Date |
Ship
Cruise Line |
Event |
Type of Incident |
| December 31 |
Freedom
RCI |
From a passenger: The ship's departure was delayed today because of disinfecting after the previous cruise. |
Delayed departure - Disinfection |
| December 30 |
Triumph
Carnival |
CDC reports the ship received a score of 78 in its Vessel Sanitation Inspection on 11 November. A score of 85 or lower constitutes failure. |
Failed health inspection (78) |
| December 27 |
Splendor
Carnival |
From a passenger: Christmas Cruise - A passenger “arrested” and confined to room for his safety and the safety of others because he started fight in dance club Christmas Eve (after leaving grand Turk) a very problematic man - he had several incidents on the 9 day cruise. Guard had to stay outside his room for more than 30 hours so he would stay in there. |
Pax locked in cabin |
| December 27 |
Swiss Crystal |
Presse Online reports the ship collided with a bridge pier on the Rhine near Duisburg. Nearly 30 people were injured. According to police, the accident was comparatively mild. The ship was damaged by the impact on the bow. A second passenger ship came to the aid of the damaged "Swiss Crystal" and took the 26 crew members and 103 passengers on board. |
Collision with bridge |
| December 27 |
Golden
Princess |
Gisbourne Herald reports bad weather has forced the cancellation of the first cruise ship visit of the season. The Golden Princess was scheduled to make her first visit here this summer today but the visit was cancelled on Christmas Day. |
Skipped port call |
| December 22 |
Unknown |
New Zealand Herald reports a French tourist has been caught in Paihia with 24kg of cocaine - worth up to $10.8 million. Customs officers found the drug on the French national, 26, who was in the area as a passenger on a cruise ship. The cocaine seizure is one of the largest in this country's history and the drug had a street value of $6.8m and $10.8m. Customs investigations manager Bruce Berry said the seizure was the result of liasing with police and Australian authorities. |
Drup bust |
| December 19 |
Serenade
RCI
Equinox
Celebrity |
Global News reports 12 tourists were killed Tuesday when a bus carrying dozens of sightseers crashed near Mayan ruins in Mexico. The bus was carrying 31 international passengers. Spanish-language news organization Quinta Fuerza reports that 11 people died in the bus crash, and 14 were injured. The bus company involved, Costa Maya Mahahual said a guide and driver were also on board. Costa Maya is located 160 kilometres south of Playa del Carmen. A video from the scene shows a bus on its side as a person on a stretcher is loaded into an ambulance. |
Pax die ashore in accident |
| December 18 |
Triumph
CCL |
From a passenger: At least two people were taken off in handcuffs in New Orleans on 12-18-17. |
|
| December 17 |
Elation
CCL |
From a passenger: Two people were taken off in Jacksonville on 12-16-17. Customs/border partrol took a man and woman off in cuffs followed by a police dog going into thier cabin. |
Arrest |
| December 16 |
Independence
RCI |
Washington Post reports 332 passengers came down with a gastrointestinal illness during the cruise, which left Fort Lauderdale Monday for Labadee and Jamaica. The company said the illness affected only a small percentage (6.6%) of the more than 5,000 people aboard. However, some passengers disputed the company's count, saying many more people were sick. CDC reports 310 of 4,160 (7.45%) passengers and 23 of 1,398 crew (1.65%) |
Illness |
| December 16 |
Astor |
Australian Government reports Australian Border Force (ABF) drug detector dogs have sniffed out a stash of cocaine hidden aboard an international cruise ship that docked in Sydney in late November 2017, resulting in the arrest of four people and the seizure of about 30kgs of cocaine. The cruise ship departed the United Kingdom in mid-October before arriving in Sydney on Thursday, 30 November 2017. The four accused came to notice after they were selected for further scrutiny following joint activity between the ABF and United Kingdom Border Force (UKBF). On its arrival, the ABF boarded the cruise ship and searched a number of cabins as well as public areas. During the search, an ABF drug detector dog reacted to a bag located in a stairwell containing approximately 15kgs of cocaine hidden inside. A further search of the ship’s public areas resulted in approximately 15kgs of cocaine being detected in a box containing deck chair cushions. The ABF referred the matter to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). AFP officers boarded the cruise ship, and subsequently arrested a 41-year-old Belgian woman and three French nationals, being a 61-year-old man, a 54-year-old man, and a 32-year-old woman. The four accused were subsequently charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug; they appeared before Sydney Central Local Court on Friday, 1 December 2017, where bail was refused. They will reappear in early 2018. |
Drug bust |
| December 15 |
Infinity
Celebrity |
Seattle Times reports a federal report blamed cruise ship’s navigators for the boat crashing into a Ketchikan dock last year, causing more than $1 million dollars in damage. The National Transportation Safety Board report was released after a U.S. Coast Guard report concluded that the crash resulted from a combination of factors. The day of the crash was windy with choppy waters. The Coast Guard report said that bad weather played a factor. It also said restricted vessel movements, fast speeds and a lack of knowledge that tug boats were available for assistance contributed. The federal report highlighted similar problems, but took it a step further in blaming the crash on navigators, specifically the ship’s master. A master is the highest responsible officer on the bridge. “The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the Celebrity Infinity striking the dock was the master’s failure to plan, monitor, and execute a safe docking evolution,” according to the report. |
Blame for alision with pier |
| December 14 |
Fantasy
CCL |
Miami New Times reports a couple found acamera while inspecting their room the second day of an October cruise from Mobile, Alabama, to Mexico. The father, whom New Times is not naming to protect his family's privacy, says he was taking photos of dust around the cabin after having an allergy attack. When he moved the TV, he says, he found a wired-up camera with its lens pointed toward the bed. "It was a WTF moment, you know?" he says. "I asked my wife, 'What is this? Is that what I think it is?' We both just went white as ghosts." The couple called Carnival's security team, which sent an officer to their cabin to inspect the device. But much to the family's disappointment, they say, the officer contaminated the evidence by handling the camera without gloves. Despite the device being warm to the touch, the family says Carnival insisted the camera was nonfunctioning and seemed to downplay the discovery. |
Spy camera found in room |
| December 13 |
Pride of America
NCL |
From a passenger: The ship is skipping the Port of Kona because of high surf. It will be a day at sea. |
Skipped port call |
| December 13 |
Monarch
Pullamtur
&
Mein Schiff 6
TUI |
Jamaica Gleamer reports the Port of Kingston, specifically Kingston Wharves, will see both the Pullmantur Cruises Monarch of the Seas and Mein Schiff 6, owned by TUI Cruises before the day ends. This was due to unfavourable sea conditions in Montego Bay which was the original port of call. Kingston Wharves said 958 passengers will depart to Montego Bay to board four flights, while 700 passengers are arriving on flights in Montego Bay and will join the vessel prior to its departure for Cozumel, Mexico. |
Change port of call |
| December 13 |
Noordam
HAL |
Otago Daily Times reports a man arrested on a cruise ship at Port Chalmers over alleged sexual abuse will appear in court on Friday. The 33-year-old was due up in the Dunedin District Court today but the matter was administratively adjourned without him physically appearing before a judge. He will remain in custody until the end of the week. The defendant, who was aboard the cruise ship Noordam, has been charged with sexually violating a woman by rape and by unlawful sexual connection. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment. Both come from alleged acts that took place yesterday. Police said the man and complainant were known to each other. Noordam left Port Chalmers at 6pm yesterday and is due to dock in Fiordland National Park this afternoon. |
Rape charged |
| December 10 |
Vision
RCI |
Posters at Cruise Critic report "a crew member who had reported to his shift did not make it back off of his shift. They searched all day until 7:00 PM that night when they made an announcement to the ship that the crew member was missing And that he had possibly been swept overboard. All they know is that he showed up to his shift at 5 AM and wasn’t heard from after that. His shift took place on the pool deck." KHOU reports the 24 year old pool attendant from Mauritius went missing some time after 6:14 PM. |
Crew member overboard |
| December 10 |
Sky
NCL |
From a passenger: I'm looking into if someone commuted sucide by jumping off the cruise ship Norwegian Sky. Her name is leizel bartolome. Can you please let me know if this incident really happened. She worked in the galley on never sky and it would have happened Friday night . |
?Crew member overboard? |
| December 6 |
Ovation
RCI |
ABC News reports nearly 200 people have been hit with gastro symptoms while onboard one of the world's largest cruise ships, the Ovation of the Seas, which has today docked in Hobart. Three ambulances greeted the ship when it docked in Hobart. "The ship has notified health services of two passengers that are likely to require transfer to a hospital for medical assistance." This afternoon authorities confirmed five passengers had presented to the Royal Hobart Hospital needing treatment. |
Illness |
| December 6 |
Sun
Princess & Noordam
HAL |
NZ Herald reports the two ships were in Napier Port and tanked up with fresh water on Sunday (450 cubic metres), but port bosses say that did not cause Monday's shortage. Napier Port chief executive Garth Cowie said "Both ships took water – the total volume would have been around 1.6 per cent of the average daily water consumption or 0.9 per cent of the peak day average water consumption (which usually peaks at 50,000 cubic metres). |
Water taken by cruise ships |
| December 6 |
Sun
Princess & Noordam
HAL |
NZ Herald reports a thief has taken advantage of two cruise ships docking in Napier over the weekend, by snatching a woman's handbag on Emerson St. A police spokeswoman said police were notified about the theft shortly after 12.30pm on Sunday. Her bag was later found and it doesn't look like anything was taken from the bag. She said they had searched the area and the suspect was not located. |
Purse snatched |
| December 5 |
Pride of America
NCL |
From a passenger: Skipped Hilo due to 50mph wind gusts. Kona is still tentative. Sailing Lanai & Molokai today. Emergency medical drop off in Lahaina, Maui right now. |
Skipped port call |
| December 3 |
Breakaway
NCL |
From a passenger: someone was medevaced yesterday. from what the crew told me, a little boy got away from his parents at night, fell off the rock climbing wall and fell and broke his neck and died. the night before we head a code alpha called. |
?Child death onboard |
| December 2 |
Encore
Seabourn |
Sunshine Coast Daily reports Mother Nature cruelly tricked Mooloolaba traders out of a $250,000 ($400 per cruise passenger) pre-Christmas boost after the Seabourn Encore cruise ship was forced to skip its scheduled Coast stop. The prevailing winds meant it was too dangerous to transfer passengers from the 210m-long luxury liner onto tender boats to take them ashore in Mooloolaba. While the weather had cleared for the morning, the Bahamas-registered, 12-deck ship continued south, bypassing the Coast. |
Port call canceled |
| December 1 |
Grandeur
RCI |
From a reader: Just got back from 12 night cruise... Outbreak of Norovirus was so bad, they had to issue special notice (paper) to all cabins, and performers had to cancel one show.
Also, an UNCONFIRMED rumor that a total of three people died during the 12-night trip. |
Illness outbreak? / Pax deaths on cruise (natural causes assumed) |
| December 1 |
Caribbean
Princess |
From a reader: The ship is apparently having technical problems that reduce its top cruising speed. Consequently, it arrived late into Port Everglades-- around 8:45 am. Nobody allowed off of the ship
until all bags were off loaded first. All prepaid bag EZ offs were cancelled for flights before noon. Because of the late arrival cabin stewards and passengers all became very anxious. Also, here is a pic of water from the tap:: |
Reduced crusiing speed - technical problems. |
| November 30 |
Triumph
Carnival |
Travel Agent Central reports passengers were notified today that teir four-day cruise schedule to leave this afternoon has been canceled. The ship had a technical issue that is affecting the ship’s maximum cruising speed. The ship will sail to Mobile, AL, where the ongoing repair, which involves underwater work, can be more easily accomplished. Guests scheduled to sail on the November 30 cruise will automatically receive a full refund, along with a 25 percent future cruise credit. |
Cruise canceled |
| November 30 |
Triumph
Carnival |
WWL-TV reports the ship was originally scheduled to arrive in New Orleans for Thursday morning, but will be delayed until Thursday at 8 p.m. due to a technical issue that is affecting the ship’s maximum cruising speed. The cruise line says guests will have the option to get off the ship and head home after the ship’s arrival Thursday night or remain on board and then get off on Friday morning.
