Both in Norway and outside Norwegian waters, all cruises with the "Roald Amundsen" as well as the ships "Fridtjof Nansen" and "Spitsbergen" will be stopped until further notice, as Hurtigruten announced on Monday.
Previously, 36 crew members – including a German citizen – and now at least five passengers on the ship had tested positive for the corona virus.
Hurtigruten admits mistakes
Hurtigruten works closely with the FHI health authority, the municipality of Tromsø and others to handle the situation as best as possible, explained CEO Daniel Skjeldam. According to initial evaluations, there were deficiencies in the internal approach that are now being analyzed. "This is a serious situation for everyone involved. We were not good enough and made mistakes," said Skjeldam.
Police investigations are now to show whether Hurtigruten has violated the legal provisions to combat the spread of coronavirus. Central to this investigation will be whether the company or those responsible on board should have taken measures to prevent further infections when the ship entered the port of Tromsø, the police said, according to the news agency NTB.
Hurtigruten cruise ship lies at anchor
Since the first Corona case became known to crew members last Friday, the "Roald Amundsen" has been anchored on a quay in Tromsø in northern Norway. The other two expedition ships will also be moored when they have completed their current cruises in the coming days. The Hurtigruten ships on the so-called mail line between Bergen and Kirkenes, on the other hand, continue to operate.
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The "Roald Amundsen", which went into operation in 2019, is the world's first cruise ship with a hybrid drive. The "Fridtjof Nansen" launched this year is her sister ship. The two ships are named after the famous Norwegian polar researchers Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen.
The travel agency association VUSR advocated a general corona test requirement on cruise ships. "There should be a test obligation for the cruise guest before starting the trip," said Marija Linnhoff, chair of the association of independent travel agencies, the "Rheinische Post" (Monday). The cost should be borne by the guests themselves. "If you can afford a cruise, you can also afford it," said Linnhoff. She also advocated a general test requirement for all vacation returners.
Aida also canceled cruises in the Baltic Sea
The cruise line Aida Cruises canceled the mini-cruises on the Baltic Sea for the first half of August last weekend. Contrary to the expectations of the company, Aida has yet to issue a final formal approval for the start of the short trips from August 5 through the flag state of Italy. This is a major setback for Aida Cruises.
For the restart, Aida had flown in 750 crew members from Asia on July 22 with three planes. Corona tests after landing revealed 11 infected people who were subsequently isolated. The company emphasized that comprehensive concepts had been developed for the new start and that all increased hygiene standards and measures to protect against Covid-19 had been implemented on board the ships.
Aida said on the planned trips from August 16 that Aida assumes that they can take place.