Friends setting sail aboard Hurtigruten’s MS Polarlys have been knowledgeable of cruise and port cancellations on the final minute as extreme winter polar storms threaten the western coast of Norway. As a result of cancellations, vacationers are being supplied the chance to rebook their crusing or go for a full refund.
The impacted sailings are from Thursday, January 2, 2025 by the morning of Sunday, January 5, 2025. After that point, the poor climate is predicted to have cleared and journey can safely resume.
The cruise line’s web site listed the adjusted itineraries and cancelled calls, and booked company obtained textual content notifications of the adjustments.
“As a result of climate circumstances, MS Polarlys cancels the calls between Trondheim and Bergen on southbound crusing and Bergen and Trondheim on northbound crusing from 02 to 05 January,” the web site defined. “The ship will resume regular route from Trondheim on northbound crusing on 05 January at 12:45.”
Booked company additionally obtained generalized textual content message notifications with contact data for his or her subsequent steps.
“We remorse to tell you that on account of dangerous climate MS Polarlys has to cancel your crusing,” the notification learn.
Friends may reply to the textual content message to rebook their passage, or else go to the Hurtigruten web site to request a full refund. Vacationers would wish their reserving quantity to finish both request.
Passengers presently onboard MS Polarlys have additionally reported that the ship has remained docked in Trondheim and won’t be continuing on to Bergen as deliberate at the moment. The cruise line is engaged on different journey plans to assist company attain Bergen, however these haven’t but been confirmed.
For these vacationers onboard, Hurtigruten has organized an additional shore tour to discover Trondheim if desired.
Moreover, onboard actions are persevering with as scheduled, and all of the ship’s operations – eating, leisure, and so on. – are totally useful.
Extreme Climate Inflicting Cancellations
Whereas the climate in Trondheim isn’t as tough as different locations, with winds presently reported at 20 knots (23 miles per hour), the fjord entrance to Trondheim – the place MS Polarlys would wish to cross to achieve Bergen – is way worse. Present wind speeds on the mouth of the fjord are 33 knots (38 mph).
Moreover, the coastal path to Bergen additionally passes by a number of areas of much more extreme winds, reaching as excessive as 40 knots (46 mph) in some areas.
For reference, a tropical storm begins at simply 35 knots (39 mph). Cruise strains incessantly cancel port visits or change itineraries throughout tropical storm circumstances, even earlier than such storms grow to be official hurricanes.
Vacationers skilled with Norwegian itineraries say the sort of cancellation and climate sample is nothing new, and security is at all times the first concern of any cruise line.
“The climate is and is forecasted to be very dangerous in northern/western Norway. Airports are closing. Such is winter in Norway, tough and unpredictable. Security first!”
Happily, Hurtigruten is properly skilled with these kind of circumstances and capable of make changes as wanted.
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“Our ship couldn’t attain Oslo final yr on account of dangerous climate so that they flew us to Trondheim and we sailed a day later.”
The 11,341-gross-ton MS Polarlys first set sail in 1995 and is one in every of Hurtigruten’s mid-sized ships. She will welcome 737 passengers aboard, and in addition supplies ferry house for as much as 35 automobiles.
The ship runs a daily ferry-type route alongside western Norway. MS Polarlys calls on quite a lot of coastal communities from Bergen within the south to Mehamn on the nation’s northern tip and east to Kirkenes, usually stopping briefly at a number of ports in a single day.
Friends can e book passage for the complete route, or simply between ports of their selection as most well-liked.
Hurtigruten will not be the one cruise line impacted by poor winter climate in northern Europe. In late November, Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition was held within the Port of Tilbury on account of Storm Bert because it pummeled the UK. Finally, the ship remained in port for the whole thing of its deliberate 3-night mini-getaway.
Different cruise strains have additionally needed to change itineraries and routes on account of native flooding, excessive winds, coastal wave exercise, and different climate circumstances that make it unsafe for ships to go to particular ports.