|
Technical problems - late return to port |
| November 30 |
Summit
Celebrity |
Antigua Observer reports two Canadian cruise passengers were swimming unsuspectingly a few feet away from the carjacking of their tour guide, which also led to the theft of their passports at Deep Bay. The police are currently investigating the robbery of the couple’s valuable items which involved two masked men armed with guns. According to the police, the perpetrators allegedly drove away from the scene in the tour guide’s Ssangyong truck. The tourists are now faced with an immigration dilemma. He explained that if the stolen passports are not recovered, the couple may have trouble entering the U.S. at their final port of call, Florida. The couple’s travel is also dependent on a police report. Dundas has asked the police to expedite it so that the international authorities have evidence of the incident. With the approval of the ship’s captain and the cruise liner, the couple were able to leave Antigua and head to the next port, St. Kitts. |
Pax robbed ashore (passports stolen) |
| November 28 |
Reflection
Celebrity |
CDC reports 173 of 3034 (5.7%) passengers and 3 of 1240 (0.624%) crew became ill on the cruise beginning November 17 and ending November 27. CDC Vessel Sanitation Program environmental health officers boarded the ship in Ft. Lauderdale on November 27 to conduct an environmental health assessment and evaluate the outbreak and response activities. |
illness |
| November 26 |
All |
Olive Press reports CLIA is calling the tourist tax unconstitutional and demand the government reconsider it. Cruise lines demanding change or they will leave the Balearics Next year will be the first that the tax, also know as the eco-tax, applies to all cruise passengers. Cruise liners are threatening to boycott Mallorca and Ibiza unless tourist tax changes, which will charge €2 to €4 a day next summer. The association argues the fee is undemocratic and could force companies to leave the Balearics and find new routes. Before, passengers docked for less than 12 hours were exempt from the tax. The CLIA is threatening to take the issue to court if changes aren’t made. The Sun reports the tax is already paid by land-based tourists -- the change is that the tax will now extend to cruise tourists who had previously been exept. (NOTES: I thought the cruise industry was pro-environment and supported environmental initiatives (obviously not!). in the late 1990s, when Grenada imposed a $1 per passenger tax required by the World Bank, Carnival boycotted the country for years. CLIA is also challenging in court taxes in Alaska that were initially introduced because of environmental concern. It is always interesting to see threats that they will go elsewhere -- the industry did the same thing in the US when there was an initiative to introduce tax and labour legislation in the US in the 1980s -- they said they'd move all of their ships from the US if the legislation were successful. Just like a child, they throw a tantrum and then get their way.) |
Oppose environmental tax - threat to boycott ports |
| November 25 |
Oriana
P&O |
Cruise Law News reports P&O Cruises Senior Vice President Paul Ludlowon posted a comment on the P&O Facebook pageannouncing the cancellation of a cruise aboard the Oriana(voyage X801). P&O says that the Oriana will "undergo three week technical maintenance from January 6 2018." Mr. Ludlowon writes that "as a result we will be canceling this cruise . . . and we are extremely sorry for the late notice and disruption." P&O intended to visit 13 different countries during the "Caribbean & Amazon Adventure" cruise. P&O offered just a 5% future cruise credit. Many disappointed customers complained about P&O's meager compensation offer. One person wrote that the offer "is hardly generous given the inconvenience this is causing passengers like us." P&O response to this comment was typical to P&O's non-negotiable response to the problem - "We are sorry you are disappointed by this however this will be our only offer in terms of compensation." |
Cruise caceled |
| November 25 |
Voyager
RSSC |
Daily Mail reports the mysterious case of a glamorous cruise ship singer found dead in her cabin could soon be reopened. Jackie Kastrinelis near Darwin, Australia, in February 2013, but a bungled police investigation has left her parents demanding an inquest. Ms Kastrinelis, the lead singer in the on-board Cirque Voyager show, was seen laughing and having fun over a few drinks on the night she died. The 24-year-old had been working for the cruise line for two years and planned to audition for a Broadway role on her return home. Coroner Greg Cavanagh is now considering her parents' request for a fresh investigation after they expressed concerns about the police investigation. Her Ukrainian saxophonist ex-boyfriend, Roman, who was on the ship and admitted being made jealous by the sight of her with another man, is among the elements to the cruise ship mystery. Then there is Jaanus, the Estonian engineer who said goodnight to Ms Kastrinelis before she entered her room for the last time, and Daniel, who admitted having consensual sex with the singer about 30 hours before her death. The police report reveals Roman lied in his first interview, and the door swipe records from that night do not match accounts provided by the three men. The Northern Territory Coroner's office wrote to Kathy and Mike Kastrinelis last week, confirming Mr Cavanagh is considering an inques. 'He [Mr Cavanagh] noted your concerns about the conduct of the police investigation conducted on behalf of the coroner and indicated that he shares some of those same concerns,' wrote deputy coroner Kelvin Currie. A previous investigation ruled Ms Kastrinelis died of 'sudden unexplained death syndrome' during her sleep, but her family are not convinced. |
Murder investigation opened |
| November 22 |
Anthem
RCI |
Passengers boarding the ship 25 November in Bayonne, NJ, received an email saying, "during the current sailing, some guests onboard experienced gastrointestinal illness. In an abundance of caution, we are conducting enhanced sanitizing onboard the ship and within the cruise terminal to help prevent any illness from affecting your cruise. The sanitizing process will cause a delay in check-in and boarding. Check in for your sailing will take place between 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM and boarding will begin at 12:00 PM.
|
?Illness? |
| November 22 |
Silver Cloud
Silversea |
Telegraph reports the inaugural Antarctic voyage has been cancelled due to mechanical problems after less than a week at sea, leaving guests distraught at losing the opportunity to explore the White Continent. The ship had been scheduled to visit the Falkland Islands, the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula on its 16-day expedition between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia. Its itinerary has already been hit by bad weather. Silver Cloud was scheduled to depart Buenos Aires on Wednesday November 15, sailing south to Puerto Madryn, nearest port to Peninsula Valdes, a wildlife-rich Unesco World Heritage site on the coast of Argentine Patagonia. However, forecasts of severe winds of over 30-40 knots and swells exceeding 6-8m delayed departure from the Argentine capital by a day, during which time the expedition leader Kara Weller announced that Stanley, the Falklands capital, would be omitted from the itinerary. After two days sailing through heavy seas to Puerto Madryn, the ship again waited in port for a break in the forecasted storms. At that point Captain Adam Boczek hoped to slip between an unprecedented sequence of heavy storms sweeping around the Southern Ocean that mitigated against safe passage across the infamously rough Drake Passage to Antarctica. Silver Cloud sailed south on the afternoon of November 20, but after just a few hours at sea a fuel pump failed and the engine cut out, leaving the ship adrift – fortunately in relatively light seas: had the engine failed in the Drake Passage, the outcome might have been much more serious. Though engineers restored power after about an hour, the ship returned to Puerto Madryn for assessment and repair. On the evening of November 21, it became clear that the replacement fuel pump part would not be in time. |
Mechanical problems - cruise canceled |
| November 18 |
Veendam
HAL |
Cruise Law News reports a passenger sailing on the ship near Greece stated that a number of guests are experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms: "I'm currently on MS Veendam. Left Fort Lauderdale on October 20th and due to return to Fort Lauderdale on December 8th. Currently docked in Souda, Greece. Leaving at 5:00 pm less than an hour from now. Souda port terminal has WiFi. Noro started about four days ago. We did pick up passengers in Barcelona and some of them are sick now and seem to have gotten sick shortly after boarding from what I understand. One day there were 29 passengers and two crew sick . . . Yesterday ... only four new cases and no crew sick anymore. Ship is cleaning, isolating and taking precautions including not allowing passengers to handle food which is good." |
Illness outbreak |
| November 17 |
Serenade
SIlja |
Cruise Law News reports a male passenger reportedly went overboard from the Silja Serenade late at night (around 2:00 A.M.) this past Monday, allegedly after a disagreement with other guests on the ship. Newspapers in Finland have reported on the incident. One newspaperindicates that a Coast Guard rescue center in Turku received an emergency call from the ship that a person fell went overboard. Three other passenger ships were reportedly alerted to search for the missing passenger. A helicopter from Sweden and Navy patrol boats from Kökar and Mariehamn were also called to participate. The search was canceled at around 5:45 A.M. without success. Another newspaper reported that the incident occurred in the northern Baltic Sea. The passenger went overboard from the ship's twelfth deck, and fell approximately 30 meters. The water temperature was reportedly around 10 degrees. The man had just left one of the ship's discos just before the incident. |
Passenger overboard |
| November 17 |
Royal
Princess |
Northern California Record reports an Illinois woman is suing Princess Cruise Lines, alleging negligence led to her suffering injuries. According to the complaint, on June 4, 2016, Dachman was walking along a passageway on the deck, when she tripped on a raised portion of a stainless seam.She says she fell and was injured in her health, strength and activity, and suffered from shock and disability. The plaintiff alleges Princess Cruise Lines failed to remedy a passageway on the deck that was dangerous and defective, failed to maintain and inspect the passageway, and failed to warn passengers of the dangerous condition. U.S. District Court for the Central District of California case number 17-cv-08142 |
Lawsuit for injury |
| 15 November |
Inspiration
CCL |
Times of India reports Margao: Symron Santana Almeida, 33, a resident of Cuncolim, has mysteriously gone missing from aboard a cruise liner he was working while in transit from Mexico to Los Angeles since November 9. With no written communication coming forth from his employers about the details of his disappearance, Symran's neighbour, Vijay Prabhu, has sought the intervention of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj through a twitter message. Symran's family sources informed TOI that Symron was working as a wiper in the engine room of a ship named 'Inspiration' belonging to Carnival Cruise Line. The family was informed about his disappearance only through a telephonic conversation. A spokesperson of the cruise liner has been updating the family about the progress of the search operations on a daily basis since November 12, it was informed. Symron's brother, Siffo, has now written to Symron's employers demanding a proper investigation into the incident and details pertaining to Symran's disappearance. |
Crew member missing |
| 12 November |
Anthem
RCI |
From a reader: A lot of bloggers are reporting norovirus on the cruise that came back. Called Royal Caribbean and they said they were cleaning the ship and it would be departing late today. ABC6 reports 10 members of one family became ill. Royal Caribbeaan confirmed that "were a total of 98 reported cases of gastro-intestinal illness symptoms". |
Illness |
| November 11 |
Balmoral
Fred Olsen |
Loop News Barbados reports police are investigating the death of a 79-year-old British visitor, which occurred sometime around 2:45 p.m. today at the beach at Mount Standfast, St. James. The deceased, a cruise ship passenger, was snorkelling with a friend and was at some point observed floating face down in the water. He was subsequently pulled from the water in a semi-conscious state, CRP was performed, and an ambulance summoned. He was rushed to the QEH by ambulance but was pronounced dead on arrival. |
Death ashore (snorkeling) |
| November 10 |
neoRiviera
Costa |
Telegraph reports a French passenger was thrown off a ship in the Indian Ocean for staging a "mutiny" after the captain cancelled two island stops and gave appalled customers €150 (£133) to spend on board by way of recompense. It was supposed to be a dream cruise around the "Vanilla islands" of Madagascar, Maurice, Reunion and the Seychelles. But Alain Jan, a 53-year old French chef who boarded the huge boat with his wife at the French islands of la Reunion on October 26, said it turned into a "floating prison".
Two days into the trip, the trouble started when the captain announced that three stop-offs around Madagascar were cancelled due to a plague epidemic on the island.
|
Evicted from ship |
| November 10 |
Gem
NCL |
From a reader:the ship has exerienced engine failure. Limping into Barbados tomorrow. Flying everyone back to home port. Unknown cause of engine failure. Subsequently, NCL sent notiofiocation to passengers that the November 11 sailing from NYC has been canceled. |
ENgine failure / canceled cruises |
| November 8 |
Solstice
Celebrity |
NZ Herald the ship, plagued with norovirus, has berthed in the Port of Tauranga today. It arrived at 7.15am as part of a 12-night cruise from Sydney to Auckland via the South Island. Of the 3985 guests and crew, 213 have been struck down with the vomiting and diarrhoea bug. The ship will sail as scheduled, departing at 6pm. Sydney man Walter Gibian was on board the ship with his wife Elisabeth but got off early after she fell ill. The couple left Sydney on October 30 and halfway into the 12-day cruise passengers started falling ill. Gibian says his wife come down with the bug on Saturday. She was then isolated to her cabin for 48 hours. Although his wife had already caught it, the Gibians decided to leave the ship early in Wellington on Tuesday morning because he did not want to risk getting ill. Gibian was told there was no refund but he could get a credit on a future cruise. Passengers on the current cruise disembark in Auckland on Saturday and the couple is worried new passengers will board oblivious to situation. |
Illness |
| November 8 |
Regatta
Oceania |
Cruise Diva reportsat approximately 2:00 a.m. local time in Honolulu, HI (7:00 a.m. local time in Miami, FL) Oceania Cruises' M/S Regatta experienced a failure of its power generation plant. All guests and crew are safe and accounted for. The power plant has been restored and all guest services are fully functioning. The ship is currently making its way back to Honolulu to effect a technical assessment and the vessel's current ETA alongside in Honolulu is 1 p.m. local time. At the time of the power loss, the vessel was approximately 20 miles off the coasts of the island of Oahu. |
Power loss |
| November 3 |
Crown
Princess |
CDC reports 128 of 2,980 (4.3%) passengers and 7 of 1,153 (0.61%) crew became ill on the cruise beginning October 25 and ending November 8. A CDC VSP epidemiologist and environmental health officer will board the ship in Norfolk, Virginia, on November 5 to conduct an epidemiological and environmental health investigation. UPDATE: November 7 179 of 2,957 (6.05%)passenger, 11 of 1,172 (0.94%) crew. UPDATE: November 11 184 of 2,957 (6.22%) passengers, 12 of 1,173 (1.02%) crew. CAUSE: C. perfringens enterotoxin (food poisoning) |
Illness |
| November 2 |
Dawn
NCL |
Royal Gazette reports a 62-year-old visitor was yesterday fined $500 for possession of cannabis and importation of the drug into Bermuda. Magistrates’ Court heard that Martin Prince, from the Bronx in New York, was arrested after customs officers found 6.08 grams of cannabis in his cruise ship cabin. Prosecutor Karen King said customs officers were alerted to a smell from a cabin on deck ten of the Norwegian Dawn. A drug sniffer dog pinpointed a closet and a table under the TV after they entered the cabin. The officers found a bottle containing plant material and a handmade cigarette. Prince returned to the cabin and when confronted by the officers, said: “Yes, it’s mine.” He was arrested and taken to Hamilton Police Station, where he told officers that the drugs were for his personal use. He pleaded guilty to the charges. |
Drug bust |
| November 1 |
MS Albatross |
Business Daily Africa reports cruise tourism has been dealt a blow after a luxury cruise ship MS Albatros cancelled its scheduled voyage to Mombassa. According to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) principal corporate communications officer Haji Masemo, the cruise ship had been anticipated to arrive at the port of Mombasa on November 3 (Friday). “We received information from the ship agent that MS Albatros had withdrawn its scheduled trip to Mombasa. No reasons were given for the cancellation,” the KPA official said. He noted that MS Albatros was the only cruise ship which had been booked to visit Mombasa this month.
