stranded cruise ship 2022

Luxury cruise ship stranded in Greenland with Covid-positive passengers is finally pulled free

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The luxury cruise ship MV Ocean Explorer was successfully pulled free on Thursday, three days after running aground in Greenland with 206 people on board, authorities and the ship’s owner said.

The ship was freed by a fisheries research vessel at high tide, said the cruise ship’s owner, Copenhagen-based SunStone Ships, and the Joint Arctic Command, which coordinated the operation.

“There have not been any injuries to anybody onboard, no pollution of the environment and no breach of the hull,” SunStone Ships said in a statement. The research vessel which pulled the cruise ship belongs to the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, a government agency, it said.

It said the cruise ship and its passengers will now travel to a port where the damage to the vessel’s bottom can be assessed, and the passengers will be taken to a location from where they can be flown home. There was no immediate comment from the tour company that organized the trip, Australia-based Aurora Expeditions.

The cruise ship ran aground Monday above the Arctic Circle  in Alpefjord  in Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s northernmost national park. The park is nearly the size of France and Spain combined, and approximately 80% is covered by  an ice sheet . Alpefjord is about 240 kilometers (150 miles) from the closest settlement, Ittoqqortoormiit, which is nearly 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) from the country’s capital, Nuuk.

The Bahamas-flagged cruise ship has passengers from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. It has an inverted bow, shaped like the one on a submarine, 77 cabins, 151 passenger beds and 99 beds for crew, and several restaurants.

Earlier Thursday, Aurora Expeditions said three passengers had Covid-19.

“These passengers are currently in isolation. They are looked after by our onboard doctor, medical team and crew, and they are doing well,” it said in a statement. Others on the MV Ocean Explorer are “safe and healthy,” it said.

Australian newspaper The Sydney Morning Herald quoted a retiree from Australia who is on the ship, Steven Fraser, as saying: “Everyone’s in good spirits. It’s a little bit frustrating, but we are in a beautiful part of the world.”

Fraser told the newspaper that he had come down with Covid-19 on the ship.

Cmdr. Brian Jensen of the Joint Arctic Command told Greenland broadcaster KNR that the ship is likely to go to Iceland, the closest place with large ports.

“Now it is exciting to find out what the condition of the ship is,“ Jensen was quoted as saying by KNR. “They are in the process of investigating whether the ship is intact and seaworthy and ready to sail on.”

The ship’s owner said several other vessels had rushed to the scene “and offered their assistance, which however, was not needed.” It said it had also “arranged additional tug assistance in case it was needed, however, this has now been canceled.”

Dozens of cruise ships sail along Greenland’s coast every year so passengers can admire the picturesque mountainous landscape, waterways packed with icebergs of different sizes and glaciers jutting out into the sea.

Danish broadcaster DR said there were 400 cruises in Greenland in 2022 and 600 cruises in 2023.

The Danish Maritime Authority asked police in Greenland to investigate why the ship ran aground and whether any laws had been violated, a police statement said, adding that no one has been charged or arrested. An officer has been on board the ship to carry out “initial investigative steps, which, among other things, involve questioning the crew and other relevant persons on board,” it said.

The cruise liner began its current trip on Sept. 2 in Kirkenes in Arctic Norway and was due to return to Bergen, Norway, on Sept. 22, according to SunStone Ships.

The primary mission of the Joint Arctic Command is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faeroe Islands and Greenland, including the Arctic Ocean in the north. Greenland is a semi-independent territory that is part of the Danish realm, as are the Faeroe Islands.

The Associated Press

Cruise ship with thousands on board runs aground in Caribbean

Officials hope Norwegian Escape, stranded off the north coast of the Dominican Republic, can be refloated at high tide.

Officials in the Dominican Republic have confirmed that a large cruise ship had run aground off the Caribbean island nation’s north coast shortly after leaving the port of Puerto Plata.

According to local media, the ship is the Norwegian Escape, with some 3,000 tourists and 1,600 crew on board.

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“For the moment, there is no risk for passengers or crew members,” Vice Admiral Ramon Gustavo Betances Hernandez told the media on Monday, adding that the ship had run aground due to “strong 30 knot winds.”

“The tide in this area rises about 1 metre (3 feet) at four in the morning (08:00 GMT). We think that with the high tide, we can get the boat out of its current position,” the vice-admiral said, noting that tugs had already been working in vain to free the vessel.

He said that additional tugs would soon be arriving to help in the effort.

The Norwegian Escape was on its way to the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands, before making its way to the Bahamas, according to local media.

Crucero continúa encayado en Taíno Bay, Puerto Plata; al lugar se han presentado representantes de diferentes instituciones del estado, con la finalidad de colaborar con la tripulación y que siga su curso conforme al programa de navegación la nave “Norwegian Escape”. pic.twitter.com/jRdOfShVHq — Ramón Núñez Fernández (@RamonNunez81) March 15, 2022

(Translation: Cruise ship remains aground in Taino Baym, Puerto Plata; representatives from different government authorities have been at the site with the aim of working with the crew and for the ship, Norwegian Escape, to continue on its course )

Passengers posted pictures of the incident on social media, showing tug boats alongside the ship. There were no reports of damage.

According to the US-based Norwegian Cruise Line’s website, the Norwegian Escape is nearly 326 metres long (1,070 feet) and weighs 165,000 tonnes.

It can accommodate as many as 4,200 passengers and 1,700 crew members.

The ship, one of NCL’s biggest, was built in Germany and delivered in 2015.

Cursed cruise ship where 120 passengers tested positive for COVID-19, now is facing 20-foot waves and brutal wind, stranding it off Australia

• A Coral Princess cruise ship with more than 2,000 passengers onboard is stranded at sea.
• Strong winds and 20-foot waves are preventing the ship from safely docking in Australia, per reports.
• This isn't the ship's only challenge in recent days. Last week, it reported 120 cases of COVID-19 onboard.

Passengers on the Coral Princess cruise ship, now stuck off Australia's coast, can't seem to catch a break. 

Last week, the ship reported 120 cases of COVID-19 . Now, its 2,000-plus passengers are stranded at sea.

Strong winds and 20-foot waves are preventing the vessel from safely docking, according to news reports from The Daily Mail and Sky News Australia. The ship was supposed to dock in Brisbane at 7am local time Friday, the last day of its weeklong voyage, with stops along the Queensland and New South Wales coasts, but bad weather has made that impossible.

Related stories

It's unclear when the ship will be able to dock. 

"The Port of Brisbane is closed ... " a Princess Cruises spokesman told The Daily Mail Australia, citing "adverse weather conditions associated with the East Coast Low off Queensland."

