MIAMI, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- Carnival Corp. has had to cancel a 103-day cruise aboard the Aurora at a cost of $40 million because it can't go fast enough to make it around the world.
Repairs to the 4-year-old ship's diesel electric propulsion system could last another month, The Miami Herald reported Friday.
The ship left on a world cruise from Southampton, England, Jan. 10 but had to turn around and head back to port.
"They have sailed it and tested and worked around the clock for the last 10 days and have not been able to get it repaired to the extent they can make the speed necessary," said spokesman Tim Gallagher at Carnival headquarters in Miami.
Passengers will receive full refunds and future cruise 25 percent discounts on future cruises. Ticket prices ranged from $18,000 to nearly $74,000.
Carnival estimates that the cancellation is expected to lower earnings in 2005 by about 5 cents a share.
