Are People Testing Positive for Covid Quarantined on the Ship or Ashore in this Area?

[tring]

As Spain appears to be insisting that anyone testing positive is taken off the ship to Quarantine ashore, (sometimes happens to contacts as well), does anyone know what the policy is for the countries in this part of Europe?  I am thinking that some Scandinavian countries could charge a lot of money for quarantine hotels and insurance companies do not always seem prepared to pay for contacts to isolate. 

 

I realise there is not much in the way of cruises in the Baltic as yet, (if at all), but I have seen a number of Northern Lights cruises heading up the coast of Norway so wondering if anyone has heard anything about this.  Or if anyone has knowledge about the policy for other countries.

Edited February 7, 2022 by tring

[ozscotart]

I’ve only heard of people being offloaded in Spain, Italy and Greece, I don’t know if there have been many cruises in the Baltic, and as I understand it, the rule to offload is an EU one, Norway and Iceland are Schengen so may have different rules. I’d be interested to know, we’ve booked a cruise to Norway for June!

[tring]

8 minutes ago, ozscotart said:

I’ve only heard of people being offloaded in Spain, Italy and Greece, I don’t know if there have been many cruises in the Baltic, and as I understand it, the rule to offload is an EU one, Norway and Iceland are Schengen so may have different rules. I’d be interested to know, we’ve booked a cruise to Norway for June!

 

Fred has had at least a couple of cruises going to Norway so far and more planned.  I have not seen any comments on social media about any off loading, but there may not have been any covid on those cruises.  We have a Baltic in May and are just hoping for the best, but would indeed be interesting if clarity is obtained about this.

 

Must admit, I thought it was just Spain, though have not been looking at Italy or Greece as I have not seen cruises going there from the UK at present.  I have heard nothing about France, Netherlands or Belgium though, which are still EU countries, so I doubt it is a policy in all EU countries.

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by tring

[ozscotart]

I had queried @wowzzabout this I think, and he mentioned ones in Italy and Greece (apologies wowzz if it wasn’t you!) as well as the ones we know about in Spain. EU countries possibly aren’t all implementing these particular rules. 

[tring]

1 hour ago, ozscotart said:

I had queried @wowzzabout this I think, and he mentioned ones in Italy and Greece (apologies wowzz if it wasn’t you!) as well as the ones we know about in Spain. EU countries possibly aren’t all implementing these particular rules. 

 

Moley had said on the P&O forums that, although there is EU document (?exact word for it), that is generally being followed throughout Europe, including by us, that it is not legally binding.  Hence all countries making their own decisions on the final details, such as in this case.  I presume he/she was correct in that matter, so no real indication of what is/will happen in Northern Europe anyway.

 

Of course we do not yet know if the Baltic countries will accept UK ships for the summer, nor if Norway will continue to do so either, so my question is probably jumping the gun quite a bit really.  I posed the question here after I saw it discussed on the P&O board this morning - this seemed a more suitable forum.

 

It does appear that there are restrictions on our ships going to Hamburg at present for port calls, though ships with turnarounds there, (MSC and QM2), seem to be travelling between the UK and Hamburg at present.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, ozscotart said:

I had queried @wowzzabout this I think, and he mentioned ones in Italy and Greece (apologies wowzz if it wasn’t you!) as well as the ones we know about in Spain. EU countries possibly aren’t all implementing these particular rules. 

Yes, it was me. 

Greece and Italy have been enforcing quarantine ashore.

[twotravellersLondon]

1 hour ago, ozscotart said:

I had queried @wowzzabout this I think, and he mentioned ones in Italy and Greece (apologies wowzz if it wasn’t you!) as well as the ones we know about in Spain. EU countries possibly aren’t all implementing these particular rules. 

 

The latest document is...

 

"Guidance on the gradual and safe resumption of operations of cruise ships in the European Union in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic"

 

Of course, UK ship don't have to comply unless they want to visit any EU port. The entire 29 pages is available at... https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/COVID-CRUISE-GUIDANCE-revision-1-May-2021.pdf

 

Individual ports and countries will use this guidance the document as they see appropriate.

 

[tring]

16 minutes ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

The latest document is...

 

"Guidance on the gradual and safe resumption of operations of cruise ships in the European Union in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic"

 

Of course, UK ship don't have to comply unless they want to visit any EU port. The entire 29 pages is available at... https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/COVID-CRUISE-GUIDANCE-revision-1-May-2021.pdf

 

Individual ports and countries will use this guidance the document as they see appropriate.

 

 

Yes, that is right, the original draft document was published ages ago, summer 2020 if I remember correctly.  CLIA were involved as well as governments of course, so it was meant to be guidance for the whole of Europe, not just the EU, since ships do sail between all European countries.  As you say though, not all countries/ports are following all in of it.  Hence not really a guide to what will happen in Northern Europe.

