Cruise Ship That Grounded Near "Cast Away" Island Will Be Retired
A Fiji cruise ship that gained unprecedented global attention after grounding on an island where the 2000 Tom Hanks film “Cast Away” was filmed has been retired comparatively early after 22 years in service.
Blue Lagoon Cruises, the owner of the Fiji Princess, has announced that it has made the difficult decision to retire the vessel following her grounding at a reef near uninhabited Monuriki Island on April 4.
The ship had 30 passengers and 31 crewmembers aboard when she grounded in severe weather. The passengers and 17 crew members were safely disembarked with some crew remaining to support response operations.
“With much sadness and following initial recovery efforts, Blue Lagoon Cruises has made the difficult decision to retire MV. Fiji Princess following an incident on the 4th of April 2026,” said the operator in a social media post.
The company said that guests impacted by the retirement of the vessel will be contacted and provided with an array of alternate options.
The immediate retirement of the ship comes as the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) continues to monitor the grounding site to prevent fuel leakage and prevent any environmental catastrophe. The vessel is said to have been loaded with approximately 20,000 liters of diesel fuel at the point of grounding.
According to MSAF, while initial assessment indicates significant damages to the vessel’s port-side stern, no damage has been detected on the fuel tanks.
Blue Lagoon Cruises has since engaged the services of Australian salvors to spearhead the technical recovery operations of the 55-meter vessel.
The Fiji Princess attracted global attention following her grounding on the Island from the famous Tom Hanks “Cast Away” movie. Located some 45 kilometers west of the city of Nadi, Monuriki Island is part of the Mamanuca Island chain, where the US version of reality show Survivor has been filmed since 2016.
The islands are popular tourist destinations with cruise companies operating trips around the region, including marketing Monuriki with a “Cast Away” theme.
that matters most
Get the latest maritime news delivered to your inbox daily.
Following the abrupt retirement of Fiji Princess, Blue Lagoon Cruises is hoping that her memories will live through the many passengers that boarded her voyages for over two decades.
“The team at Blue Lagoon Cruises appreciates the many guests who cruised on board Fiji Princess, and we know many amazing memories were created on board. We would therefore love for you to share your images, memories, or comments as a final salute and as a fitting end to an amazing era of cruising,” said the operator.
Content Original Link:
" target="_blank">