The ship's arrival and reopening of the port will depend on when conditions improve, the spokesman said.

The ship has been hit with waves measuring roughly 20 feet, according to passenger footage cited by The Daily Mail. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning for winds with gusts up to roughly 55 miles per hour, for parts of the southern Queensland coast Friday.

Princess Cruises did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Watch: How waste is dealt with on the world's largest cruise ship

• Main content

At least 5 cruise ships stuck at sea as Hurricane Ian closes Florida ports

Thousands of passengers on cruise ships this week are getting something they probably didn't expect when their cruises began a few days ago: extra days at sea.

The closure of three major Florida cruise ports Tuesday and Wednesday due to the approach of Hurricane Ian — Port Tampa Bay, Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPort) and Port Canaveral — means that at least five Florida-based cruise vessels won't be able to return to their home ports on Thursday as scheduled to disembark the passengers.

Instead, the ships are spending extra time at sea and at cruise destinations in the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

The voyages that are being extended include this week's four-night sailings of Carnival Cruise Line 's 2,052-passenger Carnival Paradise and 2,052-passenger Carnival Elation out of Port Tampa Bay and JAXPort, respectively. Both of the sailings, which began on Sunday and had been scheduled to end Thursday morning, are now morphing into cruises that will last at least five nights.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Also being extended are sailings out of Port Canaveral operated by Royal Caribbean 's 3,344-passenger Mariner of the Seas, Norwegian Cruise Line 's 3,967-passenger Norwegian Getaway and MSC Cruises ' 3,502-passenger MSC Divina.

All three of the ships had been due back at Port Canaveral on Thursday morning but will now stay at sea until Friday morning if not longer.

Also likely to remain at sea longer than expected is Disney Cruise Line 's 2,508-passenger, Port Canaveral-based Disney Wish. The line told passengers on the current sailing that the vessel might not return to Port Canaveral early Friday as scheduled and could remain at sea into the weekend.

The delayed returns mean that nearly 20,000 cruisers this week are getting an extension of their vacations — whether they want one or not.

If Port Canaveral doesn't reopen to cruise traffic by Friday, two other ships that are based at the port — Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas and Carnival's Carnival Liberty — could also find themselves stuck at sea for an extra day.

Port Tampa Bay closed to marine traffic, including cruise ships, at 8 a.m. on Tuesday as Hurricane Ian bore down the west coast of Florida, and Port Canaveral closed to marine traffic at 12 a.m. on Wednesday. JAXPort is scheduled to shut down at 12 p.m. on Wednesday.

Related: Cruise lines cancel, delay Florida sailings as Hurricane Ian approaches

All three of the ports are expected to remain closed through at least Friday morning.

In a statement sent to TPG, Carnival said the Tampa-based Carnival Paradise had extended its Tuesday visit to Cozumel, Mexico, into Wednesday — giving passengers an extra day at the port. The timing of the ship's return to Tampa has yet to be set.

Carnival Paradise "is now scheduled to depart from Cozumel on Wednesday," Carnival said in the statement. "The ship will then begin heading back to Tampa, but remaining a safe distance from the storm as the company determines when Carnival Paradise can return to the Port of Tampa after the U.S. Coast Guard assesses conditions."

A new return date for Carnival Elation to Jacksonville also has not yet been set. The ship replaced a scheduled visit to Princess Cay in the Bahamas on Tuesday with a day at sea and will be visiting Freeport in the Bahamas on Wednesday instead of a scheduled sea day.

"It is likely the sailing will be extended until the port [of Jacksonville] reopens after the storm has passed," the line said.

In a statement posted online, Royal Caribbean said it expected Mariner of the Seas to be back in Port Canaveral on Friday, a day later than scheduled.

Related: Don't cruise during hurricane season without reading this

Norwegian and MSC Cruises have not yet said when Norwegian Getaway and MSC Divina might return to Port Canaveral.

As is customary when cruises need to be extended due to inclement weather, none of the passengers on board the vessels will be charged for the extra days they spend on the ships.

Such voyage extensions due to hurricanes and other weather events are relatively rare in the cruise world, though they do happen from time to time.

What's particularly notable about this week's cruise extensions is that they are taking place for ships operating out of multiple Florida ports on both sides of the state — a result of Hurricane Ian's large size and Florida-crossing track.

The extensions have mostly been met with good humor by passengers on the ships, at least judging from their posts on social media. "Oh noooo hurricane Ian is forcing us to stay on our cruise an extra day," one cruiser on a Royal Caribbean ship wrote early Wednesday on Twitter, adding a laughing emoji that suggested she wasn't upset at all.

Passengers on Disney Wish posted video on Twitter of cheers erupting through the ship when they were told they might be getting an extra day or two at sea.

The extended sailings are just the latest in a string of disruptions to cruises this week caused by Hurricane Ian. More than a dozen cruise ships operating in the Caribbean and the Bahamas have had to switch course in recent days to steer clear of the storm as it barreled toward Florida. In many cases, the ships dropped or switched ports as they moved to calmer waters.

Related: See which cruise ships have been affected by Ian

The disruptions come as one of the busier cruise ports in the region that often serves as an alternate stop for cruise ships avoiding hurricanes, Grand Turk, remains closed for now due to damage from Hurricane Fiona .

As of 8 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Ian was about 55 miles west of Naples, Florida, and moving north-northeast at 10 miles per hour. The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 155 miles per hour.

According to current projections, Ian could be a very powerful Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 155 miles per hour as it hits the west coast of Florida Wednesday.

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Watch CBS News

Cruise ship Mardi Gras rescues 16 people who were stranded at sea

June 4, 2022 / 7:54 AM EDT / CBS News

A small vessel navigating rough waters that was spotted in distress on Friday was rescued by crew members aboard the Mardi Gras, according to a release from  Carnival Cruise line's blog.

Crew members stopped to help before 8 a.m. on Friday as the ship headed toward Florida.

Sixteen people — 11 men and five women — were stranded in the open sea near Cuba. The Mardi Gras crew took them onboard for safety. They were seen by medical staff and given food and clothes, the release said.

The group was safely taken to a Coast Guard cutter around 2:45 p.m.

Mardi Gras was on its final day of a seven-day sail. It will return to its homeport today in Port Canaveral, Fla.

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How these cruise passengers missed boarding, got stranded in Africa

Both Americans and Australians were left at port after an excursion ran long.

After what seemed like a dream trip, several American travelers were left stranded at port in West Africa mid-cruise while traveling from Cape Town, South Africa, to Barcelona, Spain.

