250 cruise passengers will not cruise Russia's Franz Josef Land as the Norwegian cruiseferry company Hurtigruten was forced to cannel 2 planned voyages just 2 weeks prior the first departure.
According to Anne Marit Bjornflaten (Hurtigruten's Head of Communication), the company was “very surprised” by Russian authorities denying the expedition ship Spitsbergen permission to enter the Russian archipelago Franz Josef Land.
Bjornflaten added that despite the fact that ms Spitsbergen met the Polar Code requirements, and had permissions to sail in those areas of the Arctic, Russian authorities had unexpectedly denied them in the last minute.
Hurtigruten has been told that at the time of the planned cruises there will be Russian military exercise activities in the area. Compensation will be offered to all cruise bookings, with ticket prices, starting at EUR 5,600 pp.