Princess cancels more port calls after ship fire
USA TODAY / 12:33 p.m. EST December 2, 2015
The Princess Cruises ship that lost power Monday after a small fire will skip its next two calls due to a continuing problem with its propulsion.
Princess says the Grand Princess will depart Honolulu late Wednesday at reduced speed for its home port of San Francisco, dropping port stops scheduled for Nawiliwili, Kauai and Lahaina, Maui.
"While there is no impact to maneuverability or safety, the ship cannot attain maximum speed therefore we must adjust the future itinerary," the line said in a statement sent to USA TODAY.
The 109,000-ton Grand Princess is on a 15-night sailing to Hawaii that began Nov. 25 in San Francisco. It will arrive back in San Francisco on Dec. 10 as scheduled, the line said.
Princess has offered the 2,592 passengers on the Grand Princess full refunds for the cruise. In addition, passengers who wish to depart the vessel in Honolulu before it leaves for San Francisco will be provided with airfare to return home.
The Grand Princess was 20 miles off the coast of Hilo, Hawaii on Monday when the fire broke out in an engine room switchboard. The incident forced the vessel to temporarily switch to emergency lighting and operate with limited air conditioning. The ship skipped a call planned for Monday in Hilo, Hawaii and proceeded directly to Honolulu.
Princess says technical experts boarded the Grand Princess on Tuesday to inspect all systems and verify the ship‘s safety.
"We regret that this situation has impacted the cruise and sincerely apologize that we‘ve been unable to deliver the expected cruise vacation experience," the line said.
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Princess Cruises‘ newest ship, the 3,560-passenger Regal Princess, debuted in May 2014 in the Mediterranean. Princess Cruises
● From: USA TODAY