This is how it is inside the 'MV Hondius', the floating hotel that has become ground zero for hantavirus

BarcelonaThe cruise ship where the hantavirus outbreak occurred set sail on March 20 from the port of Ushuaia, the gateway to Antarctica from the southern tip of Argentina. That Friday, 88 passengers and 59 crew members embarked on a journey that would first take them to different points on this frozen continent and then across various remote Atlantic islands, with a final destination of Cape Verde. During the trip, at least eight people have been infected, and finally, the ship will dock in the Canary Islands this Saturday.

The ship MV Hondius is one of four in the fleet of Oceanwide Expeditions, a company dedicated to "polar expedition cruises" offering luxury accommodation on board. "The ship offers luxury standards while maintaining Oceanwide's characteristic cozy and informal atmosphere," they say about the cruise. On their website, they promise "a unique combination of experiences on small, intimate vessels with activities both on board and ashore that bring guests to the heart of nature and the pioneering spirit of adventure".

The MV Hondius is a strengthened ship for navigating in ice-filled waters and the company presents it as "the first Class 6 polar ship" registered in the world. This classification, which has seven levels in total, describes the navigation capacity of ships on sea ice. Level six means it has an ice-strengthened hull, allowing it to navigate in summer or autumn in new ice that may include pieces of old ice.

From 8,000 to 29,000 euros

The operator offers "short and direct" routes to make the most of time on land. "We strive to achieve close encounters, activities twice a day, on land or at sea," the company promises on its website. Currently, the longest trip that can be booked on its website departing from Ushuaia is between 22 and 23 nights and costs between 8,100 and 29,300 euros depending on the type of cabin.

The MV Hondius is 107.6 meters long and 17.6 meters wide, and has a capacity for 170 passengers in 80 cabins. The cabins are of different types. The vessel has six Gran suite bedrooms, 27 square meters, with capacity for two people and including a private balcony.

The Gran suite are the most expensive cabins on the cruise, followed by the eight Junior suite, which are also equipped with a double bed, and are between 19 and 20 square meters. The MV Hondius also has eight superior category cabins, eleven luxury double bedrooms, fourteen double rooms with a window, and twenty-seven double rooms with a porthole.

There are also two triple cabins and four quadruple cabins, all with portholes, which are the ones with the lowest prices on the MV Hondius, although fares do not drop below 7,000 euros for a ten-night trip.

Besides the bedrooms, the boat has a restaurant, a bar, a lounge, a library, and a conference room.

According to the same company, passengers on this type of cruise usually range from 45 to 65 years old, are "independent-minded travelers from all over the world" and are interested in "exploring remote regions".

Oceanwide also warns that to embark on one of its voyages, one must "be in good health and be able to walk for several hours a day". Although they assure that the trip does not require great physical fitness, they do warn that it will pass through remote areas without access to medical facilities. "You should not join this expedition if you have any illness that could put your life at risk or if you need medical treatment," they warn.