Guest Information, Covid 19


Dear guests and friends of Narvikfjellet. We are looking forward to welcoming you all to a new skiing season and many good winter experiences in 2021. Work on implementing infection control measures and adjustments before this year’s different season are being carried out here at Narvikfjellet. In collaboration with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), the authorities, the chief municipal medical officer, and Alpinanleggenes Landsforening, we will try to explain what this year’s skiing season will be like. No one knows for sure how the next six months will be, but we do know that it will snow and that it will be winter! That is what we are looking forward to.

 

Covid

 

We will do everything possible to try and ensure that this season is experienced as close as possible to a normal winter, but we also depend on all our skiing friends following the advice they are given. The main rules that apply for alpine skiing centres in Norway are listed below. We encourage everyone to be considerate and take some precautions when in Narvikfjellet, so that you and others can feel safe and have a good, long winter.

Our four main pillars for slowing the spread of infection: 
1.    Maintain minimum 1 metre distance to others
2.    Wash your hands often, or use antibac.
3.    Sneeze and cough into your elbow.
4.    Only come if you are well. Go home if you develop acute respiratory symptoms.

The health and safety of all our customers and employees is very important to us. We will focus on running the skiing centre in accordance with the current guidelines and will continually update routines and procedures to ensure that our guests can move about in a safe environment during their stay. In addition to the obvious increased cleaning in areas with a lot of traffic and surfaces, we have drafted what you as a guest can expect when you visit us this season:
Attention is drawn to the fact that these rules will be visible in the skiing centre, and that they can be changed in line with national changes.
 
[Keep a pole length apart. The metre rule also applies in the ski run] 
[Wash your hands often and thoroughly. Remember that gloves can also carry infection.]
[Cough and sneeze into your elbow. Just like before corona - but even more important now.]
[There is no shame in turning around. Stay home if you are ill.]

c19

Contact tracing and visitor registration
When you visit Narvikfjellet for skiing, you have to have a chip card (a plastic card that contains your lift pass). In order to ensure that we have contact information for all our guests, we will ask for your name, telephone number, or email address when you download your lift pass. If you buy a lift pass online, this contact information will be automatically downloaded and you can go straight to the lift. We encourage all our guests to buy passes online in order to avoid queues inside the Ski Shop. Guests who visit our cafes and restaurant without buying a lift pass must register at the site via the app Safespot. Information on how this is done can be found at the cafes or restaurant.

Lifts and lift queues
All guests in Narvikfjellet must keep a pole length’s distance to the closest person in front, behind, and to the sides. When you are in the lift queue, sitting in the chair lift, or taking the T-bar lift, you can sit/stand together with your family, close friends, or members of your bubble. All guests must keep a good distance between themselves and those they do not know. ‘Tip to tail’ is a good rule in the lift queue, and the 1 metre rule applies in all parts of the ski centre. The lift personnel will also remind you to keep your distance if you forget the distance rule whilst having fun skiing. Furthermore, we ask that all our guests wear gloves or mittens when using the T-bar lifts and chair lift. Physical distancing in the lift queue can mean that the queue moves slower than normal. We appreciate and thank you for your patience and friendliness during your stay. All the lifts will be staffed, but due to infection control considerations, the lift staff will have a more withdrawn role whilst operating the lifts in order to avoid frequent close contact with guests. Guests can, of course, still ask for help if it is required. Capacity in the cable car is reduced to 5 persons per cable car. Breaches of these rules can lead to expulsion from the ski centre. 

Lift Passes
This season we encourage all our guests to buy their lift passes and cable car tickets contact-free online via narvikfjellet.no. When you have completed the transaction, you will receive confirmation by email that includes a QR code. This code can be used at one of our two touch-free collection boxes, located at the bottom cable car station or just inside the entrance door to the Ski Shop. If you need help to buy a lift pass online, contact us at [email protected] or by telephone +47 905 40 088. If you cannot buy a lift pass online, we can help you in the Service Building during opening hours. Narvikfjellet encourages all our guests to pay contact-free with a card during their visit, and to avoid using cash.

Ski Rental
Our team can still offer the best equipment you need to enjoy wonderful skiing days in Narvikfjellet. We will regularly disinfect helmets, boots, and poles. Due to limited space in our ski hire premises, you might have to wait in the Ski Shop until it is your turn. Guests are not allowed to touch any of the rental objects in the ski hire premises. All equipment must be collected and handled by employees. We encourage all our guests to have their own helmet this season. 

Ski School
The ski school and instructor hours in Narvikfjellet will more or less be held as normal. However, we will limit group sizes to 10 persons in order to ensure that all participants can maintain 1 metres distance and proper safety. All those who participate in the ski school must be healthy. Meet early so that it is easier to handle the organisation and distance requirements. We encourage all our guests who would like to take part in the ski school or book instructor hours to register/book online via narvikfjellet.no.   

How to maintain distance in Narvikfjellet
Narvikfjellet will have measures in the lifts and communal areas to ensure that all our guests and employees can keep the required physical distance responsibly. Our service team will check the lifts in order to ensure that the correct distance is being maintained. All indoor areas where we can expect queues will have floor markings that show the correct distance to other guests. All our catering places and events will have capacity limitations in order to ensure physical distance. 

