Clipper Group of Denmark is sending a cruiseship to the Caribbean to house relief workers on islands that were devastated by this year's hurricanes.
The 19,100-gt Gemini (ex-Celestyal Nefeli, built 1992) is sailing this week from Piraeus to the eastern Caribbean.
SunStone chief executive Niels-Erik Lund, whose company is commercial manager of Clipper’s cruise fleet, has confirmed to TradeWinds that the ship has obtained a short-term charter of between three and five months. He did not disclose the name of the charterer or the vessel's destination.
Technical management will be undertaken by affiliate Cruise Management International.
Severe floods
The ship came off a two-year bareboat charter to Athens-based Celestyal Cruises at the end of November and it was renamed the Gemini. In the last few weeks of the Celestyal charter, it housed people made homeless by severe floods that hit the Piraeus neighbourhood of Keratsini.
The islands of the Eastern Caribbean were devastated by Hurricane Irma in early September and then by Hurricane Maria several days later. Both were among the strongest hurricanes on record.
Cruiseships from Carnival Cruise Line and Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line have also been chartered to provide accommodation for hurricane relief workers in the US Virgin Islands.