 

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by tring

[twotravellersLondon]

11 hours ago, tring said:

it was meant to be guidance for the whole of Europe, not just the EU, since ships do sail between all European countries.

 

17 hours ago, ozscotart said:

Norway and Iceland are Schengen so may have different rules.

 

The EMSA is a EU organisation. 

 

It was founded by the EU in 2002. It is funded by the EU and it is answerable to the EU. The UK opted out of the EMSA in 2016. There is cooperation, to a greater or lesser extent, between the EU's EMSA and comparable Maritime organisations in the UK, Norway & Iceland. The UK, Norway and Iceland are not members of the EMSA,  and don't come under the jurisdiction of the EMSA.

 

You'll probably see from the document itself that it was EU organisations, trade unions and trade bodies that contributed rather than individual governments.

 

It should really be read in conjunction with "Interim Guidance
For Preparedness And Response To Cases Of Covid-19 At Points of Entry In The European Union... " if you've a lot of spare time on your hands!

 

Any ship visiting any EU port should expect to be held to account to the letter and law of EU regulations. That includes having the right crew training, the right medical and isolation facilities, and an emergency contingency plan for passengers and crew to receive medical treatment on shore. 

 

So while any UK, Norway or Icelandic based cruise ship would need to satisfy the EU's mechanical, organisational and facilities requirements in a EU port, how the same ship would be treated and dealt with by a non-EU port may be very different.

 

At the moment, I have friends sailing up and down the Norwegian coast looking out for the Northern Lights on Hurtigruten's Nordkapp. They have proof of vaccination, filled in a form in advance and have had no problems, no testing once on board. They are free to hop on and off at every port without any checks... they went Reindeer sledging when they were in Tromsø and even enjoyed some snowball "fights" on the quay at one of the smaller ports... there's just no holding back these septuagenarians "girls who just want to have fun!"

 

It may be different for cruise ships. Fred Olsen's Bolette was due to dock in Bodø in Norway at 10.00 am this morning but, an hour and a half later, she's heading south further and further away from the port in fairly rough seas. It could be the weather. It does seem that she's moving in towards the more sheltered coastal water where the sea conditions are a bit better. Bolette is due to be in Ålesund in a couple of day's time and that's the general direction that she's heading. The current weather in the southern part of the Norwegian Sea is even rougher...all due to a storm force 10 in the North Atlantic. 

 

 

[tring]

1 hour ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

 

 

The EMSA is a EU organisation. 

 

It was founded by the EU in 2002. It is funded by the EU and it is answerable to the EU. The UK opted out of the EMSA in 2016. There is cooperation, to a greater or lesser extent, between the EU's EMSA and comparable Maritime organisations in the UK, Norway & Iceland. The UK, Norway and Iceland are not members of the EMSA,  and don't come under the jurisdiction of the EMSA.

 

You'll probably see from the document itself that it was EU organisations, trade unions and trade bodies that contributed rather than individual governments.

 

It should really be read in conjunction with "Interim Guidance
For Preparedness And Response To Cases Of Covid-19 At Points of Entry In The European Union... " if you've a lot of spare time on your hands!

 

Any ship visiting any EU port should expect to be held to account to the letter and law of EU regulations. That includes having the right crew training, the right medical and isolation facilities, and an emergency contingency plan for passengers and crew to receive medical treatment on shore. 

 

So while any UK, Norway or Icelandic based cruise ship would need to satisfy the EU's mechanical, organisational and facilities requirements in a EU port, how the same ship would be treated and dealt with by a non-EU port may be very different.

 

At the moment, I have friends sailing up and down the Norwegian coast looking out for the Northern Lights on Hurtigruten's Nordkapp. They have proof of vaccination, filled in a form in advance and have had no problems, no testing once on board. They are free to hop on and off at every port without any checks... they went Reindeer sledging when they were in Tromsø and even enjoyed some snowball "fights" on the quay at one of the smaller ports... there's just no holding back these septuagenarians "girls who just want to have fun!"

 

It may be different for cruise ships. Fred Olsen's Bolette was due to dock in Bodø in Norway at 10.00 am this morning but, an hour and a half later, she's heading south further and further away from the port in fairly rough seas. It could be the weather. It does seem that she's moving in towards the more sheltered coastal water where the sea conditions are a bit better. Bolette is due to be in Ålesund in a couple of day's time and that's the general direction that she's heading. The current weather in the southern part of the Norwegian Sea is even rougher...all due to a storm force 10 in the North Atlantic. 

