jakob71
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Posts posted by jakob71
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Just for the record, I'll make some additional comments to SempreMare's excellent information about, among other things, the Grand Hotel and Grand Café in Oslo:
The Grand Hotel is located on Oslo's main street, Karl Johans gate. Directly opposite the Grand Hotel, is Norway's parliament, the Storting. (Usually, several days a week there is some form of demonstration in front of the Storting. There is rarely more than a maximum of a few hundred people who participate, and the demonstrations are almost always peaceful).
From outside the Grand Hotel, you will see the royal palace, at the top of Karl Johans gate, home to HM King Harald V and HM Queen Sonja. Changing of the guards is every day at 1.30 pm.
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Hurtigruten states in a press release today, that they accept the million fine after the Covid outbreak.
Hurtigruten’s CEO Daniel Skjeldam, says that the company accepts the fine, and that they feel that the police have made a long and thorough investigation.
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The results after a very long police investigation, following the Covid scandal on board M/S Roald Amundsen two voyages, from Tromsø and around Svalbard in July 2020, are now published.
In a press release yesterday, the Troms police district writes that Hurtigruten will be fined NOK 1 million (NOK = Norwegian kroner) for its inadequate handling of the Covid outbreak on board M/S Roald Amundsen. (NOK 1 million is at today's exchange rate, approx. USD 115,000.).
The captain on board has been fined NOK 30,000, and one of the two ship doctors has been fined NOK 40,000.
For Hurtigruten's CEO Daniel Skjeldam, and former operations director Bent Martini (now CEO of Havila Kystruten), the prosecution's office believes that there is no basis for personal criminal liability, and the case is therefore closed for them.
Attorney Berit Reiss-Andersen, who represents Hurtigruten Coastal AS, says that the details of the fine will be reviewed. When the lawyer and the board of the company have concluded, they will come back with more comments.
The lawyers for both the captain and the ship's doctor, say that their clients will not accept the fine.
It will therefore still be some time before we know the final outcome of the legal consequences of the Covid scandal on board M/S Roald Amundsen
A link to the Norwegian Nettavisen for more information (in Norwegian): https://www.nettavisen.no/nyheter/innenriks/hurtigruten-far-millionbot-etter-smitteutbruddet-sommeren-2020/s/12-95-3424237609
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I would be grateful if any of you have any information on when Brilliance of the Seas, will sail to Europe for next year's cruise season in the Mediterranean.
The background to my question, is that my Transatlantic cruise to Europe with Brilliance of the Seas, from Tampa April 25, 2022 - earlier has been canceled. And unfortunately, I am now worried that my Mediterranean cruise with Brilliance of the Seas, in September 2022 from Ravenna, also will be canceled later.
(I have previously sent a request to RCG, if they can confirm that my September cruise from Ravenna will sail as planned, but have so far not received any response).
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12 hours ago, snuggles10 said:
Any suggestions on what excursions are good? My husband and I are seniors, in good health, although a little slow walking. We will be visting Kotor, Corfu, Athens, Mykonos and Argostoli. We chose this trip as Venice is included.....BUT now the cruise ship leaves from Raveena .
We ar hoping to stay in Venice a few days also.
I'm crossing my fingers that your cruise will sail as planned!
(Earlier this month, I was unfortunately notified that my 14 night TA cruise with Brilliance of the Seas, from Tampa in April 25 next year to Civitavecchia, has been canceled. Because of that, I am now seriously worried that my Greece & Croatia cruise with Brilliance of the Seas, in September 2022 from Ravenna, also later will be canceled.
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14 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:
This announcement is long-awaited — and we couldn't be more thrilled. Please note, however, as we prepare for our return to sailing, it was necessary to make a few sailing cancelations to accommodate these restarts. The below are regrettably canceled:
- Anthem of the Seas® departing Southampton: October 20, 2021
- Brilliance of the Seas® departing Tampa: September 4-October 11, 2021; December 11, 2021; March 28-April 25, 2022
- Enchantment of the Seas® departing Baltimore: September 4- December 11, 2021
- Explorer of the Seas® departing San Juan: October 31, 2021
- Harmony of the Seas® departing Barcelona: October 31, 2021
- Liberty of the Seas® departing Galveston: September 26, 2021
- Ovation of the Seas® departing Sydney: October 27, 2021- April 10, 2022
- Radiance of the Seas® departing Miami: October 15, 2021- April 10, 2022
- Rhapsody of the Seas® departing Tampa: February 26- April 16, 2022
- Serenade of the Seas® departing Sydney: October 24, 2021- February 27, 2022
- Vision of the Seas® departing San Juan/ Fort Lauderdale: September 5, 2021- January 14, 2022
Based on the fact that my Transatlantic cruise with Brilliance of the Seas, from Tampa in April 2022, has been canceled - I am now seriously worried that my Mediterranean-cruise with Brilliance of the Seas, in September 2022 from Ravenna, also will be canceled.
