P&O Cruises' round-the-world ship Aurora was forced to remain in Auckland this
week while repairs were carried out to its propeller shaft.
Shopkeepers in the city were delighted, however, as the ship’s passengers headed
for a little retail relief.
A bearing on a propeller shaft failed soon after the ship left Sydney and the
port engine was shut down for the remainder of the voyage across the Tasman Sea.
Aurora was originally due to leave the port on Saturday. The ship skipped stops
at Wellington and Napier on the way to Auckland, and visits to the Tahitian
islands of Moorea and Papeete were also cancelled.
The ship was due to leave Auckland on Wednesday night. It will sail direct to
Honolulu, then on to San Francisco and Southampton on its 93-night world voyage.