Windstar Cruises is not seeing the pricing pressure reported across the wider Caribbean market this fall and winter. In fact, the company has raised its prices in the region, President Chris Prelog said.
“Literally we looked at this over the last few days,” Prelog said during a media call on Oct. 8.
“I’m happy to let you know that we are not seeing any pricing pressure. In fact, we’re doing the opposite and have been able to raise prices in the Caribbean.”
He added that Windstar has also secured multiple charters in the region.
Chief Commercial Officer Janet Bava credited the size of the ships.
Windstar does not call at the same islands as the big ships that are feeling the pressure, she explained, because those vessels are limited to a certain number of ports.
“Our smaller harbors are helping us probably sell our Caribbean season so much stronger,” she said.
Prelog said Windstar is also broadening its winter program because its guests want to see new destinations.
“While Caribbean will always be part of our offerings, we are now offering the Canary Islands. We are offering the winter Med season as alternatives to it because they are just as beautiful,” he said.
Prelog said he spent much of his childhood in the Canary Islands. He said the islands are called the Hawaii of Europe for a reason. They combine the art, culture and food of Spain and Portugal with landscapes that range from high mountains to black-sand beaches.
Bava said there are more and more direct flights to the Canaries from Montreal and Toronto. That gives Canadian travel advisors another product to sell snowbirds besides the Caribbean.
The new Star Explorer will spend her first winter in the Mediterranean. She begins with a New Year’s sailing on Dec. 28, and her winter itineraries include Carnival in Venice. Bava called the program an alternative to the Caribbean.
Asked whether Windstar would add short cruises from U.S. ports, Chief Operating Officer Stijn Creuplandt said such trips do not fit the line’s focus on the destination.
“Miami, Bahamas, that doesn’t really resonate,” he said. “It’s not really a Windstar product.”
Bava added that the ships need about two days to get past the Bahamas to destinations such as the Dominican Republic.
“We have evaluated. We’re just not keen on doing it, but never say never,” she said.