|
Port call canceled |
| November 1 |
Wonder
Disney |
Fox 5 San Diego reports a former employee aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship was charged Monday with wire fraud in connection with a scheme to embezzle more than $275,000 from the Walt Disney Co. Federal agents arrested 32-year-old Renan Dias Da Rocha Gomes aboard the Disney Wonder Friday after the ship made port in San Diego Harbor following the completion of a cruise to Mexico. After being advised of his rights, Gomes confessed to his crimes, prosecutors said. According to court records, from at least October 2015 through Friday, Gomes, a citizen of Brazil, was employed as a merchandise host and assigned to work in the merchandise store aboard the Disney Wonder. Gomes allegedly executed his scheme by fraudulently obtaining money through his access to the VeriFone payment system in order to embezzle funds from Disney for his own personal use and benefit. |
Arrest for embezzling |
| November 1 |
Solstice
Celebrity |
Herald Sun reports the ship has been hit with an outbreak of gastro, according to reports. A Melbourne passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, said both her husband and herself were struck down with the virus after an 18 day cruise from Hawaii. “We got off the Solstice on October 20 in Sydney after 18 day cruise from Hawaii,” she said. “My husband got norovirus the day before we docked and I got it the day after we got home.” She said the virus has been on the ship since the October 18 when the first lot of passengers were quarantined. “The ship did the best they could under the circumstances to try to contain it,” the Melbourne woman said. |
Illness |
| October 30 |
Noordam
HAL |
Otago Daily Times reports the second cruise ship to visit Dunedin this season has made it into Otago Harbour after heavy fog delayed its arrival by two and-a-half hours. The Noordam berthed at Port Chalmers at 11.34am after waiting outside the harbour for the fog to lift. It was scheduled to depart Dunedin at 6pm but the delay meant it was now due to leave Port Chalmers at 8.45pm. |
Fog delay |
| October 25 |
Caledonia Sky |
The Advocate reports a cruise ship set to dock in Stanley for the first time in living memory has cancelled its trip to Tasmania. The MS Caledonian Sky was due to depart Melbourne October 2018 and visit ports across northern and eastern Tasmania before heading to New Zealand. The announcement of the voyage earlier this year was met with much fanfare, with Braddon MHA Joan Rylah describing it as “a massive shot in the arm for the Circular Head region”. |
Port call (2018) canceled |
| October 24 |
Deliziosa
Costa |
Norba Online reports from 08:00 pm on October 23rd at 6:30 am on the 25th, Costa Deliziosa was stuck in the Port of Bari for a stormy 9/10 force that fell on the lower Adriatic. For nearly 36 hours, the Port Authorities have declared the port closure as a result of violent high wind
gusts at certain times at 100 kmh. |
Stuck in port for 36 hours |
| October 21 |
Golden
Princess |
Cairns Post reports up to 1000 cruise ship passengers are stuck at Yorkeys Knob marina due to the road closures as a result of a fatal crash. A Princess Cruises spokesman said the ship, which docked at 7AM, is currently on a 10-night round trip cruise from Sydney to Queensland coastal destinations. She left Sydney on Oct 15. Yorkeys Knob Boating Club staff are attempting to accommodate the passengers after the road was closed so investigations in to the crash could take place. “We’ve got people everywhere,” a club spokeswoman said. “We’ve got our AGM happening too. All we know is we’ve got cruise ship people in the club, and not enough staff. We’re trying to get our staff in too.” |
Pax stuck at port |
| October 15 |
Sea Bird
Lindblad |
CDC reports 13 of 57 (22.81%) passengers and 1 of 30 (3.33%) crew became ill on the cruise beginning Sept 26 and ending October 2. |
Illness |
| October 15 |
Unnamed |
Daily Mail reports workers on a cruise ship in China had to hold back a woman who tried to jump into a deep lake to save her mobile phone this week. The female passenger, surnamed Liu, had accidentally dropped her handset, which contained 'important documents', into the Erhai Lake, a popular scenic spot in Yunnan Province. A viral video shows workers dragging her from the edge of the ship and trying to comfort the woman. |
Crew prevent woman from jumping overboard to retrieve her phone |
| October 15 |
Crown
Princess
and another unnamed |
Patch.com reports Perrotti Park's the spot Monday for pictures of the disabled SSV Oliver Hazard Perry. According to Newport Harbormaster Tim Mills, the Tall Ship is marooned there, by order of the Coast Guard, until a salvage company arrives to tow her to Fort Adams. He estimated the OHP's ride should arrive sometime between 3:30 and 5 this afternoon. The Tall Ship collided with four other boats after it lost power Sunday night on the way out of the Bowen's Wharf Seafood Festival. The Oliver Hazard Perry was not badly damaged, he said.The Associated Press reported Monday that the accident happened when the two propellers became caught on a dock line, causing the SSV Oliver Hazard Perry to lose power. Mills confirmed passengers on two cruise ships had been unable to disembark. The ship is blocking a channel used by the cruise ships, the AP said. |
Ship aground -- blocks 2 ships making port call |
| Octiober 14 |
Glory
Carnival |
WSVN News report an 8-year-old girl fell at two stories from a deck on board a cruise ship docked at PortMiami, Saturday morning. According to statement from Carnival, the young victim was on a deck on the ship’s interior atrium, located two floors above the lobby, when she fell to a lower deck, at around 8:15 a.m. Subsequent news reports say the child was barely as tall as the railing and had to stand on her "tippy toes" to see over the railing. |
Child dies in fall |
| October 9 |
Golden
Princess |
New Zealand Herald reports the ship was due to arrive in Napier this morning as the first and only visitor of the month, but bypassed the region in light of the afternoon forecast for strong winds. Napier i-Site Visitor Centre manager Jane Libby said the call was made at 6.30am and left many in the local tourism industry disappointed. "There's 2600 passengers on board and 1100 crew so it would have been a very busy day for us. We really were looking forward to it. We were all geared up, ready and waiting, and today was our first cruise ship day." |
Skipped port call |
| October 7 |
Fantasy Carnival |
Wear TV reports due to the approach of Hurricane Nate, the Port of Mobile will be closed Saturday morning, according to the Mobile Alabama Cruise Terminal. This will prevent the Carnival Fantasy from making its scheduled call and returning to Mobile on Saturday. It is unclear how things worked out. |
Hurricane closes home port |
| Octiober 3 |
Baltic Princess |
Turkey Sea News reports a man was arrested in the morning of Sep 30, 2017, aboard the "Baltic Princess" by a police officer in Värtahamnen. He was suspected of raping a younger woman aboard a ferry. There were guards who took care of the man aboard the ferry and contacted the police. The woman has been transported to the hospital for examination. Both the woman and the suspected offender were Finnish citizens. |
Sexual assault |
| October 1 |
Carnival Corporation |
Carnival Corporation announced it will shift purchasing policies across its nine leading cruise line brands by 2024 (that's 7 years from now) to improve the welfare of sourced chicken, becoming one of the first companies in the travel industry to commit to adopting comprehensive broiler chicken welfare policies. By 2024, Carnival Corporation will require sourced chicken to be GAP-certified and produced under standards that require all chickens to be given more space and enhanced environments – including litter and lighting (and in the meantime?) |
Promises but where's the action? |
| October 1 |
Dream
Disney |
Cruise Fever reports the ship hit the dock after arriving in Nassau this morning. Photos were posted on social media and show a dent above the water line on the ship’s stern. It is still unknown at this time what caused the ship to hit the pier. One passenger onboard posted that it was foggy this morning in Nassau. Damage to the ship appears minimal and the hull was not punctured. The Inquistir is reporting that the ship’s schedule will not be affected by the damage to the ship. Disney Dream is currently on a three night cruise out of Port Canaveral with port stops in Nassau and on the cruise line’s private island Castaway Cay. |
Collision with pier |
| October 1 |
Pearl Mist |
CBC reports Transport Canada has fined a small cruise ship $6,000 for going too fast in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Pearl Mist allegedly violated the federal government's 10-knot speed limit that was put in place in early August to prevent further deaths of endangered North Atlantic right whales.? |
Fined for exceeding speed limit |
| October 1 |
Liberty
RCI |
The Chronicle reports an unhappy traveler is suing Royal Caribbean for refusing to call off a Galveston cruise even as Hurricane Harvey battered southeast Texas. Instead of allowing would-be vacationers to reschedule in light of the category 4 storm, a federal lawsuit alleges, the cruise line forced families to choose between traveling into the path of the hurricane for an Aug. 27 ship departure or forfeiting all the money shelled out for the pricey trip. The suit filed Thursday in Florida's Southern District offers a class action claim on behalf of Canadian traveler Nikki McIntosh and all similarly situated passengers who booked Aug. 27 trips on the Miami-based cruise line's Liberty of the Seas. |
Lawsuit for sailing into hurricane |
| September 22 |
Seven Seas Explorer Regent Seven Seas |
Devon Live reports a visit to Dartmouth by a luxury cruise liner was cut short today due to bad weather. The Regent Seven Seas explorer had been due to anchor off the mouth of the Dart, with passengers coming ashore by tender. However, due to the bad weather and concerns about tendering guests from the ship into the river, Regent Seven Seas Explorer took the decision to terminate her visit to Dartmouth. The vessel remained at anchor for approximately an hour, in order to assess the situation. The ship instead headed out for a slow steam to its next port of call, Southampton. |
Skipped port call |
| September 22 |
Unknown |
Aftodioikisi reports a case reminiscent of a film script scenario. In Piraeus there has been a real "war" on the profits of two tourists who have won a 1,000,000 Euros treasure at a cruise ship's casino. The thriller has been running for two weeks in Piraeus, according to the newspaper "The Nation." The two tourists won the treasure playing two consecutive evenings at the casino of a cruise ship. The second night the two tourists cashed out their winnings and went to their cabins with an amount exceeding 1,000,000 Euros. An hour later, according to the complaints of one of the two ship sailors, one from Israel and the other from Canada, invaded his cabin. They hit him and ripped from the cabin safe the amount of 430,000 Euros that was his own share of the profits. According to the same complaint, the perpetrators intended to do the same against his friend, but he heard the bustle and managed to escape by leaving his own cabin, taking with him 600,000 Euros from casino profits.The tourist complained to the Port Authority, the Port Authority Security officers intervened and arrested the sailors, found 430,000 Euros in their possession and seized them. The sailors, however, claimed that the tourists had found a way to steal the casino and that they went to the cabin to take back the money because they had been acquired in a fraudulent way. The tourist from Bulgaria is now claiming the money, but the amount remains committed until Justice. |
Robbery - casino winnings |
| September 21 |
Aurora
P&O |
Maritime Bulletin reports a fire was reported in engine room while in the Atlantic during her trip from Bermuda to the Azores. According to AIS track, fire started at around 1300 UTC Sep 20, the ship was disabled and suffered a blackout. Fire said to be extinguished in an hour, according to passengers who posted their messages on Cruise Critic As of 1100 UTC Sep 21, AURORA was under way, steaming full speed towards the Azores. No other information available. No press-release on P&O Cruises website, and no official statement yet. |
Disabling fire |
| September 20 |
Unknown |
Cruise Hive reports activists in Venice have gone even further to try and stop large cruise ships from using the lagoon in the historic and iconic Italian city. The Grand Navi Committee who have been fighting against the large cruise ships launched a new attack yesterday. A group in animal masks managed to chain themselves to the side of a large cruise ship in the city port and held up a sign which said “Save the Planet, Save the Lagoon. Stop Climate Chaos, Stop Cruise Ships!. The Grand Navi Committee posted the following on its Facebook page: We keep attending the attack to our houses, our canals for the pointless amusement and profit for few. And, again, we know the guilty party: Carnival Corporation, CostaCrociere, MSC, VTP, Consorzio Venezia Nuova. Today, in Venice, a big ship was our target. A big ship was touched. We are neither silent nor powerless. You have neither domesticated nor bought us. We have not surrendered and we won’t. |
Protestors chain selves to cruise ship in Venice |
| September 19 |
Multiple |
There are many reports ofitinerary changes as hurricanes continue to visit the Caribbean. These are all well presented by the media. For example, see Cruise Critic and USA Today. And an update here. |
Itinerary changes (hurricanes) |
| September 16 |
Millennium
Celebrity |
KUCB reports the ship was supposed to dock in Unalaska today, but instead it decided to go to Sitka. Although Unalaska is known as America’s top fishing port, tourism, in particular the cruise ship industry, is a growing source of revenue especially for small businesses and non-profits. Locals say they’ve been left scrambling, trying to figure out how they will make up tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue from the cancelled visit. A lack of available facilities were apparently responsible for the cancelation. "We did have some options that if they could delay for some hours, they could come in at that point," said ports director Peggy McLaughlin. "I don’t think that worked with what they were trying to accomplish and ultimately they made a decision to change that port of call." With the city dock under construction, regular cargo operations, and requirements from the vessel, there was only so much McLaughlin could do. This incident raises a big question about Unalaska’s future.
|
Canceled port call |
| September 16 |
Anthem
RCI |
Royal Gazette reports a 25-year-old cruise ship passenger was today handed a suspended prison sentence for possessing 3.73 grams of cannabis. Ioas Durham, from Boston, was sentenced to one month in prison, suspended for six months, for the offence that happened in Sandys on Tuesday. Magistrates’ Court heard that Durham was searched by customs officers when he left the Anthem of the Seas around noon and plant material was found in his backpack. Durham also dropped an item down the back of his shorts. It fell on the ground and he stepped on it. His cabin was also searched and more plant material was seized. Plant material was later recovered from the search area and Durham told police officers that it was probably his. In court today, Durham explained that he has a Massachusetts medical marijuana card for a variety of health problems. He added that he was not aware that cannabis was illegal in Bermuda and that he was “extremely embarrassed and apologetic”. Durham also told the court that he spent the night in the emergency shelter at the Salvation Army and a Go Fund Me account was set up for him so he could afford a ticket home. Senior magistrate Juan Wolffe handed him the suspended sentence and warned him not to commit any further offences in Bermuda in the next six months. |
Drug arrest |
| September 12 |
Caribbean
Princess |
From a passenger - Received from Princess Cruises: Caribbean Princess is experiencing a technical issue which has resulted in our inability to operate at full speed. This in no way compromises the safety of our guests and crew, which is our highest priority; however, our technical experts have determined that it is necessary to make changes to our itinerary. We will still offer our full tour program in the Panama Canal, but will now call to Cristobal rather than Colon after the partial transit of the Panama Canal on Saturday, November 25, 2017. Additionally, call times at several ports have been amended.