 

 

 

Bolette's ports had been going well and some good sightings of the lights from the ship, so presumably the weather as I have not seen an update from today.  As I said earlier, Fred has a few of those scheduled for this winter.  Not heard anything about covid though, so may not be any onboard as the ship had been isolating in port after problems (mainly with the crew) on a previous cruise.  Borealis is heading that way in a few days, but again has been in port, so hopefully will be covid free.

 

Your friends sound great fun, hope all continues to go well for them.  Fred used to use the inside channel when traveling on the Norwegian coast, but not sure if he can still do it with the bigger ships, if not it is another disadvantage of those ships as the inside passage can miss a lit of bad weather.

Edited February 8, 2022 by tring

[twotravellersLondon]

 

58 minutes ago, tring said:

Fred used to use the inside channel when traveling on the Norwegian coast, but not sure if he can still do it with the bigger ships, if not it is another disadvantage of those ships as the inside passage can miss a lit of bad weather.

 

The Bolette began to turn toward Bodø about breakfast time this morning and then turned back towards the Norwegian Sea. One possibility was the wind and the weather conditions and another possibility was because of the fishing fleet just south of the Lofoten Islands... about a dozen or so trawlers are on the herring shoals and so too will be about 120 Orca... the captain may have hoped to have a few sightings. (We stayed up there in late December a few years back... -38˚C with windchill... one of my cameras imploded because of the cold... while we were out searching for Orca!)

 

The Bolette is now heading straight for the entrance to Trondheim. Oddly she's well out to sea.... about 35 km west of the Island of Vega and seems to have avoided the Seven Sisters and will not pass Troghatten... unless she makes a big detour. Our friends on the Nordkapp very close-by, they're between Vega and the mainland. The weather there is really nice... bright skies, thin covering of snow, good sea conditions and so on. It's a pity that the passengers on board Bolette seem to be too far out to sea to see the snow-covered mountains.

 

Also oddly, the Bolette has not filled a new course as yet and there is nothing on the Trondheim arrival boards and nothing on the Ålesund arrival boards to say that she's expected there... but the boards may not be accurate. 

 

We will have to wait and see... but its a pity for the passengers if they are missing out on, what must be, amazing scenic cruising....especially as the scene at Bodø was just glorious this morning when the Bolette was due to arrive.

[tring]

34 minutes ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

 

The Bolette began to turn toward Bodø about breakfast time this morning and then turned back towards the Norwegian Sea. One possibility was the wind and the weather conditions and another possibility was because of the fishing fleet just south of the Lofoten Islands... about a dozen or so trawlers are on the herring shoals and so too will be about 120 Orca... the captain may have hoped to have a few sightings. (We stayed up there in late December a few years back... -38˚C with windchill... one of my cameras imploded because of the cold... while we were out searching for Orca!)

 

The Bolette is now heading straight for the entrance to Trondheim. Oddly she's well out to sea.... about 35 km west of the Island of Vega and seems to have avoided the Seven Sisters and will not pass Troghatten... unless she makes a big detour. Our friends on the Nordkapp very close-by, they're between Vega and the mainland. The weather there is really nice... bright skies, thin covering of snow, good sea conditions and so on. It's a pity that the passengers on board Bolette seem to be too far out to sea to see the snow-covered mountains.

 

Also oddly, the Bolette has not filled a new course as yet and there is nothing on the Trondheim arrival boards and nothing on the Ålesund arrival boards to say that she's expected there... but the boards may not be accurate. 

 

We will have to wait and see... but its a pity for the passengers if they are missing out on, what must be, amazing scenic cruising....especially as the scene at Bodø was just glorious this morning when the Bolette was due to arrive.

 

Seen a couple of comments from Bolette, apparently it was heavy snow as they approached Bodo, but since then it has been announced they are trying to outrun a force 11 gale with a swell between 7 and 14 metres further south, so probably no time to see Seven Sisters and Torghatten.  As you say, she is doing 18.8kts and just showing "no Bodo", according to Marine Traffic.  I have seen a lot of photos posted from further north and looks like they did well for weather  and the lights, there, so still a good cruise overall.  Fred will not want to miss ports unnecessarily of course as they will loose on excursion profits.

 

Well there is keen and keen, but -38C with windchill is beyond both of those classifications in my books 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2022 by tring

[tring]

4 hours ago, tring said:

 

It has been announced they are trying to outrun a force 11 gale with a swell between 7 and 14 metres further south.

 

Bolette apparently heading for a safe haven.  Will pick up a pilot about 10pm and will be moored in Kristiansund by 6am (probably to stay all day).  Looks like they will go into part of the inside passage overnight.  They had one of "those" presentations by the Captain earlier - someone posted the pictures with some nice bright colours on them (the sort that are accompanied by the explanation of the number of broken bones that will occur if they try to sail through it).

 

One of the Saga ships is in Bergen today and is staying there overnight.