By
Rebecca Gibson |
Royal Caribbean International (RCI) has cancelled Grandeur of the Seas’ 31 May 2013 sailing from Baltimore, Maryland, following an onboard fire in the mooring area of the ship’s aft section on 27 May.
The fire broke out at 2.50am EST as Grandeur of the Seas was en route to CocoCay, Bahamas and was extinguished at 4:58 am. The vessel was then redirected to Freeport for further evaluation.
Although the ship’s power, propulsion and communications systems continued to function throughout the incident, the captain instructed all 2,224 guests to assemble at muster stations, where they were attended by the 796-strong crew. Medical staff responded to several calls for minor medical assistance.
In a statement, RCI said it had prioritised the safety of the guests and crew, focusing on their immediate needs and concerns, while the line’s CEO and president Adam Goldstein and a guest care team visited Freeport to meet guests.
Passengers booked on the 31 May cruise will receive a full refund, as well as a future cruise certificate worth 50 per cent of the cruise fare. Guests who booked air transportation through RCI will also receive a full refund for air costs, while the line will pay airline change fees for those who purchased air transportation through other companies.