As a goodwill gesture, each guest will receive a refundable credit of $50 USD applied to their onboard folio. |
"Technical issue" with propulsion -
Itinerary change |
| September 6 |
Sun
Princess |
Courier Mail reports a burst water pipe forced some guests out of their rooms on the first day of a four-day Queensland cruise. A Princess Cruises spokesman said the issue was “strictly localised”. “Repairs were quickly made to a freshwater pipe after some water entered some guest cabins on deck 11,” the spokesman said. A caller to radio station 4BC said her cabin was under at least two inches of water. Daily Mail reports a honeymooning couple had 'sewage leaking into their room' as a result of the plumbing problem.'It took three or so days for them to be moved so they had to sleep with the door open to stop the smell. Carnival Cruiselines rejected these claims saying they are 'absolutely incorrect'. |
Burst pipe and flooding |
| September 4 |
Multiple |
Three cruise lines have cancelled some of the planned destinations on their itineraries due to the incoming Hurricane Irma. Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas and MSC Divina have been affected, changing from an Eastern Caribbean trip to a Western Caribbean one. Four of Carnival Cruise Line’s ships including Carnival Glory and Carnival Magic have also been affected in a similar way. Hurricane warnings are in place for nearly a dozen of the Caribbean islands, bringing torrential rain and potentially dangerous winds. The first of the hurricane’s weather is expected to arrive by late Tuesday, whilst the British and US Virgin Islands will be hit by early Wednesday. |
Weather - itinerary change |
| September 1 |
Dawn
NCL |
Royal Gazette reports a 30-year-old man has been charged with sexually assaulting a minor (15 year old male) during a cruise from Boston to Bermuda. The Mississippi man is currently awaiting extradition from Bermuda to the United States, prosecutors said in a news release. The defendant was officially charged on Wednesday in a Massachusetts federal court, according to the US Attorney’s office. According to a report in the Boston Globe the child reported the incident to ship security, who in turn notified the Bermuda authorities. Police arrested the man and notified officials in the United States. |
Sexual assault of minor |
| September 1 |
Summit
Celebrity |
Bernews reports this week the ship arrived in Bermuda a day early — on Tuesday instead of Wednesday — as a female passenger was in need of medical treatment ashore. The vessel, originally due to arrive on the 30th August, anchored in Grassy Bay before berthing alongside King’s Wharf, Dockyard. The patient was subsequently taken by ambulance to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. |
Ship arrives in port early |
| September 1 |
Breakwaway
NCL |
Royal Gazette reports two cruise ship passengers were arrested yesterday in connection with a violent incident in Dockyard in the early hours of the morning that left a pair of island teenagers in hospital with serious injuries. Police said a fight broke out between three passengers from the Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship and two local males after an alleged jewellery theft. The two locals — aged 19 and 17 — were taken to hospital with what police described as serious head and facial injuries. A police spokesman said: “A 26-year-old female and 23-year-old male from the cruise ship have been arrested in connection with this matter.” |
Fight shore; pax arrested |
| September 1 |
Splendor
CCL |
VI Consortium reports a cruise ship passenger went missing in St. Thomas on Thursday, after deboarding the ship she traveled to the island on. The missing person has been identified as Regina Gilliam, a 26-year-old black female whose height is 5 feet 4 inches, and weighs roughly 200 pounds, She deboarded the Carnival Splendor at 8:19 a.m. on Thursday, and did not return upon the ship’s departure on Thursday afternoon. St. Thomas Source reports the woman was found Sunday on St. Thomas at the Cyril E. King Airport. According to the V.I. Police Department, Gilliam approached a V.I. Port Authority officer at about 11 a.m. Sundaty and identified herself as the missing passenger from the Carnival Splendor cruise ship.The officer was able to verify that she was indeed Gilliam, and notified 911 immediately. |
Missing ashore |
| September 1 |
Mahller
Crystal |
Cruise Critic reports a delay is anticipated in the arrival of Crystal's newest riverboat to the Rhine River and has modified the ship's 16-night maiden voyage in response. Instead of sailing from Budapest to Amsterdam, departing on September 30, 2017, Crystal Mahler will now sail roundtrip from Amsterdam. The new itinerary sails the Rhine River roundtrip from Amsterdam as far as Basel, Switzerland, visiting mainly ports in Germany. The original itinerary, which began in Budapest, also included Danube and Main River sailing, which has been eliminated from the revised itinerary. All passengers have been notified of the itinerary change and given a choice of options. |
Itinerary change |
| August 31 |
Legend
CCL |
From a passenger: As we were departing Juneau on 8/26 I went to the medical center at around 3:30 pm for some stitches following an injury I had from A Mendenhall Glacier excursion. Then a code was called for a team member in the third deck. A long time employee was having a heart attach. All the medical staff ran out and I was asked to come back later. We returned to Juneau. The ship turns and then stops. About 15 minutes later we are told that the crew member passed away and that we would be continuing to Ketchikan. The crew member was an older male, long term Carnival employee since the 90's who worked in the safety department. He was from Nicaragua. |
Death of crew member |
| August 25 |
Freedom, Valor, Breeze
CCL
Liberty
RCI |
Houston Chronical reports Galveston is hunkering down for the hurricane. But city officials were confident Friday that the island is ready for Hurricane Harvey's wrath. But for the thousands of passengers stuck at sea on four cruise ships set to dock over the weekend - three Carnival cruises and one Royal Caribbean boat - the incoming storm could throw a wrench in the week's plans. With the port shut down to ship traffic, cruise-goers are forced to head to other ports or wait offshore - possibly all the way until Tuesday or Wednesday, said Roger Quiroga, the Port of Galveston's external affairs director. Two of the ships - Carnival Freedom and Carnival Valor - were set to dock Saturday and will make stops at New Orleans instead. Meanwhile, the Carnival Breeze will spend the night docked in Cozumel and depart for Galveston tomorrow. Royal Caribbean said its Liberty of the Seas is keeping a safe distance behind the storm as it returns to Galveston. It's scheduled to return Sunday. |
Hurricane-related itinerary changes |
| August 24 |
Spirit
CCL |
9 News reports passengers have recounted terrifying scenes aboard the ship after it was rocked by wild weather off the coast of New South Wales last Friday. Photos posted online show the chaos wreaked inside the ship, with plates and spilled condiments strewn haphazardly across the floor of a buffet room, the Daily Telegraph reports. Another photo shows monster wales, visible just through the porthole window of another passenger’s cabin. |
Encounter with monster waves |
| August 21 |
Pacific Expxlorer
P&O Australia |
Sunshine Coast Daily reports the ship was due to dock at Mooloolaba this morning, but a swell of 1.5 metres and wind gusts of up to 30 knots prevented its docking, according to a spokesperson. The ship will instead arrive to its next port of call, Gladstone, for an early arrival of 10pm. From a passenger: Morning everyone ..... ship update ..... WE MADE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! Was super hectic! 24ft waves!! This little boat was being tossed like you wouldn't believe. Seas have only just calmed down about an hour ago (0630). However is still quite rocky!! The captain had to turn the ship around to avoid any further damage! At this stage we are only around near Wyong!!! We are still travelling approx less than 10knots. Just waiting for the captain to make an announcement as to what we are doing. 2 windows were smashed by waves - one in Angelos restaurant and the other in the waterfront restaurant. Have no reports of injuries at this stage. We were advised to remain in our cabins or seated somewhere comfortable. |
Canceled port call |
| August 19 |
Allure
RCI |
Virgin Islands Consortium reports that mechanical issues with the ship has forced itinerary changes that resulted in five cancelled calls to St. Thomas. The port’s executive director said the ship was scheduled to berth at Crown Bay on 20-Sep-2017 18-Oct-2017 15-Nov-2017 13-Dec-2017 12-Jan-2018, but the five calls to St. Thomas have been cancelled. The Allure ship has an issue with its propulsion system, which makes it very difficult for the ship to travel to certain distances due to speed restrictions. RCCL was forced to cancel these five calls to St. Thomas and shifted the ship to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The ship is scheduled to head to dry dock for repairs in January. |
Propulsion problems - canceled port calls |
| August 18 |
Fantasy
CCL |
WKRG reports the ship has turned around in the Gulf of Mexico and returned to Mobile for a “critical medical emergency.” The ship docked at the Alabama Cruise Terminal around 11:30am for medical personnel to rush the patient to a nearby hospital. The individual, a white man appearing to be in his forties or fifties, was on a stretcher as he was loaded into an ambulance. The ship was in the middle of a four-day cruise to the western Caribbean. Carnival executives said the ship will be forced to miss a scheduled call in Cozumel, Mexico and the remainder of the voyage will be spent at sea.” |
Medical emergency causes itinerary change (no port calls) |
| August 18 |
Escape
NCL |
Cruise Critic reports the ship was originally scheduled to depart Miami Saturday, August 19, for a Western Mediterranean cruise, but because of Tropical Storm Harvey will now sail an Eastern Caribbean itinerary. |
Itinerary change |
| August 17 |
Unnamed |
Cayman News Service reports a 70-year-old woman who was visiting Grand Cayman on a cruise ship yesterday morning (14 August) died after a snorkelling trip, police have said. The woman, who was from the United States, was said to have encountered difficulties at Coral Gardens in North Sound at around 11am. She was pulled from the water into the boat where the crew and other people on the excursion performed CPR and gave her oxygen. Police and the emergency services were told that she was being brought to shore to the Yacht Club fuel dock in West Bay. Once on land she was treated by medics but pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. |
Pax death on shore excurison |
| August 13 |
Unnamed |
BVI News reports two cruise ship calls scheduled for August 15 and 16 have been cancelled as a result of the tropical wave that caused widespread flooding and landslides in the territory last week Monday, August 7. Premier Dr D Orlando Smith said his government made the decision after careful consideration and consultation with the Recovery Advisory Group and industry stakeholders. |
Port calls canceled |
| August 13 |
Pacific
Princess |
Cruise Critic reports the current eight-night Ireland and Scotland voyage got off to a slow start yesterday (August 12) as the ship was delayed departing the port of Dover following a power failure onboard. The line has confirmed that the 680-passenger ship finally departed after power was restored and all hotel services were up and running again at 12:18 a.m. this morning. As a result, Princess Cruises has cancelled the ship's first port of call at St Helier in Jersey today. In a statement the line said: "The cause of the power failure is under investigation by the Captain and his Chief Engineer. "The delay will impact the planned itinerary with a cancellation of the first port of call St. Helier (Jersey). Instead, Pacific Princess will proceed to Waterford (Ireland) for an early arrival on 14 August." |
Power failure; Canceled port call |
| August 11 |
Dream
CCL |
NOLA reports passengers were forced to forgo Friday's (Aug. 11) planned stop in Cozumel due to a "technical issue" that sent the New Orleans-based ship back to its home port, the cruise line said in a statement. The Miami-based cruise line said the issue was affecting the ship's maximum cruising speed, but all other systems were functioning normally. The cruise left New Orleans Sunday (Aug. 6) and will return as scheduled this Sunday. Passengers were given $50 each in onboard credit, according to Carnival, which is technically required by terms of the CLIA Cruise Passenger Bill of Rights. |
Canceled port call - dead in the water - engine problems |
| August 10 |
Sun
Princess |
ABC reports 91 cruisegoers have been struck down by a norovirus. Passengers afflicted with the virus during a 10-day cruise of the South Pacific suffered diarrhoea and vomiting, among other symptoms. From a passenger: further to the gastro outbreak. The media suggested that management attributed the cause to a passenger boarding at Darwin. No mention was made of the many new dining room and bistro staff who also joined at Darwin and are probably reluctant to report illness for fear of job loss. There was no mention of the plague of insects that firstly boarded Sun Princess, days earlier in Broome. Crickets in particular happily settled in on the Lido deck and could be heard chirping in their hidey-holes for days afterwards as they slowly dehydrated and roasted. Meanwhile a swarm of large blowflies joined the cruise in Luganville and freely entered cabins and the buffet. Let’s hope the virus has been eliminated this time.
