Ruby Princess Cruise Ship Departs San Francisco With 579 Fewer Passengers
SAN FRANCISCO – The Ruby Princess cruise ship set sail from Pier 27 in San Francisco on Sunday with 579 fewer passengers on board. The cruise line announced that the ship was ready to depart for a 7-day Alaska voyage after receiving approval from the United States Coast Guard. The ship had undergone repairs, which were reported as complete, and it had passed inspection and certification.
Originally, there were supposed to be 3,256 passengers going on the cruise, but due to the recent incident, there are now only 2,677 guests on board. The crew number remained the same at 1,161.
The Ruby Princess made headlines earlier when it smacked into San Francisco’s Pier 27, with thousands of people on board. This incident prompted some guests to make a difficult decision regarding their plans for the cruise. The cruise line offered passengers the option to cancel their trip with a full refund, along with a 50% credit for a future cruise. However, those who chose to continue their journey on the Ruby Princess will receive a 75% refund and a 75% credit for a future voyage.
While some passengers opted to disembark, Katherine and Patrick Hanson, a couple from Northern California, decided to remain on the ship. They praised the captain and crew for their handling of the situation, stating that the captain provided regular updates and announcements throughout the process.
“The captain has been great; he has been notifying us step by step, making announcements,” said Katherine Hanson. Despite the unfortunate incident, the couple chose to make the most of their shortened trip, saying, “Let’s just roll with it, you only live once. It was an accident; it’s better to happen here than in the middle of the ocean.”
The damage caused by the ship’s collision with the pier on Thursday morning has been repaired by the crew over the weekend in preparation for Sunday’s departure. The Ruby Princess will make stops in Ketchikan on July 12 and Prince Rupert on July 13 before returning to San Francisco on July 16. The original 10-day voyage had to be shortened due to the damage.
The U.S. Coast Guard is currently investigating the cause of the initial crash.