| Date |
Ship |
2013 | Incident |
| March 5 | National Geographic Sea Lion Lindblad Expeditions |
USA Today reports the ship hit a submerged rock on Monday, causing damage to the vessel. The 62-passenger was departing an anchorage in the Las Perlas Islands, about 70 nautical miles from Panama City, when it struck the rock, which was uncharted. None of the 55 passengers and 35 crew on board the vessel was injured, Disken-Cahill says.The ship sustained damage to its hull and one propeller during the incident, but after clearance from the U.S. Coast Guard, returned to Panama City on its own power, arriving today at 5 a.m. The accident occurred on the third day of an eight-day voyage transiting the Panama Canal and exploring the islands of Panama and Costa Rica. Passengers on the vessel were given the option of continuing their journey to Costa Rica by air and land, or returning home. All but 16 of the passengers decided to continue their journey and flew this morning to San Jose, Costa Rica. The ship will enter a dry dock at Panama City on Wednesday to undergo repairs. The next departure of the vessel, scheduled to begin March 9, has been canceled. The ship will return to service March 16. | Grounded |
| Date |
Ship |
2012 | Incident |
| October 24 | Grande Caribe Blount Small Ship Adventures |
Cruise Critic reports the ship failed its health inspction. Flies, a heavily "soiled" microwave and refrigerator, dirty pans, higher-than-required storage temperatures and 34 other violations earned Grand Caribe a score of 81. An 86 is the minimum passing score. In its report, CDC inspectors documented observing "several live house flies" flying in the galley and landing on food preparation surfaces and equipment. Inspectors also reported the inside of the microwave and the reach-in refrigerator were soiled with old food residue. The bottom corners and sides of the refrigerator, in particular, were the most notably soiled. The report also cited several hotel pans, which having been previously cleaned and sanitized, were still soiled with leftover food residue. Additionally, there were previously cleaned pots and pans stored on shelves that were soiled with dirty, old food residue and other debris. Inspectors also found air temperatures were not adequately monitored, resulting in instances of temperatures exceeding the required holding temperature of 41 degrees Fahrenheit – as high as 47 degrees. | Failed health inspction |
| October 23 | Yorktown Great Lakes Cruise Company |
Associated Press reports the U.S. Coast Guard has issued a fine over the ship's grounding on Aug. 25. An investigation determined the crewmember operating the ship at the time "made serious errors in judgment due to his lack in waterway familiarization and understanding." It says he also lacked the proper certification for the waters in question. The Coast Guard says it fined Miami-based V Ships Leisure USA $3,000. | Fined |
| October 3 | Grande Mariner Blount Small Ship Adventures |
USA Today reports the ship failed to pass an unannounced health inspection by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In giving the 96-passenger Grande Mariner a failing grade of 75, CDC inspectors cite a long list of violations including moldy ice cube machines, food stored at potentially hazardous temperatures, malfunctioning dishwashers, dirty shelves, open food containers and dried food debris on cooking equipment. The CDC report says poor lighting in the galley may have contributed to some of the cleaning problems. | Failed health inspection |
| September 8 | Yorktown Great Lakes Cruising Co. |
The ship failed its inspection by the Vessel Sanitation Program with a score of 69 (a failing score is anything below 86). | Failed health inspection |
| August 26 | Yorktown Great Lakes Cruise Company |
Associated Press reports the U.S. Coast Guard says a cruise ship carrying 120 people has been freed after running aground and becoming stranded in the Detroit River. The Coast Guard says the 216-foot Yorktown ran aground about 8 p.m. Saturday south of Detroit, near Wyandotte. Petty Officer Tyler Andrews tells the Detroit Free Press that no injuries were reported and the ship wasn't taking on water. Petty Officer 2nd Class Levi Read in Cleveland says it was a soft grounding, and a commercial tug was able to free the Yorktown about 1:30 a.m. Sunday. He says an inspection found no significant damage, and the Cleveland-bound ship was under way near Lorain, Ohio, late Sunday morning. The ship is on an eight day cruise to Canada. | Aground |
