Windstar Cruises Yacht Membership loyalty program: Every thing to know

Seattle-based Windstar Cruises is a comparatively small line, nevertheless it presents an enormous loyalty program that may convey you all types of nice perks for those who sail recurrently with the model.

Dubbed the Yacht Membership, the four-tier program, which was massively upgraded in late 2020, presents its higher-tier members such priceless perks as a $100-per-person onboard credit score for each crusing, free laundry service on ships and free Wi-Fi. Greater-tier members additionally get important reductions on cruises, beverage packages, shore excursions and extra.

This system was upgraded on the identical time that the six-ship line expanded its capability with an enormous makeover and enlargement of three of its vessels. The $250-million Star Plus Initiative, because it was known as, introduced new suites, eating places, pool decks and extra to the road’s three yachtlike motor vessels — Star Breeze, Star Legend and Star Pleasure.

All three of the vessels additionally had been lengthened by round 20%.

Methods to earn factors

The Yacht Membership point-earning system is comparatively easy. Typically, members earn 1 level for on daily basis they sail on a Windstar vessel. The one exception is for passengers staying in prime suites. Clients staying in Wind Class suites or Deluxe suites on Star Plus Class ships will get 1.5 factors for on daily basis they sail. These staying in Proprietor’s suites and Basic suites on Star Plus Class vessels will get 2 factors for on daily basis they sail, as will passengers staying within the Bridge Suite on the Wind Surf.

Program tiers and advantages

There are 4 tiers to the Yacht Membership program:

• One Star (1 to fifteen factors)
• Two Star (16 to 39 factors)
• Three Star (40 to 89 factors)
• 4 Star (90 or extra factors)

Even on the lowest One Star stage, the perks are pretty sturdy, at the very least as in comparison with loyalty packages of lots of Windstar’s small-ship cruise line rivals.

Yacht Membership members in any respect 4 tiers get a 5% low cost on fares when reserving a cruise. That is an amazing perk, because it quantities to actual cash in your pocket. However it will get even higher for those who e book a cruise whereas on board a Windstar ship or inside 60 days of departing one. In such circumstances, Yacht Membership members will get an extra 5% low cost on fares — bringing the whole financial savings to 10%.

Each day E-newsletter

Reward your inbox with the TPG Each day publication

Be part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s specialists

Associated: A newbie’s information to cruise line loyalty packages

In choose circumstances, Yacht Membership members will probably be rewarded for his or her loyalty with even larger reductions. As a part of this system, members can snag a good heftier 20% low cost on choose Yacht Membership member sailings. One caveat: The 20% low cost will not be combinable with different presents.

As well as, all Yacht Membership members get:

• Advance notification of latest deployments
• Advance notification of gross sales occasions
• Members-only non-public gross sales
• A $100 shipboard credit score when referring a brand new buyer to Windstar. The brand new buyer additionally will obtain a $100 onboard credit score.
• Unique members-only cocktail celebration with ship officers
• Unique onboard tote
• Further reductions at sister Xanterra Journey Assortment manufacturers (extra on that under)

Plus, beginning on the One Star stage, clients get a 5% low cost on laundry service, Wi-Fi and Windstar merchandise each time they sail with the road. Word that the Wi-Fi low cost solely applies to Wi-Fi bought individually and never as a part of the road’s All-Inclusive Fares.

On the Two Star stage, clients get all of the above plus a 5% low cost on shore excursions and beverage packages (once more, the latter low cost doesn’t apply to the road’s All-Inclusive Fares). In addition they get a $50 per individual onboard credit score for each cruise they take.

The elite stage that makes a distinction

We’re impressed with all 4 ranges of the Windstar Yacht Membership loyalty program. Even on the lowest tier, it brings actual financial savings for loyal passengers. And the shore tour and beverage bundle reductions that include the Two Star stage are engaging in our eyes.

That mentioned, we begin to get actually excited concerning the Three Star tier. It bumps the reductions for laundry service, Wi-Fi, shore excursions and Windstar merchandise to 10%. In case you’re the sort of cruiser who does a shore tour in each port and recurrently makes use of onboard providers, equivalent to laundry and Wi-Fi, this might prevent $100 or extra on a typical seven-night cruise.

