Carnival Liberty Leaves St. Thomas With Remaining Passengers On Board (Update)

UPDATE: According to WICO, the ship saw a two-hour delay, but was able to safely leave the dock at about 9:30 p.m. on Thursday night.

ORIGINAL STORY: ST. THOMAS — Carnival Liberty was expected to leave St. Thomas for Puerto Rico at 7 p.m. this evening, sailing under its own power, the West Indian Company, Ltd. announced on Thursday. Passengers who have not left the island on a cruise-line chartered flight will leave with the ship, according to a press release WICO on Thursday.

Carnival Liberty has been in port since Monday at the island’s main cruise ship dock after a fire in the engine room prevented its scheduled departure.

“We are pleased the Liberty and her passengers are able to safely leave St. Thomas,” said Joseph B. Boschulte, President and CEO of the West Indian Company, Ltd. WICO manages the dock where the ship had been held. “Liberty makes regular calls and we look forward to welcoming her soon. We also hope passengers from this cruise will visit us again, either on another cruise or for an overnight stay on any of our beautiful islands.”

Carnival Cruise Line chartered flights for passengers when they were unable to confirm when the ship would leave Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas’ capital.

The Labor Day fire caused a full passenger evacuation and ended Liberty’s seven-day cruise. No one was injured. Investigation into the cause of the fire continues.

Carnival Liberty is a Conquest-class ship. With 3,346 passengers and 1,150 crew on board, it was on the second day of a week-long Caribbean cruise when the incident occurred.