The sailing cruise ship Golden Horizon, formerly known as Flying Clipper, has reportedly been sold to an undisclosed buyer after remaining in lay-up in Split, Croatia, since 2022.
According to local media reports, the vessel was originally offered for sale in 2022 with an asking price of GBP 100 million, equivalent to ~US$120 million at the time. The reported sale price was GBP 110 million, or ~ US$130 million.
The identity of the new owner has not been officially disclosed. Croatian media reports have identified the buyer as a Swiss company operating a fleet of ~100 vessels, although this information has yet to be independently confirmed.
Built by Croatian shipbuilder Brodosplit, Golden Horizon has been described as the world’s largest square-rigged cruise ship. The vessel was designed as a replica of France II, the French sailing ship completed in 1913.
The ship measures 162 metres in length and 18.5 metres in beam. Her 5 masts carry 36 square sails with a combined area of 6,345 square metres. Golden Horizon can accommodate up to 324 passengers in 140 staterooms arranged across 6 decks.
The vessel was originally ordered by Swedish cruise operator Star Clippers in 2014. However, she never entered service for the company because of a legal dispute between Star Clippers and Brodosplit.
Construction was completed by Brodosplit in the summer of 2019 while the ship was still named Flying Clipper. In August of that year, the shipyard cancelled the sale, citing Star Clippers’ failure to meet contractual obligations.
Brodosplit said at the time that Star Clippers had delayed obtaining several key vessel components and the associated technical documentation. The shipyard also alleged that the company had improperly activated bank financing involving an EUR 12 million state guarantee. According to Brodosplit, these issues contributed to a delivery delay of almost 2 years.
The completed vessel was subsequently sold to UK-based Tradewind Voyages, but the operator was also unable to commence service with the ship. Flying Clipper was seized by UK authorities while the legal dispute between Star Clippers and Brodosplit remained unresolved.
The vessel was later renamed Golden Horizon and entered lay-up in Split, where she has remained since 2022. The reported sale could now mark the beginning of a new operational phase for the large sailing cruise ship.