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Crime in Brazil contributes to SeaDream withdrawal
Brazil’s ‘overt’ crime problems have been partly blamed by luxury line SeaDream Yacht Club withdrawing from South America.
Instead mega-yacht SeaDream II will redeploy to the West Indies next winter for a series of five and nine-night Caribbean sailings.
SeaDream said a “multitude of unexpected operational challenges” encountered during its inaugural season in South America prompted the decision not to return.
Senior director Ian Buckeridge said: “Factors we have encountered in the region such as strict cabotage laws (which forced continuous retooling of itineraries), the recessive regulatory environment and Brazil’s well publicized overt crime problems has meant that we have been unable to deliver the product and service to the standard we require of ourselves and that our guests expect of us, and their satisfaction is and will continue to be our highest priority.”
Passengers booked on affected cruises will be able to re-book on Caribbean or Mediterranean sailings. Should they prefer to cancel with a full refund that too will be possible, the line said.
The redeployment will not affect a spring 2007 South America programme on sister vessel SeaDream I, nor does this redeployment affect its published schedules for the winter season 2007-08 and beyond, the company said.
Announcing the decision to discontinue wintering in South America, Buckeridge said SeaDream II’s winter 2007-08 schedule would be based on smaller, less familiar yachting-style ports.
The fifty-five cabin SeaDream II will use St Thomas and San Juan as its gateway ports the new itineraries including Gustavia, St Barts; Peter Island BVI; Spanish Town and North Sound, Virgin Gorda; Culebrita and Esperanza, Vieques, Puerto Rico; Anegada, BVI; Saba, Netherlands Antilles; Anguilla, BWI; and Jost van Dyke, BVI.
Report by Phil Davies
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