It was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, a luxury cruise to the remote and icy wonders of Antarctica.
But for the 170 passengers aboard the Swan Hellenic SH Diana, the dream of seeing towering glaciers, pristine landscapes and roaming penguins ended when the voyage was canceled earlier this month due to engine failure. It was shattered.
The news came as a shock to Antarctic enthusiasts who have spent between £7,000 and £10,000 on what Swan Hellenic describes as a “boutique five-star” experience.
A trip to Antarctica is more than just a vacation. For many, it is the culmination of a lifelong dream. In a letter to the luxury cruise line, a group of passengers said: “For the majority of us, this is the first time we have visited Antarctica, and for many it is potentially the last. It’s an opportunity.”
“Some of our guests are elderly and disabled, and some of them have already struggled to get here, only to have their trips cut short.Many of us, according to the Times, have already struggled to get here. “Visiting Antarctica is a lifelong bucket list item that he hopes to accomplish before he dies or becomes disabled,” the letter said.
However, upon hearing that the company would not refund the full amount of the trip, several disgruntled passengers took drastic measures to pressure Swan Hellenic executives into giving in, starting a hunger strike. Ta.
Trouble began shortly after the ship left Cape Town on November 13 for a 20-night journey to one of the world’s most remote destinations.
The ship was scheduled to call at iconic locations such as Elephant Island and Deception Island. Instead, an electric motor failure forced the ship to cancel the entire Antarctic leg of its voyage.
Some disgruntled passengers took drastic measures and began a hunger strike to pressure Swan Hellenic executives into giving in.
Swan Greece has been forced to cancel the entire Antarctic leg of its voyage due to electric motor failure
SH Diana is currently limping along at an agonizingly slow 6 knots (6.9 mph) towards a port in southern Argentina.
Swan Hellenic is offering passengers a 50% refund or a 65% “future cruise credit” that can be redeemed on any trip within two years.
It also promised a free cruise to Ushuaia, Argentina, where the ship will stop for repairs on Saturday and set sail again on December 3.
But this compensation proposal only fueled anger.
Passengers said the response was “insulting” as anger boiled over as the ship inched towards Ushuaia.
The situation reached a tipping point when a group of passengers, reported by The Times to be Russian, spread signatures demanding a full refund and began a hunger strike.
Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito defended the company’s remuneration package, saying it exceeded legal requirements.
“We deeply regret that we had to change our itinerary due to technical issues,” Zito said. “However, we believe our offer is fair. Some passengers have already accepted it and may even rebook future trips.”
One passenger was photographed advertising a sign that read: “100% refund of trip price or cash refund.”
For passengers who spent between £7,000 and £10,000 on what Swan-Hellenick describes as a “boutique five-star” experience, the news they would be missing out on Antarctica was devastating.
For other participants, that’s not enough.
Another passenger said: “The company needs to come up with a better offer.” “Things have been getting worse since yesterday, and they are getting worse.”
Other passengers were understanding, but still upset about the situation.
One passenger told the Times: “They made the right decision not to go to Antarctica for safety reasons, but the response from Swan Hellenic has been very poor.”
“The initial concerns have largely subsided,” Zito said in a statement. A select few have chosen to go on hunger strikes as an act of protest, which is rather counterproductive. We are working to quickly end this practice. ”
He added: “We feel we have provided a very generous compensation package, above and beyond what is legally required.”
The chaos on board the ill-fated cruise ship Swan Hellenic comes weeks after passengers on another large cruise ship finally set sail on a round-the-world trip after the ship was stranded in Northern Ireland for four months.
The Villa Vie Odyssey was scheduled to depart Belfast in May for a three-year round-the-world cruise, but was delayed due to unforeseen repairs.
Passengers were effectively stranded in Northern Ireland all summer, unsure when the ship would depart and unable to depart for fear of missing their journey.
Passengers wave as they board the Villa Vie Odyssey at the Belfast Cruise Ship Terminal on September 30th.
Villa Vie Odyssey cruise ship continues preparations in Belfast Port (September 28)
After several months of waiting, the ship finally set sail in early October.
However, it was later revealed that some passengers were considering abandoning the ship after the ship’s sewage system stopped working in the days following departure.
Those living on board said the stench of sewage was “wafting through the corridors” as the ship sailed to France and then Portugal, while others described conditions as “Third World”.
Shortly after leaving Belfast, residents complained that the TV channels and swimming pool were not working, and the company also made the mistake of smashing a champagne bottle against the side, which took three attempts before it broke. said.
When the ship finally reached its first destination, Brest, France, the passengers were trapped on board because there were not enough longshoremen to install the berth.
The situation soon worsened, with all water cut off and residents finding they had no way to flush the toilets. This is probably because the wastewater tank was not installed properly.
The problem was fixed the same day, but the hot water didn’t return until our second day in Bilbao.
One passenger, Joe Rose, who wrote about his experience on the cruise ship, said, “Most residents were unaware of this, the overnight closure, until after they had paid in, so to speak.” . Yes, we woke up to the faint smell of shit marinating in 100 uncooked bowls. It floated down the hallway, gently mixing with the sea breeze. ”
“Things have been going a lot smoother since Bilbao,” Rose told the Telegraph. No more worrying about hot water or a toilet that doesn’t flush.
“The food has gotten exponentially better and things are going pretty well, much closer to what Cruise expected. The beer is still terrible, though.”
