Windstar Cruises, which had hoped to begin sailing in Tahiti in September, now won't operate there until Oct. 15, due to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's extension of the no-sail order through Sept. 30.
The move forced the cancellation of four cruises by the Wind Spirit.
"While we had hoped to begin sailing again in Tahiti on Sept. 10, we will extend our voluntary suspension of operations," the company said. "We look forward to resuming operations."
The company has been preparing for a return to service, adding hospital-grade, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to the HVAC systems on its six ships. The HEPA-filtered air will be further sanitized and disinfected with ultraviolet-C light for germicidal irradiation. When air passes the UV-C light, microbes such as bacteria and viruses not trapped in the HEPA filter will be destroyed, Windstar said, adding that germicidal irradiation has been proven to kill coronaviruses.
Windstar also will implement new protocols, such as reducing capacity to 65% in the main dining venues and 50% in motorcoaches.
The Wind Surf currently is scheduled to resume operations Nov. 29 in the Caribbean before heading to the Mediterranean in April 2021. The Wind Star is scheduled to resume sailing Jan. 16, 2021, with Costa Rica and Panama Canal sailings and heads to the Mediterranean in April 2021.
Windstar's Star-class, all-suite yachts are undergoing major renovations in Italy. Due to the pandemic, the shipyard closed for several weeks and went on a reduced workforce schedule, so completion of the work was delayed.
Therefore, the Asia, Australia and New Zealand sailings by the Star Breeze are canceled. Star Breeze now is scheduled to begin sailing on Oct. 27, 2020, in the Mediterranean before moving to the Caribbean in December 2020 to pick up sailings from Star Legend and Star Pride. Then Star Breeze will offer a few new Caribbean itineraries until June, when it heads to Alaska. A new 10-day "Alaskan Splendors" sailing was added on June 3, 2021, after which it resumes its previously scheduled Alaska itineraries.
Some Star Legend sailings are canceled, and others will be picked up by the Star Breeze. Star Legend begins sailing March 1, 2021, in the Mediterranean and will pick up some sailings previously scheduled for Star Pride.
The Star Pride will begin sailing July 5, 2021, in Northern Europe. Some of its sailings are canceled and others will be picked up by Star Breeze.
