Hurtigruten Temporarily Suspends Operations Through April 19th

As a response to the global coronavirus outbreak, Hurtigruten will stop operations on the Norwegian coast through April 19th. All international expedition sailings are cancelled through April 28th.

Nothing is more important to Hurtigruten than the safety and well-being of our crew and guests. Your trust in us is highly appreciated, and we are thankful for the understanding you have shown in this difficult situation.

That’s why I’m personally updating you on the significant steps we are taking to follow up on our continued commitment to take all appropriate actions to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Representation Image – Credits: Karsten Bidstrup/Hurtigruten

Like the rest of the world, we at Hurtigruten are facing an extraordinary and grave situation. While Hurtigruten has not had a single virus case on board any of our ships, we share a great responsibility in taking all appropriate precautions.

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That’s why we have decided to voluntarily suspend all operations on the Norwegian coast through April 19th and through April 28th for our Expedition voyages. To ensure a smooth and safe pause to operations, Hurtigruten will gradually take ships out of service.

We have offered the Norwegian government to deploy two of our ships in an amended domestic schedule, bringing critical supplies and goods to local communities that rely on Hurtigruten along the Norwegian coast.

One of Hurtigruten’s core values is “We care”. We care about our staff, we care about our guests, we care about the local communities we visit, and not least: We care about our role in the global society. That’s why Hurtigruten several weeks ago introduced several targeted measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Last week, Hurtigruten committed to pause operations in US waters for 30 days. Over the past weeks, Hurtigruten has encouraged guests to move their bookings free of charge – and have been working around-the-clock to help guests return to their home countries.

The choice to temporarily suspend operations was a difficult decision to make, and it’s an emotional moment for me and the entire Hurtigruten team. This decision will affect all of us – our guests, our colleagues onboard, our offices around the world, the small and large communities we visit, and the hundreds of small and large vendors, suppliers, friends and partners who live by and with us.

At the same time, I firmly believe it is the only responsible decision in the extraordinary crisis the world is currently facing.

There is nothing we would love more than welcoming you back to explore the world with us as soon as we are fully operational again. To ensure a smooth and convenient process, we have set up a dedicated web page with all the information you need to rebook your planned Hurtigruten voyage. Please follow this link to register. Please note that you do not have to decide on where or when your future voyage will be, the form will only secure your Hurtigruten Future Cruise Voucher and the discount.

After more than 127 years of operation, we’ve learned from our past experiences weathering storms such as wars, recessions and outbreaks. While this is a temporary setback for us, for the local communities and you as our valued explorers, I am confident in two things:

That this decision is both right and responsible, and that Hurtigruten and you fellow explorers will hit the ground running as soon as we resume operations – offering you the journey of a lifetime with all the Hurtigruten difference.

Thank you for your continued support and trust. I look forward to welcoming you on board one of our ships in the near future.

Reference: hurtigruten.com

Source: Maritime Shipping News