A small cruise ship hit a reef near an uninhabited Fiji island over the weekend, the same island that was once the setting for "Cast Away," starring Tom Hanks.
The ship, the MV Fiji Princess, ran aground near Monuriki Island on Saturday and suffered serious damage to its rear left side, the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) said in a statement posted to social media.
The vessel was carrying 30 passengers and 31 crew members at the time of the incident. Thankfully, nobody sustained any injuries, and everyone was safely disembarked and taken to Denarau Island.
Blue Lagoon Cruises, the operator of MV Fiji Princess, and a salvage specialist from Australia are actively working to recover the ship.
"The vessel is carrying about 20,000 litres of diesel fuel, however, at the time of inspection, there were no signs that the fuel tanks had been damaged. MSAF had taken oil spill response equipment to the area as a precaution. However, due to the rough sea conditions, it was not safe or effective to put the equipment into the water immediately," MSAF's statement continues.
As of Monday, April 6, the main goal is to remove as much fuel and oil from the ship as possible to reduce the risk of pollution.
A statement given to a local media outlet says that conditions when anchoring the MV Fiji Princess were calm. Based on preliminary investigations, it appears that a sudden, severe squall caused the ship's anchor to drag towards a nearby reef, causing it to crash.
The small cruise ship was on a 7-night itinerary when it ran aground near Monuriki Island in the Malolo Group. Blue Lagoon Cruises' website claims that they've "figured out the winning formula for taking guests to the most beautiful places in Fiji." Voyages will sail to uninhabited tropical islands, anchor at a private beach in the Blue Lagoon, and more.
Compared to mega-ships like Icon of the Seas, MV Fiji Princess is tiny, featuring just 32 cabins with a total passenger capacity of 64. She joined the line's fleet in 2026.
Measuring just 179 feet long, her smaller size ensures that she can access bays and islands that would be impossible to reach on a larger vessel.
Amenities include an open-air dining room, sun deck with bar, splash pool, spa, complimentary WiFi and laundry, filtered water stations, and more.
Prices for a 7-night sailing with Blue Lagoon Cruises start at $5,045 per person.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
