Cabin fever : the harrowing journey of a cruise ship at the dawn of a pandemic / Michael Smith and Jonathan Franklin.

Choose fun! -- Mysterious stowaway -- Ugly vibe at the ends of the earth -- Cruise to nowhere -- Lockdown in the Pacific -- Secret mission -- Pariah ship -- Dark thoughts -- Night crossing -- Desperate plea -- Race to shore -- Trapped on dry land -- Prisoners in paradise -- Final goodbye -- Unfamiliar horizons.

In early 2020, the world was on edge. An ominous virus was spreading on different continents, and no one knew what the coming weeks would bring. Far from the hotspots, the cruise ship Zaandam, owned by Holland America, was preparing to sail from Buenos Aires, Argentina, loaded with 1,200 passengers-Americans, Europeans and South Americans, plus 600 crew. Most passengers were over the age of 65. There was concern about the virus on the news, and it had already killed and sickened passengers on other Holland America ships. But that was oceans away, and escaping to sea at the ends of the earth for a few weeks seemed like it might be a good option. The cruise line had said the voyage (three weeks around the South American coastline to see some of the most world's most stunning natural wonders and ancient ruins) would carry on as scheduled, with no refunds. And it would be safe.