Hurtigruten axes plans for UK September sailings

Saturday, 03 Aug, 2020 0

Hurtigruten has axed plans to sail UK itineraries next month, following an outbreak of coronavirus on its ship Roald Amundsen.

The cruise line announced last month it would embark on a series of short-break expedition cruises round Britain from September.

Four sailings had been confirmed, with the first out of Portsmouth on 2 September, followed by two departures from Liverpool and one from Glasgow.

All sailings had been planned aboard the hybrid-powered ship Roald Amundsen, with ports of call including the Isles of Scilly, Fowey, Rathlin Island, Fort William, Oban, Fishguard and Waterford.

But the cruise line has confirmed on its web site that its UK sailings have been cancelled, as part of the suspension of all expedition sailings, after 36 crew and at least four guests onboard Roald Amundsen tested positive for coronavirus over the past few days.

CEO Daniel Skjeldam said: "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."

Hurtigruten’s coastal voyages around Norwegian are still going ahead.

By Lisa James, Deputy Editor (UK)

Lisa

Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.

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