Pacific Star, Cyclone Funa

P&O cruise ship Pacific Star is again battling a wave of passenger complaints after being battered by the trailing edge of Cyclone Funa whose strong winds and high seas smashed crockery and left five passengers injured.

The complaints emerged when the eight day cruise to Vanuatu returned to Auckland yesterday - a day late. Passengers were furious P&O knew about Cyclone Funa and continued sailing into it, becoming caught in the worst of the storm on Sunday night.

It is claimed that passengers were moving around the ship with life jackets on because water was coming into staterooms, and that fridges moved out of their cubbyholes in cabins. Some passengers said that the worse experience when the ship was turned around and began rolling sideways - without warning. P&O claims says passengers were warned by an announcement and their public affairs manager said five passengers reported injuries which included suspected sprains, bruises and a rib injury caused when someone fell out of bed. ‘We've tried to do our best to make sure that passenger safety was paramount’, he added. However, in July, passengers on the Pacific Star described a holiday in hell after a trip from Auckland to Vanuatu in which the ship got caught up in another storm.