Jay and Jill Campbell told ABC News Myrtle Beach affiliate WPDE that they were in the first week of a three week voyage aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines when they stopped just off the coast of West Africa.

The couple and others opted to tour the nearby island of São Tomé and Príncipe on the afternoon of March 27, and when the excursion ran late, they said they brought it to the guides' attention.

"We were like, 'our time is getting short,'" Jay Campbell recalled, at which point he said the guide let them know, "'No problem we can get you back in an hour.'"

Upon their return, the passengers said cruise officials refused to let them aboard the ship, even as the local Coast Guard had ferried the group to the anchored vessel.

"The harbormaster tried to call the ship. The captain refused the call. We sent emails to NCL the customer service emergency number," Jay Campbell said. "They said the only way for us to get in touch with the ship is via email. They're not responding to our emails."

The Campbells say they were left stranded along with four other Americans and two Australians -- of whom one is a paraplegic, one has a heart condition and one is pregnant. Some did not have credit cards or medication that was left on board.

Cruise expert Stewart Chiron, known as The Cruise Guy, told ABC News that "the bottom line was, they were hours late, the ship was ready to go."

MORE: Norwegian Cruise Line passengers claim Antarctica voyage was rerouted mid-trip

"More than likely that the anchor was already up, and the ship was already possibly moving," he said.

He continued, "Any operation at that point to get these passengers back on the ship would have caused tremendous delays, and safety would have been a major concern."

In a statement to ABC News, a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Lines said, "On the afternoon of March 27, 2024, while the ship was in São Tomé and Príncipe, an African island nation, eight guests who were on the island on a private tour not organized through us missed the last tender back to the vessel, therefore not meeting the all aboard time of 3 p.m. local time."

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They continued, "While this is a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time, which is communicated broadly over the ship's intercom, in the daily communication and posted just before exiting the vessel."

The spokesperson added that the passports for the passengers who did not return at the all aboard time "were delivered to the local port agents to retrieve when they returned to the port, as per the regular protocol."

"Our team has been working closely with the local authorities to understand the requirements and necessary visas needed for the guests to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call," they said.

The Campbells said that their eight person group spent 15 hours traveling through six countries in an attempt to rejoin the Norwegian Dawn ship in Banjul, Gambia, on April 1. However, the ship couldn't dock due to low tide, so they are now trying to get to Senegal where the ship is meant to dock on Tuesday.

The Norwegian spokesperson said, "Unfortunately the ship was unable to safely dock in the destination due to adverse weather conditions, as well as tidal restrictions that require specific timing for safe passage. While we share in our guests' disappointment, this modification was made with great consideration for their safety and that of our crew, which is our top priority."

The cruise line contacted the guests "regarding this itinerary adjustment and provided them with authorization to rejoin the ship at Dakar, Senegal on April 2, 2024."

In light of the "series of unfortunate events outside of our control," the spokesperson said Norwegian Cruise Lines "will be reimbursing these eight guests for their travel costs from Banjur, Gambia to Dakar, Senegal" and are still in communication with the guests to provide additional information as it becomes available.

MORE: Meet the cruise couple who have spent over 450 days at sea so far

In a separate, unrelated situation that took place coincidentally on the same day of the voyage, the spokesperson said, "An 80-year-old woman was medically disembarked after being evaluated by our onboard medical team, who thought it best that she receive further assessment and treatment as needed from a local hospital."

"In instances such as these, as the guest was released from the hospital and in a coherent state, our protocol is to contact the guest directly, as we would not have the authority to share any medical details with anyone else without their expressed consent," the spokesperson added, saying they worked with the port agent to receive updates.

"The guest has since been escorted on a flight to Lisbon, Portugal, and then put in the care of airport staff to continue her journey to the United States, where she has now made a safe return," they said.

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How these cruise passengers missed boarding, got stranded in Africa

After what seemed like a dream trip, several American travelers were left stranded at port in West Africa mid-cruise while traveling from Cape Town, South Africa, to Barcelona, Spain.

Jay and Jill Campbell told ABC News Myrtle Beach affiliate WPDE that they were in the first week of a three week voyage aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines when they stopped just off the coast of West Africa.

The couple and others opted to tour the nearby island of São Tomé and Príncipe on the afternoon of March 27, and when the excursion ran late, they said they brought it to the guides' attention.

"We were like, 'our time is getting short,'" Jay Campbell recalled, at which point he said the guide let them know, "'No problem we can get you back in an hour.'"

Upon their return, the passengers said cruise officials refused to let them aboard the ship, even as the local Coast Guard had ferried the group to the anchored vessel.

"The harbormaster tried to call the ship. The captain refused the call. We sent emails to NCL the customer service emergency number," Jay Campbell said. "They said the only way for us to get in touch with the ship is via email. They're not responding to our emails."

The Campbells say they were left stranded along with four other Americans and two Australians -- of whom one is a paraplegic, one has a heart condition and one is pregnant. Some did not have credit cards or medication that was left on board.

Cruise expert Stewart Chiron, known as The Cruise Guy, told ABC News that "the bottom line was, they were hours late, the ship was ready to go."

Related Articles

MORE: Norwegian Cruise Line passengers claim Antarctica voyage was rerouted mid-trip

"More than likely that the anchor was already up, and the ship was already possibly moving," he said.

He continued, "Any operation at that point to get these passengers back on the ship would have caused tremendous delays, and safety would have been a major concern."

In a statement to ABC News, a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Lines said, "On the afternoon of March 27, 2024, while the ship was in São Tomé and Príncipe, an African island nation, eight guests who were on the island on a private tour not organized through us missed the last tender back to the vessel, therefore not meeting the all aboard time of 3 p.m. local time."

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They continued, "While this is a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time, which is communicated broadly over the ship's intercom, in the daily communication and posted just before exiting the vessel."

The spokesperson added that the passports for the passengers who did not return at the all aboard time "were delivered to the local port agents to retrieve when they returned to the port, as per the regular protocol."

"Our team has been working closely with the local authorities to understand the requirements and necessary visas needed for the guests to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call," they said.

The Campbells said that their eight person group spent 15 hours traveling through six countries in an attempt to rejoin the Norwegian Dawn ship in Banjul, Gambia, on April 1. However, the ship couldn't dock due to low tide, so they are now trying to get to Senegal where the ship is meant to dock on Tuesday.

The Norwegian spokesperson said, "Unfortunately the ship was unable to safely dock in the destination due to adverse weather conditions, as well as tidal restrictions that require specific timing for safe passage. While we share in our guests' disappointment, this modification was made with great consideration for their safety and that of our crew, which is our top priority."

