All passengers have been offered a full refund, plus 50 per cent off their next Norwegian Cruise Line trip, regardless of whether they stay aboard or leave. Passengers who leave the cruise will also receive AU$350 (NZD$375) per person for flights to New Zealand and AUD 300 (NZD 319) per ticket to compensate for flight rescheduling penalties. The Norwegian Star encountered mechanical issues long before it departed Sydney. The ship, which departed Hong Kong on January 16, had problems in another part of the engine about nine days into the voyage. The spokeswoman said attempts were made to repair the fault, but the cruise liner could not travel at speed and skipped up to five ports in order to reach Sydney on time. She said the vessel was seaworthy despite the two system failures.