The most bizarre cruise ship story of the year finally has an ending
One of the most bizarre stories in the history of cruising finally has an ending.
Eight cruisers stuck on a German ship, the Artania, since the coronavirus outbreak began exploding around the world in March are finally on dry land.
Visit TPG's guide to all coronavirus news and updates
The 36-year-old vessel, which is marketed by German cruise seller Phoenix Reisen, finally reached its home port of Bremerhaven, Germany, on Monday, after a weeks-long journey from Australia, and the eight passengers were allowed to disembark.
As can be seen in photos posted by local news outlets, Artania now is tied up along the docks at Bremerhaven.
For weeks, the eight passengers on Artania had been the only cruise passengers still on a ship sailing the world's oceans.
Artania was in Sydney, Australia in March when ports around the world began shutting down to cruise ships. That's when what turned into a 12-week-long odyssey to get home began.
Related: The best ways to use your points and miles to fly from the US to Australia
Initially, Artania was sailing with more than 1,000 passengers on board. But on March 15, with ports quickly closing, Phoenix Reisen gave the ship's mostly German customers the opportunity to fly home from Sydney, and 199 took the company up on the offer. That left 832 passengers who decided to stay on board as Artania tried to work its way home to Germany.
It turned out to be a bad decision. On March 18, Artania left Sydney for Fremantle, Australia (the port for Perth) where it planned to make a quick fuel stop before continuing across the Indian Ocean to Africa, the Suez Canal and Europe. But along the way to Fremantle, passengers began falling ill.
By the time Artania reached Fremantle a week later, seven people on the ship had tested positive for COVID-19, which resulted in the ship being quarantined in the city for two weeks. Testing eventually showed several dozen more with the illness, and they were taken to local hospitals.
Luckily for many of the passengers on board, Australian authorities eventually allowed those who were healthy -- around 800 in all -- to fly home from Fremantle on chartered aircraft. But not everybody could go, as some who had tested positive for COVID-19 remained in quarantine.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
The ship finally was allowed to depart Fremantle in late April with eight remaining passengers, all of whom either couldn't or wouldn't fly. But it didn't head straight back to Germany. Instead, it detoured to both Bali, Indonesia, and the Philippine capital, Manila, to drop off the majority of its crew members. A large portion of the ship's crew was from Indonesia and the Philippines.
Only then did Artania begin the long voyage home to Bremerhaven in earnest. Along with the eight passengers, it sailed with a skeleton crew of around 75.
By coincidence, Artania is arriving back in Germany just as a river cruise operator in the country becomes the first in the world to restart operations. The country can thus lay claim to both the last cruise vessel to operate with passengers after cruising worldwide began shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic and the first cruise vessel to begin sailing again with passengers.
Related: 17 destinations that may not welcome ships when cruising resumes
TPG has been unable to reach any of the eight passengers who remained on board Artania. But, given they were among fewer than 90 people in total on a vessel designed to hold more than 1,700 passengers and crew, we're sure they had an unusual experience.
More than 750 feet long and 106 feet wide, Artania has eight passenger decks, meaning each of the eight passengers could have had an entire deck to themselves. They also could in theory have spread out among dozens of cabins a piece. The ship has nearly 600 cabins.
Princess Cruises fans may recognize Artania. First unveiled in 1984, it originally sailed for many years as the line's Royal Princess. It was transferred in 2005 to the P&O Cruises fleet, where it sailed under the name Artemis. It joined the Phoenix Reisen fleet in 2011.
The ship is known in cruise circles for having one of the most famous original godmothers of the modern era of cruising: Diana, Princess of Wales.
Additional resources for cruisers during the coronavirus outbreak:
- Why you shouldn't expect bargain-basement cruise deals anytime soon
- How to cancel or postpone a cruise due to coronavirus
- Expecting a refund for a canceled cruise? Here's how long it will take
- Good news for cruisers worried about strict new boarding rules
- Some of the year's hottest new ships could be delayed
- Stream these 13 movies, television shows to get your cruise ship fix
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.