The cruise line contacted the guests "regarding this itinerary adjustment and provided them with authorization to rejoin the ship at Dakar, Senegal on April 2, 2024."

In light of the "series of unfortunate events outside of our control," the spokesperson said Norwegian Cruise Lines "will be reimbursing these eight guests for their travel costs from Banjur, Gambia to Dakar, Senegal" and are still in communication with the guests to provide additional information as it becomes available.

MORE: Meet the cruise couple who have spent over 450 days at sea so far

In a separate, unrelated situation that took place coincidentally on the same day of the voyage, the spokesperson said, "An 80-year-old woman was medically disembarked after being evaluated by our onboard medical team, who thought it best that she receive further assessment and treatment as needed from a local hospital."

"In instances such as these, as the guest was released from the hospital and in a coherent state, our protocol is to contact the guest directly, as we would not have the authority to share any medical details with anyone else without their expressed consent," the spokesperson added, saying they worked with the port agent to receive updates.

"The guest has since been escorted on a flight to Lisbon, Portugal, and then put in the care of airport staff to continue her journey to the United States, where she has now made a safe return," they said.

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BREAKING NEWS

LIVE RADAR: Tropical downpours spill into Florida. Here’s what to expect

A flood advisory in effect for volusia county, carnival cruise ship picks up 16 people stranded in open sea, u.s. coast guard has been notified, cruise line says.

Brandon Hogan , Digital Editor

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Crew members on the Carnival Mardi Gras cruise ship spotted a small vessel in distress near Cuba Friday morning and took aboard 16 stranded people who were inside it, according to a news release.

The Mardi Gras crew made contact with the group before 8 a.m. and brought them back to the cruise ship for their safety, the release stated.

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According to Carnival, the vessel was found in the rough, open sea. The Mardi Gras was on its final day of a seven-day sailing and will be back at Port Canaveral by Saturday morning, Carnival said.

Crew members have reportedly notified the U.S. Coast Guard and all other appropriate authorities.

No other details were shared.

Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Brandon hogan.

Brandon, a UCF grad, joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021. Before joining News 6, Brandon worked at WDBO.

RELATED STORIES

Coast guard suspends search for man who jumped from cruise ship off florida, ‘harmony of the seas’ cruise ship hits dock in jamaica, cruise line says, passengers aboard carnival cruise ship that caught fire return to port canaveral.

• Australia News

Wild seas and high winds leaves 2,000 passengers on Coral Princess cruise ship stranded 40km off the coast of Brisbane

Two thousand passengers are stranded 40km off the coast of Brisbane with high seas and wild winds making it unsafe for the Coral Princess cruise ship to dock.

A cruise ship carrying 2,000 passengers is stranded off the coast of Brisbane with the boat unable to dock due to high swells and wild seas.

The Coral Princess has been prevented from entering Brisbane harbour with waves of up to 6.5 metres being recorded while passengers have shared footage of the boat rocking and water overflowing from the vessel's pools.

Passengers are now stuck with the boat idling around 40 kilometres offshore.

The boat is the same vessel that made headlines last week when it arrived in Sydney with around 120 positive COVID-19 cases on Wednesday.

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Caloundra Coast Guard has instructed the ship to remain a safe distance from the shore until the waters inside the harbour calm down.

The seven-day cruise along the Queensland and NSW coast was due to end on Friday but Princess Cruises confirmed the passengers were likely remain on the ship throughout Saturday.

“The Port of Brisbane remains closed to shipping and pilotage services also remain suspended due to the current strong swell at the pilot station,” Princess Cruises told SkyNews.com.au.

“The pilotage service is unlikely to resume before noon today (Saturday), which would mean a late afternoon arrival for Coral Princess at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal.”

Passengers had visited Airlie Beach, Cairns and Port Douglas on the trip and Princess Cruises said they were being “well cared for” and were receiving regular updates on the situation's developments.

“Guests who were due to board Coral Princess yesterday for a similar cruise itinerary are also being regularly updated on developments with advice to come on the impact on their itinerary,” Princess Cruises said.

Queensland is being lashed by wild weather and major storms with large parts of the south east being inundated with flood waters.

Several large ships have been forced to remain offshore over safety concerns but the Coral Princess is the only passenger ship.

“They’ve all been instructed just to float or drift, but the Coral Princess because it has passengers on board is unable to do that,” Caloundra Coast Guard Commander Roger Pearce told the ABC.

“So it’s just motoring, in circles at a very low speed, so it keeps moving.”

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a marine strong wind warning for Saturday on the Capricornia Coast, Fraser Island Coast, Sunshine Coast Waters and Gold Coast Waters.

A strong wind warning was also issued for Sunday on the Fraser Island Coast, Sunshine Coast Waters and Gold Coast Waters.

Currently it is not known when the Coral Princess will be able to dock.

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High winds strand 2 cruise ships in Elliott Bay

A large cruise ship was stranded in Elliott Bay for hours due to high winds, according to the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

As Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas came in to make its approach, strong winds forced the vessel to wait until available tugboats could help, according to Puget Sound Pilots (PSP).

The vessel was waiting for an extra tug, said Petty Officer Steven Strohmeyer with the USCG District 13 Public Affairs Office.

Before helping to bring in the cruise ship, PSP President Ivan Carlson said tugboats first had to move a fish processor farther south.

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Carlson said tugboats had moved the other vessel, freeing up the small boats to move the Quantum of the Seas. KOMO News' tower camera showed what appeared to be tugboats near the cruise ship at 11:30 a.m.

The cruise ship finally appeared to dock successfully by 1:30 p.m.

"Due to high winds, Quantum of the Seas is delayed in returning to port," a spokesperson with Royal Caribbean told KOMO News. "We're closely monitoring the weather and are communicating updates directly to our guests."

Royal Caribbean also said the ship was waiting for better weather to berth out of an abundance of caution.

Peter McGraw with the Port of Seattle said access had not yet been granted to the terminal because the situation was still developing.

Abdul Ali, a driver waiting in the cell phone lot to pick up passengers from Quantum of the Sea, called the situation frustrating.

“Yes, we've been waiting almost four hours, five hours so far, and everything is kind of backed up right now. A lot of people are missing their flights,” Ali said. “They were saying there's a wind going on, and that's why they could not make it to the dock."

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a wind advisory that is in effect until 11 a.m. Tuesday for portions of western Washington, including Elliott Bay. The NWS said the region could see gusts up to 40 mph.

