Whether you’ve booked yourself a Windstar cruise already, or you’ve got one lined up that you’re about to secure, you’ll want to know whether or not the all-inclusive package is worth the extra cost.
Any kind of cruise holiday is going to be relaxing, but an all-inclusive one? That’s even better – as long as the price is fair. So let’s find out whether Windstar Cruises’ all-inclusive package is worth it, or not.

Windstar Cruises are NOT all-inclusive.
You do get a lot included in your standard cruise fare, but there are some extras that you’ll need to pay for – including alcoholic drinks, shore excursions, WiFi, laundry and tips for the crew.
Windstar is a luxury cruise line in terms of the style and size of the ships, and the incredible service you get onboard.
You then have the flexibility to choose whether you pay for the additional elements of your cruise individually, or you pay an upgrade to make your cruise almost all-inclusive.

Here’s what’s included in the ticket price of a Windstar Cruise…
A standard Windstar cruise fare includes:
- All of your food (including room service, snacks and speciality dining)
- All non-alcoholic drinks
- Onboard entertainment
- Use of the watersports platform on the ship (on applicable itineraries)
Typically, Windstar includes a lot more than many other cruise lines – you won’t pay anything extra for food at all on the ship, whereas other ships have cover charges for some restaurants and a fee for room service.

And you also won’t pay for your coffee, your sodas or even your bottled water – all of these cost extra on the majority of competitor cruise lines.

Read more: What does Windstar Cruises include?
The Windstar All-Inclusive Package
You can upgrade your cruise with Windstar’s All-Inclusive Package.
It costs $89 per person, per day and it covers your drinks, your WiFi internet access and your gratuities onboard, including your beverage service fee.
Here are the details of exactly what you get for your $89…
1. WiFi
You get unlimited WiFi internet access with the All-Inclusive Package on a Windstar cruise. Unlike other cruise lines, there aren’t different internet packages to choose from – it’s just one standard WiFi connection.

Windstar has been busy installing Starlink on every ship in the fleet – this technology uses advanced satellite connections to offer significantly faster WiFi speeds than were available previously.
So you, in theory, should be able to stream and enjoy video calls when you book the All-Inclusive Package.
However, in practice, the quality of the WiFi varies depending on how many people are using it. In the morning when most guests had left the ship, I was able to use the WiFi to work with no issues.
However, on a sea day, the WiFi was barely usable. And it certainly wasn’t possible to upload or download video content.
2. Captain’s Exclusive Beverage Package
Included as part of the All-Inclusive Package is the Captain’s Exclusive Beverage Package.
This is the better of the two drinks packages you can get on the ship, and it includes all alcoholic beverages by the glass.

So that’s a wide range of beers, 33 different wines including sparkling options, spirits, cocktails and all drinks in your minibar too. The only drinks not included as part of the package are wines by the bottle.
Windstar’s cocktail menu is huge and the cocktails are the best I’ve enjoyed at sea.
3. Hotel and Beverage Service Fee
The All-Inclusive Package covers your hotel and beverage service fees. The hotel service fees are essentially your gratuities – they’re added to your account automatically, and unless you dispute them and change the amount, you’ll be asked to pay them at the end of the cruise.
The beverage service fee is an 18% service charge that is applied to every alcoholic drink you order on your cruise.
If you’ve bought the Captain’s Exclusive Beverage Package, you also have to pay the 18% gratuity on top of every drink you order.
But, if you instead opt for the All-In Package, that 18% is covered and you don’t have to pay it.

Windstar’s All-Inclusive Package Terms
There aren’t too many terms and conditions to worry about with the All-Inclusive Package but there are a couple of important things to note.
Firstly, the price of $89 per person, per day only applies if you book the package at least five days before you sail.
You can still get the package after this date, up to the first day of your cruise, but you’ll be paying $99 per person, per day.
You also have to book the package for your entire cruise – you can’t book it for part of the cruise only. That’s why you have to book it no later than the end of the first day of your sailing.

How About Laundry?
Laundry is not included in the All-Inclusive Package. It used to be, so you may still see some marketing materials that advertise it as being included. However, it was removed in 2022.
You can pay extra if you want all-inclusive laundry though. There’s a package for $19 per couple per day that lets you have your clothes cleaned and pressed as frequently as you’d like during your cruise. It’s available for $9.50 for solo travellers.

