Ship With 2,000 Aboard Ordered to Stay in Port

The U.S. Coast Guard ordered a ship carrying 2,000 passengers and crew to remain in port Sunday because of problems with a sprinkler system.

The Norwegian Cruise Line ship, which was scheduled to leave the Port of Miami for a seven-day Caribbean cruise, cannot sail until its sprinkler system is repaired, Petty Officer Scott Carr said.

“We’re looking at a systematic failure of a major safety system,” Carr added.

He said the ship, named the Norway, had repaired holes in the system with about 100 “soft patches.”

“Yes, it’s holding and it’s not leaking, but if they have a fire and one of the soft patches breaks, then they lose the entire sprinkler system,” Carr said.

Passengers were free to leave the ship, but many decided to wait on board to see whether the repairs would be finished soon. They were offered full refunds and 25% discounts on their next trip, the cruise line said.

“We’re accommodating all the passengers on board. We’ve extended a shipboard credit to all of them,” said Andy Stuart, spokesman for Norwegian Cruise Line. “We’ve also opened all the bars, so everything’s absolutely complimentary.”

The cruise line said it would take the passengers on a tour of Miami attractions today if the ship had not departed.

The Norway was to sail to Grand Cayman; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and the cruise line’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas.