Captain of ‘ghost ship’ P&O cruise liner shares pics from empty vessel abandoned by passengers & crew off coast of Devon
A CAPTAIN of a P&O ‘ghost ship’ has been documenting life on board the deserted vessel as it sits off the coast of Devon. Marcin Banach, who would usually be in charge of a busy ship carrying 3,000 passengers and 1,000 staff, is living on the empty liner in Babbacombe Bay, Torquay. Cruise ship Azura […]
A CAPTAIN of a P&O ‘ghost ship’ has been documenting life on board the deserted vessel as it sits off the coast of Devon.
Marcin Banach, who would usually be in charge of a busy ship carrying 3,000 passengers and 1,000 staff, is living on the empty liner in Babbacombe Bay, Torquay.
Cruise ship Azura will remain moored in the South West of the country until November when P&O hope to restart their cruises.
Making the best of an unusual situation, Marcin has been sharing his daily life with his Twitter followers.
He shared a snap of himself working out in a totally empty gym – an unusual sight for a cruise ship in August.
Another showed him wrapped up in dust sheets or strolling around the deck to keep fit.
Yesterday he shared a picture of the ship’s sister ship Ventura, which is also moored off Torbay.
“We finally got to see her this morning @pandocruises #Ventura half way out of this mistic and low lying fog in the #BabbacombeBay in #Devon,” he wrote.
“Our fog bell on the bow of #Azura is still going as it is rather patchy this morning. Have a good day People.”
STRANDED IN THE SEA
Normally, 14-deck ship Azura would be sailing to destinations in the Mediterranean.
P&O Cruises announced it will be extending its suspension of cruises until November 12 2020.
This comes as competitor cruise liner company Viking has cancelled all holidays until next year due to the pandemic.
The cruise liner has been forced to suspend trips until 2021 due to “complicated overseas travel”.
All passengers with cruises booked this year can claim a full refund, if requested by August 24, or 125 per cent future cruise credit.
The credit must be used in the next 24 months, and 2021 and 2022 cruises can be booked now.
Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen explained the world will be in a “better position” and overseas travel “less complicated”.
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He explained: “On March 11, when we became the first cruise line to temporarily suspend operations at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, I would not have imagined that in August we would still not be sailing and that I would be writing this letter to you.
“Every day I am encouraged by the scientific advancements toward Covid-19 therapeutics and a vaccine.”
