Aurora broken down in Auckland

[Mike Cornwall]

P&O UK's Aurora arrived in Auckland at 2200hrs last Fri night after crossing the Tasman from Sydney at 12knots.
She has a problen with a shaft bearing, apprently a problem she has had before.
She is berthed at Queens wharf while she undergoes repairs. She was due to go last night but at this stage is due to sail at Noon on Monday.
Reports states that the Master has said the damage is worse than expected and he feels late PM Mon is more likely.
Experts have arrived from Europe to attend the ship.
The offending peice is said to weigh 6 tonnes.
Calls at Wellington and Napier have been cancelled.
The reason she is not at the passenger terminal is the the agreement with the Hilton Hotel by POA only allows cruise ship to berth there on their allotted window. If they are outside this they must go to a general wharf.
This is so the Hilton can guarantee nice sea views to their clients.

I shall update as new info becomes available.

Rgds/Mike

[Stephen Chester]

They must be having major difficulty, as the departure date keeps being put back. She arrived evening of 6th March and is now due to leave 11th March but no time. Buses turn up every day to take the passengers on excursions, but don't know how they are feeling. They were due in Moorea on the 12th and Papeete on 13th, but that won't happen. The joys of cruising.
Regards
Steve

[Stephen Chester]

At 1800 this evening (9th March)  The barge "Kauri II" came alongside and they pumped out all the old crankshaft oil. Then at 9pm the barge "Pohonui" went alongside with about four crates of new parts to be winched aboard. There will be very little sleep for the engineers tonight.

[Mike Cornwall]

Just home from work and the word is that they are oficially hoping to sail late tomoro night (Tues), but but realistically it is more likely to be Wed before she sails.
They are playing things very close to their chest.

Local retailers and tour operators are having a feild day.

Mike

[Stephen Chester]

At 20.00 on 11the March tugs stood by and linesmen waited (for three hours). The pilot was on board and the radar turned, but unfortunately Aurora went nowhere. This morning 12th March she hopes to try again. She has missed port calls at Wellington, Napier, Bay of Islands, Moorea and Papeete. When she sails she will head straight for Honolulu.

[Mike Cornwall]

I have spoken to Harbour Control this morning and her ETD has been put back from Noon today untill 1800hrs, but even that time is meaningless apparently, that had to put something down.
I was hoping to get some info from contacts at various marine engineering outfits to try and find out exactly what is going wrong, but it all appears to be ship engineers only, so info is rather hard to get.
The PAX are really whingeing and moaning now and of course the press has got hold of it.
(It's just like the old days, another boatload of whingeing Poms!!!)
(Joke)
And to cap it off Millennium is also having problems and has cancelled a cruise. When she arrives on Sat she will head directly back to Sydney for repairs.

Mike

[Clyde Dickens]

Hi Mike

The Sydney Ports web site confirms your info about Millennium.

She is scheduled to come to the Captain Cook Dry Dock on 18 March 2009.

Yours
Clyde

[Robbie]

What is wrong with the Millennium? i just saw her depart Wellington for Tauranga today so she mustn't be in need of urgent repair.

Rgds Robbie

[Tony des Landes]

Her Napier call was cancelled - the second within a few days after the cancellation of the Aurora

[Mike Cornwall]

Well, Aurora finally sailed tonite at 1700hrs. And wouldn't you know it, it stared to p down just as she sailed!!!.
I did get some shots after the rain passed, will put up the best one later.
I beleive, from another site, that she will do tests, and if successfull, then drop off techies off Whangarei, about 100km north of of Auckland, through the night, and then head on to Honululu.

A six day stay, she was beginning to look quite good here!.

Rgds/Mike