|
Illness |
| August 10 |
Grand
Princess |
KRAL reports the ship on Wednesday morning pulled into Ketchikan with the marine mammal lodged on its submerged, bulbous bow, a device designed to avoid wave-making. Princess spokesman Brian O'Connor said the company was surprised and saddened to discover the whale. "It is unknown how or when this happened as the ship felt no impact," he said in a statement. "It is also unknown, at this time, whether the whale was alive or already deceased before becoming lodged on the bow." |
Dead whale on bow |
| August 10 |
Elation
CCL |
A reader reports her family is currently on the Carnival Elation from 8/8-8/12 todays port of call at halfmoon cay was cancelled due to extremely windy conditions preventing them from anchoring. They are still planning to dock in Nassau tomorrow, if conditions allow. |
Skipped port call |
| August 9 |
Noordam
HAL |
CDC reports 82 of 2,143 (3.832%) passengers and 5 of 790 (0.63%) crew became ill on the cruise beginning July 30 and ending August 6. |
Illness |
| August 6 |
Breeze
CCL |
KHOU reports a young girl was airlifted to a hospital in Tampa after falling from a balcony. The ship sailed from Galveston to the Bahamas and was on the way back to Texas when the child was injured. The U.S. Coast Guard tells KHOU 11 News it was notified by the ship Friday evening, and a UH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew arrived at the boat around 2:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Carnival Cruise Line released the following statement: I can confirm that yesterday afternoon on board the cruise ship Carnival Breeze, a three-year-old child fell from her stateroom balcony to an outdoor deck area one level below. She was in stable condition on board the vessel and was airlifted to Tampa as a precaution. Our CareTeam has been providing assistance and support to the family. The Coast Guard reported the child had injuries to her face. The ship has resumed its journey |
Child falls from balcony |
| July 29 |
Nieuw Amsterdam
HAL |
CDC reports 73 of 2,210 (3.30%) passengers and 4 of 869 (0.46%) crew became ill on the cruise beginning July 22 and ending July 29. |
Illness |
| July 29 |
Crown
Princess |
Law360 reports a South African woman employed as a spa facialist urged a Florida federal judge on Wednesday to deny the cruise line's bid to arbitrate in the Bahamas her suit over an alleged rape that took place while she was off-duty, arguing that the alleged assault has nothing do with an arbitration provision in her employment agreement. Attorneys for the spa worker argued in an opposition brief that Princess Cruise Lines’ interpretation of the arbitration language in her shipboard employment agreement is “overreaching and goes too far.” But regardless of the scope of the arbitration provision, claims over the alleged sexual assault aren’t related to her employment, the attorneys argued. The spa worker alleged she was raped by an off-duty Princess Cruise Lines worker in a crew member cabin. The woman had a baby as a result of the alleged rape, according to the complaint. The case is Haasbroek v. Princess Cruise Lines Ltd. et al., case number 17-cv-22370, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. |
Sexual assault, crew on crew - Legal rights |
| July 29 |
Noordam
HAL |
CDC reports 167 of 2,086 (8.02%) passengers and 6 of 802 (0.75%) crew became ill on the cruise beginning July 23 and ending July 30. |
Illness |
| July 26 |
Volendam
HAL |
CDC reports 46 of 1473 (3.12%) passengers and 10 of 610 (1.61%) crew became ill on the cruise beginning July 19 and ending July 26. The VSP epidemiologist and environmental health officers will board the ship on arrival in Juneau on July 28, 2017, to evaluate the outbreak and conduct an environmental assessment. |
Illness |
| July 26 |
Emerald
Princess |
KTTU reports a 39-year-old woman has died following a domestic dispute. The July 25 death aboard the ship that docked unscheduled in Juneau also has Federal Bureau of Investigation officials headed to Alaska's capital, according to Staci Feger-Pellessier of the FBI Anchorage division. "Since the incident, our fleet security team has been coordinating with the FBI and other local authorities," Negin Kamali of Princess Cruises said in a written statement Wednesday morning. She said the incident happened on an Emerald Princess cruise ship at around 9 p.m. Tuesday. The Emerald Princess was on a seven-day round-trip cruise that departed Seattle on July 23. A scheduled scenic cruise for Wednesday was cancelled. Few details about the victim are known thus far, though Kamali said the woman was from Utah. As it was an open investigation at the time of the request, she said, she was unable to give any more details than that. Associated Press reports a man and other people went into the room before medical workers and security officers had arrived and saw the woman on the floor covered in blood, according to court documents. The man asked Manzanares what happened, and the suspect said, "'She would not stop laughing at me,'" according to the FBI complaint. Manzanares then grabbed his wife's body and tried to drag her to the balcony, but the man stopped him, Watson wrote. The name of the man was not included in the complaint. |
Murder - domestic violence |
| July 25 |
A'Rosa |
Travel Weekly reports almost 200 passengers and crew had to be evacuated from a Danube river cruise vessel when a blaze broke out on board. The passengers, who were on travelling with German river cruise line A-Rosa from Linz to Budapest, were taken off and moved to a nearby ship. The blaze started close to the village of Schoenbuehel-Aggsbach in Lower Austria, a fire brigade spokesman told Reuters. No-one was was reported to be hurt. Twelve fire engines and several boats with around 150 fire fighters fought the blaze before bringing it under control after two hours. Five ship crew members who tried to extinguish the fire were treated for smoke inhalation in hospital, a spokesman for the Red Cross said. While the reason for the fire was still unclear, it seemed to have started near a gym and fitness facilities on board the boat, the fire brigade spokesman said. A company spokeswoman said she had no information about the passengers’ nationalities but confirmed that all of them were in good health. “The ship is fully maneuverable according to current knowledge,” she said. “A-Rosa, consultants and authorities are checking on site.” |
Fire |
| July 25 |
Unknown
Princess |
Cruise Hive reports in a new video posted yesterday a young boy has been seen jumping from the railings above into the ships main pool below. The two boys in the video named Justice and Zach planned their jump while cruising onboard Princess Cruises. It starts in their cabin where they even prepare with GoPro cameras to capture the stunt. So one of the boys jumps which looks to be from one deck above directly in the pool below. The cruise line even has a sign which says “For Your Own Safety, Do Not Jump Or Dive Into The Pool” and was even caught in the footage. The boys completely ignored the safety sign and seemed to think they were doing something cool just to get more attention and followers. The video ends with the jump into the pool and the boy is very lucky this didn’t end badly. |
Stupid human tricks |
| July 25 |
World of Residensea |
KFSK reports the ship skipped its stop in Petersberg (Alaska) Tuesday, July 25 because of a medical emergency. Tuesday’s visit to Petersburg was the only one on the schedule this summer for The World. The ship is too large to transit the Wrangell Narrows and it has anchored in Frederick Sound and lightered passengers into town for its past visits. Around 9 p.m. Monday July 24 outside of Wrangell, the ship contacted the U.S. Coast Guard and requested a medevac for one of the ship pilots. The pilot was reportedly showing signs of having suffered a stroke . The ship began making its way back to Wrangell. Search and rescue volunteers from Wrangell transported the pilot from the ship to the hospital in that community. That diversion threw off the schedule for the ship and it ended up cancelling the planned stop in Petersburg and continued on to Tracy Arm. |
Missed port call |
| July 19 |
Volendam
HAL |
CDC reports 68 of 1480 (4.59%) passengers and 1 of 610 (0.16%) crew became ill on the cruise beginning July 12 and ending July 19. |
Illness |
| July 18 |
Lucky 7 Casino Cruise Ship |
World Casino Directory reports that just a week after receiving permission from the High Court of Bombay to operate on the Mandovi River, Golden Globe Hotels Pvt Ltd’s floating casino, MV Lucky 7, has run aground on the river in the Indian state of Goa. The Press Trust of India reports that on Sunday night, MV Lucky 7, the sixth off shore casino vessel granted permission by the state government to operate on the Mandovi River, got stuck on a sandbar near Miramar beach while being towed from Mormugao Harbor to its designated anchoring spot in Panaji on what is referred to as the Indian state’s lifeline. According to the news agency, four members of the MV Lucky 7’s crew of 19 had to be rescued by Coast Guard helicopter; one of the four was injured and the other three were described as suffering from sea sickness. |
Aground |
| July 18 |
Marco Polo
Cruise & Maritime Voyages |
Travel Weekly Australia reports A BRITISH TOURIST IS LUCKY TO BE ALIVE AFTER SWIMMING ALMOST HALF A MILE TO CATCH UP TO THE CRUISE SHIP THAT PULLED AWAY FROM THE MADEIRA COAST WITHOUT HER. Susan Brown, a 65 year old British tourist, was found afloat with her handbag in the Atlantic ocean by fisherman, after she had attempted to swim after the Marco Polo cruise ship she had been a passenger on. According to Travel Market Report, Brown left the cruise ship after an argument with her husband, but then attempted to return to the Marco Polo ship after believing that he was still on it. She then found her self frantically swimming for four hours in the dark trying to catch the ship. She was very lucky to have been rescued by fisherman after suffering from hypothermia. But seriously, who thinks they can swim faster than a cruise ship?! |
Swim to catch up with ship (right!) |
| July 14 |
Milford Wanderer |
NZ Press reports about 30 passengers were evacuated from a cruise ship in Port Pegasus, Stewart Island, after it became stuck on rocks. Tourism operator Real Journeys' ship hit the rocks at low tide, about 9am on Thursday. A spokeswoman for the company said 30 passengers, three Department of Conservation (DOC) staff and six crew were on board. No-one was hurt and passengers boarded other craft to continue on a scheduled three-hour walk while the ship's skipper and crew checked the ship for damage. |
Hit rocks |
| July 8 |
Freedom
CCL |
From a passenger: I am on the carnival freedom. Thursday July 6th a young adult male passenger was either seriously injured or killed during a shore excursion in Cozumel.
I don't have a lot of details, but a man dove off a floating trampoline and was unconscious in the water. Last I heard he was in Cozumel hospital. I did not see the accident, but I did see his family disembark with luggage and the vessel was late to depart the port.
Requests for information to the crew have gone unanswered, and I have limited web access on the ship. |
Injury or death on shore excurison |
| July 4 |
Summit
Celebrity |
Press Herald reports emergency responders were called to the Portland waterfront Monday morning for what was initially reported as a mass casualty incident aboard a cruise ship. It turned out that four people with unrelated injuries and medical conditions arrived aboard the Celebrity Summit in need of medical attention, according to Toni Doucette, a facilities security officer for the Port of Portland. The emergencies included two heart-related emergencies, one case of pneumonia and a broken leg. The mass casualty was declared around 9:30 a.m. to summon multiple rescue crews because all four people needed to be transported to a hospital, Doucette said. Shortly before 10 a.m., two ambulances, two fire engines and a police cruiser were still on the scene, as passengers continued to disembark from the ship at the Portland Ocean Terminal. |
Mass casualty incident - NOT |
| July 4 |
Recently in the News:
Sex Assault Victims on Cruise Ships Are Often Under 18
Air Onboard Cruise Ships "Is Twice as Bad a Picadilly Circus"
|
| June 30 |
Constellation
Celebrity |
From a passenger: First cruise. Family Involved in a noro outbreak on celebrity constellation on the 15-24th June 2017 Venice to Rome cruise. No reports published in media. Up to 300 passengers reported ill -- 4 days of crew changes and deep cleaning. Docking at Naples was delayed by customs for 2 hours. Just received a voucher for next cruise. |
Illness outbreak |
| June 30 |
Perla
Aida |
Welt reports on Friday morning at 6.30 h, a naked man jumped from the ship. The man claimed to travel with his grandmother. Witnesses said the 24-Year-old who appeared to be on drugs. The man was fished from the harbour by a port guards and brought back to the ship where he could be seen by other passengers. He was taken to hospital in the Mallorcan metropolis. |
Pax jumps overboard while in harbour |
| June 30 |
Sea
Princess |
NZ Herald reports a cruise ship engineer has been awarded nearly $45,000 ($37,443 for lost wages and $7000 for hurt and humiliation) after being sacked for sharing emails which expressed concern about practices on the vessel, which had previously experienced an on-board explosion. Stuart Hurst worked as a senior service engineer on the 261m Sea Princess from February 2014 as an employee of marine engineering company Wartsila New Zealand Limited. This company's sole shareholder is Wartsila Australia [WAU], which in turn is part of the Wartsila Corporation. According to an Employment Relations Authority decision, released yesterday, Hurst, who was based out of Nelson, had concerns about the support he had received from the company, the manner in which work was carried out and certain mechanical failures. |
Settlememnt for dismissal |
| June 30 |
Nordnorge Hurtigruten |
Maritime Bulletin reports fire erupted in engine room of cruise ship MS NORDNORGE in the morning June 29, when she was docked at Trondheim, Norway. Fire was extinguished by crew and city firefighters, three crew were medically treated for smoke inhalation. Understood MS NORDNORGE didn’t suffer serious damages, she left Trondheim in the afternoon June 29. |
Fire |
| June 26 |
National Geographic Quest
Lindblad |
Travel Weekly reports Lindblad Expeditions has cancelled two more voyages of its newly-completed National Geographic Quest, which was grounded in the process of being launched from its construction platform at the Nichols Brothers shipyard in Freeland, Wash. A statement from Lindblad said the 100-passenger ship slid off the launch ramp improperly, damaging a propeller and rudder. The statement said at first the damage seemed minor but after divers were sent to inspect it became clear a dry dock would be needed for full repair. Lindblad had already cancelled the June 26 inaugural voyage. It has now scrubbed the July 8 and 15 departure dates as well. |
Canceled cruises |
| June 25 |
Triumph
CCL |
Cruise Hive reports the vessel will now arrive at noon instead of the morning. This means the departure of the next scheduled June 25 sailing could have a later departure from Baltimore to allow time for new provisions and guest turnaround. The reason for the delay is a 52-year-old man onboard the Carnival Pride went into shock and needed further medical care on land. On Saturday at 1:15 AM 50 miles east of St. Augustine the U.S. Coast Guard airlifted the man to a Helicopter and was then transferred to UF Health Shands Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. |
Delayed arrival |
| June 20 |
Escape
NCL |
7 Belize reports 3 employees of Norwegian Cruise Lines were charged with drug trafficking for allegedly being in possession of two kilos of cocaine on a cruise ship. Our information is that the 3 men are now arrested and charged, and they are at the Belize Central Prison. Reports are that the men, 2 nationals of St. Lucia and 1 from St. Vincent, arrived on last Tuesday, on an NCL ship which made a port of call at the Harvest Caye Island getaway. The men worked on the Ship. Reports say that the two kilos may have been picked up in Roatan. The men were arrested, and charged, and they were arraigned in Magistrate's Court. They are now at the Belize Central Prison. |
Drug bust |
| June 19 |
Unknown |
US News and World Reports reports seven people who survived an airplane crash at a lake in Alaska's Misty Fjords National Monument included a pilot and six passengers from a cruise ship. The float plane crashed Sunday as it attempted to take off from Big Goat Lake.
Johnson says the cause has not been determined but a wing on the De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver struck the water.
