SeaDream said SeaDream I suspended its current sailing on Tuesday (4 August) "out of an abundance of caution", and returned to Bodo in Norway to follow Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and Norwegian Directorate of Health guidelines.
Guests and crew were immediately quarantined ahead of testing, with all crew testing negative. While no passengers had displayed symptoms of coronavirus, they too were tested on Wednesday (5 August). The tests started at 4pm, with the results made available the same evening – all guests tested negative.
SeaDream said the results were testament to the professionalism of its crew, and its "comprehensive infection control measures". The line said it had gone "above and beyond government guidelines" to protect guests, crew, and people in the communities visited by its yachts.
Andreas Brynestad, SeaDream executive vice-president, also thanked Norway’s national health authorities, and local health and municipal authorities in Bodo, for their professionalism. "They have all shown how Norway can respond so quickly and effectively in situations like this."
The results come as a much-needed boost for the cruise sector after Hurtigruten admitted serious failings in the way it dealt with a coronavirus outbreak onboard one of its ships, MS Roald Amundsen.
Some 36 members of crew and four guests tested positive for the infection the line revealed earlier this week, resulting in nearly 400 guests having to quarantine. Hurtigruten has since suspended all expedition sailings.
SeaDream confirmed on Tuesday (4 August) it had been informed a guest from Denmark onboard an earlier SeaDream I voyage had been diagnosed with Covid-19 following a routine check upon arriving home in Denmark from Tromso on Sunday (2 August).
The line said it spoke to the guest, who showed no Covid symptoms during the voyage onboard SeaDream; their travel companion, whom the affected guest lives with, tested negative.
On the advice of Norway’s health authorities, all guests and crew were placed in quarantine, and the sailing paused to allow for full testing.
SeaDream has also contacted guests onboard the yacht’s previous voyage, and confirmed all crew were quarantined in hotels for 10 days before boarding the yacht in line with national guidelines.
