Cruise ship Sea Dream I, which homeports out of Barbados, will resume sailing out of the Bridgetown Port from Saturday and continue through to April 2021.
The boutique ultra-luxury cruise liner returned to Barbados on November 4 for the first time since the suspension of cruise operations in March 2020. It arrived days earlier than expected due to itinerary changes during its transatlantic voyage from Oslo, Norway, which commenced October 15.
The yacht-style cruise ship, which was carrying 25 passengers, was met by officials from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, who carried out health checks before allowing passengers with valid negative COVID-19 tests to disembark. Passengers who had their first land experience in approximately ten days, having been at sea since departing Madeira, Portugal, enjoyed their first hours in Barbados at Payne’s Bay beach.
Efforts to safely return the first cruise line to Barbados, since the March suspension, were led by the Barbados Port Inc. (BPI), Platinum Port Agency, and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI).
Vice President of Itinerary Planning and Destinations for Sea Dream I, Emilio Freeman, stated: “Sea Dream Yacht Club is very excited about our restart of seven-day voyages from Barbados. When we looked at where to base our operation, we chose Barbados because of its welcoming approach to business and cruising overall, as well as its great tourism infrastructure.”
“Our success will be driven by a strict adherence to following our COVID-19 health protocols and a mutual trust and collaboration with the Barbados Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Barbados Port Inc. and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. We feel like we have a true partner in Barbados and look forward to leading the way back for cruising in the Caribbean,” he added.
Sea Dream I released its weekly sailing schedule out of Barbados through April 11, 2021. Beginning Saturday, November 7, the vessel will start a series of 22 roundtrip voyages covering two other countries in the Southern Caribbean – St Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada.
The itinerary includes picturesque ports of call such as Bequia and Canouan Island in St Vincent and the Grenadines and St George’s, Grenada.