The airplane sank. All seven on board swam to shore. Two passengers were from Germany and four were from California.
|
Float plane sinks - pax safe |
| June 19 |
Valor & Triumph
CCL |
Cruise Critic reports at least two cruise ships' itineraries have been tweaked to avoid an unnamed storm swirling around the Gulf of Mexico. Carnival Valor and Carnival Triumph will call at the their originally scheduled ports, although the dates have been reversed. Both ships are on five-night Western Caribbean cruises. The storm -- located 305 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River -- has maximum sustained wind speeds of 40 miles per hour and has already prompted a tropical storm warning for part of Louisiana's coast. According to the National Hurricane Center, there's an 80 percent chance it will form into a tropical storm within the next two days. |
Itinerary change (weather) |
| June 19 |
Musica
MSC |
Cruise Law News reports a crew member disappeared from the MSC Musica last night according to crew members on the MSC cruise ship and Italian newspapers. Several crew members reported that a Brazilian woman failed to appear for work earlier today. The Musica docked outside of the Italian port of Brindisi later this afternoon and the crew member was reported as missing from the ship after failing to appear at her work station earlier this morning. A newspaper in Venice, where the cruise ship ported yesterday, reported that the crew member was a 36 year old Brazilian who was noticed missing from her work around 3:00 A.M. when she did not appear at the start of her work on the ship. It appears from the Italian news articles that the ship did not initiate a search of the vessel for many hours. A number of crew members have posted to Facebook that they are concerned that the crew member may have been threatened on the ship and met with foul play. I am not posting these comments at this time because I cannot verify the comments. There has been no official announcement from MSC regarding the details of the incident. UPDATE: Cruise Law News reports Italian criminal prosecutors in Brindisi are pursuing a murder investigation in connection with Ms. Sousa's disappearance. |
Crew member overboard - murder investigation |
| June 18 |
Brilliance
RCI |
Daily Mail reports the ship is set to face a fine over an all-night party on a stopover in Ibiza. Town hall officials on the island capital say they received a string of phone calls complaining about noise. Police and port authorities were alerted but say they were unable to get the music turned down. Local reports said the noise on the ship, which docked in Marina Botafoch in Ibiza for two days after arriving from Barcelona, continued until around 8.30am yesterday. Port authorities have now initiated proceedings expected to result in a fine for the cruise ship's agent, with sources warning last night it would be the 'maximum possible under the law' for breaching noise regulations. |
Fine for all-night party |
| June 17 |
Iyanough
Steamship Authority |
You Tube has a report that five people have been airlifted to hospital and at least four more have been injured after a high-speed ferry struck a jetty in Hyannis and began taking on water. The ferry Iyanough hit the jetty and grounded on the rocks at the Hyannis Harbor entrance in Massachusetts around 9:30pm Friday. It was due to dock at Hyannis at 9:45pm. |
Crashes into jetty |
| June 15 |
Adventure
RCI |
From a reader: Two fishermen rescued 125 miles south of Puerto Rico that have been adrift since May 18, from a fishing trip out of St-Lucia after their 20 feet skiff engine broke down.Fishermen from St-Lucia and Martinique disembarked in Curacao and flew back home. |
Rescue of fishermen adrift for 3+ weeks |
| June 15 |
Unknown |
Royal Gazette reports a Pennsylvania woman was fined in Magistrates’ Court this morning after she admitted possessing cannabis Florence Drapczynski, 68, of North Wales, pleaded guilty to charges of possessing the controlled drug and drug equipment — a pair of pipes. Cindy Clarke, the deputy director of public prosecutions, told the court that at around 12.15am on June 12 customs officers and cruise ship security searched Drapczynski’s cabin after receiving reports of a strong scent of cannabis emanating from the room. During the search, the officers found a small amount of plantlike material and a pipe on the bedside table. Asked about the material, Drapczynski said: “I’m not even going to lie any more. I have been smoking marijuana.” A further search of the cabin revealed a second pipe along with a total of 3.91 grams of cannabis. Appearing in court, Drapczynski admitted the offences, saying: “I wish to apologise to the courts for being so disrespectful and to the people of the island for being so disrespectful.” Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo fined Drapczynski $600 for the cannabis charge and a further $300 for possessing the pipes. |
Drug bust |
| June 14 |
Dawn
NCL |
Royal Gazette reports two cruise ship passengers were fined this morning after cannabis was found in their cabins. Stephen Gotter, from Massachusetts, and Susan Cochran, from New Jersey, both pleaded guilty to importing the controlled drug in separate incidents. The court heard that at around 7.30pm on Saturday, a stewardess on board the Norwegian Dawn entered Gotter’s cabin for the afternoon turndown and discovered a quantity of plant like material on a table. She contacted the ship’s security, who in turn contacted the police. Gotter, 51, was arrested at around 1.25am the next day, and admitted that the drugs — 37.1 grams of cannabinoids and 15.9 grams of cannabis — belonged to him. Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo fined Gotter $1,000 for each of the importation offences and $300 for possessing the pipe. Meanwhile, Cochburn, 44, was arrested after ship security conducted a search in her cabin at around 1.30pm on Sunday and found a pair of glass pipes and two ziplock bags, one containing 2.18 grams of cannabis and the other having trace amounts of the drug. After pleading guilty to charges of importing cannabis and possessing drug equipment, Cochburn apologised to the court and the island, saying she was terminally ill. Mr Tokunbo noted her circumstances, but said that a conditional discharge would not be suitable as visitors need to be discouraged from bringing drugs into the island. He fined her $300 for the cannabis, and a further $150 for her possession for the pipes. |
Drug busts |
| June 14 |
National Geographic Quest
Lindblad |
Travel Weekly reports the inaugural voyage of the National Geographic Quest has been canceled because the ship has a technical problem that will require more time to fix. The Quest is being built at the Nichols Brothers shipyard in Freeland, Wash. In a statement, Lindblad said the ship had issues as it was being launched into the water. The Quest was to have departed Seattle on June 26 for a cruise to British Columbia and Alaska. Lindblad said it expects the next departure of National Geographic Quest on July 8 to proceed as scheduled. |
Canceled cruise |
| June 14 |
Unnamed
Princess |
Northern California Record reports a Boynton Beach, Florida man has filed a wrongful death suit against a cruise line after his wife died in a hospital in France. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on April 2016, Sarah Leftow fell in her cabin on the defendant's ship and was seen by the ship's doctor. The suit states Sarah Leftow also had a fever and the ship's doctor ordered the plaintiffs off of the ship for treatment in at hospital in France. The suit states Sarah Leftow died five weeks later while still in France. The plaintiff holds Princess Cruise Lines LTD responsible because the defendant allegedly negligently forced them to disembark the vessel and failed to hire qualified ship's doctors and nurses.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Case number 2:17-cv-04031-JFW-FFM |
Lawsuit for death |
| June 14 |
Caribbean
Princess |
Northern California Record reports a Texas man has filed a suit against a cruise line after a door amputated a finger. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that he was on the defendant's ship the Caribbean Princess and entering the bathroom of his assigned cabin when the door slammed and caused his left thumb to be amputated. The plaintiff holds Princess Cruise Lines responsible because the defendants allegedly failed to provide a safe environment and failed to equip the bathroom door with a functioning closing mechanism. U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division Case number 2:17-cv-04066-DDP-SK |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| June 13 |
Island
Princess |
Northern California Record reports a San Luis Obispo County man alleges he did not receive adequate medical treatment when he was injured while on a cruise. According to the complaint, the plaintiff was injured when he tripped and fell over ropes and stanchions in his path. The suit states he was examined by Dr. Singh, who concluded that he had a strained quadricep and did not order any diagnostic tests or X-rays. The plaintiff sought treatment after he returned him and was hospitalized to treat the hip injury, which later needed replaced, the suit states. The plaintiff holds Princess Cruise Lines LTD and Singh responsible because Singh allegedly failed to properly and adequately examine the plaintiff while on board the vessel and failed to warn him of a hazardous condition. U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Case number 2:17-cv-03992-PSG-AS |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| June 11 |
Caribbean
Princess |
Cruise Hive reports Princess Cruises has altered an upcoming 15-night itinerary for Caribbean Princess due to propulsion issue which is causing the vessel to sail at reduced speed. The revised itinerary first came to light by a user on Cruise Critic where the cruise line sent a memo to people who were already booked for the ships September 22 transatlantic cruise. The ship is still scheduled to depart its homeport in Southampton, UK on September 22 but the ports of calls will be altered. In the details sent to cruisers, it stated “We will no longer call to Rotterdam, Vigo, or the Azores (Ponta Delgado). Instead, we will now call to Zeebrugge on Saturday, September 23, 2017, and to Bermuda (West End), on Wednesday, October 4. In addition, we will now call to Paris/Normandy (Le Havre) on Sunday, September 24 rather than on Monday, September 25, and to Lisbon on Wednesday, September 27 rather than on Thursday, September 28, and call times have been amended.” |
Propulsuion problems - itionerary change |
| June 11 |
Sunshine
CCL |
From a passenger: My husband and I were onboard the Carnival Sunshine on the 6/4 sailing out of Norfolk. Around 4:30AM on 6/6, the ship tilted/listed significantly. It was enough to cause the armoire door to crash open in the room and things to go flying off our shelves. It lasted several minutes before evening out. Although I didn't witness this firsthand, people spoke of kids being tossed out of the Pullman beds, passengers going to common areas with life jackets on and some of the cabins reportedly took on water. The cruise director told passengers on the morning show that the Captain would make an announcement regarding what happened but nothing further was said. We encountered pretty severe weather on the way back which the Captain acknowledged but no communication was provided regarding the list. From another passenger: Me and my husband and son were aboard the carnival sunshine June 4 out of Norfolk...at 4am June 6 we ran through a tropical storm that caused the ship to list majorly for about 15 minutes..very high winds caused this and this was very scary many had put on life jackets and there was broken glass all over the ship..it would have been nice if there had been some explanation from the captain of this ship..this was a very scary situation and thank God it wasn't any worse . |
Sever lisrt |
| June 2 |
Star
Princess |
Northern California Record reports aTexas woman alleges she was injured in the laundry room of a cruise ship. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that in February 2016, she suffered physical injuries when a plumbing vacuum breaker struck her in the back of her head while she was on the defendant's ship; she hbolds Princess responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to warn the plaintiff regarding the dangerous conditions. U.S. District Court for the Central District of California case number 2:17-cv-03865-FMO-GJS |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| May 27 |
Dream
CCL |
A report has been received of a number of people becoming ill on the cruise departing May 21st. It isn't clear whether the number reporting ill will exceed the 3% required for being considered an outbreak. |
?Illness outbreak? |
| May 27 |
Constellation
Celebrity |
Cruise Law News reports Celebrity Cruises passengers intending to depart yesterday from Barcelona, Spain are stuck in that port for two days due to propulsion issues, even though the cruise ship just came out of dry dock. During the recent two week dry dock, two new restaurants were constructed and certain suites were refurbished. The software on the ship which manages the turbines and propulsion systems was also upgraded. But shortly after departure from the dry dock facility in Marseilles, France, the Constellation experienced problems with her speed. The Constellation was scheduled to sail to Monaco, (where the Grand Prix is occurring) and Villefranche. Instead, the cruise ship will sail Genoa and then resume her itinerary. Celebrity posted a Facebook message yesterday which reads: "We regret that we have had to delay the departure of Celebrity Constellation, due to depart on 26th May 2017 from Barcelona. Because we need to resolve an unforeseen technical challenge related to the software that manages the ship's propulsion, boarding for the cruise will be delayed by two days. Constellation will now depart Barcelona, Spain on Sunday, the 28th May." |
Propulsion/engine problems - delayed departure |
| May 22 |
Victory
CCL |
Trade Winds News reports a South Carolina woman has filed a lawsuit against Carnival Corp alleging that a crew member sexually assaulted her on a cruiseship. The woman was a passenger on the 2,760-berth Carnival Victory (built 2000) in March when the assault took place, according to a complaint filed with the US federal court in Miami. She alleges that she identified the assailant from a photo but the cruiseship owner has refused to identify the crewman. The lawsuit is pursuing claims of vicarious liability and negligence. |
Alleged sexual assault |
| May 20 |
Fantasy
Disney |
From a reader: My parents are aboard the Fantasy and they just texted me say that the ship is suffering from engine problems on its way back from Castaway Cay to Port Canaveral. The ship is getting to port until 10:00 AM. |
Engine problems - delayed arrival |
| May 18 |
Unnamed |
Lexicology reports (from Germany) that the Rostock District Court decided that cruise ship passengers are not entitled to claims for repayment or damages due to unpleasant noises or vibrations which are attributable to the normal course of operation of a cruise ship. This is because a ship, in contrast to a hotel, is a means of transportation which cannot be operated without any noticeable vibrations or noise-producing units. In both cases, passengers claimed repayment of the cruise fare and further damages due to unpleasant impairment of their cruise holidays. In both cases, the plaintiffs received small refunds of between 5% and 10% of the cruise fare and sued the cruise line for full refunds and further damages. In both cases, the defendant cruise lines argued that the impairments described by the plaintiffs are unavoidable during the normal operation of a cruise ship and therefore do not constitute any travel shortcomings. The court agreed with the defendant's arguments and dismissed the claims on the basis that the impairments described by the plaintiffs are part of the normal operation of a cruise ship and thus do not constitute any travel shortcomings which would entitle the plaintiffs to claims for repayment of the full cruise fare or further damages. However, the court stressed that this applies only if the noise and vibrations do not exceed the level which can usually be expected. |
Lawsuit for noise on cruise ship |
| May 16 |
Island
Princess |
Cruise Critic reports this morning about 7:30 there was an emergency announcement for a fire in the deck 4 engine room. We were having breakfast in the Horizons buffet area. About 5 minutes later, the general emergency alarm was sounded and all crew were called to their emergency stations. They remained for about 30 minutes before being released. We were advised that the fire was struck pretty quickly and that we were in no danger. We continued a fantastic day in Glacier Bay NP.
Shortly after dropping the rangers, inspectors from coast guard boarded the ship as we sat still in the water. They were onboard for about 1 and a half hours and now we are continuing on.
|
Fire |
| May 16 |
Explorer Regent |
Daily Mail reports a day before the end of their cruise around the Med, a couple claim they were ordered off the ship and abandoned in an Italian hospital. Mrs Hayward, who has mild dementia, was sedated against her will and left bruised and screaming for help, they said. As the ship sailed off without them, distraught Mr Hayward, 87, who fought in the Korean War and at Suez, was left in a hospital corridor with their hastily-packed suitcases, with only a trolley to sleep on and no means of contacting family. Italian doctors apparently struggled to diagnose Mrs Hayward’s dementia, leading to various treatments causing what she calls ‘eight days of torture and starvation’. |
Evicted from ship |
| May 16 |
Fantasy
Disney |
Florida Record reports a Virginia father alleges his minor child was injured on a Disney cruise. According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that on April 25, 2016, they were on the ship the Disney Fantasy and that a door slammed shut on the child's finger, causing injuries. The plaintiffs hold Magical Cruise Co. Limited responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to maintain, warn and mark the doorway that caused injury to the minor plaintiff, failed to eliminate the hazard of the defective door, and failed to provide minor plaintiff with prompt, proper and adequate medical care. U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida Orlando Division Case number 6:17-cv-00691 |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| May 14 |
Summit
Celebrity |
From a passenger: While on board first a man is thrown down by security hands tied behind his back removed from ship arrested for robbing a woman’s bag at pool then the following day a couple is removed from the ship for repedatly smoking after 3 warnings |
Hmmm... |
| May 12 |
Unnamed
Princess |
In this age of greater sensitivity to over-serving of alcohol (especially on cruise ships), the following is relevant (From a passenger:) The crew on this ship in the casino and all officers are totally without regard for the safety of their passengers.
