Monday, January 23, 2006

Mutiny on the . . . QM2

It's not exactly a replay of Mutiny on the Bounty, but passengers aboard the Queen Mary 2 are threatening to do a Fletcher Christian of a sort.

No, the problem isn't flat champagne or an inadequate caviar ration. The QM2, the largest and most expensive cruise ship afloat, struck a sea wall leaving Fort Lauderale, Fla., last week, knocking out one of its four propulsion pods and throwing a 38-day cruise around South America into semi chaos.

Led by a group of British and American gents dubbed the "G8," passengers are threatening a sit-in when the ship reaches Rio de Janeiro unless Cunard Line meets their compensation demands.

Cunard already has scratched three ports of call in the Caribbean and Brazil because the QM2 cannot make full speed. Passengers are demanding that they be fully -- and not partially -- compensated for the cancellations and be allowed to leave the cruise without being penalized and fly home from Rio on Cunard's dime.

Coincidentally, the Dear Friend & Conscience (DF&C) is on board, and described the situation in a satellite phone call from the Bounty . . . er, QM2 this morning to Kiko's House.

BBC News has the story here, while the Independent offers its take on it, as well.

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