TIGHTER travel restrictions implemented in Chile in response to the COVID-19 crisis has prevented Hurtigruten’s Roald Amundsen from docking at the port of Punta Arenas, leaving the cruise line searching for new options to transport its passengers home safely. The 500-passenger expedition vessel was conducting a 17-day Antarctica expedition cruise...
TIGHTER travel restrictions implemented in Chile in response to the COVID-19 crisis has prevented Hurtigruten’s Roald Amundsen from docking at the port of Punta Arenas, leaving the cruise line searching for new options to transport its passengers home safely.
The 500-passenger expedition vessel was conducting a 17-day Antarctica expedition cruise with a large group of Australian doctors on board, and was due to call into the Chilean port city yesterday local time.
Hurtigruten’s Managing Director Asia Pacific Damian Perry said the cruise line was working on ways to minimise the disruption the situation will cause to its guests.
“Our passengers and crew are our top priority and all are well, our taskforce’s focus is to get all passengers home as quickly and safely as possible and we are regularly updating our passengers on board with our plans to get them home,” he told ABC News.
There is no suggestion that any passengers on board the ship have contracted the virus.
MEANWHILE, Royal Caribbean Cruises’ Azamara Pursuit has also been left stranded off the coast of Chile after authorities there refused to let passengers on board disembark.
There are no cases of COVID-19 on board, with reports suggesting the ship carrying 74 Australians is making its way north to Miami to let passengers off.
Chile will keep its ports closed until at least 30 Sep.
In further disruption, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has confirmed the modification of three itineraries, including Norwegian Jewel’s 23-day current Australia and French Polynesia voyage, which is now making its way to Honolulu to disembark after a planned dock in Auckland was scuttled by port restrictions.
Norwegian Spirit has revised its 21-day itinerary from Dubai, with details regarding alternative arrangements to be confirmed, while NCL’s Norwegian Epic also ditched its scheduled disembarkation in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and instead arrived in Port Canaveral yesterday.