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The Norwegian Government is extending strict requirements for coastal cruises along the Norwegian coast and on Svalbard. A new assessment will be made during the spring, or if significant changes should require it.
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In a message today from Hurtigruten Group to the newspaper Nordlys (a message that has also been reffered to in other Norwegian newspapers like DN), it says that Bent Martini will resign from his positions as Chief Operating Officer and CEO of Hurtigruten Cruise AS, with permanent effect from 9 October 2020. November 9 this year, he will leave the company for good.
(Martini resigned temporarily from his positions in Hurtigruten Cruise in August, after the Covid-19 outbreak on MS Roald Amundsen).
Hurtugruten Group’s CEO, Daniel Skjeldam, says he wishes Martini good luck with «new challenges».
https://www.dn.no/reiseliv/hurtigruten-topp-gar-av/2-1-899850
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According to a press release from CEO Daniel Skjeldam of Hurtigruten Group, he states that Hurtigruten will separate scheduled traffic and expedition cruises. The two new divisions will be named Hurtigruten Norge (Norway), and Hurtigruten Expeditions. The new organization will mark the course for further growth and development for both scheduled traffic along the Norwegian coast and expedition cruises. This ensures even sharper focus and an even clearer distinction between two completely unique products and concepts, says Skjeldam.
Asta Lassesen will be the CEO of Hurtigruten Expeditions, with a fleet of at last eight small, specially built expedition ships. Hurtigruten Norge will focus on the Norwegian coast, and from 2021 the Company will operate seven specially built low-emission ships in scheduled traffic between Bergen and Kirkenes. The CEO of the Company, has not yet been appointed.
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7 hours ago, clo said:
I'm following this because we've done two cruises with them, a RT Norwegian coastal one having loved our Antarctica trip with them. I have to tell you that if it plays out the way it looks to be I won't be traveling with them again. That makes me sad...but realistic.
It now looks it will still take quite a long time before «the last word» in the scandal case about the Covid-19 outbreak on MS Roald Amundsen, has been said! A case that has really shocked and surprised many Norwegians. In fact up to the Norwegian Government level. They had not expected it from a previously very reputable company like Hurtigruten.
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An update from the newspaper Dagbladet today, regarding the police investigation after the Covid-19 outbreak on MS Roald Amundsen:
«20 interrogations i in the Hurtigruten Covid-19 investigation. In a press release the police write that they are investigating the case extensively, and that they among other things have conducted interrogations and reviewed electronic communication, in connection with the Covid-19 outbreak on board Hurtigruten's "MS Roald Amundsen" this summer.
The case is being investigated to clarify whether the company or individuals may have violated provisions in the Criminal Code of Infection Control and/or provisions issued in accordance with the Infection Control Act, says Police Attorney, Lisa-Mari Ellingsen in Troms Police District.
The police are investigating circumstances in connection with this summer's two cruises with MS Roald Amundsen. Around 20 interrogations have been carried out, and a comprehensive data material with electronic communication is reviewed. The police are also looking at the Norwegian Maritime Authority’s investigation of the case, Hurtigruten's own investigation, and they also await the Chief County Medical Officer's investigation.
Hurtigruten still has the status of a suspect, while it is too early to comment on the status of individuals in this case. As it looks now, it will still take several weeks before the police can finish their work, Ellingsen concludes».
https://www.dagbladet.no/studio/nyhetsstudio/5?post=43909
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Hurtigruten has earlier engaged the company DNV GL (an international classification society and a recognized advisor for the maritime industry), and the Norwegian law firm, Wiersholm, to carry out a full external investigation of the corona outbreak on MS Roald Amundsen, the procedures in Hurtigruten and how they are followed. At a press conference this afternoon, the investigation report was presented. The report is reviewed today as one of todays top stories in many Norwegian newspapers, and in the Norwegian TV news.