Suggested read: How To Do Laundry on Cruise Ships: The Ultimate Guide
Is Windstar’s All-Inclusive Package Worth It?
Whether or not the All-Inclusive Package is worth it depends on the type of cruise passenger you are, and how much you would use the individual services.
Firstly, let’s just take a look at the cost of each element:
- Captain’s Exclusive Beverage Package – $65 per person, per day
- WiFi internet access – $35 per day
- Hotel Service Charge – $16 per person, per day
So the total cost of those alone, if bought individually, is $116 per day. Booking the All-Inclusive package would therefore save you $27 per person, per day.
For two people cruising on a 7-night voyage, that’s a saving of $378.
And that’s before you factor in the Beverage Service Charge too. Let’s give a conservative estimate of two glasses of wine each per day – with an average cost of $10 per glass, that’s $20 total, which means the 18% service charge would be $3.60.
Multiply that by two people, over 7 nights, and it’s an extra $50.40 you’ve saved, for a total saving of $428.40.
And that’s if you only have two drinks per day. The savings soon rack up if you’re having a lot of drinks.
So, it’s worth it, right?
Well, before you dive in, let’s delve a little deeper to be sure…
Drinks Prices on Windstar
The average cost of a bottle of beer on Windstar is $7, while wines, cocktails and spirit-based drinks will typically cost around $10-11.

So you have to consider how many drinks you’re likely to have – if you only want one or two per day, and you’ll stick to non-alcoholic beverages for the rest of the time, then the package probably isn’t the best option.
You’re not getting the $65 value of the beverage package, you’re getting maybe $22 of value at best – plus the $4 or so that would be the Beverage Service Charge.
It gets a little more unclear if you think five drinks sounds about right. If you have five drinks costing $11 each, then it’d cost you $64.90 with the Beverage Service Charge included.
So you need to weigh up how many drinks you think you’ll have, and decide from there whether the All-Inclusive Package represents good value for you.
It’s worth recapping that the Captain’s Exclusive Beverage Package can also be bought on its own for $65 per day – but then you also have to pay the beverage service charge too on every drink you buy.

Which means it doesn’t represent good value. You might as well get the All-Inclusive Package since you’d be paying $16 per day for the hotel service charge too. For the drinks package and hotel charge, that’s $81 per day.
You may as well pay the extra $8 per day and avoid the beverage service charges on each drink, especially if you’re drinking enough to justify the beverage package in the first place.
Takeaway – Don’t get the Captain’s Exclusive Beverage Package, the All-In Package is better.
WiFi Prices on Windstar
WiFi costs $35 per day, but Windstar doesn’t always ask you to pay for the entire duration of your cruise. You have an alternative option – paying for data packs.
Doing this regularly wouldn’t be cost-efficient, but if you only want to get online for a couple of hours, you can pay for the Email plan ($60 for 200MB of data) or the Surfing plan ($120 for 500MB of data).
Here’s the info from the TV in my suite..

Again, you need to evaluate how much you think you would use the internet on your cruise. If you’ll be on the internet every day, then the All-Inclusive Package represents good value.
If you just want to check your emails once midway through your cruise, and perhaps use 4G data or local WiFi when in port, it definitely isn’t worth it from a WiFi perspective.
Hotel Service Charge
The Hotel Service Charge is something you’re expected to pay on the cruise – the crew rely on this as a large part of their pay.
So having it included with the All-Inclusive Package makes sense, since it’s just one element paid for that you would be paying anyway.

The only exception would be if you planned to remove the charge or change it. This isn’t recommended, but you are within your rights to do so.
If you think you’re the type of person who might do this, then the All-Inclusive Package isn’t right for you because you can’t take out the package and then ask for a refund of the service charges later.

Example Scenarios
Let’s look at some quick examples to work out whether the cost is worth it to you.
Scenario 1
A glass of wine with lunch, two glasses with dinner, a cocktail by the pool during the day, and using the WiFi regularly.
Cost per day individually:
- Drinks with service charge (based on average prices) – $52
- WiFi – $35
- Hotel service charge – $16
TOTAL = $103
Advice: Buy the All-Inclusive Package
Scenario 2
7-day cruise. Five beers per day. Will only use the internet a little, so pays for the one-off Surfing plan at $120.
Cost per day individually:
- Drinks with service charge – $42
- WiFi – $17 ($120 one-off charge divided by 7 days)
- Hotel service charge – $16
TOTAL = $75
Advice: It’s probably better to pay for everything individually, though paying the extra $10 per day does give you more freedom with internet and lets you have more to drink if you want to.
Scenario 3
Occasional drinker only – has a cocktail every other day but sticks to soft drinks otherwise. Will use the WiFi regularly.
Cost per day individually:
- Drinks with service charge – $6 (three cocktails averaged out over a week)
- WiFi – $35
- Hotel service charge – $16
TOTAL = $57
Advice: Pay for everything individually instead of getting the All-Inclusive package.
Windstar Cruises already offer excellent value, since you get all of your food and entertainment included as well as anything non-alcoholic – that’s more than most other cruise lines offer as standard.
But, if you’re someone who’ll use the WiFi a lot and who enjoys a couple of cocktails or glasses of wine each day, then the All-Inclusive Package is great value too.
It only leaves you with laundry services and shore excursions to pay for, and neither of those are essential – you can wander off the ship and explore at your own leisure if you prefer. So you can end up reaching the end of your cruise with no bill left to clear.
It’s not right for everyone though, and paying for each element may work out better value – so make sure you check before you book.
The best way to book a Windstar cruise
Want expert help to plan your perfect cruise?
If you decide against the package, let’s look at what’s included for you… and how you can get the best price on the bits that aren’t.

