The UK-based new cruise brand Tradewind Voyages that operates the tall sailship Golden Horizon, announced that the planned season of Caribbean cruises (roundtrips from Bridgetown Barbados) this winter is cancelled.
In a statement, the company said they regretted informing guests that the inaugural Caribbean season planned for winter 2021 would no longer take place.
"With concerns regarding the ability to deliver an exceptional guest experience, that have been heavily impacted by continuing external factors, the difficult decision has been made to cancel the 17 planned voyages between December and April. Guest concerns about accessibility to certain islands and resistance to travelling in bubbles which is a key part of the brand experience has brought the company to this conclusion.”
Golden Horizon is scheduled to sail in the Mediterranean in the spring of 2022.
The 2019-built Golden Horizon cruise ship (fka "Flying Clipper") was originally planned to be chartered to Star Clippers as the company's newest (fleet's 4th) sailing vessel. The megayacht (square-rigger / 5-Masted Schooner) is also the world's ever largest clipper (tall-sailing ship). The vessel (IMO number 9793545) is currently Croatia-flagged (MMSI 238129940).
On June 5, 2020, the shipowner (DIV Group Ltd/Croatia) announced that the sailship will be chartered to Tradewind Voyages UK Ltd instead of Star Clippers Ltd. The boat charterer Tradewind Voyages manages the vessel and most onboard and ashore operations (hotel, wellness, shopping, entertainment, water sports, tours/shore excursions). For the ship's Deck-, Hotel- and Engine operations were contracted by the DIV Group's subsidiary company BSM (Brodosplit Ship Management).