Strohmeyer told KOMO News two tugboats usually bring in cruise ships, with one at the bow of the ship and one at the stern. But large container ships, Strohmeyer said, sometimes require three tugboats to dock.

The Quantum of the Seas vessel holds more than 4,900 passengers  and is typically used to take passengers on week-long trips between Seattle and Alaska, according to the company's website .

The ship is more than 1,100 feet long and almost 150 feet wide, according to VesselFinder .

Another passenger ship, the MS Roald Amundsen, also appears to be stranded in Elliott Bay. The vessel, owned by Hurtigruten Expeditions, is nearly 460 feet long and holds more than 1,000 passengers .

VesselFinder reported the Quantum of the Seas arrived in Elliott Bay a little after 5 a.m. Monday.

"The mission of the Pilots is to ensure against the loss of lives, loss of or damage to property and vessels, and to protect the marine environment by maintaining efficient and competent pilotage service on our State’s inland waters within the Puget Sound Pilotage District," according to the PSP website .

The Quantum of the Seas won Best New Cruise Ship in the 2015 Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards.

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Carnival Corporation Says 6,000 Passengers Are Currently Stranded at Sea on its Cruise Ships

Mackenzie Schmidt is the Home and Travel Editor for PEOPLE. She's worked at PEOPLE for over five years as a writer and editor on the Lifestyle team.

Carnival Corporation confirmed on Tuesday that thousands of passengers are still stranded at sea on its cruise ships amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The corporation , which is the parent company of major cruise lines including Carnival, Princess and Holland America, disclosed the information in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. They stated “there are approximately 6,000 passengers onboard ships still at sea.”

And those passengers may still have four weeks of isolation ahead, as they “are expected to disembark . . . by the end of April.”

It was not immediately clear how many different ships those passengers are aboard, but a representative for the company tells PEOPLE, “We expect to have three ships at sea by the end of this week.”“The ships that remain at sea were primarily longer cruises, including some world cruises,” the rep adds. None of the ships still at sea belong to their largest U.S. brand, Carnival Cruise Line.

Numerous cruise ships have been turned away from international ports in recent weeks due to expanding travel restrictions and in several instances, confirmed cases of COVID-19 — or fears of potential illness — on board.

Princess Cruise Lines’ Diamond Princess and Grand Princess ships, and Holland America’s MS Zaandam, which are all owned by Carnival Corp., have experienced the worst outbreaks to date.

In the case of the Diamond Princess, a total of 621 people eventually tested positive for the virus and seven former passengers have now died , according to Reuters . Twenty-one people tested positive on the Grand Princess, “some of whom subsequently died due to the disease,” Carnival Corp. said.

The MS Zaandam, which is currently en route to Ft. Lauderdale after being stuck in limbo for over a week following port closures in South America, has had four deaths on board and 189 passengers and crew reporting flu-like symptoms as of Monday night.

Four more of their owned ships also had confirmed coronavirus cases on board in the last two months.

“Numerous passengers and crew on . . .Costa Luminosa, Ruby Princess, Costa Magica and Costa Favolosa, have been diagnosed with COVID-19,” they stated, adding that “Costa Magica and Costa Favolosa are currently working with the U.S. Coast Guard to facilitate medical evacuations.” Both of those ships are now anchored near the port of Miami.

They also noted that even once everyone is on dry land, “Some of our crew is unable to return home, and we will be providing them with food and housing.”

The company, like much of the travel industry, has taken a massive hit amid the pandemic. The SEC filing was to issue $6 billion in stock in order to hopefully shore up its finances, but, it allows, the future is uncertain and the suspension of all planned voyages will likely be extended.

“Each brand has separately announced the duration of its pause, but we expect such pauses to be extended (and some extensions have already been announced),” the filing reads. Its flagship carrier, Carnival Cruise Line, has already cancelled cruises until mid-May.

In the meantime, the company is spending an enormous amount of money, while not embarking on any voyages.

Ship and administrative operating costs (including maintaining its empty ships in storage), refunding the deposits of customers canceling trips, and “COVID-related costs associated with sanitizing our ships and defending lawsuits,” among many other expenses tally to “approximately, on average, $1 billion per month,” according to the document.

In 2019, Carnival Corporation had a net income of $2.99 billion, the filing details. This year, it said, “We expect a net loss.”

WATCH THIS: Coronavirus Myths Debunked: Pathogens Expert Says ‘The Fact Speaks For Itself’

On March 13, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) — a trade organization that represents Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney, Princess, Holland America and many more— shared that in observance of government health recommendations and travel restrictions, its members would voluntarily stop new cruises from departing at midnight on March 14, and all ships already at sea would make their way home.

At the time, 40 cruise ships carrying 90,000 passengers were in the middle of their planned itineraries around the world, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The agency released a timeline for their safe return: 11 of the ships were to complete their sailings and get back to port by March 16. The remaining 29 were to do so by March 30.

As of the deadline Monday night, however, CLIA confirmed to PEOPLE that 3.6% percent of its 277 member vessels had not yet made it back, meaning approximately 10 ships with passengers on board are still at sea. Another five are docked but cannot yet disembark.

Before the industry-wide decision to voluntarily halt sailings was reached, many cruise lines were proceeding with voyages as planned amid warnings from the CDC and U.S. State Department that citizens, particularly those in compromised health, “ should not travel by cruise ship ” at this time.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC , WHO , and local public health departments and visit our coronavirus hub .

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Carnival cruise ship rescues 25 people stranded off the coast of Mexico

A Carnival Cruise Line ship responded to a call from the U.S. Coast Guard and rescued 25 people stranded in a small boat off the coast of Mexico, the company announced Saturday.

The 2,984-passenger Carnival Radiance had left Long Beach, California, on Friday and was heading toward Ensenada Mexico for a three-day sailing when the cruise ship's officers were informed by the Coast Guard "about a distress call involving a small vessel," a news release said.

The ship immediately routed toward the location of the vessel, provided by the USCG, and "quickly" rescued all 25 people on board, including three children, the company said.

The U.S. Coast Guard did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.

The rescued group was welcomed onto the cruise ship and given food, water, and medical assistance. Carnival coordinated with the Coast Guard to hand off the group.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

The incident did not disrupt the Carnival Radiance's schedule, the company announced.

A roller coaster in the ocean: What Carnival Cruise Line's BOLT ride is like

Another Carnival ship rescued a group of 28 Cuban nationals stuck at sea as it was sailing the Caribbean and saw people signaling for help in late April. The cruise ship was headed from Tampa, Florida, to Roatan in Honduras at the time. Also last month, a Celebrity Cruises ship sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to multiple destinations in the Caribbean rescued a small vessel adrift between Mexico and Cuba.

