An incensed group of cruise passengers onboard the luxury expedition ship has, in protest, gone on hunger strike after their expedition to Antarctica was unexpectedly routed. The passengers, who had booked the cruise awaiting a visit to the icy frozen continent, were outraged to be told that changes to the itinerary would prevent them from reaching their destination.
The ship, led by an expedition cruise company that’s renowned worldwide, had set out with its full complement of passengers on board, expecting to have the experience of witnessing Antarctica’s majestic lands. Unforeseen changes in the weather and logistically-related challenges forced the cruise line to inform the mid-journey passengers that it had to alter the itinerary with the ship going to alternate destinations instead of the icy shores of Antarctica.
According to reports, the rerouting was done by a combination of factors; ice conditions and safety were among them. While assuring passengers that the cruise line had their safety and well-being in mind while making the decision, many found it to be a breach of trust and misrepresented the purpose of the voyage.
A number of the passengers were said to be not pleased by the information they received when informed that, after all, they could not go to Antarctica. Some complained that they were not briefed by the cruise company on a change of itinerary in advance. For this reason, some passengers engaged in a hunger strike as an expression of disappointment with the so-called severe failure in service delivery of the expected travel experience.
In a statement, the cruise line, whose name was not reported in any of the stories, said it regretted the inconvenience and pointed out that the decision to alter its course was taken in consultation with weather and ice conditions in the area.
The cruise line offered compensation in terms of a refund, credit for future cruises, and more excursions at the new destinations to help alleviate disappointment. However, some of the passengers have refused this and are demanding more considerable compensation and a return to the original itinerary.
The hunger strike, which started with a few passengers, gained much attention when more passengers joined in. Although the strike was peaceful, it still managed to attract media attention, increasing the pressure on the cruise company to address the issue. The hunger strike is ongoing, and the company is negotiating with the passengers.
While the protest continues, there is great hope that an amicable solution to the situation will be found, where passengers can proceed with their journey and get proper compensation for the inconvenience caused.
