Passengers fly home as Boudicca remains in Tenerife for repairs

UPDATE: Thursday January 29
Passengers from Fred Olsen’s Boudicca are being flown home from Tenerife today. The company had hoped it could carry out repairs to engines and electrical cables during an extended two-night stay in Santa Cruz, but instead decided to terminate the voyage. The 784 passengers will receive a full refund of their fare, and a 50 per cent discount on their next booking. The ship is expected to be repaired in time to be back in Southampton on February 7, ready for a 14-night trip to the Canaries again.


Cruise ship Boudicca is expected to spend two days in Tenerife while repairs are carried out to the electrical cabling two main engines damaged in a fire in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A visit to Arrecife, on the island of Lanzarote, was cancelled following the blaze, which occurred as the 880-passenger ship was sailing along the Moroccan Coast during an 18-night Cape Verde and the Canaries cruise.

Passenger services were restored shortly after the fire - which was contained within the engine room - although some cabins and public areas were without power for a while. 

A Fred Olsen Cruise Lines spokeswoman said that once Boudicca has reached Tenerife this evening, she will stay for two days for the work to be carried out. Guests will then be notified of the revised itinerary for the remainder of the voyage. Managing director Mike Rodwell and a customer service team from the company’s head office in Ipswich were flying to Tenerife to greet the passengers and address any concerns.

There were no injuries to any of Boudicca’s 784 guests and 356 crew members, and - denying reports on the BBC and in national newspapers -  the ship’s Master confirmed that at no point were guests asked to don their lifejackets and gather at the muster stations.

The company added: “Fred. Olsen would like to thank all its customers for their wishes of support and they are delighted to report future bookings were unaffected yesterday, demonstrating the loyalty of its guests, with one, currently on board Boudicca, actually booking their next holiday for March 2016.”

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Power restored after engine room fire cripples Boudicca

Back to normal: Boudicca passengers soak up the sun as the ship sails on

Cruise ship Boudicca was briefly left without power after fire broke out in the engine room this morning while the vessel was sailing off the coast of Casablanca, Morocco.

The 784 passengers were alerted at 4.00 a.m. but Fred Olsen Cruise Lines denied a BBC report that passengers were instructed to gather at their muster stations wearing life-jackets.

The blaze, confined to the engine room, was extinguished. Although some cabins and public areas are without electricity, power has been restored to most of the ship, which is under way running on two main engines and three auxiliary units, according to spokeswoman Rachael Jackson.

She added: "The ship's master has confirmed that at no point were guests asked to don their lifejackets and gather at the muster stations as the situation was contained within the engine room by crew members. Most services are operating normally, and guests are enjoying the usual activities on board, both inside and out on deck.

“Following the loss of propulsion, Boudicca listed for a short period but is now fully stable and there is no danger to guests or the 356 crew. We are reviewing the itinerary and assessing the extent of the damage to the two main engines and electrical cables, and will make any repairs necessary at the next port f call. A revised itinerary will be advised in due course.”

Boudicca is on an 18-night cruise to the Canaries and Cape Verde Islands which departed from Southampton on Tuesday (January 20). The ship left Cadiz, Spain yesterday (Saturday) and is scheduled to arrive in Arrecife, Lanzarote, tomorrow. Built in Finland in 1973 and originally called Royal Viking Sky, it is one of four ships in the Olsen cruise fleet. 

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Three die in cruise ship engine room fire

Three people died – two contractors and a crewmember – when fire broke out in the engine room of cruise ship Insignia today.

The incident happened in port at Castries, on the Caribbean island of St Lucia. None of the 656 passengers was hurt, and they have all now been disembarked. The remainder of the ship’s 10-day cruise – which began in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sunday and was due to end in Miami next Wednesday – has been cancelled.

Insignia owned by Oceania Cruises and is identical to two of the line’s other vessels,  Nautica and Regatta. All three were originally built for the now-defunct Renaissance Cruises. In March 2012, another identical ship, Azamara Quest, was crippled by an engine room fire which injured five members of crew. 

Oceania spokesman Jason Lasecki said three crewmembers and the two contractors were taken to hospital following the fire, which occurred at about  9.30 am local time. One crewman was later released, and the other was being treated for the effects of smoke inhalation.

The passengers are being accommodated in local  hotels until they can be flown to Miami. It is not yet known how many were from the UK.

Oceania Cruises President and Chief Operating Officer Jason Montague, flew to St lucia with a team of guest and crew support and technical personnel. This team is leading the effort to ensure guests and crew are well cared for, as well as working with the ship’s team and authorities to assess the situation. 

Insignia was given a multi-million pound refurbishment earlier this year after returning to Oceania after a two-year charter to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises who operated it as Columbus 2. Together with Regent Seven Seas, Oceania was the subject of a $3 billion takeover by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings in September.

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