| August 20 | Baranof Wind | CBS News reports responders have rescued 72 people on a sightseeing vessel that began taking on water in Alaska's Glacier Bay after reportedly striking a rock. Coast Guard spokesman David Mosley says there were reports of minor injuries in the incident Sunday involving the 79-foot Baranof Wind. The Coast Guard says the flooding was contained and there are no immediate reports of pollution. According to the Coast Guard, 70 people were transferred to the Holland America cruise ship Volendam, which was expected to transport the sightseeing passengers to Bartlett Cover. From there, another vessel will take them to Juneau. Two others were taken aboard a National Park Service boat, and four crew members remained on board the Baranof Wind. The Coast Guard is investigating. | Collision with rock |
| August 7 | Queen of the West American Cruise Lines |
KXL-FM News reports a crew member fell off the stern while it was moored in Rainier, Oregon overnight. Witnesses saw him in the Columbia River for a short time before he disappeared just after 1:00. A search by a Coast Guard helicopter and boat found only the man's shirt. He's said to be in his mid-30's. The search has since been suspended. Authorities say there is little to no chance that he would've survived. The cruise ship has since left the port and headed upriver toward Portland. | Crew overboard - presumed dead |
| Juy 26 | Diamond Royale / Sun Cruz VII | Savannah Now reports the general manager and two captains of a casino cruise ship have been indicted by a federal grand jury for operating an illegal gambling business aboard the Diamond Royale vessel in the Savannah area. Gregory Sicilia, 59, and Jeffrey Thompson, 38, both of Savannah, and John Sternberg, 45, of Green Cove Springs, Fla., were named in the indictment unsealed Monday. Sicilia worked as general manager of the Diamond Royale, and Thompson and Sternberg were two of the vessel’s captains, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office. Marine Charters LLC and Diamond Casino Cruise LLC, corporate owners and operators of the cruise ship, also were charged in the indictment. According to the indictment, the Diamond Royale, also known as the Sun Cruz VII, was a 184-foot casino cruise ship docked in the Bull River. Between July 2010 and November 2011, defendants aboard the vessel engaged in illegal gambling by operating the casino exclusively in the waters of Georgia and South Carolina where such gambling was prohibited, the indictment charged. During the period covered by the indictment the defendants generated more than $7 million in criminal proceeds, the indictment charged. The government is seeking forfeiture of the Diamond Royale and the $7 million as part of the prosecution. Federal agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Coast Guard, armed with search warrants, boarded the Diamond Casino cruise vessel in the Bull River Nov. 14. | Illegal casino |
| July 14 | Yorktown Great Lakes Cruising Co. |
The ship failed its inspection by the Vessel Sanitation Program with a score of 74 (a failing score is anything below 86). | Failed health inspection |
| June 13 | Yorktown Great Lakes Cruise Company |
The Sheboygan Press reports the ship has canceled the first of seven planned visits to Sheboygan this summer over problems with the boat’s air conditioning, boiler and refrigeration systems, according to local tourism officials. The 138-passenger cruise ship, which was scheduled to make its first visit Monday, will now make its inaugural stop on June 28. UPDATE June 14: The Holland Sentinel reports the ship was scheduled to arrive at 7 a.m. Sunday, but that date has been moved to 7 a.m. Friday, June 29, due to refrigeration problems, said Felicia Fairchild, executive director of the Saugatuck-Douglas Convention & Visitors Bureau. Presumably, the ship's first cruise has been canceled. | Skipped port calls / cruise canceled? |
| June 3 | Independence American Cruise Line |
Fenceviewer reports the alleged discharge of soapy water into the harbor at Bar Harbor from the cruise ship as it was tied up to the town pier on Monday is being investigated by harbormaster Charlie Phippen. Mr. Phippen has reviewed video from town surveillance cameras, he said, and confirmed the apparent presence of soapy water floating beside the ship. Environmental testing is under way, and reports from the ship’s captain have been requested, Mr. Phippen said. UPDATE June 6:Fenceviewer reports the discharge was the result of crew error. The water was effluent from clothes washing machines on the ship; the overboard discharge valves to the forward washing machines had been left open. The town’s standard operating procedures for cruise ships outlines the expectation that all ships, whether at anchor in the bay or alongside the pier, will hold all waste water, including gray water, while in port. This is also the policy of the Independence while in port here, Mr. Phippen said, and all overboard discharge valves are supposed to be secured. | Environmental offense |
