Sometimes, a cruise line has to change its itinerary because of damage to the ship. In such a case the ship must either divert to a place where repairs can be made and/or it might have to miss a port because it can't reach the speeds needed to go where it was scheduled to go.

A mechanical failure cut short a luxury Antarctic cruise, sparking protests and a hunger strike from passengers demanding full refunds.

Cruise passengers on Swan Hellenic’s Diana vessel go on hunger strike over lack of full refund and cruise cancellation.

Passengers paid more than $8,000 to take the 21-day cruise, which turned back from Antarctica after the ship ran into engine problems

A group of travellers went on a hunger strike after their the itinerary of their Antarctic was changed mid-voyage. The protests reportedly started after an unexpected issue with the propulsion electric motor stopped Swan Hellenic’s SH Diana from travelling to Antarctica during the 21-day itinerary.

Itineraries can change suddenly, especially around Antarctica, where the weather conditions can be unpredictable and extreme.

Passengers on an Antarctic cruise have staged a hunger strike after the ship’s engine failed, forcing the expedition to be cut short. SH Diana, operated by cruise company Swan Hellenic, left Cape Town on 13 November for a 21-day voyage to the southern region.