $12k cruise I got nothing- but good service which is worth a heck of a lot. Realize she only makes 10% vs. 15-20% on other lines.

Perhaps my cruise is spare change compared to yours, but even $500 is a lot to throw over the rail. May get busy comparing some big box agencies who sell WS, but still end up with the lady who's been good to me all these years and saved me money in other ways. Guess that says it all right there.

 

Still, gotta check.

[ducklite]

The business model of many of the largest TA's is to book a block of rooms in order to get the very best pricing.  They then hold that block and only release unsold inventory just before final payment is due.  As long as they sell out their block an agreed upon percentage of the time, this continues.  That's another reason they will often push "newbies" towards a specific line--they get preferred pricing from that line that isn't always 100% passed on to the consumer.

 

 

[Zukini]

12 hours ago, Petoonya said:

Frustrating sometimes that we can't share info about TA's. I love my TA but on WS on a $12k cruise I got nothing- but good service which is worth a heck of a lot. Realize she only makes 10% vs. 15-20% on other lines.

Perhaps my cruise is spare change compared to yours, but even $500 is a lot to throw over the rail. May get busy comparing some big box agencies who sell WS, but still end up with the lady who's been good to me all these years and saved me money in other ways. Guess that says it all right there.

 

Still, gotta check.

 

Keep in mind, the agencies that give these deep discounts often don't necessarily give the best service after the fact. There can be substantial change fees, etc. For an experienced traveler who knows what they want and isn't dependent on SERVICES provided by a travel agency, they can be great. For someone that relies on great service, frequent communication, etc, they may be better off sticking with a more service-oriented agency. 

[Petoonya]

15 minutes ago, Zukini said:

 

Keep in mind, the agencies that give these deep discounts often don't necessarily give the best service after the fact. There can be substantial change fees, etc. For an experienced traveler who knows what they want and isn't dependent on SERVICES provided by a travel agency, they can be great. For someone that relies on great service, frequent communication, etc, they may be better off sticking with a more service-oriented agency. 

Thank you. Yes, I need next to nothing in service other than processing my payments. But last WS cruise my TA saved me $300 on a $12k cruise due to a change in conditions after I made deposit. I'd never have known about it with a big box agency. For whatever reason I always feel safer with her, and can't put a price on that. Will probably start checking big box agencies and weighing what the difference in price is to me. My loyalty to my TA and the fact that she is a very nice person will probably outweigh everything else.