Windjammer Continues Canceling Cruises

Twice before I have posted the sorry news about Windjammer Barefoot Cruises' problems -- once in August when the company's problems were becoming too apparent to ignore and again earlier this month when it appeared that the fleet had all but sailed its last cruise. It appears that the company is continuing to schedule cruises, book passengers, presumably collect their money and then cancel in the last minute, often not notifying passengers until they are practically ready to board their ship.

Just a few days ago, WBC canceled the scheduled December 8 cruise on the "Legacy," the only one of the four tall ships that was reportedly still in good enough condition to sail. According to CruiseMates' electronic newsletter, "The news was revealed deep within the non-affiliated message board web site called the Flotilla which Windjammer Cruises uses as its main contact point for its customers. Windjammer president Joey Burke says in a message entitled 'Happy Thanksgiving' that '4 more crew members are leaving so I guess the sailing for the 8th is definitely off. [...] I have a 2 week charter on the Legacy on beginning 23rd, I guess that will be the official startup.'"

The president guesses! I'm not guessing that this is no way to run a railroad -- I mean a cruise line, no matter how low-key and modest it might be. CruiseMates, which knows more about the fine points of cruise law than I do, continues, "Knowingly selling cruises on ships that cannot sail is illegal according the Florida Sellers of Travel statutes. The pattern to date (since November 3) has been to continue selling cruises on the 'Legacy' and then cancel them at the last minute."

Florida law might not reach far into the heart of WBC, which seems to be owned by a family trust whose official address is the Isle of Man, an island in the Irish Sea that is a tax-free haven for all sorts off-shore businesses that find it desirable to be away from more heavily regulated jurisdictions.

The Internet is a wonderful thing. When I Googled "Windjammer, Isle of Man,"one name that appeared on a list of speakers at some sort of seminar put on by or sponsored by Off-Shore Magazine: "Denis Kleinfeld is General Counsel to Four Points Family Office, (USVI) and a principal of The Kleinfeld Law Firm, a Miami, Florida based law firm with associated offices in London, England, and Geneva, Switzerland, and a Director of Windjammer Cruises. Mr Kleinfeld's primary practice focus is on sophisticated national and international income, estate and wealth protection planning for individuals and privately held companies."

Unfortunately, Windjammer Barefoot Cruises appears to have no interest in protecting or respecting its customers' plans or money.