Small-ship operator Seafarer is offering Covid-19 travel insurance cover as part of its Greece and Croatia island-hopping itineraries.
The move came as the company insisted that its yacht-based sailings were not covered by current Foreign Office travel advice against taking cruises.
The company has been operating weekly Mediterranean itineraries since July.
“The specific Foreign Office advice on cruises does not apply to yachting holidays,” Seafarer said.
“It should be noted that these holidays are very different to cruise ship holidays, not only due to the small size of the vessel, the largely ‘al fresco’ onboard experience and very different facilities and service compared to cruise ships, but also because the island-hopping trips we promote all stay within a single country – currently Greece, Croatia and shortly also the Seychelles – and do not cross any international borders.”
The company added in a message to the trade: “In these strange times you may have been surprised that we’ve been keeping quiet – actually that’s because we’ve been working hard in the background to try and make some sense of the ‘can you, can’t you’ shenanigans of the FCO travel advice.
“The situation has been made worse by media speculation and varied reporting.
“The FCO advises against cruising based on a definition where cruise ‘applies to international travel on a ship that is exclusively for pleasure or recreation, providing overnight accommodation and other leisure facilities such as entertainment venues or swimming pools’.
“Our small ships, better defined as ‘yachts’, naturally provide overnight accommodation but do not offer entertainment venues nor swimming pools – when guests want to swim the captain heaves to, drops anchor and we swim in the sea.
“Furthermore, our yachts only sail within national waters such as Greece or the Seychelles – we are not currently running international voyages.
“Travel insurers have been debating this with regard to Covid since the start of the pandemic.
“Now, with greater knowledge, insurers have finally woken up to the fact that Covid is nowhere near the threat it was first thought to be.
“We have sourced a travel policy that covers guests both for cancellation in the case that you contract Covid before they travel, and for any medical and other expenses that might occur if they catch Covid whilst on holiday.
“Many people think of a holiday as essential travel – and after the past five months who’s to blame them.
“Currently, people can still travel to Greece with no restrictions and no quarantine upon return.
“Then again, they may be keen to visit Croatia at a quiet time and be happy to accept whatever quarantine restrictions might apply when they return.
“Whatever the case, if you book them with us for travel this year, we will pay to provide insurance cover that includes Covid.”