Cruise passengers left high and dry

The crew of a cruise liner are languishing at Tilbury Docks a month after their vessel was impounded at Dover when her American owner failed to pay mounting debts.

Renaissance, owner of the £120million vessel, filed for bankruptcy after suffering a slump in passenger numbers following the 11 September atrocities. A skeleton crew remains on board to maintain and guard the 30,000-tonne, 600ft Gibraltar-registered R7, which has a swimming pool, casino and library on its nine passenger decks.

More than 300 American passengers were left stranded when the R7 was impounded by the Admiralty Marshall in Dover last month - less than a day into a cruise to St Petersburg from Dover following a claim brought by the ship's agents for unpaid fees. It was later directed to Tilbury Docks on the Thames in Essex.

Manfred Urpsrunger, Renaissance chief executive, said: "We have reluctantly elected to seek court protection after exhausting every avenue to find a business solution.

"The move comes after the unexpected drop in leisure travel following the events in America on 11 September which have had an immediate and adverse effect on the company. We concluded that this was the only responsible action we could take to exit our business in an orderly fashion while preserving value for our investors."

Admiralty Marshall Keith Houghton said: "The next step will be up to either the ship's agents or any number of the other creditors who have given notice to the court that they have claims."

The majority of the crew of 373 were repatriated, but a further 40 remain on board. Passengers were booked on flights home - regardless of what phase their cruise was in. It is believed that seven of the vessel's sister ships are under arrest in Gibraltar.

Renaissance is advising those who have booked future voyages to contact their travel agents for guidance.