| April 25 | Safari Spirit American Safari Cruises |
KIRO-TV reports an early-morning fire swallowed a 105-foot luxury touring vessel at Fisherman’s Terminal. The ship was fully engulfed in flames when the Seattle Fire Department arrived at the terminal around 1 a.m. on Friday. Owner Dan Blanchard was on the boat with an engineer when the fire broke out. He told KIRO 7 News reporter Rick Price that he and the engineer had to shimmy down a mooring line to reach the dock and get away from the fire. “It’s just starting to set in. I'm just thankful that Steve and I made it off the boat OK,” said Blanchard. Firefighters boarded the boat for a brief time before being forced out to fire defensively, Seattle Fire Department spokesman Kyle Moore said. Crews set up a perimeter around the vessel. Blanchard said he heard a strange pop, and in the minutes the boat was filled with smoke and flames were shooting up its sides. “We couldn't even get back to get our phones. It moved so fast that we actually had to go over the side to get to the dock. We shimmied down the lines and fell in,” said Blanchard. A Seattle-based Coast Guard boat enforced a safety zone around the terminal and deployed a containment and absorbent boom to reduce potential environmental damage. The fire burned for hours into the morning. Nine hours after the fire erupted, the hulk was still smoking. Moore said the fire was under investigation. No cause will be determined Friday because once the boat cools off, it still needs to be inspected by a marine engineer to determine whether it's safe for investigators to go aboard, he said. The yacht was set to leave on May 5 on an Alaskan cruise. One of four boats in the fleet, its destruction means Blanchard is scrambling to accommodate passengers. | Fire |
| January 7 | Independence American Cruise Line |
From a passenger: At 3AM (5th) the starboard engine drive shaft broke on leaving Savanah. Returned to port where the problem was determined. Left port on the 5th with blessing of the CG to cruise with all passengers on board. On one engine cruised to Brunswick, GA where the CG withdrew its approval to continue with the passengers. Spent the 6th in port terminating the cruise. On the 7th hauled everyone to the airport. Ship supposedly left at 8:01 for dry dock in Jacksonville. No one hurt, just required to accept a different schedule than planned. Lesson: when cruising think flexible. Further: I believe that it was the last cruise of the season as there were several passengers that had boarded at Fernandino for the run to Charleston where we boarded. I heard that it was headed for dry dock in Jacksonville for 'rountine' maintenance. The propellor shaft break down gave them more reason. The consequence was that several stops were eliminated, some shore trips became free and we were taken to Jacksonville airport free of charge (had been told that was a $35.00 fee per person). The CG took an active part in the crisis management and were very present during the inspection while tied up in Savanah. They apparently called the shots after we reached Brunswick. | Propulsion problems - Cruise canceled |
| Date |
Ship |
2011 | Incident |
| November 28 | Safari Explorer American Safari Cruises |
The Maui News reports a Molokai protester said a cruise ship that he and others stopped from entering into Kaunakakai Harbor on Saturday "snuck back in" on Sunday. Walter Ritte said a vessel from American Safari Cruises made its way into the harbor Sunday despite a group opposing the stop by the cruise ship. The group Ritte is part of wants to sit down with company officials to discuss the business on the Friendly Isle, as they worry about the ship's impact on the island. Ritte said that on Saturday two boats and other protesters on surfboards met the Safari Explorer on the water near the harbor. The boat eventually turned away. On Sunday the yacht docked at the harbor without incident and was met by supporters on the pier. The company said Dan Blanchard, the CEO and principal of InnerSea Discoveries/American Safari Cruises, will have another community meeting on Molokai on Wednesday. Ritte said he heard Blanchard say on television Saturday that he wasn't going to go back to Molokai until things were worked out, but then the boat docked in the harbor on Sunday. "The trust has gone out the window with this guy," Ritte said when asked if he was going to Wednesday's meeting. Ritte said he and a group of protesters had held several demonstrations against the cruise ship. "We told him (Blanchard), you ask first, before you come to somebody's house." | Protest ashore delays disembarkation |
