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Cabin Fever
- The Harrowing Journey of a Cruise Ship at the Dawn of a Pandemic
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
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Cabin Fever
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Publisher's Summary
The true story of the Holland America cruise ship Zaandam, which set sail with a deadly and little-understood stowaway—COVID-19—days before the world shut down in March 2020. This riveting narrative thriller takes listeners behind the scenes with passengers and crew who were caught unprepared for the deadly ordeal that lay ahead.
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 hot spots, 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 sixty-five. 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 world’s most stunning natural wonders and ancient ruins) would carry on as scheduled, with no refunds. And it would be safe.
Among the travelers there is a retired American school superintendent on a dream vacation with his wife of fifty-six years, on a personal quest to see Machu Picchu. There is an Argentine psychologist taking this trip to celebrate her sixty-fourth birthday with her husband, though she finds herself fretting in her cabin on day one, trying to dismiss her fears of what she’s hearing on the news. There is an Indonesian laundry manager who's been toiling on Holland America cruise ships for thirty years, sending his monthly paycheck to his family back home.
Within days, people aboard Zaandam begin to fall sick. The world’s ports shut down. Zaandam becomes a top story on the news and is denied safe harbor everywhere. With only two doctors aboard and few medical supplies to test for or treat COVID-19, and with dwindling food and water, the ship wanders the oceans on an unthinkable journey.
What the critics say
"Riveting... It’s an impressive example of narrative journalism...A worthy addition to the historical record."—Associated Press
"The best nonfiction, in my mind, reads like a novel. It's filled with compelling characters and takes you to a place you'd never otherwise experience. It tells a story that grabs you by the throat and won't let you stop reading. Cabin Fever falls into that category...I couldn't put [it] down."—Star Tribune
"Cabin Fever is riveting, taut, and extensively researched. Smith and Franklin have written a page-turning adventure that will keep you reading late into the night."—Martin Dugard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Taking Paris
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What listeners say about Cabin Fever
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2023-03-22
Far more interesting than I’d expected!
I didn’t really know much about the story other than knowing people had been stuck on cruise ships. I was skeptical it would be all that interesting, but I loved Jonathan Franklin’s “438 Days” so I decided to give it a try. I was captivated. I had no idea how bad the crew and passengers on these ships had it, or how hard it was for them to get home. The reading is a little flat, but it seems appropriate for a non-fiction work. I liked it because the narrator found a good balance that didn’t put me to sleep while driving, but yet didn’t keep me awake if I listed to it on a sleep timer! It did at times feel almost like an ad for cruise ships, and I think was maybe a bit too kind to the cruise line management/executives, but overall a great, albeit sometimes heartbreaking, story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Judith Hornby
- 2022-08-25
Riveting!!
A behind the scene narrative of the horrific Covid cruise on the Holland America cruise ship Zaandam which set sail March 2020. An wonderful & emotional read. It shares the story of the crew who courageously continued to serve the passengers even tho many were sick themselves & the passengers. The story was well written & the narrator was excellent !
Definitely a must read!
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2023-02-25
Avoid! Flat narration and overlooks exploitation of the crew
The authors do a terrible job of glossing over the exploitation of the ship’s crew, even flirting with lionizing them for going above and beyond by continuing to work even though they were gravely ill. The story and especially the narration read flat which doesn’t fit the emotional devastation the passengers and crew had.
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