HURTIGRUTEN has extended its suspension of operations until 15 Jun, after which it is planning a gradual phase-in. The cruise line is proposing to first resume operations in Norway, where it is headquartered, with other resumptions to occur as global restrictions are lifted. “Gradually restarting operations within Norwegian waters is...
HURTIGRUTEN has extended its suspension of operations until 15 Jun, after which it is planning a gradual phase-in.
The cruise line is proposing to first resume operations in Norway, where it is headquartered, with other resumptions to occur as global restrictions are lifted.
“Gradually restarting operations within Norwegian waters is the natural first steps towards normalisation for us,” said Chief Executive Officer Daniel Skjeldam.
“The size and scale of our step-by-step restart is dependent on national and international travel restrictions, government support and other external factors outside of our control.”
Skjeldam said while there was a lot of uncertainty regarding what the next few weeks and months would bring, he was confident international restrictions would gradually be lifted, with Arctic expedition cruises to be restarted in the northern summer.
Although Hurtigruten did not have any confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 on any of its ships, the company will be introducing new, strict health procedures, to be imposed before the restart of operations.
“We will implement hundreds of small and larger measures to keep our guests and crew safe and healthy,” Skjeldam said.
“Some of them are transitory, some will be permanent, but from even stricter hygiene protocols to reduced guest capacity to allow social distancing, this will give you a safer voyage”.
View a message from Skjeldam to the industry HERE.