What’s Included On Windstar
1. Food

All of your food on a Windstar cruise is included. You don’t have to pay for your meals, no matter where on the ship you decide you want to eat. Snacks and room service are also included.
With most cruise lines, your main dining is included – so you’ll always have breakfast, lunch and dinner free. Then there will be secondary dining choices, some of which are free and others that have a cover charge.
But that’s not the case with Windstar.
Windstar’s ships aren’t huge but they do have a choice of restaurants – though the speciality ones don’t cost extra. You just need to make a reservation in advance to secure your place.
Room service is also covered by your cruise fare, and is available for breakfast, lunch, dinner and for late-night snacking. You just need to order it in advance – breakfast orders can be left on a door hanger the night before.
2. Drinks

Alcohol is not included on a Windstar cruise, but all non-alcoholic drinks are included. This includes soft drinks, fruit juices and coffees that would often be charged for on most other cruise lines.
If you don’t drink alcohol, then a Windstar cruise could represent great value. Typically cruise lines will offer tap water for free and maybe a small selection of teas, coffees and juices at breakfast.
But Windstar is one of the few that includes all non-alcoholic beverages for no additional cost.
Bottles of water are also included in your fare, so if you’re heading ashore and want a fresh bottle to take with you, just grab one from the bar.
You can also order your mocha, cappuccino, espresso or latte to your room, so that you can wake up with a beautifully fresh coffee to kick start your day.
3. Entertainment

Most of the entertainment that takes place onboard your Windstar cruise will be included in the cost of your cruise fare.
Windstar’s ships aren’t super-sized cruise ships that are packed with Broadway-style theatres, nightclubs and so on. But they do still have spaces where you’ll enjoy interesting activities throughout your sailing.
During the day this will include guest lectures on a range of topics, typically curated to be relevant to your itinerary. There are also culinary demonstrations, so you can pick up a few tips to help you recreate your favourite dishes when you get back home.
At night, there’s often live music in the lounge and bar areas of the ships. It’s quite a relaxed atmosphere, but it can still get lively and there’s plenty of opportunity for dancing.
On many cruises, there’ll be a BBQ party on one night, and music will be played on the deck of the ship to encourage a party atmosphere.
4. Watersports

One of the unique features of a Windstar cruise is the watersports platform that’s on every ship in the fleet. It’s only used in certain ports of call so it’s not available on every itinerary, but it’s one of the most fun features of any cruise ship.
The platform includes a number of watersports activities that guests are free to use. This includes paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkelling, swimming, water skiing and surfing. All of the equipment is provided at no additional cost.
And if that sounds a bit too active, then the ships will often unfurl a large flotation island where you can just take it easy and soak up the surrounding views. You can use it as a base for casual swimming in the calm waters, too.
And as an additional bonus, the snorkelling equipment is free for guests to borrow at ports of call, so you don’t have to pay high prices in ports for a snorkelling experience.
What’s Not Included On Windstar Cruises?
Here’s a look at what isn’t included as standard on a Windstar cruise, and roughly how much you should expect to pay.
1. Alcoholic Drinks

Alcoholic drinks aren’t included in the fare on a Windstar cruise. You can pay for these individually, or you can choose a beverage package.
On average you should expect to pay around $7 for a beer on Windstar, and around $10-11 for a glass of wine. It’s a similar average price for cocktails too.
Prices vary by individual drink but there aren’t any that are way above those averages, unless you’re choosing Champagne.
However, you do have to pay an 18% beverage service charge on any drinks you buy – so really you’re looking at around $8.50 for a beer and around $12-13 for a glass of wine or a cocktail when that’s factored in.
Beverage packages are available. The Topmast Discoveries Beer & Wine Package includes 33 varieties of wine and all beers. It costs $55 per person, per day.
The Captain’s Exclusive Beverage Package is $65 per person, per day and includes cocktails, liqueurs, aperitifs and minibar items along with the beer and wine selection.
2. Laundry

