NORWEGIAN STAR DIARY
Most passengers not bothered by itinerary change
| • | 'Where you are, you're there' |
By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Travel Editor
About 1 p.m. today, when we should have been getting underway for Fanning Island, and while I was (I admit) dozing under the hands of a masseuse, Norwegian Star officials announced over the public address system that we wouldn't be heading south after all.
A mechanical problem was blamed, but Norwegian Cruise Line spokesman Steve Hirano said the problem wasn't serious enough to cancel the cruise, and the ship will continue its tour around the state.
Hirano said a transformer problem affecting the ship's speed and propulsion was discovered yesterday. He said the reduced speed meant the ship could not make the trip to Fanning Island in the Republic of Kiribati and return to Hawai'i in the three scheduled days. Fanning Island is 600 miles south of Honolulu.
Federal law requires ships of foreign registry, like this one, to call at a foreign part during any voyage involving American waters, which explains why Fanning is on the itinerary. The government will waive that rule for Hawai'i in the future.
Instead of going to Fanning, we're going to see the volcano from the ship tonight, have a "sea day" tomorrow and visit Kona on Wednesday. Aboard ship, passengers I talked to seemed to care little about the change of itinerary; most said they'd rather see the lava flow and stay in Hawai'i. But one contingent of people from an Arizona church who had planned to visit Fanning Islanders expressed disappointment and skepticism about the reason for the change of plans.
Hirano said he believes passengers will receive some sort of compensation, but nothing had been announced as of today.
