Oceania Cruises' fire-damaged Insignia was expected to depart St. Lucia Dec. 18 and head to San Juan where it will undergo repairs. It remains uncertain when exactly it will return to service.
"We are in the process of evaluating how long repairs will take to complete and whether there will be any effect to future voyages, including the start of the 'Around the World' cruise," Oceania said in a statement. "We will have a better assessment on when the vessel will re-enter service by the middle of next week."
The repairs will get started now that authorities have completed their investigation on the ship. A Dec. 11 engine room fire killed two contractors and an Insignia crew member. The Dec. 17 departure was cancelled.
The ship is registered in the Marshall Islands, which is handling the investigation along with the National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The cruise ship, carrying 656 guests, reported the fire in the engine room while docked in St. Lucia the morning of Dec. 11. The fire was contained to the engine room and extinguished.
Passengers disembarked in St. Lucia and were flown to Miami on planes chartered by Oceania. Those booked on the cancelled Dec. 17 voyage were given the option to transfer the reservation to another Oceania cruise or receive a full refund. Guests also will receive a 25 percent future cruise credit.
The fire broke out during the Insignia's 10-day cruise that departed San Juan on Dec. 7 and was scheduled to arrive in Miami Dec. 17.
The 684-guest Insignia is scheduled to operate Oceania's first World Cruise, a 180-day voyage departing Jan. 10 from Miami. The "Around the World in 180 Days" cruise will visit 89 ports in 44 countries on five continents. It is notable for being about 80 days longer than a traditional World Cruise.
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