Laundry services are available on all Windstar cruises, including pressing, although dry cleaning is not available.
Laundry is charged on a per-item basis, ranging from $0.60 for a t-shirt to $7 for a suit. You can also pay for a one-off laundry bag, filling it with as many items as you can, for around $45.
However, Windstar offers something unique with a laundry package. This lets you enjoy unlimited laundry during your cruise, with a 24-hour turnaround. You’ll even get your clothes back on the same day if you turn them into the laundry service by 9am.
The package costs $16 per day as standard for two people sharing a cabin, though if you’re cruising solo you can get it for $8 per day. You have to book the laundry package no later than the first day of your cruise, and you must pay for it for the duration of your sailing.
Suggested read: How To Do Laundry on Cruise Ships: The Ultimate Guide
3. WiFi

WiFi is not included on a Windstar cruise as standard. The WiFi costs $35 for 24 hours of access and is for one device only.
Unlike other cruise lines, you aren’t always forced to pay for WiFi for the entire duration of your cruise with Windstar.
You can pay for just the data you need – an Email plan costs $60 and gives you 200MB of data, while the Surfing plan costs $120 and lets you use 500MB of data.
A Windstar cruise is designed to be one where you switch off for a little while, but if you do need to get online, you can pay for access for just as long as you need.
4. Shore Excursions

Shore excursions are an additional cost on a Windstar cruise. The price of excursions varies depending on your chosen sailing and the nature of the excursion, with private tours available in many locations if you want to pay extra.
Remember that you don’t have to pay for shore excursions if you don’t want to – there’s nothing stopping you from just heading ashore yourself and wandering around to explore.
Suggested read: 14 Best Walkable Cruise Ports You Don’t Need Excursions For
But Windstar works with local excursion providers to offer a great range of experience opportunities, all chosen to reflect the brand – this means you can expect the same sort of luxury on land as you can on the ships themselves.
5. Gratuities

Gratuities are also not included in your cruise fare with Windstar. Guests will need to pay them at the end of their cruise. Called the Hotel Service Charge, the current cost is $16 per person, per day and it’s automatically added to your cruise account.
If you’re not happy with the service standards offered, you are able to visit the Guest Services desks on the ship to adjust the amount you pay.
However, be aware that the charge is spread amongst all the crew, including those you may not interact with much, and changing the amount you pay could also impact their earnings. So I wouldn’t recommend doing this unless you have a really good reason to.
Suggested read: Can You Refuse To Pay Gratuities On A Cruise?
There’s also the 18% Beverage Service Charge every time you order an alcoholic drink on the ship – this is automatically added to your bar bill or your room when ordering a drink in the dining rooms. You still have to pay this if you choose a drinks package, though not if you get the All-Inclusive Package.
It’s also worth noting that, unlike some other cruise lines, if you get any onboard credit with Windstar you won’t be able to use that towards your service charges.
6. Select onboard activities

In Windstar’s own words, most of your entertainment and activities onboard the ship are included in the cost of your cruise fare. That means that there may be occasional experiences or activities that do have an additional charge if you wish to take part.
These aren’t too common, and most of the onboard experiences are free for Windstar guests.
However, it’s important to be aware that if something special is organised on your sailing, you might have to pay a fee for it if you’re interested.
How to make your Windstar Cruise all-inclusive
You can make your Windstar cruise all-inclusive by paying for the All-Inclusive package. This isn’t truly all-inclusive – you’ll still have to pay for shore excursions and laundry – but it does include your drinks package, WiFi, and your hotel and beverage service charges.
This means you can drink whatever you want to at no extra cost (excluding wine and Champagne by the bottle), and you don’t pay the extra 18% for the drinks either.
The All-Inclusive Package costs $89 per person, per day.
You can also add on the laundry package too, if you want it to be even more inclusive. This would mean a total additional cost of $105 per person, per day but you would get all your WiFi, tips, laundry and drinks covered. The only extra charges would be for optional shore excursions.
So, there’s a lot that Windstar includes as standard, more than many other cruise lines. But it’s not completely all-inclusive.
You do have the option to upgrade, if you want to, but check the prices as depending on how much you drink and intend to use the WiFi, buying beverages and other elements of the package individually may work out cheaper for you.
Related Posts:
- Windstar Cruise Review
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- Windstar Cruise Ships Guide – All Ships Compared

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.