Angry passengers on a luxury cruise ship are on hunger strike after engine failure derailed their trip to Antarctica.
SH Diana – a “boutique five-star” ship completed just last year – was en route to the South Pole when the maritime accident occurred earlier this week.
Passengers paid between $8,882 and $12,689 for tickets for the 20-night voyage and are now angry that cruise company Swan Hellenic is refusing to reimburse the full cost despite the engine problem.
“Going to Antarctica is the trip of a lifetime and this exclusive sailing has made it possible for many people on board,” one disappointed passenger said. The Times of London,
Built in Helsinki, Finland, this luxury ship is 409 feet long with nine decks, an outdoor pool, a spa, library and an expedition laboratory. Business Insider reports.
SH Diana departed Cape Town, South Africa, on 13 November for what was promoted as a four-day sojourn in Antarctica, including visits to Elephant Island, Heroina Island, Paulette Island, Brown Bluff, D’Urville Monument, Yankee Harbor and Deception. Was involved. island.
Upon arriving at their cabin, each of the 170 guests was greeted with a bottle of champagne.
However, disaster struck after the year-old ship developed engine problems, forcing the captain to cut short port calls in South Georgia and cancel the entire trip to Antarctica.
As compensation, passengers were given the option of either a 50% cash refund or a 65% credit for future trips.
Swan Hellenic also offers complimentary cruises to Ushuaia, Argentina, where the cruiseliner undergoes repairs when it eventually returns there.
The ship is now crawling to that location at a speed of 6 knots (11 km/h) and is scheduled to reach there on Saturday.
However, despite the offers, many passengers felt that the cruiseliner completely ignored them – while a small group of Russian passengers even refused to eat in protest.
Pictures showed devastated passengers holding placards demanding full refunds.
“We are unhappy and disappointed with this visit [been] Cut back under these circumstances,” one hungry traveler expressed his anger in a letter to Swan Hellenic. “For most of us, this is our first time to Antarctica, and possibly the last for many.
He added: “Some guests are elderly, have disabilities, and have already struggled to reach this point in order to shorten the journey. For many of us, visiting Antarctica is a lifetime bucket list item we want to accomplish before death or disability.
In a Facebook post uploaded yesterday, Desperate Traveler Zachary Morgan Anand Cruise accused the distributor of “cheating everyone and taking their money”.
Another passenger, who chose to remain anonymous, told the Times of London, “They made the right call.” go to antarctica For security reasons, but it is being handled very badly by Swan Hellenic.”
Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito issued a statement, labeling the hunger strike as “counterproductive” and promising to “quickly end this action”.
Zito said that “obviously someone among the very disappointed passengers” has already accepted his “very generous compensation package” – which he claims exceeds the “legal requirement” – and others. Had booked again.
“Swan Hellenic would like to reiterate that we deeply regret that we had to change the itinerary due to technical problems with the propeller drive and we understand the disappointment of our guests who were eager to get a taste of the Antarctic experience,” the cruise boss declared. “Swan Hellenic always strives to exceed our guests’ expectations and looks forward to welcoming all of our guests on future expeditions.”
