Cast Away cruise ship Fiji Princess retired after 22 years – passengers pay tribute

• MV Fiji Princess, operated by Blue Lagoon Cruises for 22 years, is being retired.
• The ship became grounded on a reef near Monuruki Island, where Cast Away was filmed with Tom Hanks, on April 4, 2026.
• Guests have made heartfelt farewells: “Rest in calm waters our dear Fiji Princess,” said one.

Fiji Princess, who’s been taking guests on trips around the Pacific for 22 years, is to be retired after her highly-publicised grounding last week.

The 55-metre ship dragged anchor in the early hours of April 4, 2026, and became stuck on a reef on Monuriki Island in the Malolo Group, the shooting location for Tom Hanks’ film Cast Away.

All 30 guests and crew were safely disembarked but the ship sustained damage in the grounding and the severe weather event.

Blue Lagoon Cruises made the announcement on social media resulting in a flood of tributes from former passengers who had sailed on her over the years.

“With much sadness and following initial recovery efforts, Blue Lagoon Cruises has made the difficult decision to retire MV Fiji Princess,” the company wrote.

The announcement received hundreds of comments from passengers sharing their memories of sailings on the ship and also their concern for the crew.

“Our hearts are breaking for you all but we are so grateful for so many wonderful memories with our family, friends, and the crew who became our second family … Rest in calm waters our dear Fiji Princess, you meant so much to us all,” wrote one.

“Oh no! The Fiji Princess was a legend! Best cruise ship ever,” wrote another.

Given the outpouring from loyal passengers, the cruise line followed up with another post thanking everyone for sharing their memories and gave an update on the fate of the crew.

“We are truly humbled by the images, comments, stories, and the vast array of well-wishes that have been received.

“The Fiji Princess crew will all be retained and provided roles within our wider business, including onboard sister ship, Yasawa Princess II. The Fiji Princess crew is a large part of what made the product so special, and we know they’ll continue to provide the same experiences across other areas of our business.”

The line also shared further details of the salvage operation of the ship.

“In terms of the ship herself, the unfortunate timing of Tropical Cyclone Vaianu prevented any possibility of safely refloating Fiji Princess after the grounding incident,” it revealed.

“The ship then sustained further damage during the cyclone, and this ultimately led to the ship’s retirement.

“A process to remove the ship from its current location is well underway, and Blue Lagoon Cruises is being well supported in this process by expert consultants, professional salvors, and the ship’s insurers. The process to remove the ship is currently expected to take anywhere from one to three months, with the exact timing subject to ongoing assessments, planning, and relevant approvals.”

Guests impacted by the retirement of MV Fiji Princess will be contacted and provided with alternate booking options.