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected]

Carnival Cruise Line Ship Rescues 25 People Stranded at Sea Off Pacific Coast

• May 26, 2024

The Carnival Radiance’s team responded to a call from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and rescued 25 people who were stranded aboard a small boat off the Pacific coast of Mexico on Saturday.

According to a statement, the Carnival Radiance was sailing toward Ensenada, Mexico on Saturday afternoon when the Coast Guard informed the officers on board about a distress call involving a small vessel.

The ship was immediately routed toward the location provided by the USCG and the rescue was quickly completed, with all 25 people, including three children, stranded on the boat safely welcomed onto Carnival Radiance.

The team onboard offered to meet any immediate needs among the rescued group, including food, water and medical assistance, and coordinated a rendezvous with Coast Guard officials.

The Carnival Radiance left its homeport of Long Beach, Calif. on Friday for a three-day cruise, and its sailing remains on schedule.

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Eight passengers stranded after breaking the number one rule of cruise travel.

E xperienced cruisers probably know lots of tips and tricks for traveling on cruise ships: make your dining reservations early, do laundry on board instead of overpacking , and don’t fill your days at sea with back-to-back activities.

But even first-time cruisers know one major rule that applies to all cruise lines, all cruises, and all ships, no matter where in the world you are: don’t miss the boat.

Unfortunately for eight travelers on an African cruise stopped in São Tomé and Príncipe, an island just to the east of Equatorial Guinea, they found out the hard way what happens when you break that rule. When they were late returning to their ship after a day on land, it did what it warned would happen — they were left behind by the cruise.

Eight passengers on the Norwegian Dawn were left stranded in Säo Tome, roughly 300 miles off the coast of mainland Africa, when they failed to return to port in time for the ship’s departure. Photo: mbrand85 /Shutterstock

The group of travelers had booked a daytime excursions through an independent company, rather than booking one directly through their ship, the Norwegian Dawn. While independent tours can be a great way to save money and have a more unique adventure, they come with one major downside, which is that ships won’t wait for passengers who are late. If you book an excursion through your cruise company, the ship is guaranteed to wait for you — but no such offer is made if you book an independent tour.

In various interviews with media outlets, the group recounted that they claimed they told their guide they were running late, causing the guide to call the ship to inform it that passengers would miss the “return to ship” time. By the time the guests finally returned to the port, the ship had finished boarding, though it was still anchored in the harbor. Harbor employees called the ship, and when they got no response, decided to ferry the passengers to the Norwegian Dawn. But the captain did not let them on board, the Daily Mail reports. Per various media sources, the ship did give the passengers their passports, which they had not taken with them.

Two Americans in the group told reporters that they thought the ship should have made an exception, seemingly implying that the following day at sea without a stop meant that it could leave late without consequence. “The captain could have made an easy decision to turn one of the tender boats back, pick us up, safely load us and then go on the way,” passenger Jay Campbell said. “They had no port to call for the next day, they were simply going to be at sea.”

Photo: Norwegian Cruise Lines

Per Norwegian Cruises’ online documents , it’s the guest’s responsibility to be back to the ship on time. “In all ports of call, it is also the guest’s responsibility to be back onboard the ship no later than one (1) hour prior to the ship’s scheduled departure time. Please be aware that shipboard time may differ from the port of call and it is the guest’s responsibility to follow the shipboard time. In the event a guest misses the ship, it will be the guest’s responsibility to pay all expenses incurred to rejoin the ship,” reads the company’s “Frequent Asked Questions” page.

The travelers are now having to do just that, with the American couple claiming they’ve spent more than $6,000 to cover the group’s time on the island and travel to rejoin the ship in Gambia or Senegal, depending on logistics. Per People Magazine , four of the travelers are older individuals, and one has an unspecified heart condition.

Matador Network recently asked a cruise line exec what happens if passengers miss their ships , and the answer is pretty straightforward across all lines and sailings: they have to pay their way to the next port.

Why ships can’t wait on late passengers

The Norwegian Dawn carries more than 2,000 guests and 1,000 passengers, all of whom need to be accounted for before the ship can leave a port. Photo: Dennis MacDonald /Shutterstock

I sailed on the Norwegian Dawn in February 2024, and while it had its ups and downs , the ship does make it very, very clear that it will leave without you if you’re late. It holds about 2,000 people, each of whom has to be accounted before prior to the ship’s departure — which is why the “ return to ship ” time at various ports is often an hour or two earlier than the actual departure time . That gives the crew and captain time to ready for departure. Large cruises like the Norwegian Dawn have to stick to a strict schedule, and can’t easily make changes.

I know this not because I’m a frequent cruiser — in fact, the Dawn was my first big cruise — but because Norwegian Cruise Lines informs you of this non-stop. The evening before you arrive, there’s a ship-wide announcement with arrival and departure times for the next day. The information is repeated — repeatedly — the morning you arrive in a port. The return to ship time is printed on the daily newsletter handed out in each room, on the free Norwegian phone app, and on all the various message boards around the ship. There’s usually a buffer time built into this window to accommodate guests who are only a few minutes late.

All cruise companies have fixed times by which passengers must return to the ship at each port. Photo: byvalet /Shutterstock

It’s also a fact listed on Norwegian’s excursion’s page. It’s one of the main reasons many cruisers exclusively book official cruise excursions, because they’re the only way to guarantee the ship will wait for you if you’re late. (Third-party and independent activity operators are also unlikely to refund you if the ship makes a last-minute change and skips a port of call).

While I support booking excursions with local operators, it comes with the known risk that you’ll be left behind by the cruise ship if you’re late. That’s exactly what happened in this case, exactly as Norwegian’s website said would happen. While it’s unfortunate and understandably stressful for the travelers, it’s hardly the cruise line’s fault, and I know I’d be a little annoyed if I had made it back in time, only to have the whole ship delayed for a small group people who made a poor decision.

By the way: guests getting left behind at a port is very, very rare — hence why this one occasion is making global headlines.

How to avoid getting left behind by cruise ships

Independent excursions offer plenty of benefits — but come with the downside that the ship won’t wait if you’re late. Photo: Suzie Dundas

The easiest way for travelers to make sure they don’t get left behind at a port is to book an official excursion through the cruise line. However, official excursions are often more expensive, and a much smaller amount of the cost goes directly to local communities. Without knowing what company or excursions the stranded passengers booked, it’s impossible to know if they followed the rules below. But the following guidelines can help ensure you don’t end up waiving your ship goodbye from land.

