Pacific Star - in more trouble with passengers

**Ally** · 12-20-2007, 03:48 AM

Quote:

The ill-fated P&O cruise ship, Pacific Star, has once again run into trouble.

The ship docked in Auckland this morning with hundreds of passengers demanding compensation after what they say was a series of unacceptable incidents on board.

”I have never experienced in my life that many people vomiting right in fromt of you when you’re having breakfast,” Billy Wang, one of the passengers, told 3 News. “I personally saved one woman who vomited in my hands. That’s a holiday I don’t really wish to have.”

Mr Wang says although P&O could not control the weather, an engine fault reduced the boat’s power and stability.

Mr Wang has organised a petition for disgruntled passengers.

”We will be learning from this,” Sandy Olsen from P&O Cruises said. “We will be speaking to those people that have lodged the petition and we will be working out how we could do it better in the future.”

The Pacific Star was launched in 1982, but it has only been part of the P&;O Australian fleet for the past two years.

In July, the ship hit a storm with ten metre swells, damaging the vessel and leaving passengers who had to be flown home from Vanuatu less than impressed.

A month later, 1,100 passengers were left high and dry after their cruise was cancelled due to mechanical problems.

A passenger from the latest cruise says the present engine difficulties make the ship unsafe in bad weather, however P&O disagree.

”The engines are still running, they are just running as fast as they ordinary would,” P&O said. “But there is absolutely no risk to passenger safety.”

The ship left Auckland this afternoon, bound for New Caledonia where the engine will be repaired.

TV3 > News > Story > Pacific Star once again runs into trouble

**alphakitty** · 12-20-2007, 09:15 AM

Sounds like this ship is ready for a dry dock! I don't like to hear that a cruise line knew there was something wrong with a ship but went on the cruise anyway, knowing full well that ports have to be dropped and routes changed. Passengers should be given an option before setting sail whether or not they want to go.

**Ally** · 12-20-2007, 10:14 AM

Star won't be a P&O Australia problem for much longer. She has been sold to Pullmantur...which is probably why she isn't being repaired to a high standard....afterall, as long as the ship is deemed safe by authorities, there is no reason to throw money at it for the benefit of the new owners, is there?

**Ally** · 12-21-2007, 08:36 AM

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Passengers aboard Pacific Star’s 11-night round cruise from Auckland to the South Pacific on December 9 received a A$100 (US$86) onboard credit in lieu of missing two ports -- Vava’u in Tonga and Yasawa-i- Rara in Fiji.

A company spokesman said bad weather delayed the 35,000gt ship’s departure from Auckland and a problem with a turbocharger meant she had to reduce cruising speed.

Pacific Star departed Auckland for Noumea yesterday on an eight-night Christmas cruise that will also skip a port -- Ouvea in the Loyalty Islands. This is to allow for an unscheduled overnight in Noumea on Sunday where she is to undergo repairs. The spokesman said passengers on her current cruise will receive a A$50 shipboard credit.

Pullmantur Cruises has bought Pacific Star from P&O Cruises Australia and is to take delivery of the former Costa Tropicale in March.

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