Princess Cruises Ruby Princess cruise ship set sail late Sunday afternoon, following a collision with Pier 27 in San Francisco last Thursday.
Ruby Princess has undergone repairs and is certified fit to sail. The cruise ship is embarking on a shortened sailing, following the delay caused by the collision.
Ruby Princess Repairs Complete
Ruby Princess is fully certified to sail by the US Coast Guard following the ship’s collision with Pier 27 in San Francisco on Thursday July 6, 2023. The 113,561 gross ton cruise ship collied with the pier during mooring, and remained in San Francisco during repairs.
The ship is embarking on an abbreviated 7-night itinerary, rather than the scheduled 10-night sailing.
The cruise line released a statement early Sunday afternoon stating, “Princess Cruises can confirm that repairs on Ruby Princess have been completed, and following inspection and certification by the United States Coast Guard the ship is safe and fit to sail.”
The revised itinerary includes call in Ketchikan, Alaska on July 12 and Prince Rupert, British Columbia on July 13, before returning to California on July 16.
As a result of the delayed start, Ruby Princess will miss calls in Sitka and Juneau, Alaska as well as a scenic sailing through Glacier Bay.
Princess Cruises apologized to guests stating, “We deeply regret the disappointment the delays have caused and appreciate our guests’ understanding as we manage this unexpected situation.”
The cause of the collision is still under investigation. It’s believed that local currents and high winds may have contributed to the “unexpected contact” between the ship and the dock. Damage to the ship consisted of dents and scrapes along the ships aft hull along the port side.
No injuries were reported following the collision.
Passenger Compensation
Guests booked for the Ruby Princess sailing were offered a full refund and a 50% future cruise credit (FCC) if they no longer wished to sail on the shortened itinerary. Guests who chose to disembark were offered accommodations through Sunday morning, giving guests time to arrange for alternative travel accommodations.
Passengers who continued with the voyage are provided a 75% refund and a 75% FCC for a future cruise with Princess Cruises.
According to Fox KTVU, 579 guests took the full refund, so the ship is departing with 2,677 guests instead of the previously booked 3,256 travellers.
