After being given clearance for departure, the Ruby Princess cruise ship, which had been damaged after colliding with a pier in San Francisco CA, set sail on Sunday afternoon, July 9th.
The USCG confirmed that the necessary repairs had been completed early on Sunday morning. Princess Cruises announced that the ship was scheduled to leave at 2:30 pm (CA time).
Some passengers who had boarded the ship after the accident were given until 11 am on Sunday to decide whether to continue with the trip or disembark. The total number of expected passengers and crew on board was 2677 and 1161 respectively, down from the initial count of 3,000+ guests.
The original 10-day itinerary was shortened to 7 days, with planned stops in Ketchikan Alaska on July 12th and Prince Rupert BC Canada on July 13th.
Guests who boarded on Thursday were offered the choice to cancel their trip and receive a full refund, as well as a 50% voucher for a future cruise. Those who chose to continue the journey to Alaska would receive a 75% partial refund.
The ship had collided with Pier 27, a dock on San Francisco's waterfront, as it was returning from its 10-day Alaska cruise. No injuries were reported among the 3328 guests and 1159 crew members on board.
While the ship suffered visible damage, the pier bore the brunt of the impact.
The incident is currently being investigated by the US Coast Guard in collaboration with the police.