| dd/mm/yy |
Ship |
2010 |
Incident |
| 9.9.10 | Spirit of Oceanus Cruise West |
The Telegram reports the cruise scheduled to begin this week in St. Pierre et Miquelon, following a stop in St. John's, Newfpoundland as part of its world cruise, has been canceled. Those on the ship for the world cruise must debark at St. John's. The company has reportedly sold the ship and is in the process of restructuring as regards its otgher operations. At this point, they are not takling reservations and they have no cruises scheduled beyond October. UPDATE: Except for its Danube cruise, the company will cease all operations September 22. Booked passengers will be notified by the company. See here for details. | Cruise canceled |
| dd/mm/yy |
Ship |
2009 |
Incident |
| 2.10.09 | Spirit of 98 Cruise West |
Oregon Live Online reports the ship the lock at The Dalles Dam will remain closed to Columbia River traffic at least through Saturday. Consequently, the cruise ship has been stuck on the river since the lock was closed Tuesday afternoon. Passengers on the Spirit of ’98 cruise ship, anchored near The Dalles, are “sleeping on board," said Jerrol Golden, a spokeswoman for Cruise West, which operates the multi-day cruise. "There's plenty of food." | Itinerary change |
| dd/mm/yy |
Ship |
2008 |
Incident |
| 7.7.08 |
Spririt of
Glacier Bay Cruise West |
The ship grounded in Tarr Inlet
near Glacier Bay just before 8AM. The Coast Guard says the hull of the
ship has not been
compromised, and no injuries have been reported. It deployed aircraft
and ships to the site, and a National
Park Service vessel from Glacier Bay also is en route. In the meantime
a boom was deployed around the vessel as a precaution. The ship is
home-ported in Juneau. Weather conditions at the time were clear skies
and calm seas. Later in the day passengers were offloaded to a Coast
Guard vessel and taken ashore. The ship was refloated the next day and
towed to port. UPDATE: While
en route to Ketchikan (under its own power) a crack was discovered in
the hull and water was seeping into the ship at a rate of 10 gallons
per hour. The ship was diverted to Wrangell where the crack was
repaired. The company has cancelled the ship's next four cruise tours
to allow for other repairs to be completed. |
Gounded |
| 6.6.08 |
MV Ptarmigan Portage Glacier Tours |
The
Anchorage
Daily News reports the tour boat, owned by Holland
America Line / Carnival Corporation, struck an iceberg in Portage Lake,
jolting passengers and leaving as many as 10 with minor injuries. The
vessel struck the iceberg after a tourist reported spotting a bear and
the captain swung the vessel around for passengers to get a better
look. The jolt apparently did not significantly damage the ship but two
people were reported to have fallen during the crash, with one hitting
her head on a rail. The rest appeared to have suffered minor bumps and
bruises. |
Collision
with iceberg |
| 4.6.08 |
Spririt of Alaska Cruise West |
The ship touched bottom in Tracy
Arm, 45 miles south of
Juneau on the third day of its cruise. The ship is not grounded; it is
anchored in the arm's Williams
Cove awaiting a Coast Guard inspection. It did not take on water and
did not have interior damage
but is having a problem with its propulsion system and awaiting a Coast
Guard inspection to determine whether evacuation is needed. UPDATE June
5: Te ship has been tpwed to Juneau for inspection and repairs and
passengers have been transferred to Cruise West's sister ship, Spirit
of Endeavour. |
Touched bottom |
| 11.5.08 |
Spirit of Columbia Cruise West |
The ship, with 89 passengers onboard, arrived safely this afternoon in Juneau's Auke Bay. It had lost power to both generators at 8PM last night (two miles from Warm Spings Bay and 80 miles south of Juneau) when both generators and one of two propeller engines stopped working. The ship made it to Juneau on its own power, accompanied by the Coast Guard cutter Liberty. A Coast Guard spokesman said the ship's crew was able to repair the generators, but one of the propeller engines remained disabled. | Propulsion problems |
| dd/mm/yy |
Ship |
2007 |
Incident |
| 19.8.07 |
Spirit of Columbia Cruise West |
The ship ran aground in Prince William Sound after getting
too close to shore for bear watching -- it went "soft aground" at
low tide near Evans Island at about 10 a.m. "Soft aground" means
