Swan Hellenic SH Diana
Nov 29, 2024 6:23:26 GMT
Post by Admin on Nov 29, 2024 6:23:26 GMT
28/11/24
www.thetimes.com/uk/transport/article/antarctic-luxury-cruise-passengers-go-on-hunger-strike-over-engine-failure-z99hd5mcp
Antarctic luxury cruise passengers go on hunger strike over engine failure
Tourists on their way to Antarctica are refusing to eat after mechanical difficulties ended their journey, with the company refusing to reimburse them in full
Ben Clatworthy, Travel Correspondent
Thursday November 28 2024, 6.37pm GMT, The Times
Passengers on a luxury cruise to Antarctica have gone on hunger strike after their “holiday of a lifetime” was abandoned because of an engine failure.
Holidaymakers on Swan Hellenic’s SH Diana are angry that the cruise line would not reimburse them in full for the sailing after they were told they couldn’t sail to the continent because of a problem with one of the electric motors.
The ship, which is a year old, developed an engine fault, forcing the company to cut short port calls in South Georgia and cancel the entire visit to Antarctica.
The ship is now crawling at 6 knots (11km/h) to Ushuaia at the tip of Argentina. It is due to arrive there on Saturday. A team of engineers will then board the ship to fix the issue prior to its next sailing on December 3.
The hunger strikes are being carried out by Russian passengers
There are about 170 passengers on board, of which about ten are British. Swan Hellenic is a luxury cruise company that specialises in sailings to off-the-beaten-track destinations.
It boasts that its “boutique 5-star ships offer you a genuinely elevated travel experience” adding: “Built in the world-famous Helsinki shipyard in Finland, our ships combine cutting-edge polar ice-class technology with intimate, sophisticated interiors to make your time with us unforgettable.”
One passenger, who asked not to be named, told The Times: “They made the right call not to go to Antarctica for safety reasons, but it is being handled very badly by Swan Hellenic.
The luxury cruise has about 170 passengers on board
“To go to Antarctica is a trip of a lifetime and this specific sailing made it achievable for many on board to do so as it’s a repositioning sailing that had attractive deals.”
The ship departed Cape Town on November 13 for the 20-night cruise. It is repositioning to Ushuaia, where it will be based until March 2025, for its summer Antarctica sailings.
It had been due to visit Elephant Island, Heroina Island, Paulet Island, Brown Bluff, D’Urville Monument, Yankee Harbour and Deception Island in Antarctica over the course of four days.
Swan Hellenic has offered those on ship a 50 per cent refund or a 65 per cent “future cruise credit” which can be used within two years, although some are unhappy at the offer. It has also promised free excursions in Ushuaia once the ship docks until the passengers leave on December 3.
“Many of the passengers are very angry and it was getting nasty yesterday,” the source on the ship said. “The company needs to make a better offer to quell the continuing rising anger.”
A small group of Russian passengers have begun a hunger strike and have signs demanding full refunds. The Times has also seen letters that have been written to the company.
In one, a group of holidaymakers write: “Understandably, we are unhappy and disappointed that this journey has [been] cut short under these circumstances.
“For a majority of us, this is our first time visiting Antarctica, and potentially the last opportunity for many. Some guests are elderly, disabled, and have struggled already to get to this point, only for the trip to be cut short. For many of us, visiting Antarctica is a life-long bucket list that we want to achieve before death or disability.”
Many of those on board have paid between about £7,000-£10,000 for the voyage. Repositioning cruises offer good value for money as there is typically more at sea time and fewer excursions.
Andrea Zito, the company’s chief executive, said that the offer made to passengers is “significantly higher than the legal requirement of approximately 30 per cent.”
He told The Times: “Many of the obviously very disappointed passengers accepted [our] offer and some have already rebooked.
“As expected, not all of the guests were immediately satisfied with this compensation and have tried to build up pressure through discussions on board and by making demands on the captain and senior staff in order to obtain an even higher compensation for themselves.
“The initial unease has largely subsided. A select few chose to stage a hunger strike in their protest which is of rather counterproductive. We are working towards a swift end to this action.”
He added: “Swan Hellenic would like to reiterate that we deeply regret that we had to change the itinerary due to the technical problems with the propeller drive and we understand the disappointment of our guests who were looking forward to a taste of Antarctic experience.
