Passengers on a luxury cruise line bound for Antarctica have gone on a hunger strike after engine issues meant their experience would be cut short before they reached their final destination.
Swan Hellenic’s SH Diana was in the midst of a 21-day cruise starting in Cape Town, South Africa on November 13, initially en route for the South Georgian Island capital of Ushuaia when one of its two propulsion electric motors malfunctioned.
The engine failure occurred on the 14th day of the 21-day cruise, cutting short what many passengers considered the highlight: a three-and-a-half-day visit to the Antarctic.
The ship now plans to dock in Ushuaia, where mechanics will try to repair the cruise in time for its next planned voyage.
The SH Diana was built in a Finnish shipyard and named after Diana, the Roman goddess of light, the moon, hunting, and the wilderness.
The cruise, a hybrid diesel-electric that carries 192 passengers and 127 crew, boasts “5-star facilities,” including a panoramic sauna, open-deck jacuzzi, and a “world-class restaurant.”
Passengers told the Times they paid between £7,000 and £10,000, which is cheaper than comparable cruises thanks to a repositioning that means more time at sea and fewer stops.
The company operates unconventional cruise itineraries. On its website, it advertises trips to the Arctic and in 2026 is planning a “Solar Eclipse Cruise” around the Icelandic fjords.
Passengers rebel
Passengers on the SH Diana were treated to a bottle of champagne and their own binoculars when they first entered their cabins in early November. However, their initial excitement has given way to unease in the wake of the ship’s engine failure.
The Times first reported that a small group of Russian passengers had gone on a hunger strike in protest at their journey being cut short.
“Many of the passengers are very angry and it was getting nasty yesterday,” an unnamed source on the ship told the paper. “The company needs to make a better offer to quell the continuing rising anger.”
In a statement to Fortune, Swan CEO Andrea Zito said passengers have been offered a 50% cash refund on the price of their cruise, which he added was well above the legal requirement of a 30% refund. Passengers were also offered a 65% credit on future Swan cruises, which Zito says many of the passengers have accepted.
Zito said the “initial unease” among passengers on the ship has “largely subsided.”
However, he confirmed: “A select few chose to stage a hunger strike in their protest which is rather counterproductive. We are working towards a swift end to this action.”
“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,” Zito added.
“We feel we have offered a very generous compensation package, beyond what is legally required.
“Swan Hellenic always strive to go above and beyond our guests’ expectations and look forward to welcoming all our guests back onboard future expeditions.
Swan was previously owned by P&O before being acquired by Carnival Corporation in 2003. The group relaunched in 2020 and planned to build on its “British roots.”