Food and drinks
Our cafes/restaurant will always operate within the current guidelines from the Norwegian Health Directorate. Our guests can be reassured that we have very high cleaning standards, and that all tables are correctly positioned in accordance with the infection control rules. We ask that all guests respect the markings and information that is available in our cafes/restaurant. Be prepared that the ordering/payment situation will be different this year. This season you are not allowed to consume your own food and drink in our cafes/restaurant. Our indoor cafes/restaurant will be reserved for guests who buy food or drinks. Narvikfjellet encourages all our guests to pay contact-free by card during their visit and to avoid the use of cash.

This is what Team Narvikfjellet will do
Team Narvikfjellet will do everything we can to keep our guests and employees safe. We have intensified cleaning routines and follow the guidelines in our industry. We disinfect all the necessary contact points, such as door handles, toilets, remote controls, and other smooth surfaces. We will ensure that there is disinfectant available and that we have good and clear communication with our guests. We have a strict ‘stay home’ policy if an employee feels unwell, and our biggest task is ensuring that both guests and colleagues can move about safely in Narvikfjellet.

Service Team
On particularly busy days with many guests in Narvikfjellet, our service personnel will be present in areas where there typically is a lot of pressure, in order to ensure that our guests maintain the correct distance to other guests, answer questions, and provide further help if required. 

The Ski ResortNarvikfjellet will do what it can so that a 1 metre distance can be maintained between persons in all situations. Crushes ought to be avoided between persons in areas where there are typically crowds, such as queues for ski lifts, entrance areas, reception, toilets, cafes/restaurant, shops, etc. It must be possible to wash/disinfect your hands where required, and we will have good and frequent cleaning routines, particularly for frequently used contact points.

Do you have any questions?
If you require further information, or if you have any questions about Covid-19 in Narvikfjellet, send an email to us at [email protected], or ring us on +47 905 40 088.

We look forward to giving you a safe and fun skiing experience in Narvikfjellet this winter! Welcome to Narvikfjellet.
 

- Information on infection control work related to COVID-19 is regulated updated (updated 23.11.20)
 

 

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT COVID-19

We get many enquiries and questions from you about refunds and rules in the unlikely event of the ski centre having to close again due to Covid-19. Many also wonder how the skiing season will be in Narvikfjellet this year. Some of these questions can be answered, information on others will be updated at a later date and continually. We have put together some of the frequently asked questions here in the hope that this will give some answers.

 

LIFT PASSES

What happens if you have to close due to Covid-19? Can we get a refund for season passes/year passes purchased this year?
 

We will give a guarantee to those who purchase a season pass or year pass from us in the unlikely event that we must close the ski centre again for large parts of the season due to Covid-19. The following refund scheme will apply for the period 17 Nov - 2 May (the 202020/2021 skiing season):

 

Number of days open Refund of annual pass/season pass
< 100 dager 20 %
< 75 dager 30 %
< 50 dager 40 %
< 25 dager 50 %

 

We have purchased a hotel package including accommodation and a lift pass. Do we get a refund for the entire package if the ski centre closes due to Covid-19?

Contact your chosen accommodation place for information on the terms and the refund of the hotel package.  

I had season pass/year pass last year and could not use the pass after 12 March. Can I get a refund for this?

No. The Alpinaleggenes Landsforening’s rules state that no refund is required if a ski centre has been open for 2/3 of the season. Despite the closure, Narvikfjellet was open for 2/3 of the season, which means that there is no justification for a refund.  

Will those of us who had a season pass/year pass last year get a larger discount than others when we buy a season pass/year pass for this year?

Those who purchased a season pass/year pass last year are able to buy a new season pass/year pass this year with a further 10% discount on the campaign price. This is done with a discount code. Read more here.

It’s not good that there is no refund for those who had a season pass last year, can’t this be changed?

The skiing season 2019/2020 was short for many. Also for us. The ski centre had a record amount of snow and fantastic runs after the Junior Alpine Skiing World Championships, and many looked forward to the high season and wonderful days on skis. However, due to the very serious infection situation with Covid-19, Narvikfjellet had to close the ski centre with immediate effect. This was a most unforeseen situation that led to our staff being furloughed and the company losing millions of operational income. Narvikfjellet follows the national alpine skiing industry, and we comply with the current rules, guidelines, and conditions laid down by Alpinanleggenes Landsforening. This is done in order to ensure continued operation and predictability for our guests. Our focus now is that the 2020/2021 season is run in a responsible way as regards infection control, and not least, so that the skiing season is fantastic!songen skal bli kanonbra!

THE SKI RESORT

Will you close parts of the ski centre, or reduce the lift capacity this year due to Covid-19?

We have started planning infection control routines and how we will ensure the safety of our guests and employees in the best possible way. As already mentioned, measures will be taken that will be visible in the ski centre, for example, restrictions on the number of guests in the restaurant and social distancing in the lift queues. There will also be limitations on how many people can be in the same cable car. Per September 2020 there are no indications that we will be forced to close parts of the ski centre for safety reasons. We will do our best to ensure that the offer is experienced as perfect despite the situation.

 


 

Useful links regarding Covid-19 from FHI - National Institute of Public Health