It's 1945 in East Prussia. World War II is drawing to a close as Russian forces overtake the Germans, and thousands of refugees are on a frantic trek toward freedom. Among the throngs of people seeking safety are Joana, Emilia, and Florian: each one born of a different homeland, yet equally desperate to escape a life marked by brutality and war. As their paths converge en route to the Wilhelm Gustloff—the former cruise ship that promises each character's salvation and future just beyond the Baltic Sea—the three are forced by circumstance to unite, and with each step toward safety, their strength, courage, and trust in each other are tested. Yet just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, Russian torpedoes strike the massive ship. Not country, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand people aboard must fight for the same thing: survival. Most will not make it.