My husband is a gambler, a heavy one. Our routine is we have dinner, I go back to the cabin and he goes to the casino. They knew they had a hot one. He bets heavy. Well apparently they just started sending him drinks. He got so polluted that at 1:30am the manager on duty delivered him to our cabin because he was urinating on the carpet by the elevator. That is not normal behavior for my husband. In that 2 hours time (just 2 hours), they got him that drunk and he lost 4 thousand dollars! He also was throwing chips around the casino that I had to go collect. Next day when I started talking to all involved, they claimed they didn't know he was drunk!!!! Bull shit! I told them that he could've fallen overboard. An officer, and I have his name and rank, told me "you'd be surprised how many people go missing on cruises"! Just like it was nothing! Taking absolutely no responsibility for their crew members actions! The following day was superbowl Sunday. My husband never got out of bed. Took him all day to recover from the stuper they put him in. These people have no right to do this to people!!!! He could've died! Then to take an attitude like that is criminal. |
?Irresponsible serving of alcohol? |
| May 12 |
Spirit of Tasmania II |
Xinhuanet reports an accident which saw an Australian cruise ship crash into a Melbourne pier with passengers on board in January was avoidable, a report into the incident has found. On Jan. 13, the Spirit of Tasmania II cruise ship broke free of its moorings in Port Melbourne with 120 passengers on board, crashing into the car bridge and ramp at Station Pier. Witnesses were left stunned when the ship dramatically broke away from the dock as it was hit by winds exceeding speeds of 100 km per hour. The incident left the ship stranded in Melbourne for several days, causing major freight delays and leaving passengers stranded. A report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released on Friday said the crash could have been prevented if the TT Line ferry had been monitoring weather conditions. "It is possible that the breakaway might have been prevented had the precautions for adverse weather been more carefully considered." |
Report issued on collision with pier (Jan 2017) |
| May 12 |
Island
Princess |
CTV reports the departure from downtown Vancouver was delayed for hours this week after police allegedly found several crew members with an undisclosed quantity of drugs. It was set to leave for Alaska when Canada Border Services Agency officers and members of the Vancouver Police Department's Canine Unit boarded the vessel and performed a search on Wednesday. Authorities have been tight-lipped with the details, but Princess Cruises confirmed Thursday that three employees were taken into police custody during the incident. |
Drug bust (crew) - delayed departure |
| May 11 |
Emerald
Princess |
Otago Daily Times reports the world's maritime industry is being warned of the deadly risk posed by corroded nitrogen cylinders used for launching lifeboats after a worker was killed in Dunedin. A Filipino engine room fitter died when a cylinder exploded on board the Emerald Princess, which was berthed in Dunedin's Port Chalmers, on February 9. An expert metallurgist says the catastrophic failure occurred as a result of overload caused by corrosion thinning. Today the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission released an interim report into the tragedy making a number of recommendations to address safety issues they considered put crew and passengers' lives at risk wherever nitrogen cylinders were stored in a harsh marine environment. |
Report released in accident causing crew member death |
| May 9 |
Sun
Princess |
Cruise Critic reports the ship has altered its route to avoid the high winds and heavy seas caused by Tropical Cyclone Donna. It will miss planned calls to the Isle of Pines tomorrow and to Mystery Island on Thursday, 11 May, replacing them with Luganville on Thursday. |
Itinerary change - cyclone |
| May 8 |
Triumph
CCL |
New Orleans Advocate reports the FBI has opened a criminal investigation into a sexual battery that allegedly happened aboard a cruise ship that sailed from New Orleans to the Caribbean last month. The incident happened March 24, when a 48-year-old woman was reported missing to ship security, according to court records. The woman had last been seen inside a nightclub aboard the ship but was later found inside the cabin of a Georgia couple, who were staying on the eighth floor of the ship. The woman later complained of feeling sick and said she had been missing her underwear. She also said during a medical exam that the couple "had touched her places you should not be touched," according to the FBI. Agents searched the couple's belongings and found "blue powder in a clear zip-lock bag" and various pills and capsules, according to court filings. No charges have been filed in the case. The FBI is handling the investigation because the incident occurred over international waters, in the Gulf of Mexico. |
Investigation into Sexual battery |
| May 8 |
Caribbean
Princess |
The Orcadian reports the visit to Orkney was cancelled this morning after the ship suffered from a technical issue which prevented it from coming alongside Hatston Pier. The ship sailed into Kirkwall Bay earlier this morning. However, instead of coming alongside as expected, the ship turned around and left, leaving many who saw it bemused as to why. When asked for a statement, a spokesman for OIC Marine Services said: “The ship cancelled due to a defect which prevented her from berthing in the prevailing weather.” |
Technical problem with ship - skipped port call |
| May 8 |
Pacific Aria
P&O Australia |
Cruise Critic reports the ship has been forced to skip two ports of call due to Cyclone Donna. The ship arrived in Noumea, New Caledonia yesterday (7 May) but had to stay overnight due to the dangerous storm heading for Vanuatu and the Loyalty Islands. According to Cruise Critic members onboard the ship, they are currently sailing back to Brisbane, Australia, without visiting Lifou or Port Vila, the only other scheduled ports on the seven-night 'Pacific Island Hopper' itinerary. |
Ports dropped because of cyclone |
| May 8 |
Multiple |
NZ Herald reports the cruise ship industry is defending its safety record in New Zealand waters after 33 incidents, including three deaths. The incidents, reported to Maritime New Zealand since 2009, include engine failures and blackouts, groundings, near-misses and injuries to passengers and crew, in ports and at sea. Five incidents occurred in waters around Otago, Southland and Fiordland, and two more near the Snares Islands, south of Stewart Island. While some were minor, others included the death of a Filipino crew member killed when a gas cylinder exploded on the Emerald Princess at Port Chalmers earlier this year. The incident, which is still being investigated, was among three deaths involving cruise ship crew in New Zealand ports since 2009. In 2011, an Indonesian crewman from the Volendam drowned in Lyttelton Harbour after falling from a lifeboat when a corroded wire rope snapped while he worked on it. And, in 2009, an Australian crewman of Sri Lankan descent died on the Oceanic Discoverer after being crushed by a watertight door during a fire drill at Napier's port. Both deaths led to investigations by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC), which identified failures and recommended improvements. |
Industry defends safety record |
| May 6 |
Magic
Disney |
Cruise Hive reports a male passenger died during a shore excursion on the island of St. Kitts. While on a tour by Pro Divers the man died while diving. Local authorities including the Police have been seen on the small diving boat dealing with the situation. The tragic event took place yesterday afternoon, May 6. Disney Magic was calling in St Kitts as part of a 7-night Southern Caribbean cruise. The port was the last call for the vessel and is scheduled to arrive back in its homeport of San Juan, Puerto Rico May 7. |
Death on shore excursion (diving) |
| May 5 |
Golden
Princess |
Australian Associated Press reports an American man is missing from a cruise ship which arrived in Sydney this week. A steward aboard the Golden Princess liner raised concerns about the 61-year-old's whereabouts on Wednesday after he joined the South Pacific cruise in Noumea. NSW Police and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority were alerted after a thorough search failed to find the missing passenger. "Having ruled out other possibilities, this is being treated as a man overboard incident." The 61-year-old was travelling alone. The Golden Princess arrived in Sydney on Thursday after completing a 13-day round-trip cruise to Fiji and other South Pacific destinations. It was cleared to depart the city again on Thursday night bound for Papua New Guinea. |
Passenger missing - presumed overboard |
| May 4 |
Dream
Disney |
Chip & Company reports an adult male reportedly went overboard the ship this evening. Sources are saying that multiple cruise passengers reported that the Disney Dream began slowing down and circling. They then saw a coast guard airplane fly overhead. It was stated that the recovery took less than an hour and the man survived and is currently in the ship’s medical center. The ship is currently finishing up a 4 night itinerary through the Bahamas. Today was their last full day onboard and was an “At Sea” day. They are scheduled to dock back at Port Canaveral in the morning. Cruise Law News reports Disney appears to have an automatic man overboard system which automatically alerts the bridge when a person goes overboard. |
Person overboard - rescued |
| May 4 |
Ovation
RCI |
Cruise Critic reports the ship has gone into dry dock in China for propulsion repairs. Two sailings were canceled: a four-night cruise from its Chinese homeport of Tianjin on April 26 and another on April 30 as a result of the unplanned repairs. The ship is due to resume sailing from Tianjin today (May 4). |
Unscheduled drydock - two cruises canceled |
| May 2 |
Pacific Aria
P&O Australia |
Australian Associated Press reports a man has faced a Brisbane court after being charged with raping his travelling companion on a P&O Cruise ship off Queensland. Police say the 33-year-old man and his alleged victim, a woman in her 40s, were known to each other. He was arrested on Monday after the ship docked in Brisbane. The man appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court briefly on Tuesday where his matter was adjourned and he was ordered to reappear on May 29. |
Pax charged with rape |
| May 1 |
Navigator
RCI |
Cruise Hive reports the body of a crew member who went missing has been found in Bonaire. The Mexican crew member disappeared on the Dutch island on April 20, 2017. According to BES-Reporter, the body was found buried on the coast yesterday evening. The site went on to report that a suspect had already been arrested who led the police to the location of the body. The suspect was seen with Adriana Morales not long after noon when she left the ship to go ashore. |
Missing crew member's body found |
| May 1 |
Sensation
CCL |
NBC reports the ship returned to the waters of Miami early Sunday morning after a passenger became sick and needed to be rushed to the hospital. The ship was about 90 miles southeast of Miami just after midnight when crew members notified the Coast Guard of a passenger needing medical attention. Coast Guard officials called Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and the ship started its return. However, sea conditions were too rough for the ship to make it back to Port Miami, so it arrived at Government Cut and met rescue crews there. The passenger, who is from Chile, was taken by boat with two family members to Port Miami where they were eventually taken by ambulance to an area hospital. No word on the passenger’s condition at this time and the ship returned on its scheduled trip to Jamaica. However, Carnival released a statement saying the delay will cause the stop at Grand Cayman to be cancelled. |
Return to Miami causes itinery change (port dropped) |
| May 1 |
Pacific
Princess |
Some may recall the cruise terminated early after hitting a breakwater in Nice on October 14th of last year. Here is one person's account of the struggle to be reimbursed by the cruise line for expenses associated with the incident. |
Failure to reimburse pax expenses after collision |
| May 1 |
Summit
Celebrity |
From a reader:This morning at approximately 7 am on Portfever.com, The Celebrity Summit seemed to have some sort of propulsion problems as it was met by two tug boats that had to turn her. It looks like it took several attempts but finally got the job done. If you check the Archives at NY Harbor and go to 7 and 8 am, you can witness it.... I checked you previous post and did see the ship was having problems for several weeks.... sad to see she is still not repaired. |
Continuing propulsion problems |
| May 1 |
Multiple ships |
Daily Mail reports multiple ships (ferries) were effected by the strikes at docks in France. |
Labour strikes effect port calls |
| April 30 |
Caribbean
Princess |
From a reader: The ship left Zeeburge at 10AM today, apparently overnighting there instead of sailing to Le Havre where rhe dock strike would have prevented docking. The ship is sailing slowly to it terminationation at Southampton |
Skipped port call |
| April 30 |
Silhouette
Celebrity |
The ship is making an unscheduled stop in the Azores to dischsrage an ill passenger. |
Unscheduled stop |
| April 28 |
Serenade
RCI |
From a passenger: Serenade of the Seas will not port at LeHavre due to an ongoing dock strike on April 29! Instead it will port at Dover on that day. There are no other changes. |
Change of port of call from France to UK |
| April 26 |
Bahamas Celebration |
From a passenger: We departed West Palm Beach to the Bahamas on April 23 spent day in the Bahamas on April 24 and returned to West Palm Beach on April 25. On the 24th after returning to the boat and visiting the island I ate a hamburger and then started not feeling so well. By 2am I was in the bathroom throwing up and with diarrhea. This continues for the next 30 hours (classic norovirus). \I know that it is related to the hamburger due to when going thru customs getting off the ship there were four of us that were sitting in a particular area because we could not stand in line because we were all experiencing the same symptoms chills, fever, diarrhea, and had all been throwing up and eaten hamburgers the previous day. It was just an awful experience. The cruise ship did not seem to care in any manner and when my cabinmate even asked for ginger ale their only concern was that we knew there would be a charge. One young girl sitting next to me even went to the ship doctor and was given a shot that she to had to pay for. Bad memorable experience. |
Food issue (norovirus)? |
| April 26 |
Liberty
CCL |
Thoroughbred Daily News reports Nearly one year after his wife fell overboard from a cruise ship and was declared missing at sea and presumed dead by the United States Coast Guard, Thoroughbred trainer Karl M. Broberg has filed a federal lawsuit alleging negligence by Carnival Cruise Lines, demanding a jury trial to award unspecified damages to surviving family members, including two children and two step-children. In a 27-page complaint, Broberg, 46, who is currently the nation’s second-leading trainer in terms of wins for 2017, gives the first public account of his wife’s fatal accident since Samantha Joyce Broberg was reported to have plunged backwards over a tenth-deck railing from the Carnival Liberty at 2:04 a.m. May 13, 2016. According to the lawsuit, Samantha, 33, boarded the Liberty with two traveling companions for a four-day “girls weekend” trip from Galveston, Texas, to Cozumel, Mexico, last May 12. Shortly after boarding, they began drinking at various on-ship bars. The suit alleges that over the course of the next 12 hours, Carnival employees “excessively served alcoholic beverages” to Samantha despite the fact that she appeared “visibly and highly inebriated” and was later described by other passengers as “nodding off to sleep” at about the time she was served her final drink. Shortly before 2:00 a.m., Mrs. Broberg proceeded to make her way from a Promenade Bar on Deck 5 to Deck 10,” the lawsuit explains. “As Mrs. Broberg approached the ship’s outer rail, in her inebriated state, she unceremoniously stepped on one of the many ship’s lounge chairs, neatly lined up near the ship’s outer deck rail, turned her back to the water, momentarily sat on the rail, and within a split second, fell backwards, head over heels, into the Gulf of Mexico.” The lawsuit contends that even though the ship was outfitted with numerous security cameras showing her ascent to the upper deck and that a thermal-imaging system captured video footage of her actual fall, those recording devices did not make use of a readily available alarm system that could have alerted crew members to the incident as it happened. Instead, the suit alleges, the Liberty steamed onward, and it was not until Samantha’s friends reported her missing long after sunrise that a search started. By the time footage of her fall was reviewed and the ship’s captain alerted the Coast Guard, 15 hours had elapsed. |
Lawsuit over person overboard |
| April 25 |
Symphony
Crystal |
I have received a report that the ship will be arriving in San Diego instead of LA on 4/30. Awaiting further details. The letter sent to pax indicates transportation will be provided from San Diego to Los Angeles for flights etc. The ship with dock in San Diego at 2AM and disembarkation will begin at 4AM ... I don't know the details for passengers arriving in LA for the next cruise. |
Change of port |
| April 25 |
Westerdam
HAL |
I have received a report that the Westerdam had a fire onboard yesterday while in drydock in Palermo. This is the official notification from Holland America: "Sunday, April 23, 2017, while in drydock in Italy with no guests aboard, a fire occurred on a verandah aboard ms Westerdamlocated on starboard deck seven. It was quickly extinguished. Repairs are scheduled to be made in drydock and the ship will depart as planned with guests on its scheduled April 27 cruise from Civitavecchia to Venice, Italy." |
Fire while in dyrdock |
| April 25 |
Liberty
RCI |
ABC 13 reportsCoast Guard search is underway in the Gulf of Mexico for a missing cruise ship crew member who didn't report for work as scheduled. A 39-year-old Filipino crew member was last seen on the ship's closed-circuit television system at about 1:30 a.m. Monday. He was reported missing at 4:30 a.m. after a complete search of the ship was conducted, according to a statement from Royal Caribbean. The missing man serves as a bartender on board the ship. The Coast Guard search involving an airplane crew out of Corpus Christi and a patrol boat from Galveston is focused on an area about 170 miles southeast of Galveston. Liberty of the Seas is currently on a seven-night itinerary that departed Galveston on Sunday with ports of calls to Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman and Falmouth, Jamaica. |
Crew member overboard |
| April 24 |
Dream
CCL |
Palm Beach Post reports the FBI is investigating the death of a newborn found aboard a Carnival cruise ship that returned to Port Canaveral, Fla., on Saturday. Special Agent Dave Couvertier wrote in an email to The Associated Press on Saturday evening that the FBI's Evidence Response Team was activated that morning when the ship returned to its Florida base. He said the FBI is working with port authorities to investigate. Florida Today reported on its website Saturday evening that an employee of the Carnival Dream ship found the dead newborn in a guest cabin. The newspaper reported that Carnival officials said the cruise line informed authorities in St. Maarten and that the mother, a 20-year-old U.S. passenger, was detained.
