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Windjammer Barefoot Cruises

Margaret Barton of Alexandria VA (08/20/07)
Arrived for a cruise on the S/V Legacy on Saturday, August 11 and was told that the ship wouldn't sail because the crew had not been paid nor was there funding for fuel.

Had to make other arrangements for hotel accomodations, meals. Disappointing for the entire family, including our 13 year old daughter. We are seeking damages from the company.

Kathleen of San Diego, CA August 16, 2007

Kathleen of San Diego CA (08/16/07)
Purchased passage on SV Legacy for 8/11/07-8/18/07 Costa Rica trip. After flying from Californa to Costa Rica, took 3 hr transfer bus to Legacy. When we arrived, we were told that crew had scattered a few hours earlier because they had not been paid for more than 3 months and that there was no gas in the ship. Money had not been wired from the Windjammer corporate office to pay for gas.

We were told that at the earliest, gas would not be available until late Monday or,perhaps, Tuesday, or, perhaps, even later. In addition, it was required that they take the ship to foreign waters once every 7 days. If they failed to get gas and get to Panamanian waters, the Costa Rican government would seize the boat. It was unknown how they would get the crew to come back to sail the ship as there was no means of communication. The passengers were told that they were welcome to stay on the ship (no services) or leave. Leaving meant finding transportation back to San Jose at a cost of 120 per taxi cab.

It was questionable whether passengers would be refunded any money even tho' the problems were caused by Windjammer's cash flow issues. Passengers were stranded with no means of communication in a foreign country. Windjammer was unwilling to help.

I left the Legacy Sunday morning, as it was dark and rainy when we arrived late Saturday night. I spent 120 on a cab back to San Jose. Could not get a return flight back to California until Tuesday. Any sooner would have cost an additional 1100 in airfare. Instead, had to stay in a hotel near the airport for two nights so I only had an increase in airfare of 115.

Since my return Tuesday, I have been unable to reach Joann Cuevas, the customer service manager for Windjammer. Her voice mailbox remains full. No other requests for a return phone call have been answered. Windjammer knew that this was going on for the past three months. They could have notified me prior to leaving California. No excuse. Very, very poor customer service. Very poor business practices. Shame on you, Windjammer!

Patrick of Bixby, OK August 15, 2007

Patrick of Bixby OK (08/15/07)
I also saw Dan Schlossberg's May 22 article regarding Windjammer LaMer. Based on that article, it appeared that Windjammer was finally going to acknowledge people who have been complaining about their shabby handling of the whole LaMer timeshare fiasco. On May 30th I sent certified letters to Windjammer's Attorney Gary Pollock, LaMer CEO Paul Maskell and CFO Iris Mayaudon requesting a refund since I did not purchase the timeshare to take cruises on their existing ships. To date no one has replied.

I called Attorney Pollock a couple of times and he acknowledged that there were several customers who were due refunds, but that Windjammer had not yet advised how those refunds were to be processed. Since Windjammer has not approved any refunds, recently his office has been referring callers to Polly Burke at Windjammer. I've called her office several times, and her phone is never answered.

I've left multiple voice mail messages requesting a return call, but no calls have been returned. (This is a typical Windjammer tactic: Hide behind the voice mail system and don't return calls.) When I tried to call today, the system advised that her voice mailbox is full and messages cannot be left.

As John of Lynn MA mentions, Windjammer personnel advise they are trying to learn about timeshares. The few times I've been able to talk to anyone, I've been advised the same - for 3 years now!

The ship was not available in 2005 as stated in the contract. No one at Windjammer can tell us when it is targeted to be available, or will even talk to timeshare owners. My money has been in Windjammer's pockets for almost three years, and a financial accounting of the timeshare monies (as stated in their contract)has never been provided.

John of Lynn, MA August 8, 2007

John of Lynn MA (08/08/07)
This site had published an article on May 22 2007 with the attorney for Windjammer, Gary Pollack, stating that individuals investing in the timeshare La Mer would receive their refunds. The article was written by Dan Schlossberg. My father invested 32,700 and his monies were removed from escrow on 2/18/05 and sent to Beach Bank in Miami. His funds, as stated in his contract with Windjammer, were not to be released until his goods (his timeshare) were given to him.

The boat on which he purchased the timeshare is still not ready and my father is seeking a refund. We contacted Atty. Gary Pollack as advised in the article written on May 22, 2007 by Dan Schlossberg. We are told that Atty Pollack is no longer handling the timeshares refunds. We are attempting to work with Windjammer but are getting nowhere. Noone can tell us where my father's funds are. We are being told that they (Windjammer) are trying to learn about timeshares.

In the meantime, Windjammer still holds over 32,000 of my father's monies.

Timothy of Dexter, MI July 24, 2007

Timothy of Dexter MI (07/24/07)
On 5/17/07, I booked a family cruise for the week of 7/1 from Aruba. On 6/21 was notified that the cruise had been cancelled due to mechanical failure. WBC offered accomodations at a Villa in Aruba and vouchers for a free cruise in the future.

Upon arrival, we were told that we'd have to stay on the vessel in the shipyard - the Villas had been cancelled. The view of dumpsters & the shipyard, along with the smell of diesel fuel wasn't acceptable.

We arranged our own accomodations in Aruba and tried, in vain, to contact representatives at the corporate office. One week AFTER our non-cruise ended, Joanne Cuevas, the Customer Service Manager sent an email to me asking for receipts to begin the reimbursement process.

Since WBC hasn't provided any of the services that we had paid for, I've opted to dispute the charges via MasterCard and get a full refund. From what I can extract from various message boards, the s/v Polynesia broke a drive shaft in early June. The company is contacting customers and cancelling cruises about 10 days prior to their sailing date.

I also found it very suspicious that the cruise was only 1/3 full, and most fares were booked at fire-sale rates. From what I remember from business classes, hotels need to operate at about 75% occupancy, just to break even. In my mind, WBC has made a business decision that it is more cost-effective to sit in port rather than to sale and lose money.

At best, I'll get all of the money I sent to Windjammer back via the MasterCard dispute process. This doesn't begin to compensate me and my family for the quality time lost (a week in Aruba isn't a week on a ship - that's why we booked the cruise).

The crew of the Polynesia began preparing the ship in the middle of the week, prior to our arrival in Aruba, based on instructions from their management in Miami. Had they contacted me at that time, I would have rescheduled our vacation.

A of Dover, NH June 13, 2007

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