Cruise ship passengers headed for Rome told journey is ending in Barcelona

Fury at Norwegian Cruise Line's £235 limit on additional flight costs after cruise is abandoned 500 miles short of Rome

After days of uncertainty, more than 2,300 passengers aboard Norwegian Pearl have been told their voyage has reached an abrupt end – 500 miles short of their intended destination of Civitavecchia, the port for Rome.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has told passengers on the stricken ship that their journey is ending in Barcelona – where she is stuck with serious mechanical problems.

A shuttle bus is running from the cruise port to the city’s airport.

A spokesperson for the cruise line said: “Due to the need to make necessary repairs, we will be ending the current sailing in Barcelona as well as cancelling Norwegian Pearl’s July 5, 2019 voyage.”

Previously the cruise line had insisted she would sail at reduced speed to Livorno – where excursions were planned for Florence and Pisa – and arrive in Civitavecchia on time, early on Friday morning.

Passengers have now been told they can remain onboard in port in Barcelona until Friday morning, when the voyage was due to end. But almost all of them are now struggling to find alternative flights from Barcelona rather than Rome.

One passenger, Sharon Walker, a student from Northern Ireland, said that the American and Australian contingents were finding it very difficult to source alternative departures from Spain at a reasonable price.

“They were quite annoyed yesterday and today they’re furious,” she told The Independent.

“There’s been no official announcement, no meeting. None of the staff seem to know what’s happening.”

Many passengers, including Ms Walker, had already visited Barcelona and therefore were not inclined to take up the option of staying longer.

NCL says it will refund half the cost of the cruise to passengers, and offer them a credit for the same amount for use on a future voyage within two years. But it has imposed a limit of $300 (£235) for additional flights costs.

Such is the demand for flights to Rome, in order to connect with homeward departures, that all non-stop for Wednesday rapidly sold out; and the only available flight was on Lufthansa via Frankfurt for £312 – one-third more than the cruise line is offering passengers.

All five Ryanair departures from Barcelona to Rome on Thursday have sold out.

Earlier, Chuck Brady from Vancouver, Canada, told The Independent: ”The uncertainty of not knowing if the boat is actually going to sail tonight seems to be what is causing the most anxiety for people."

He had planned to take the train from Rome to Venice on Friday, but instead found an evening flight on Wednesday direct to Venice. It is unclear if he will be able to claim back the cost of the unused rail trip.

Some passengers had booked back-to-back cruises, and intended to remain with the Norwegian Pearl for another two weeks on a voyage around the Adriatic and Greek islands. That cruise has been cancelled, leaving many of them having to rearrange their travel plans at extremely short notice.

The NCL spokesperson said: “We are truly sorry for the disappointment and inconvenience our guests have experienced as a result of this unforeseen situation.

“Our team is working diligently to assist all of our affected guests and to keep them informed with the latest details as they become available.

“We thank them for their continued support and loyalty.”

Some passengers have talked of a class action against NCL.