These are the main conclusions of the report: «Hurtigruten Cruise AS's risk management process has been insufficient. Hurtigruten did not implement sufficient risk-reducing measures for testing foreign crews in Norway before signing on. The quarantine rules were practiced incorrectly. Suspicion of infection during the voyages was not followed up, and covid-19 testing was not carried out in time. When Hurtigruten received positive test results on 31 July, it took time before the crisis management system was implemented. Investigation leader, lawyer Jan Fougner, pointed out during the press conference that the quarantine regulations have been practiced differently in the Hurtigruten Group. He said that it appears that the person who was responsible for an evaluation of the quarantine regulations was a skilled chef, not a lawyer. "It was a mistake," he said. As a result of the findings, the report also makes some recommendations to Hurtigruten. Among other things, it is about evaluating whether the culture in the organization supports risk management».
The press conference was opened by Hurtigruten's chairman of the board, Trygve Hegnar. He expressed that the board still has confidence in CEO Daniel Skjeldam.
- Skjeldam is an excellent man to implement the measures that will now be implemented, Hegnar said.
In a press release, Skjeldam apologizes for the company's handling of the case.
- The outbreak of infection on MS Roald Amundsen was a serious incident.- As chief executive of the group, I take responsibility for what happened. The attached link is to an article from the press conference in the newspaper E24: https://e24.no/naeringsliv/i/7KlB8W/smitteskandalen-paa-hurtigruten-konsernsjef-og-driftsdirektoer-med-motstridende-forklaringer
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According to an article today in the newspaper E24, it is stated that Hurtigruten will suspends all expedition sailings for the rest of 2020. The reason given, is an increase in COVID-19 cases throughout Europe, South- and North America.
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According to an article in the newspaper VG yesterday,
it says that The Norwegian Maritime Authority’s investigation of the corona outbreak on MS Roald Amundsen, has revealed seven discrepancies and failures in several areas of Hurtigruten's safety policy.
Acting general manager of Hurtigruten Cruise AS, Asta Lassesen, says that the company has invested all available resources to strengthen and improve routines and procedures at all levels.
- The discrepancies that are pointed out by the NMA are important to us in the work with a safe start-up of the expedition cruises, when the COVID-19 situation allows it, Lassesen says.
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For information:
According to the newspaper VG, the newspaper writes today that the entire crew of MS Roald Amundsen has now recovered regarding the COVID-19 infection.
The newspaper also writes that Hurtigruten states that the crew says that they have been very well taken care of and followed up.
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Earlier this month, it was reported in Norwegian media that on the initiative of Hurtigruten, Bent Martini is temporarily resigning from his roles and positions in Hurtigruten Cruise AS. And for the time being is leaving Hurtigruten’s group management. This according to CEO Daniel Skjeldam in Hurtigruten. Martini is the managing director of the company Hurtigruten Cruise AS. It is this company that operates the cruise part of the Hurtigruten group.
Moreover, there is obviously quite a lot now going on regarding the investigation of this COVID-19 outbreak, from various Norwegian authorities:
It is previously known that the police have opened an investigation of Hurtigruten, for violation of the Infection Control Act.
It is also stated that The Norwegian Maritime Authority, have asked Hurtigruten for documentation on weather they have carried out safety assessments to be made, and what preparedness plans they have. The Maritime Authoity said they expects that a safety assessment had been made in advance, and will, in light of what has happened, have an answer as to whether the preparedness plans were followed, said acting director of Maritime Affairs, Lars Alvestad.
The county medical officer in Troms and Finnmark have also informed that they will investigate Hurtigruten's handling of the outbreak on the ship.
The county governor of Troms and Finnmark has recently stated that they are opening a supervisory case against two of the ship doctors on Roald Amundsen.
Hurtigruten has earlier this month informed Norwegian media that several breaches of internal procedures on MS Roald Amundsen had been revealed. The company regrets that they have failed, and has now, engaged the company DNV GL, to carry out a full external investigation of the incident, the procedures in Hurtigruten and how they are followed. (DNV GL is an international classification society and a recognized advisor for the maritime industry, and technical advisor to the oil and gas industri, headquartered in Norway).
I think it will be interesting to see what in the end will come out regarding the COVID-19 scandal on board MS Roald Amundsen!
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Just for the record: According to an article today in the Norwegian newspaper, Nordlys, it is stated that the number of COVID-19 infected by MS Roald Amundsen, has now increased further. A total of 71 people are now registered as infected (42 crew members and 29 passengers). The reason given for the increase in the number of infected is that people who first tested negative, later have tested positive.
