The premium travel brand Windstar revealed that crew vaccination issues had forced the company to drop most of the Caribbean call ports on the post-pandemic reintroduction voyage of its Star Breeze ship.
Windstar plans to operate the June 19-26 voyage but on a modified itinerary that is due to include days at sea, offshore anchorages, and excursions in homeport Philipsburg (St Maarten Island, Dutch Antilles), Windstar spokeswoman Sarah Scoltock said.
Windstar made the voyage free for all passengers who choose to take it, Scoltock added. It is the first for the company since it suspended sailings, as well as the first for Star Breeze since she was stretched in November 2020 to add 50 cabins.
According to Scoltock, Windstar had not been able to source enough COVID-19 vaccine for crew members in the Caribbean to meet the minimum standard set by some of the destinations.
All passengers on the voyage must have proof of inoculation.
The original itinerary included Anguilla Island UK (Sandy Ground), Gustavia (St Barthelemy Island), plus 4 stops in the BVI-British Virgin Islands.
Scoltock said that Windstar still hoped that it could call in at least one of the destinations.