P&O Pacific Star - Current cruise cut short/cancelled due to storm damage

**Ally** · 07-12-2007, 03:01 PM

Passengers on a Pacific Star cruise were so ill as the ship was battered by storms off Auckland that they have been given free doctors' visits and $100 vouchers.

About 1000 passengers left Auckland on Tuesday for an eight-night cruise and were hit by the atrocious conditions.

People on board reported passengers being sick and damage to the boat by swells of up to 10m.

One passenger said the dream trip to Vanuatu had started like the holiday from hell.

P&O Cruises spokeswoman Sandy Olsen said some of the ship's external windows and doors, as well as its television satellite equipment, were damaged in the storm.

"It would have been an uncomfortable couple of days for the people on board," she said.

"As you can imagine, some people were unwell due to seasickness."

Conditions were so bad the ship has cancelled a planned stopover in Lifou, New Caledonia, and will head straight for Vila to make its scheduled Friday night stopover.

Ms Olsen said passengers would get $100 spending money and P&O would waive doctors' charges for those who needed medical help during the storm.

Cruise chiefs were also offering free wine and soft drinks to passengers at a Captain's Dinner tonight, and giving free room services to those who preferred to stay in their rooms.

The ship is due back in Auckland in the middle of next week.

**Ally** · 07-15-2007, 04:30 AM

**UPDATE**

New Zealand's wild weather is to blame for damaging P&O Cruises' popular liner the Pacific Star – ruining holiday plans for 1200 passengers.

The cruise ship has cancelled the remainder of its South Pacific tour due to damage from gale force winds and seas of up to 10m after it left Auckland last Tuesday.

P&O Cruises Australia chief executive Ann Sherry said a full refund would be given to the ship's 1200 passengers as well as a 25 per cent credit on their next cruising holiday in recognition of the difficult circumstances.

"While the extreme weather conditions were an act of Mother Nature, we realise our passengers have been very patient under difficult circumstances and will give them a full refund for their cruise to show our goodwill," Ms Sherry said.

The ship is now in Port Vila, Vanuatu, and was scheduled to return to Auckland on Wednesday.

"We are extremely disappointed at having to cancel the cruise but it is in the best interests of our passengers' comfort and safety while we repair the ship."

Some of the ship's windows and external doors were damaged along with it's satellite equipment during the unusually bad weather conditions she encountered, Ms Sherry said.

The Pacific Star will sail to Brisbane without passengers onboard and be put into dry dock for further inspection and repairs.

Ms Sherry said passengers would be progressively disembarked from the ship and found accommodation in Vanuatu before being flown back to Auckland over the next few days.

**Ally** · 07-15-2007, 03:22 PM

P&O Australia will be deciding on whether or not future cruises will be affected once they get the ship into drydock for inspection/repairs. Looking at her dented bow, the damage done could be extensive...