the ship essentially was stuck in the mud. It refloated as the
tide came in and by 2 p.m. was headed back to Whittier. |
"Soft" Grounded |
| 5.7.07 |
Spirit of Nantucket Cruise West |
The ship cancelled its port call at Eastport, Maine because
of weather and because of mechanical problems. Local folks
commented that, "The preparation invested in this visit will serve as a
dress rehearsal for the expected arrival of another cruise ship in
September." |
Cancelled port call |
| 25.6.07 |
Spirit of Yorktown Cruise West |
The ship collided with a Seattle-based fishing vesssel,
leaving the seiner "dead in the water" with a disabled steering
mechanism. The cruise ship appeared undamaged and continued on to
Petersburg where it will arrive and be inspected tomorrow. None
of the four crew members on the fishing vesssel were injured in the
collision which took place at 1AM in calm seas and light winds in
Chatham Strait (about 15 mile south of Angoon). |
Collision |
| 28.2.07 |
Safari Quest American Safari Cruises |
The ship was fined $7178 for a diesel fuel spill that oiled
boats and the shoreline near Richland Tacht Marina (Washington
State). The ship spilled 16 gallons of fuel while docked on
October 8, 2006. |
Environmental |
| 2.2.07 |
Spirit of Nantucket Cruise West |
The ship reported that 10 of 35 (26.57%) crew and 8 of 36 (22.22%) passengers had reported ill on the 7 day Caribbean cruise to/from Crown Bay, St. Thomas, USVI ending today. Symptons were consistent with gastrointestinal illness (e.g., norovirus). | Illness |
| dd/mm/yy |
Ship |
2004 and earlier |
Incident |
| 12.5.04 |
Wilderness Adventurer Glacier Bay Cruiseline |
The ship was evacuated after striking ice and taking on water in Tracy Arm in southeastern Alaska. The ice puctured a 3 inch hole into the hull. There were no injuries and all passengers and crew were safely evacuated to another ship. | Holed / Evacuated |
| 10.5.04 |
American Glory American Cruise Lines |
The ship destroyed a 40 foot section of the Downtown Marina
dock in Beaufort, SC (and
damaged two yachts) when a strong current and tide combination forced
the stern into the pier. One of the cruise ship's doors was
damaged and two windows shattered. It was delayed
for 90 minutes and then continued on to Hilton Head Island. |
Collision |
| 12.6.03 |
Spirit of Columbia Cruise West |
The master reported that his vessel had went "touch and go"
(hit bottom) and possibly bent the port shaft and propeller in Jackpot
Bay (Prince William Sound), approximately 75 miles south of Whittier.
All passengers were safely off-loaded in Whittier and the ship was
inspected. |
Grounded |
| 9.5.03 |
Safari Spirit American Safari Cruises |
Ship hit some rocks about 80 miles north of the northern tip of Vancouver while sailing from Seattle to Alaska. All aboard were safely evacuated to lifeboats. The ship sank in about 30 feet of water. See: Grounding and sinking of U.S. Passenger Vessel Safari Spirit Kisameet Bay off Fisher Channel, about 20 miles southeast of the towns of Bella Bella and Shearwater, Denny Island, British Columbia, Canada on May 8, 2003, NTSB Report Number: MAB-04-01 | Grounded / Sunk |
| 1.8.02 |
Wilderness Explorer Glacier Bay Cruiseline |
Suspected case of Norwalk-like virus (18 of 108
passengers and crew) on July 26 cruise causes following cruise to be
canceled so the ship can be sanitized. Ship returns to
service August 8. |
Cancellation Illness |
| 8.7.02 | Safari
Quest American Safari Cruises |
Engine room fire -- left engine disabled, however continues on its own power. | Fire |
| 10.6.02 |
Spirit of Oceanus Cruise West |
Outbreak of gastrointestinal illness caused by Norwalk-like virus effects 9 passengers (9.18%). | Illness |
| 23.5.01 |
Wilderness Explorer Glacier Bay Cruiseline |
Ran aground off the Norther tip
of Vancouver Island while on an Alaska cruise. The ship was
refloated by the Coast Guard; none of the 24 people onboard were hurt. |
Grounded |
| 28.7.99 |
Spirit of '98 Cruise West |
Struck a rock in Tracy Arm and
started sinking -- resting aground on a small beach. All
passengers and most crew members boarded inflatable rafts and shuttled
to a nearby ship. |
Grounded |
| 20.7.99 |
Wilderness Explorer Glacier Bay Cruiseline |
Grounded in Idaho Inlet about 80
miles west of Juneau. It was refloated about four hours
later. There were no injuries nor pollution. |
Grounded |
| 12.6.99 |
Wilderness Adventurer Glacier Bay Cruiseline |
The ship ran aground in Dundas
Bay (Alaska) and remains o a rock pinnacle with a 40 degree list to
port. The ship struck the rocks, cracked its hull, and spilled
about 40 -50 gallons of fuel mixed with water. Passengers were
safely evacuated. |
Grounded |