News - 12 March 2020 10:34

Braemar's 'Western Caribbean & Central America' fly-cruise update - 12/03/2020

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines can confirm that we have been required to change the itinerary of our ship Braemar, after five people on board tested positive for COVID-19 Coronavirus.

The ship, which was due to end its ‘Western Caribbean & Central America’ cruise today in Barbados, has changed course following a cautious response from the local authorities, and is now heading towards the Bahamas (its Flag State).

We are currently working with the Bahamas, the UK government, UK Chamber of Shipping and Public Heath England to ensure that all guests can return home as soon as possible.

The next cruise, ‘Islands of the Caribbean & the Azores’ (M2006), has been cancelled and guests are being offered a full refund, including any additional expenses incurred.

We continue to follow advice from Public Health England and there is currently no requirement for guests to stay in their cabins. However, we have put other measures in place.

These include operating open seating at mealtimes, so that guests can sit on emptier tables. We are also asking guests to keep a reasonable distance from each other and crew members, as much as possible.

We are keeping those on board regularly updated and are asking all guests and crew to return to their cabin and call the Medical Centre, if they begin to feel unwell.

On Wednesday (11^th March 2020), while docked in Willemstad, Curaçao, five people on board tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus (four crew and one guest) with another guest returning an inconclusive result. One further guest received a negative result.

We are providing free WiFi and free telephone calls for all guests, so that they can keep in touch with family at home.

We are advising anyone with concerns to send us a direct message or to call our Guest Services team on 0800 0355 145.

For regular media updates, please visit:

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For any media enquiries, please contact rachael.jackson@fredolsen.co.uk / + 44 (0)7917 323238 or ellis.barker@fredolsen.co.uk / +44 (0)7557 672265

Topics

Regions

England

Contacts

Georgina May

Press contact Public Relations Executive Public Relations georgina.may@fredolsen.co.uk

Lauren Gardner

Press contact Public Relations Manager Public Relations lauren.gardner@fredolsen.co.uk 07546807099

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

At Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines we are very proud of our smaller ships – Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral - and the imaginative and unusual itineraries they allow us to offer. Every cruise is hand-crafted from scratch by our team of in-house Journey Planners to make sure you are not only visiting the best destinations, but at the best time to experience them.

For us, it’s not just about where we go but how we take you there. We put as much time into planning scenic cruising as we do in choosing the destinations themselves. On board, our Signature Experiences showcase the history, culture, nature and flavours of the destinations you’ll visit – from Treats of the Region, where you can enjoy local delicacies, to our Sky at Sea star-gazing sessions where you can relax with a hot toddy out on deck while our astronomer talks you through the night sky.

Plus, with each ship carrying 1,300 guests or less, our ships are small enough for us to offer a warm, friendly and personal service where nothing is ever too much trouble, as we visit a host of exciting ports in every corner of the globe.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines