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Braemar's 'Western Caribbean & Central America' fly-cruise update - 15/03/2020

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines ship Braemar remains at anchor in The Bahamas today (Sunday, 15th March, 2020) to take on board supplies – while diplomatic discussions continue to get passengers home as quickly as possible.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines can confirm that there are now 20 guests in isolation, having shown influenza-like symptoms. There are also 20 crew members who are isolated, including a doctor. This includes five people who tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus at our last port of call, Willemstad, Curaçao, on Tuesday (March 10th).

Two additional doctors and a nurse are en route to The Bahamas today to assist the on board Medical Team. One further nurse is already on the ground in The Bahamas and is awaiting clearance from local authorities to board the ship.

Braemar arrived in The Bahamas at around 9am local time (1pm UK time) yesterday, where it was given safe haven to anchor approximately 25 miles South West of Freeport.

The ship has remained there in order to take on fuel, food, medicine and other supplies and negotiations are continuing with local authorities while we await final permission to transport these items out from Freeport to our current location.

Peter Deer, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Captain Jozo Glavic and his crew for working so hard for so long in very challenging circumstances.

“I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to our guests for their patience.

“We have been working around the clock with the Bahamian authorities to get supplies on to the ship but it is taking longer than we expected to get the necessary clearances.

“We are also liaising with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who I know are doing everything they can to get people home as soon as possible.”

All bars and restaurants remain open, and all guests have been given a complementary All Inclusive drinks package. Yesterday, Braemar’s live band performed out on deck for guests in the Caribbean sunshine.

On the advice of health officials, we are encouraging guests to practice social distancing and other measures advised by Public Health England. We have closed our evening entertainment venue. The performances are still going ahead and can be watched live in guest cabins.

A dedicated Relative Support Team has been set up at Fred. Olsen’s UK Head Office to give a direct point of contact for those who have relatives on board.

The relative support team can be reached by calling +44 (0) 1473 292350 between the hours of 8am and 8pm.

For regular media updates, please visit:

Media Centre: http://media.fredolsencruises.com/latest_news

Twitter: @FOCLMedia: https://twitter.com/FOCLMedia @FredOlsenCruises

https://twitter.com/FredOlsenCruise

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fredolsencruiselines

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

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Ellis Orchard

Ellis Orchard

Press contact Public Relations Manager Public Relations 07557672265
Georgina May

Georgina May

Press contact Public Relations Executive Public Relations
Lauren Gardner

Lauren Gardner

Press contact Public Relations Manager Public Relations 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
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Fred. Olsen House, White House Road
IP1 5LL Ipswich, Suffolk
United Kingdom