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CRUISE LINKS (with Gary Bembridge)

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Queen Mary 2 Cancels Port Everglades Stop

Queen Mary 2 Cancels Port Everglades Stop

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(CBS4) MIAMI If you were hoping to see the Queen Mary 2 the next time she made a stop at Port Everglades, you’ll have to wait until the fall. Cunard has canceled the world’s largest cruise ship’s planned stop in April, blaming damage as it left Port Everglades last month for requiring a change in itinerary.

The damage to a propulsion unit, caused when the ship hit an underwater structure as it left Port Everglades January 17th, has slowed down the ship and forced a number of earlier changes to planned cruises. A spokesperson for Cunard says it was necessary to drop the stop in Fort Lauderdale so the ship could arrive in New York on time.

Now, Cunard says the ship will proceed directly from St. Thomas to New York when it completes a Los Angeles to New York voyage, bypassing Port Everglades.

Cunard says it will return to Port Everglades next fall, when it resumes cruising the Americas. It will spend the summer cruising the Mediterranean and making trans-Atlantic voyages.

Cunard said passengers who planned to depart in Fort Lauderdale will be allowed to leave the ship in St. Thomas or New York, and be flown to Florida at Cunard expense. Those choose to continue to New York will do so at no cost, while those who get off in St. Thomas will get a credit.

The incident which damaged the ship kept the Queen Mary 2 in port for two extra days, delaying a cruise around South America, and prompted a small passenger protest. That incident is still under investigation. The Queen Mary 2 is owned by Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines.


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