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16 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:
My wife has worked for the top Doctors at the top ranked Hospitals. I don't think any of them went through the education and training that they had to do, to get where they are today, just to end up on a cruise ship handing out sea sick medication, wrapping sprained ankles and arranging transportation for heart attack victims.
This link may perhaps provide a more detailed information about the qualifications of the two doctors on board MS Roald Amundsen:
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Just for the record, it was stated yesterday that the total number of COVID-19 infected from MS Roald Amundsen, has now increased to 62 (41 crew members and 21 passengers).
The list of errors made by Hurtigruten in connection with the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak on MS Roald Amundsen, seems to be extensive.
However, I was really surprised to read on the Message Boards under Hurtigruten and under a topic there, that it seems that questions can be asked, how well qualified the two doctors on board Hurtigruten's ship, MS Roald Amundsen are:
«One of the ship's doctors was deprived of his medical license twice. The other doctor did not have Norwegian authorization».
I must say I really hope that other cruise lines do a much better job in terms of hiring well qualified doctors with approved licenses on board their ships, than it seems that Hurtigruten has done in this case!
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Just for information: In the TV news tonight on NRK's Dagsrevyen, it was stated that the total number of COVID-19 infected from MS Roald Amundsen, has now increased to 62 (41 crew members and 21 passengers).
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56 minutes ago, hallasm said:
@jakob71 Thank you for sharing, however we cannot read the article in ,Aftenposten’ without subscription.
I’m sorry! I thought the article link I attached a copy of, was possible to read without a subcription. For information only, I have copied just the first part of Lund’s article:
«Full confidence in the Hurtigruten management». I do not know if I should laugh or cry. | Joacim Lund
The Hurtigruten case has become a tragicomic farce.
A classic, comic grip screenwriters know how to use is to put a character in a difficult situation that he or she is trying to cover up. A lot is at stake, and when everything goes wrong, it becomes harder and harder to keep both the mask and the overview. The greater the distance between the facade and reality, the more fun it becomes. John Cleese as hotel director Basil Fawlty in the English TV series, Fawlty Towers, is a brilliant example of this.
An example from reality is the old TV interviews in which Saddam Hussein's information minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, stubbornly claimed that Iraq was about to win the war - while American tanks rolled into the streets of Baghdad behind him. He was nicknamed "Comic Ali".
And now «Comic Ali» and Basil Fawlty are joined by Trygve Hegnar himself, chairman of the board of Hurtigruten, who solemnly declares that he has "full confidence in the management". It's almost like one would think it was a typo. "Zero trust" would be more natural.»
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First, I think it is not unexpected that one can have different opinions about how Hurtigruten has handled the COVID-19 infection on board the MS Roald Amundsen. I am thinking, among other things, of the information previously given to passengers on board, information given to the Norwegian authorities, to the public and to the media.
For those who may be interested, I have attached a link to an article that was written yesterday in the Norwegian well-known newspaper, Aftenposten, from one of the newspaper's commentators, Joachim Lund.
The article shows his views on what he thinks about Hurtigruten's information strategy. Unfortunately, the article is written in Norwegian, but the content will be understandable by using Goolge Translate, for instance.
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According to the Norwegian TV2 News, the status when it came to COVID-19 and MS Roald Amundsen, is that yesterday a total of 53 were infected (37 crew and 16 passengers).
Of these, four from the crew and one passenger are now treated in the University Hospital in Tromsø.
The article also gives the somewhat surprising information that the Municipal Chief Physican i Tromsø , says that Roald Amundsen's two doctors have been relieved from their duties. The reason is explained by the fact that a proper co-operation has not been achieved with the two doctors.
https://www.tv2.no/nyheter/11572299/
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According to the Norwegian TV2 News, the status when it came to COVID-19 and Roald Amundsen, is that yesterday a total of 53 were infected (37 crew and 16 passengers).
Of these, four from the crew and one passenger is now treated at the University Hospital i Tromsø.
The article also states that the medical superintendent in Tromsø municipality, says that Roald Amundsen's two doctors are now exempt from their duties. The reason is explained by the fact that a proper co-operation has not been achieved with the two doctors.
https://www.tv2.no/nyheter/11572299/
8 Tips for the Bergen to Oslo Train Trip
in Viking Ocean
Posted
The train ride between Oslo and Bergen, or the opposite way, takes about seven hours.
For more information, I have attached a link to Visit Norway:
https://www.visitnorway.com/plan-your-trip/getting-around/by-train/the-bergen-railway/