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26 September 2013 09:10
Duchess of Cambridge at the naming ceremony of the Royal Princess which has had to evacuate because of a power cut
A cruise ship formally named by the Duchess of Cambridge has lost its power and has to go away for repairs.
The Royal Princess, officially named by Kate at a ceremony in Southampton in the summer, experienced the power cut in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship will now be sent to Barcelona in Spain to be repaired, although the power was able to be restored.
Passengers were on the boat at the time, sailing from the Greek island of Mykonos to the southern Italian city of Napoli. They were to be taken to the airport for flights home while the ship crew prepared to leave for Barcelona, showing how the need for cruise travel insurance is crucial to cover unforeseen circumstances.
The ship, owned by Princess Cruises, is next scheduled for a 30-day voyage to Florida in the US this Friday.
A company spokeswoman said: "We sincerely regret this means the remainder of the current cruise will be cancelled, and passengers will disembark the ship in Naples. Passengers will be provided a full refund of their cruise fare, along with a 25% future cruise credit. We have dispatched a care team to Naples to ensure that all our passengers are provided with any assistance they may require.
"The impact of the repairs on the next Royal Princess cruise, scheduled to depart from Barcelona on September 27, is not yet known and we will keep passengers fully advised as details become known."
Meanwhile another passenger ship firm, P&O Cruises, has just announced it plans to build a liner called Britannia which, it says, will be the biggest of its kind built for UK customers.
The new ship is scheduled to sail on its first trip in March 2015 and is said to include single rooms with private balconies.
P&O Cruises has used the name Britannia before, in 1887 to celebrate the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria.
According to P&O's David Dingle: "Britannia is a most fitting name for the newest addition to P&O Cruises. Britannia will capture both the contemporary spirit of P&O Cruises and the spirit of Britain today."
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