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Introduction
An engine malfunction on Swan Hellenic’s expedition ship SH Diana has disrupted a 20-night repositioning cruise from Cape Town, South Africa to Ushuaia, Argentina. The technical issue forced the cancellation of all planned Antarctic landings, leading to passenger dissatisfaction and a revised itinerary.
Details of the Incident
The SH Diana, a relatively new vessel built in 2023, suffered a malfunction in one of its electric motors. This reduced the ship’s speed and necessitated the cancellation of planned visits to Elephant Island, Paulet Island, Brown Bluff, and Deception Island. The ship proceeded directly to Ushuaia, where it is expected to arrive on November 30th.
Operational Context
Swan Hellenic is offering affected passengers a 50% refund or a 65% future cruise credit, along with complimentary excursions in Ushuaia during the extended stay. However, some passengers remain dissatisfied with the compensation, with a group even staging a hunger strike demanding full refunds.
Despite the disruptions, Swan Hellenic has confirmed that all future Antarctic sailings aboard SH Diana will proceed as scheduled after repairs are completed in Ushuaia.