The Three Star tier additionally comes with an onboard credit score of $75 per individual for each cruise you are taking. That is extra actual cash in your pocket.

Greatest elite perk

It is a robust name on the perfect elite perk of the Windstar Cruises Yacht Membership loyalty program. In contrast to some frequent cruiser packages, there is not one clear standout perk, such because the free cruise that Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society members get after reaching the highest Pinnacle Membership stage.

On the prime 4 Star tier stage of the Yacht Membership program, passengers get free laundry service and free Wi-Fi on each crusing, that are each priceless perks. However probably the most beneficiant perk could be the 15% low cost on shore excursions that comes with 4 Star standing. That is assuming you might be the kind of cruiser who indicators up for lots of cruise line-organized shore excursions. In case you spend $1,000 every week on excursions, that perk alone is price $150 per seven-night cruise.

Associated: The last word information to choosing a cruise line

On the 4 Star stage, members additionally get a 15% credit score on Windstar merchandise and a ten% low cost on beverage packages. The onboard credit score will increase to $100 per individual for each cruise you are taking.

One factor we like concerning the Yacht Membership program is that it would not take all that many cruises to achieve the highest 4 Star stage. For somebody staying in an ordinary cabin, it will require the completion of 13 seven-night cruises. That is not all that onerous to do in simply 4 or 5 years, assuming you cruise two or thrice a yr. However, for those who keep in suites, you can hit the 4 Star stage much more rapidly. It might take simply seven seven-night cruises.

You possibly can hit the highest 4 Star stage much more rapidly for those who join Windstar’s longer “Star Collector” voyages of 14 to 60 days. With the right combination of such sailings, you can attain 4 Star standing in simply two or three sailings.

Associated: Windstar will allow you to e book a cabin in a crew space

Certainly, somebody staying in a prime suite on one of many longer Star Collector sailings, in principle, may hit the 4 Star stage after only a single cruise.

Word that, as is usually the case with cruise line loyalty packages, Windstar clients wouldn’t have to requalify for standing annually. Yacht Membership members maintain their factors on the finish of every yr and proceed to accrue factors indefinitely. That implies that somebody who hits 4 Star standing will stay at that prime tier stage ceaselessly (or till Windstar makes a change to this system).

Such “ceaselessly standing” is likely one of the nice allures of cruise line frequent cruiser packages. Many airline frequent flyer packages, in contrast, require loyalty members to requalify for standing annually.

Advantages at Xanterra Journey Assortment manufacturers

Along with reductions and different perks at Windstar, Yacht Membership loyalty program members are entitled to particular perks at inns, lodges and different journey distributors owned by Windstar’s mum or dad firm, The Anschutz Company.

Based mostly in Denver, The Anschutz Company owns such iconic inns as The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the Sea Island Resort simply off the Georgia coast. It additionally owns two lodge properties close to nationwide parks (The Grand Lodge close to the Grand Canyon and Cedar Creek Lodge close to Glacier Nationwide Park) and is the biggest nationwide and state park concessionaire in the USA. Among the many nationwide parks the place it’s the concessionaire are Yellowstone Nationwide Park, Grand Canyon Nationwide Park and Glacier Nationwide Park.

Associated: Methods to plan a cruise with factors and miles

Different Anschutz journey holdings embrace the Grand Canyon Railway & Lodge and tour corporations VBT Bicycling Holidays, Nation Walkers and Vacation Holidays.

Collectively, all the inns, lodges and journey corporations are referred to as the Xanterra Journey Assortment. The perks out there to Yacht Membership members at Xanterra Journey Assortment entities range however usually take the type of credit score. On the Sea Island Resort, as an example, members are entitled to a $200 resort credit score.

Backside line

It is uncommon for a cruise line as small as Windstar to have such an amazing loyalty program. Massively upgraded in October 2020, Windstar’s four-tier Yacht Membership loyalty program brings a variety of nice perks even on the lowest One Star tier stage, together with across-the-board reductions on cruise fares. On the highest 4 Star stage, it brings a major quantity of worth.

Planning a cruise? Begin with these tales: