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In extremely disappointing news, Tradewind Voyages has announced, locally through its representative Cruise Traveller, that it is now also cancelling the maiden 2022/23 summer season in Australia of the world’s newest and largest sailing ship, Golden Horizon.
Citing the ongoing uncertainty by Australian governments regarding the resumption of cruising in Australia and the projected status of Australian interstate and international borders, UK based Tradewind Voyages says they forced it to decide to well ahead of 2022/2023.
The recently launched 272-passenger Golden Horizon was originally due to arrive in Australia for her inaugural season in Australian waters this December, but pandemic restrictions had already forced Tradewind Voyages in August this year to defer the 2021/22 season to 2022/23.
However, the persistent ambiguity and indecision surrounding the availability of Australian ports and Australian domestic and overseas borders because of the pandemic and the need to plan well ahead for a vessel sailing virtually around the world, has forced Tradewind Voyages to make what it describes as, the difficult but unavoidable decision to cancel Golden Horizon’s summer season in Australia for 2022/23 as well.
Tradewind Voyages said long-term planning was needed to operate and market voyages to Australia and ongoing, restrictive conditions and lack of clarity in Australia for cruising and freedom of travel made the season unviable to operate, but there remain hopes Golden Horizon could grace Australian shores in the summer of 2023/24 if restrictions cleared well before then.
Cruise Travellers says that to avoid disappointment, Australians are being invited to travel to the Mediterranean or Caribbean in 2022 or 2023, when outbound travel regulations allow, to sail aboard the spectacular tall ship, with Golden Horizon, launched in Europe in July this year, would be based in the Mediterranean from April-October, 2022 and again in the northern summer of 2023, with plans for her to sail in the Caribbean in the northern winter of 2022/23 instead of Australia.
It will release details of the Mediterranean and Caribbean seasons in the coming months with hopes Australians can travel to either destination in 2022 or 2023 to sail on the ship. They ease once outbound restrictions.
As the exclusive Australian partner for Tradewind Voyages, Cruise Traveller has already contacted all Australian guests and travel agents affected by the cancellation and is processing full refunds, with Cruise Traveller Managing Director, Craig Bowen saying, “While we have had to advise hundreds of booked guests of the changed program for Golden Horizon, it has been more than encouraging for so many of them to clearly show they are keen to sail on her in the Mediterranean in 2022 or 2023,” adding, “As I have come to expect from Tradewind Voyages, they have managed the delivery of these unavoidable changes with total professionalism and commitment to the Australian market.”
Designed to recapture the golden era of sailing ships, the new, 162m-long Golden Horizon boasts golden masts that soar 64m above the sea and support 6300 square metres of billowing sails. The majestic square-rigger boasts a gourmet cuisine restaurant, three pools, gym, library, spa sanctuary, four bars and a marina platform.
While brand new and luxurious, the graceful ship keeps the charm, adventure and romance of a historic ship with an onboard ambience that is intimate, relaxed and casually elegant. Committed to sustainability, nature powers the ship solely by providing an authentic sailing experience.
New Mediterranean season for Golden Horizon – April-October 2022
Tradewind Voyages has announced that from April to October 2022, Golden Horizon will offer 22 different tall ship voyages across the western, central and eastern Mediterranean including visits to Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece and Turkey.
Golden Horizon’s inaugural sailing in the region will be a seven-night voyage from Portugal to Spain with a series of return sailings from Mallorca in May next year.
She will then operate round-trip journeys from Rome in June, Split in July and Athens from August to October.
Golden Horizon’s smaller size as a cruise ship will allow her to visit some of the smaller and lesser-known ports across the Mediterranean, including Sete and Cassis in France, Gallipoli in Italy and Korcula in Croatia.
They will complement these with journeys to many other well-known destinations and islands from Sardinia, St Tropez and Santorini to Havr, Venice and Izmir.
Fares and itineraries for Golden Horizon’s 2022 and 2023 Mediterranean seasons and the 2022/23 Caribbean season will be released in the coming months, with Australians able to book through local travel agents or Cruise Traveller.
For more information, call Cruise Traveller.
Cruise Traveller is an Australian leader in the small ship market, representing 57 boutique, luxury, river and expedition cruising operators around the world, including Tradewind Voyages.
Written by John Alwyn-Jones, Cruise Editor.