After six months, passengers from final cruise ship MV Artania arrive home
In just a span of six months, the world they once left to board a cruise ship was nothing but the same anymore. The MV Artania cruise ship, which was the last cruise liner still carrying passengers finally made its final port of call last Monday, June 8.
Eight passengers stepped out the ship at last after an epic voyage which make numerous diversions en route to drop off crew members.
The cruise industry hit its brakes on sailing due to the threat of the global pandemic COVID-19. This resulted to major leisure ships carrying significant numbers of passengers to be pulled out of commission.
Artania docked amid the pandemic, therefore left with no choice but to continue on sailing. The ship, which has a maximum capacity of 1,200 passengers, went on an 140-day world cruise from Hamburg, Germany last December 21, 2019.
The cruise amid coronavirus
According to CNN Travel, it was in March that the coronavirus caught up with the cruise as 36 passengers tested positive following a check from Australian health officials when the ship arrived in in Fremantle, Western Australia.
They were immediately placed under quarantine in local hospitals.
Three people who were on the ship died since, two male passengers, one aged 69 and one aged 71, and one 42-year-old male crew member.
The remaining healthy passengers stayed in isolation in the ship until their repatriation flights by end of March. Through their windows, they watched the days go by, with fewer to almost no other vessels in sight.
From Morten Hansen, the captain of the Artania: A farewell message and an apology “I’m sorry we scared you….We are just humans.” He again thanked Perth for its support. The Artania left Fremantle this afternoon. @9NewsPerth @9NewsAUS pic.twitter.com/bgTVjakX2b
— Tracy Vo (@Tracy_Vo) April 18, 2020
Supposedly, they were bound to come home by April but their journey got extended to repatriate many of its remaining crew members.
Captain Morten Hansen didn’t want to further dismay his passengers so he kept them and the coworkers, cruise fans and loved ones in the loop via his Facebook page. This formed a connection among them somehow lessen the agony of those on board.
Artania tied up in the Germany port of Bremerhaven on Monday, June 8. Now, that’s quite an odyssey!
