SH DIANA

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Repair completed despite logistical challenges

The 'SH Diana' has returned to service with a 40 hour delay to the start of its Antarctic schedule after engine repairs in Ushuaia, after suffering a fault with one of its electric motors, forcing the cancellation of calls in Antartica while on a repositioning sailing from South Africa. Some passengers staged a hunger strike on board in protest over the company’s compensation offer, even though Swan Hellenic insisted this was significantly higher than the legal requirement. The propulsion motor problem was detected while in South Georgia on the 12th day of a 20-night itinerary, which departed Cape Town on November 13. For safety reasons, Captain Svein-Rune Stromnes promptly decided to curtail the voyage and proceed immediately to the closest safe port, Ushuaia, which was also the cruise’s port of arrival. Spare parts were sourced and technicians mobilised despite the logistical challenges of the remote location, enabling the repair work to start immediately when the 'SH Diana' docked in the port on Dec 1. The ship sailed early on the morning of Dec 4 and then completed a series of final sea trials and a minor adjustment in the Beagle Channel. The ship then proceeded less than about 40 hours behind schedule on its first dedicated Antarctic cultural expedition cruise of the 2024-25 season.

Passengers held picket on board

A group of passengers of the 'SH Diana', including Russians, gathered to hold a picket on board. The last starving passenger has ended her hunger strike. At the same time, the company entered into negotiations on reimbursement of costs due to the canceled trip only with her. Passengers will act only within the legal framework and have already consulted with specialists on the issue of compensation. About 20 people have already signed a pre—trial claim: 12 from a Chinese group and 10 from the Russian one. If the company's representatives do not take steps at least to start a dialogue, the travelers will coordinate the picket on the ship with the local authorities. Earlier it became known that the Russian tourist Natalia Litvinova, who staged a hunger strike because of the disrupted cruise to Antarctica, agreed with the organizing company Swan Hellenic. The Russian woman noted that she was satisfied with the proposed conditions, but she did not disclose them.

Cruise ship suffered engine issues

The 'SH Diane', with 170 passengers on board, suffered a problem with one of the electric motors of the propeller drives, forcing the company to cut short port calls in South Georgia and cancel the entire visit to Antarctica. The ship was limping at a speed of six knots to Ushuaia with an ETA as of Nov 30, 2024. A team of engineers will then board the ship to fix the issue prior to its next sailing on Dec 3. A small group of Russian passengers on the ship have gone on hunger strike after the cruise was abandoned, after it turned out that the cruise line Swan Hellenic would not reimburse them in full for the sailing. Swan Hellenic had offered them a 50 % refund of the travel price or a 65 % credit for future cruises, Many of those on board have paid between about £7,000-£10,000 for the voyage. The ship had departed Cape Town on Nov 13 for the 20-night cruise. It is repositioning to Ushuaia, where it will be based until March 2025, for its summer Antarctica sailings.