• Book with a company that does offer a return to ship guarantee : Third-party companies can’t make the ship wait for you, but they can handle all the logistics if you do miss it. ShoreExcursioner.com will pay up to $500 in travel fees if an excursion booked through them causes you to miss your ship, and ToursByLocals will pay for your accommodations and transportation to the next port if you miss your ship. According to their website, it’s only happened twice — ever.
• Read the online reviews : Plenty of independent operators are reputable and responsible, which means they’re very unlikely to play fast and loose with your return time. The best way to determine if an operator seems reputable is to look at online reviews. Feedback from actual past guests can help you gauge how established and professional the company or tour guide is.
• Talk to your operator in advance: Reputable operators will be familiar with hosting cruise guests and understand the ins and outs of cruise ship scheduling. If you’re worried about, message your operator in advance. Ask them if they’ve ever has issues with being back on time, whether they’ve served guests on your cruise before, and how much of a buffer they build in for traffic and other potential delays.

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The Worst Cruise Ship Horror Stories

Collision of Costa Concordia by Rvongher ( CC BY-SA )

Relaxation Gone Wrong

Cruises can be a low-hassle way to get away from it all. And while most voyages go off without a hitch, ferrying passengers to sun-soaked destinations while they enjoy a range of top-notch amenities , that's not always the case, especially now that COVID-19 is in the mix. But the pandemic isn't the only thing cruises have contended with in recent years. Storms, badly behaving passengers, fires, and even grounding (as happened with the Escape this year), have wreaked havoc with cruise vacations, sometimes with tragic results. Here are some of the most notable cruise ship horror stories and foibles of the past few decades. 

Related:  15 Types of People Who Shouldn't Take a Cruise

Ship Runs Aground in Dominican Republic

When a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, Escape, ran aground  in the Dominican Republic four days into the cruise, guests were hopeful the ship would find its way again. Instead, over 2,000 people were dumped at the Porta Plata airport and, without assistance from the cruise line, were shuffled onto charter flights back to Florida. When one of the flights was canceled due to mechanical issues, unlucky passengers had to scramble for hotel rooms or their own flights out of pocket. 

Cruise Disrupts Rocket Launch

Elon Musk probably isn't too happy about this one.   The U.S. Coast Guard has launched an investigation after one of Royal Caribbean's largest ships, Harmony of the Seas, sailed into an exclusion zone drawn around the planned flight path of a Falcon 9 rocket, which was supposed to be launched by SpaceX from Cape Canaveral on Sunday. Even worse: The launch, which was called off with less than a minute until liftoff, had already been scrubbed three times  thanks to bad weather, according to the New York Post. 

Related:  15 Historic Failures by Successful Billionaires

Ship Refuses to Dock in U.S. to Evade Authorities

For cruisers aboard a recent sailing of the Crystal Symphony, vacation came to an unexpected, dramatic, and inconvenient end. The ship was expected to dock in Miami, but it was diverted  to the Bahamas  in January 2022 in an effort to evade a federal order for U.S. Marshals to seize the vessel, part of a lawsuit over $4.6 million in unpaid fuel. Passengers were ferried to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale a day after their scheduled return to Miami. In the meantime, Crystal Cruises has suspended sailings for the next few months. Its parent company, Genting Hong Kong, has filed for bankruptcy. 

Related:  Companies That Have Filed for Bankruptcy Since the Pandemic Began

Coronavirus Outbreak Turns Deadly

The Diamond Princess was placed under a two-week quarantine in Japan in February 2020 after several passengers tested positive for coronavirus. Testing later found at least 700 cases of the virus among the more than 3,700 passengers and crew members, and ultimately, at least seven passengers died. The quarantine was harshly criticized , with experts saying that keeping passengers and crew members confined on the ship only helped the virus spread faster. 

Related:  Everything You Need to Know About Taking a Cruise Right Now

Volcano Kills Cruisers

Excursions can be a highlight of cruising, but for several passengers, a much-anticipated stop to explore New Zealand's White Island became anything but. The island's active volcano, a tourist magnet, blew in December 2019, killing at least 21 people. Many were on an excursion from the Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas, which had departed from Sydney two days earlier. The company has since suspended tours of active volcanoes .

Related:   18 Ways Cruises Have Evolved in the Past 40 Years

Winds, Skipped Ports Trigger Mutiny

Cruise itineraries are always subject to the weather, but passengers on the Norwegian Spirit were especially unlucky  after departing in September 2019 for a two-week exploration of Scandinavia. High winds prevented stops in at least four ports, and fog made the Norweigian fjords impossible to glimpse. Toilets began to back up, food began to spoil, and angry cruisers demanded a refund. Norwegian ended up offering a 25% credit for a future cruise instead.

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Extreme Weather Forces Evacuations

Cruises aren't always smooth sailing, a fact that passengers on the Viking Sky learned the hard way in March 2019. The ship's engines lost power in bad weather  during a cruise along the Norwegian coast, and then the ship began to take on water and list so severely that furniture was tossed across the tilting floors. About half of the passengers were evacuated by helicopters before tugboats finally helped pull the ship and remaining passengers safely to port.   

Ship Takes a Terrifying Tilt

Veteran cruisers often reassure novices that they rarely feel the ship rock — after all, the boats are massive, with sophisticated stabilizers to keep things as steady as possible. But when one of those stabilizers malfunctioned  during an October 2018 cruise aboard the Carnival Sunshine, the ship tilted so severely that plates shattered, tables slid across the floor, and water ran into elevators. Though panicked passengers rushed for life jackets, the situation was soon under control. Not all passengers were satisfied with Carnival's offer of a $50 onboard credit, however, and some opted to leave the boat early when it next docked.

Baudy Crowd Takes Over Cruise

Fueled by booze and sun, some passengers get a little too raucous during their cruises. But there's nothing "little" about what happened on the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas in September 2018, when a group of more than 1,300 men essentially commandeered the ship off the coast of Australia and turned it into a floating bachelor party . Passengers say the men, who worked for a data company based in India, harassed female passengers and brought aboard burlesque dancers. They also accounted for more than a third of the ship's 3,000 passengers. Royal Caribbean issued refunds and apologies after families complained that they were forced to stay in their cabins to avoid the debauchery.

