A cruise through the glittering blue waters from Auckland to Sydney should have been a holiday-season highlight for passengers, many of whom had saved years for it.
Instead of making stops along the way, however, they were stuck on the vessel for six days straight, not docking as planned in Australia as a result of a possibly toxic organism found on the hull. Australia’s stringent rules on marine biosecurity barred the ship from entering the country’s waters.
The presence of the organism — thought to be a sea snail — kept the 14-deck Viking Orion adrift 16 miles off the coast of Adelaide, Australia. Lobster dinners, glasses of sparkling wine and additional entertainment were on hand to keep passengers’ boredom and frustration at bay.
By the time they dock later this week, the travelers will have been on the 930-person capacity ship since Dec. 28, because of the detected “biofoul” — a catchall term referring to marine microorganisms, plants, algae or small animals.
‘Biofoul’ on Hull Strands Cruise Ship at Sea for 6 Days
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