“We feel we have offered a very generous compensation package, beyond what is legally required.”
www.thetimes.com/uk/transport/article/antarctic-luxury-cruise-passengers-go-on-hunger-strike-over-engine-failure-z99hd5mcp
Antarctic luxury cruise passengers go on hunger strike over engine failure
Tourists on their way to Antarctica are refusing to eat after mechanical difficulties ended their journey, with the company refusing to reimburse them in full
Ben Clatworthy, Travel Correspondent
Thursday November 28 2024, 6.37pm GMT, The Times
Passengers on a luxury cruise to Antarctica have gone on hunger strike after their “holiday of a lifetime” was abandoned because of an engine failure.
Holidaymakers on Swan Hellenic’s SH Diana are angry that the cruise line would not reimburse them in full for the sailing after they were told they couldn’t sail to the continent because of a problem with one of the electric motors.
The ship, which is a year old, developed an engine fault, forcing the company to cut short port calls in South Georgia and cancel the entire visit to Antarctica.
The ship is now crawling at 6 knots (11km/h) to Ushuaia at the tip of Argentina. It is due to arrive there on Saturday. A team of engineers will then board the ship to fix the issue prior to its next sailing on December 3.
The hunger strikes are being carried out by Russian passengers
There are about 170 passengers on board, of which about ten are British. Swan Hellenic is a luxury cruise company that specialises in sailings to off-the-beaten-track destinations.
It boasts that its “boutique 5-star ships offer you a genuinely elevated travel experience” adding: “Built in the world-famous Helsinki shipyard in Finland, our ships combine cutting-edge polar ice-class technology with intimate, sophisticated interiors to make your time with us unforgettable.”
One passenger, who asked not to be named, told The Times: “They made the right call not to go to Antarctica for safety reasons, but it is being handled very badly by Swan Hellenic.
The luxury cruise has about 170 passengers on board
“To go to Antarctica is a trip of a lifetime and this specific sailing made it achievable for many on board to do so as it’s a repositioning sailing that had attractive deals.”
The ship departed Cape Town on November 13 for the 20-night cruise. It is repositioning to Ushuaia, where it will be based until March 2025, for its summer Antarctica sailings.
It had been due to visit Elephant Island, Heroina Island, Paulet Island, Brown Bluff, D’Urville Monument, Yankee Harbour and Deception Island in Antarctica over the course of four days.
Swan Hellenic has offered those on ship a 50 per cent refund or a 65 per cent “future cruise credit” which can be used within two years, although some are unhappy at the offer. It has also promised free excursions in Ushuaia once the ship docks until the passengers leave on December 3.
“Many of the passengers are very angry and it was getting nasty yesterday,” the source on the ship said. “The company needs to make a better offer to quell the continuing rising anger.”
A small group of Russian passengers have begun a hunger strike and have signs demanding full refunds. The Times has also seen letters that have been written to the company.
In one, a group of holidaymakers write: “Understandably, we are unhappy and disappointed that this journey has [been] cut short under these circumstances.
“For a majority of us, this is our first time visiting Antarctica, and potentially the last opportunity for many. Some guests are elderly, disabled, and have struggled already to get to this point, only for the trip to be cut short. For many of us, visiting Antarctica is a life-long bucket list that we want to achieve before death or disability.”
Many of those on board have paid between about £7,000-£10,000 for the voyage. Repositioning cruises offer good value for money as there is typically more at sea time and fewer excursions.
Andrea Zito, the company’s chief executive, said that the offer made to passengers is “significantly higher than the legal requirement of approximately 30 per cent.”
He told The Times: “Many of the obviously very disappointed passengers accepted [our] offer and some have already rebooked.
“As expected, not all of the guests were immediately satisfied with this compensation and have tried to build up pressure through discussions on board and by making demands on the captain and senior staff in order to obtain an even higher compensation for themselves.
“The initial unease has largely subsided. A select few chose to stage a hunger strike in their protest which is of rather counterproductive. We are working towards a swift end to this action.”
He added: “Swan Hellenic would like to reiterate that we deeply regret that we had to change the itinerary due to the technical problems with the propeller drive and we understand the disappointment of our guests who were looking forward to a taste of Antarctic experience.
“We feel we have offered a very generous compensation package, beyond what is legally required.”