text: Nearly 500 British holidaymakers were stranded overnight on an impounded cruise ship in Lisbon harbour after its owners were served with a summons for an allegedly unpaid debt. The passengers coming towards the end of a 15 night cruise became the unwitting pawns in a legal wrangle between a former crew member and the owners of the MV Azores. The ship had been set to leave Lisbon at 7pm on Tuesday night with its 489 passengers heading back to Bristol Avonmouth after a round-trip tour that took in La Coruna in Spain, the Azores, and Madeira. But that was scuppered when lawyers slapped a court order on the ship over an 'unresolved' and 'historic' financial wrangle. The harbour master then refused to let the ship leave for Bristol. Scroll down for video . Stranded: 489 British holidaymakers were stuck in Lisbon on the MV Azores (file photo) overnight after its owners were served with a summons for an allegedly unpaid debt . Stuck: They were due to leave Lisbon for Bristol at 7pm on Tuesday but lawyers slapped a court order on the ship over an 'unresolved' and 'historic' financial wrangle . The ship is operated by Essex-based Cruise & Maritime Voyages. But the legal dispute was between owners Portuscale Cruise - from which they were chartering the vessel - and one of that company's former staff. The UK cruise firm, which had nothing to do with the financial wrangle, eventually came to an arrangement with Portugese authorities which allowed the ship to sail - 19 hours late - at 2pm Wednesday. It said passengers were kept informed throughout, helped with onward travel arrangements affected by the delay, and given access to a complimentary bar. One stricken passenger sent a text to a relative telling him: 'Can't believe we're stuck in Lisbon, Portugal. 'Our ship has been impounded due to an historical incident which basically means an unpaid debt.' The Madeira-registered 16,144-tonne, 525ft-long MV Azores was built in 1946. It has eight passenger decks and room for 550 passengers in its 227 cabins. Prices for the cruise range from £779 per person for a standard twin inner-cabin, to £4,159 per person for the owner's suite with an ocean view. The average price for the majority of cabins is priced at £1,500 per person. Cruise & Maritime Voyages's commercial director Chris Coates said: 'The delay of the MV Azores overnight in Lisbon related to a historic local issue with the vessel's owning company, Portuscale Cruises from whom Cruise & Maritime Voyages charter the ship using our own crew. Wrangle: The legal dispute was between owners Portuscale Cruise - from which they were chartering the vessel (file photo) - and one of that company's former staff . Going nowhere: The harbour master then refused to let the ship leave the port and passengers eventually arrived back in the UK 19 hours late . 'This dispute involved a previous crewing issue going back to 2014 and was settled first thing this morning. 'But we had to wait for the clearance documentation to be signed off by the local authorities. The ship is now heading en-route back to the UK.' He added: 'On behalf of Cruise & Maritime Voyages, I would like to extend our sincere apologises for the delay and any disruption caused.' Coates said his company, set up in 2010, carries more than 100,000 ocean and river cruise passengers a year and had 'never experienced a delay of this nature before'. Luxurious: The average price for the majority of cabins on the MV Azores is priced at £1,500 per person . The firm's online brochure says of the MV Azores: 'With her handsome profile and a traditional walk around promenade deck, the 16,144grt Portuguese registered Azores is a classic beautifully restored ocean going cruise ship carrying just 550 guests and offers a wide selection of very well appointed and comfortable public lounges and cabin accommodation spanning eight passenger decks serviced by two lifts.' It features a choice of five comfortable lounges and bars including the Calypso main show lounge, plus a nightclub, cinema, casino, shopping boutique, photo shop, library, card and bridge room, fitness and health centre with sauna and massage facilities, an unheated outdoor swimming pool and a marbled reception area. Most cabins enjoy an ocean view and all the private en-suite cabins have a bath with shower, a hairdryer and personal safe, a TV for movies and news and information channels and a fridge with a mini bar facility.
target: Nearly 500 British holidaymakers were stranded on the MV Azores all night .
  Lawyers slapped court order on ship over an 'unresolved financial wrangle'
  Harbour master refused to let ship leave Lisbon to final destination Bristol .
  Portugese authorities allowed it to sail, passengers got home 19 hours late .