Related:  1 in 4 Avid Cruise Goers: 'I'll Never Go on a Cruise Again'

Onboard Brawls Spiral Out of Control

A cruise can be a great place to grab a drink, a lounge chair, and some much-deserved relaxation. For passengers on the Carnival Legend in February 2018, a trip along the Australian coast was more "Fight Club" than zen retreat  after a series of brawls broke out on board, complete with screaming, broken glasses, and head injuries. Ultimately, authorities removed 23 people from the ship, and Carnival offered affected passengers a 25% credit for future sailings.

Cabin Fire Kills Retired Couple

For plenty of retirees, an exotic cruise is a reward for years of hard work and penny-pinching. So it was for a Nebraska couple who booked an Amazon River cruise with International Expeditions in April 2016. But on the first night of the voyage, a malfunctioning power strip touched off a blaze in their cabin , killing them both. Compounding the tragedy: The crew's lackluster response — it took 20 minutes for anyone to enter the cabin — and a 1920s law that limits cruise lines' liability after deaths occur in international waters.

Man Loses a Limb Thanks to Cruise Doctor

Most cruisers take comfort in the fact that ships are outfitted with medical clinics. Sadly, a waiter aboard the Norwegian Breakaway discovered that those clinics may not always be staffed with the best doctors. The man visited an onboard doctor with flu-like symptoms in March 2016, but ended up losing his arm to gangrene  after the doctor, described in court documents as "inexperienced," injected him with the wrong dose of the wrong medication. The waiter was awarded $4.6 million in a subsequent lawsuit.

Electrician Crushed to Death by Ship Elevator

Imagine excitedly making your way to an indulgent cruise dinner, only to be confronted by sheets of blood streaming down the elevator doors. It sounds like a horror movie, but one Florida family encountered exactly that aboard the Carnival Ecstasy in December 2015. The cause of the gruesome scene: An electrician who fell and was crushed to death during routine elevator maintenance. Investigators later found that he had disabled a safety system  before the fatal accident.

River Cruise Boat Capsizes, Killing Hundreds

Better safety regulations and systems have largely made Titanic-scale disasters a thing of the past, but they didn't stop one of the worst modern-day cruise disasters, the sinking of a Chinese river cruise ship, in June 2015. Close to 450 passengers enjoying a Yangtze River cruise on the Eastern Star were killed when the ship capsized during a storm. Though officials originally blamed a freak tornado  for the tragedy, investigators later said strong winds, heavy rains, and the crew's failure to send a rescue signal all contributed to the disaster.

Terrorists Gun Down Cruisers in Tunisia

A leisurely stop along the Tunisian coast turned tragic for passengers from the MSC Splendida and Costa Fascinosa in March 2015. At least 12 cruisers from the Splendida and 5 from the Fascinosa were killed  when terrorists opened fire at the Bardo National Museum in Tunis, a popular tourist destination. More than 20 others were injured in the incident, which included a three-hour hostage crisis. The attack was followed by a mass shooting at a beach resort a few months later, leading most cruise lines to scrub Tunisia from their itineraries for a year or more.

Norovirus Sickens Hundreds

Long before cruisers had to worry about coronavirus, norovirus dominated cruise-related headlines. There have been several outbreaks over the years, but the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas dealt with one of the worst in January 2014. Close to 700 passengers and crew members  came down with the bug, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, forcing the ship to return to port early. Some guests were even confined to their staterooms. Royal Caribbean refunded all passengers half of their fares and offered half off a future cruise.

Fire Turns Voyage Into 'Poop Cruise'

There was nothing to celebrate aboard the Carnival Triumph in February 2013, when a fire in the engine room cut power to the entire ship  and left it adrift in the Gulf of Mexico for four days. Conditions deteriorated rapidly: Overflowing toilets left passengers to dispose of human waste in plastic bags, and many slept in makeshift tents on the decks to escape the smell and rising temperatures inside. Carnival refunded the cost of the trip, later nicknamed the "poop cruise," and offered $500 and a free cruise to passengers.

Rescue Boat Mishap Kills Crew Members

A safety inspection turned deadly while the Thomson Majesty was docked at La Palma, a port in the Canary Islands, in February 2013. Crew members were inspecting a lifeboat suspended alongside an upper deck of the luxury ship when it suddenly became untethered, plummeting 65 feet into the water. Five of the crew members drowned  after the lifeboat overturned when it hit the water, trapping them underneath.

Gunmen Rob Passengers During Excursion

Cruisers who went ashore for a guided jungle hike in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, got a different kind of adventure in February 2012. Nearly two dozen passengers from the Carnival Splendor were traveling back to port after the hike when masked gunmen boarded their bus  and robbed them of their cash, passports, and other valuables. Carnival suspended the excursion and reimbursed affected guests after the incident.

Ship Runs Aground in Italy, Killing 32

There were no rough seas to navigate when the Costa Concordia left the Italian port of Civitavecchia in January 2012, but that didn't prevent the ship from running aground, killing 32 passengers. The captain ordered the ship to steer close to a nearby island as a "salute," a decision that proved disastrous  when rocks ripped open the hull. An investigation later found that passengers weren't told to abandon ship for more than an hour after the ship hit the rocks. The captain was charged with manslaughter and abandoning ship, and Costa Cruises said the change in course had been unauthorized.

Ships Strand Passengers as Hurricane Looms

It's a cardinal rule of cruising: When in port, you'd better get back to the ship on time, or you get left behind . But in 2011, for passengers of the Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas and the Carnival Victory, keeping an eye on the clock didn't matter. Hundreds of cruisers  were left stranded in San Juan, Puerto Rico, when port authorities ordered the ships to leave hours early to avoid Hurricane Irene. While Carnival offered free hotel rooms and flights to its stranded customers, Royal Caribbean left most passengers to fend for themselves since the incident was weather-related.

Pirates Attack Luxury Ship

A luxury cruise along the African coast sounds like the adventure of a lifetime, but it's unlikely that pirate attacks ever made it into the brochures. Still, the Seabourn Spirit faced exactly that as it sailed down the Somali coast in November 2005. Passengers were sent below deck as heavily armed boats ambushed the cruise liner , firing machine guns and launching grenades. The Spirit was able to outmaneuver and outrun the pirates, though one crew member was injured by shrapnel.

Massive Wave Floods Cabins

Choppy seas are one thing, but passengers on the Norwegian Dawn got a true taste of Mother Nature's wrath in April 2005. During a voyage from the Bahamas to New York, the ship was battered by a freak seven-story  wave that flooded 62 cabins, ripped away whirlpools and tossed furniture. Four passengers were injured, and even the captain's offer of free drinks all night couldn't keep everyone on board — 300 left the ship early once it docked for repairs. All passengers received a 50% refund and half off a future cruise.