Furious passengers aboard a luxury Antarctic cruise ship have launched a hunger strike after engine problems forced the cancellation of their dream voyage.
The protest began after Swan Hellenic’s SH Diana was forced to abandon the Antarctic portion of its 20-night cruise due to a faulty propeller bearing.
Three Russian passengers have camped outside the ship’s dining room with protest signs demanding full refunds for the curtailed journey, which cost between £7,000 and £10,000 per person.
Only one female passenger remains on hunger strike as of Friday.
Swan Hellenic’s SH Diana
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The SH Diana departed Cape Town on November 13 for what was billed as a “boutique 5-star” experience to one of the world’s most remote destinations.
The vessel was scheduled to visit iconic locations including Elephant Island, Heroina Island, and Deception Island during its Antarctic leg. However, problems arose when one of the ship’s electric propulsion motors malfunctioned.
Captain Svein Strommes made the decision to divert the vessel due to its inability to safely navigate the dangerous conditions in the Southern Ocean.
The ship had completed two weeks of sailing, including visits to Tristan da Cunha and South Georgia, before the Antarctic portion was cancelled.
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The Gerlache Strait separating the Palmer Archipelago
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In a letter to Swan Hellenic, passengers expressed their dismay at missing what was for many a “life-long bucket list” dream.
“Some guests are elderly, disabled, and have struggled already to get to this point, only for the trip to be cut short,” the letter stated.
“Many of the passengers are very angry and it was getting nasty yesterday,” one passenger told The Times.
Several Chinese guests have also joined the protests, wearing cardboard placards demanding “100% trip refund and cash refund.”
One passenger acknowledged the safety concerns but criticised the company’s response: “They made the right call not to go to Antarctica for safety reasons, but it is being handled very badly by Swan Hellenic.”
Swan Hellenic has offered passengers either a 50 per cent cash refund or a 65 per cent credit for future cruises within two years.
Chief executive Andrea Zito defended the compensation package as “very generous” and above the legal requirement of 30