They actually wanted to celebrate the turn of the year with a cruise from New Zealand to Australia – but then the dream trip turned into a nightmare: Because of an infestation with microorganisms on the hull of their ship, the approximately 800 passengers on the “Viking Orion” were not allowed to go ashore for a week.
The Australian news agency AAP reported that “maritime growth” had formed on the outer wall of the luxury liner, so-called biofouling. It is believed to be a fungal infestation. Such colonization of organisms can lead to the introduction and spread of non-native species. Australia has very strict rules on biosecurity risks, among other things, to protect its unique flora and fauna.
After the ship set sail in the New Zealand capital of Wellington on Boxing Day, four ports refused to dock: Christchurch and Dunedin on the South Island, as well as Hobart in Tasmania, Australia, and Adelaide in South Australia. Before the ship could set course for Melbourne, it first had to be cleaned by professional divers outside Australian waters – around 22 kilometers off the coast of the city of Victor Harbor.
“The ship needs to be hull cleaned to remove biofouling and prevent potentially harmful marine organisms from being carried in from the ship,” AAP quoted the Ministry of Fisheries as saying. According to the website vesselfinder.com, the Viking Orion is now on its way to Melbourne.
Although the ship had to skip several scheduled stops ashore to carry out the necessary cleanup, it is expected to continue sailing on the planned itinerary on Tuesday, Viking Cruises said. The captain apologized to the guests. They are to be compensated later for the failed shore leave.
The guests on board are disappointed with the course of their journey. Kenn Heydrick, a tourist on board, told the BBC: “There is growing frustration and anger among passengers.” Although the majority tried to make the best of the situation, they still mourn the unusual trips. “I cried repeatedly, both because of the financial damage after two years of saving, and because of the loss of memories and experiences,” wrote another vacationer on Twitter. She describes the cruise as a “hell trip”.
Sources: BBC
