Thirty-six crew members and several guests have tested positive for COVID-19 on board Hurtigruten’s expedition cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen.
As a response to this coronavirus outbreak, Hurtigruten has temporarily suspended all expedition sailings on MS Roald Amundsen, MS Fridtjof Nansen and MS Spitsbergen until further notice.
“In light of the recent increase in new cases of COVID-19 globally, the only responsible choice is to suspend all expedition sailings until we are absolutely confident we can carry out our operations in line with all requirements from the authorities and with the even stricter requirements we have set for ourselves,” said Daniel Skjeldam, Hurtigruten’s CEO, in a press release statement.
“The safety and well-being of our guests and crew is Hurtigruten’s number one priority. We are now focusing all available efforts in taking care of our guests and colleagues. We are working closely with the Norwegian National and Local Health Authorities for follow-up, information, further testing, and infection tracking”, he added.
Hurtigruten is as of today in the process of reaching out to and informing guests booked on the now cancelled voyages.
The decision has no impact on Hurtigruten’s coastal Norway operations.
For more information on Hurtigruten’s response to COVID-19, visit hurtigruten.com/practical-information/coronavirus-update. For more updates on cruise lines, click here.