|
Woman detained - newborn death |
| Aprill 22 |
Navigator
RCI |
BES Reporter reports police are currently looking for the whereabouts of Mexican national Adriana Morales de Florencio, a crew member of cruise ship Navigator of the Seas. Morales de Florencia left the cruise ship yesterday April 20, around noon, but did not return when the cruise ship left the harbor of Kralendijk. According to police information, the young lady was wearing a black sleeveless blouse, a short jeans and black shoes. Morales de Florencia is of slender built and she was born in 1993. The police is asking anybody who have seen the young lady in question, to please contact the police office in Kralendijk. |
Crew member missing ashore |
| April 21 |
Epic
NCL |
Fram a passenger: We were unable to dock today at Malaga due to winds and the port being unsafe for our size ship. At breakfast I looked outside and found the waves at times to be eye level on deck 5. This was probably the best decision as over night in the strait of Gibraltar it was 50mph+ winds. |
Missed port call |
| April 19 |
Magnifica
MSC |
Maritime Herald reports the ship collided with the Quayside while departing the Port of Civitavecchia, Italy. The vessel contacted with the pier and suffered damages, but remained afloat and without reported water ingress. Fortunately during the collision there were no injuries and water pollution. The accident was reported to local authorities and two tugs assisted the giant cruise ship to berth again in the Quayside at Port of Civitavecchia. The vessel will be inspected by Security Bureau of the Coast Guard, along with the institution’s technical engineers, in order to assess the damage caused by the collision. According to preliminary assessment of the situation, the collision was caused by rapid change of the wind – from 9 to 41 knots in just a minute. The vessel was pushed to the quay and collided with the stone wall. The cruise ship MSC Magnifica stayed overnight at the Italian port, so the damage could be fixed. Some passengers, mostly families with kids, decided to spend the night in the hotel, due to the bad weather. The vessel has been scheduled to depart the port at 3 PM local time today, April 19. As a result, the call in Ajaccio (France) will be skipped. As precaution until improvement of weather conditions, all ships were ordered to maneuver in port with assistance of tugs. |
Collision with pier |
| April 19 |
Escape
NCL |
Cruise Lawe News reports a crew member aboard the Norwegian Escape notified me that a person went overboard from the NCL cruise ship early this morning. Automatic information tracking systems (AIS) showed as of shortly before 7:00 A.M., the Celebrity Summit & Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas joining the Norwegian Escape in the waters south of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) to search for the overboard person. I posted images from the Marine Traffic AIS tracking program of these ships, as of around 6:45 A.M. this morning, on our Facebook page. The crew of the Norwegian Escape located the man's body shortly after 7:00 A.M. today. The crew member indicated that the person overboard was a passenger who went overboard from the fourteen deck of the ship around 3:00 A.M. |
Pax overboard |
| April 18 |
Divina
MSC |
Florida Record reports a New Jersey woman alleges she was injured on a cruise ship because of a ceiling tile. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on May 22, 2016, she was injured because a crewmember of the defendant pushed the tile during inspection of a ceiling and caused the metal ceiling panel to fall and land onto waiting passengers, including plaintiff. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-21208 |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| April 18 |
Sunshine
CCL |
Florida Record reports a Florida woman alleges she was exposed to diesel fumes while on a Carnival cruise. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on April 8, 2016, she suffered serious personal injury as a result of the harmful diesel fumes infiltrating plaintiff’s cabin through the air vent. The plaintiff alleges she suffered pain, mental and emotional distress and anguish and incurred medical expenses; she holds Carnival Corp. responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to keep a passenger cabin in a reasonably safe and healthy condition. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-21215 |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| April 17 |
"Jacks or Better" Casino day cruise |
KHOU reports the new casino cruise ship in Galveston had to cancel a cruise on Sunday after hitting a hidden buoy in the water. Officials said the incident happened around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday. About 100 passengers were on board the Jacks or Better (JOB) Casino day cruise. The operator said nobody was injured and the ship was able to safely dock in the Galveston Yacht Basin. The damages to the ship were minor. The owners are working with the Coast Guard to make the hazard more visible. The ship will be out-of-service for repairs until further notice. The company subsequently posted the following: Our internal investigation revealed that JOB hit a marker, not a buoy. A combination of captain’s error and unusual circumstances resulted in a 100′ gash down the port side of the vessel. A cargo ship anchored off shore not far from the marker was disabled. It had all of its deck lights on, creating a bright blinding affect. This compelled the captain to deviate from his normal course. As a result he miscalculated the marker location and the strength of the current, resulting in a side swipe of the marker.The crew preformed their duties as trained and customers were calm and orderly. No injuries were reported. |
Casino boat collides with buoy |
| April 15 |
Anthem
RCI |
Florida Record reports a Rhode Island woman alleges she was injured while skating on a cruise ship. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Jan. 27, 2016, she suffered a serious ankle fracture while roller skating aboard the defendant's Anthem of the Seas when ping-pong balls fell onto the roller skating rink. The plaintiff holds RCI responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to use reasonable practices to keep foreign objects from falling onto the skating surface. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-21225-RNS |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| April 14 |
Telemarketer of "free cruises" - Grand Celebration |
Florida Record reports a California man man has filed a class-action lawsuit against several entities claiming that “free cruises” offered by telemarketers were aggressively marketed and violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). David Alan of Los Angeles has sued Grand Celebration Cruises LLC and Paradise Cruise Line Operator LTD. Inc., claiming violation of the TCPA in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Division. The defendants are located in and doing business in Florida. The cruises offered through the telemarketing campaign were for the MV Grand Celebration cruise ship, which sails out of the Port of Palm Beach to Grand Bahama. The complaint alleges that “all defendants acted in concert to market travel packages to consumers through telemarketing efforts that include sending unauthorized advertisements via facsimile and placing unauthorized 'robo-calls' to consumers via ATDS and/or a pre-recorded or artificial voice.” The plaintiff claims that on Feb. 28, he answered a call to his cellphone offering a free cruise. The caller claimed to be working for Grand Celebration, according to the complaint. The plaintiff asked how the company had received his contact information. The female operator answered evasively, replying that she wasn't sure how the defendants obtained his information but when he had stayed at the defendants' hotels before, he must have signed a paper allowing him to be contacted. However, “based on information and belief, Plaintiff Alan has never stayed at any of defendants’ hotels, if they exist, nor has he ever signed any document enabling Defendants to contact him with promotional offers," according to court records. The plaintiff next spoke to the operator's supervisor, who again tried to aggressively market to the plaintiff, according to the complaint. The plaintiff alleges that the calls knowingly and willfully violated the TCPA. He is seeking $500 per violation. He also asks for class certification, statutory damages of $1,500 for each class member, interest and attorney’s fees. |
Telemarketing of "free" cruises |
| April 14 |
Fantasy
CCL |
Local 15 News reports the ship was supposed to leave Mobile today at 4 oclock for Cozumel but is currently still docked due to a technical issue. There is a problem with the ship's propulsion system and it is affecting the maximum cruising speed of the boat. The following statement was subsequently issued by CCL: Carnival Fantasy has received clearance to sail and will be departing this evening on a 'cruise to nowhere.' The ship is experiencing a technical issue with its propulsion system which is affecting the vessel's maximum cruising speed. Technicians continue to work to address the issue, however, given the ship's speed limitation, it will not be possible to maintain the scheduled itinerary which included a visit to Cozumel, Mexico. Instead the ship will remain at sea throughout the cruise which will return on Monday. |
Propulsion problems, delayed departure, change itineray |
| April 10 |
Breeze
CCL |
Florida Record reports a assenger is suing Carnival, citing alleged insufficient measures were taken to prevent injuries after she was struck by a sliding door. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that, on May 13, 2016, she was lawfully aboard defendant's vessel, Carnival Breeze. While walking toward the seating area near the Marketplace food court, suddenly and unexpectedly a sliding glass door closed and struck her. As a result, she claims she lost her balance and fell to the ground, She suffered injuries resulting in pain and suffering, lost wages and medical expenses, she says. The plaintiff holds Carnival responsible because it allegedly failed to warn passengers of the dangerous condition of the sliding door. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-21193 |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| April 8 |
Star
Princess |
From a passenger: I just got off the 10 night Sea of Cortez cruise yesterday. There were two helicopter evacuations. The first one was on April 5 when a passenger had a medical issue. The second evacuation was for a female crew member who fell and had a traumatic head injury. I don't really know the specifics of either and they certainly wouldn't let us take any pictures. (NOTE:I don't normally report medical evacuations, but two in one cruise is uncommon so am reporting these) |
2 medical evacuations |
| April 8 |
Unnamed
NCL |
Florida Record reports a couple is seeking $5 million in damages after the husband was allegedly injured on a water slide on a cruise ship. According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that on June 23, 2016, Kieran Michael Gulas was injured during the collision with another passenger inside the AquaLoop Waterslide. The plaintiffs hold NCL (Bahamas) LTD responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to adopt and implement sufficient safe guards for the operation of the slide. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-21166 |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| April 7 |
Splendor
CCL |
Florida Record reports a passenger filed a lawsuit on March 30 alleging that one of the cruise ship operator's employees failed to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that while leaving the ship with her luggage, the defendant's employee negligently mishandled a swinging door and struck the plaintiff's knee, resulting in physical and mental pain, loss of earnings, disability and medical and nursing expenses. The plaintiff holds the defendant responsible for allegedly failing to provide reasonably safe exits for its passengers and negligently allowed this dangerous condition to exist despite prior similar incidents. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida case number 1:17-cv-21195 |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| April 7 |
Regatta
Oceania |
CDC reports 23 of 693 (3.60%) passengers and 1 of 397 (0.25%) crew became ill on the cruise beginning March 29 and ending April 14. A member of the cruise line’s public health team was sent to the ship to assist. CDC Vessel Sanitation Program is monitoring the outbreak and the ship’s response procedures. The cruise began in Lima and will disembark at Miami. |
Illness outbreak |
| April 7 |
Liberty
CCL |
Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a Decatur man who went overboard from the ninth deck of a cruise ship in the Bahamas. CCL claims Reco Scott, 32, “was observed jumping from a cabin balcony” about 4:53 a.m. Friday. At the time, the ship was about 10 miles northwest of the Berry Islands in the Bahamas. The ship, which departed from Port Canaveral, Fla., was en route to Nassau. |
Pax overboard |
| April 7 |
Nordstjernen
Hurtigruten |
Maritime Executive reports Norwegian police have arrested 14 Philippine crewmembers of the expedition cruise ship Nordstjernen on suspicion of violations of Norway's Immigration Act. The 1956-built Nordstjernen ("North Star") was originally owned by Hurtigruten, but the well-known operator sold her to Bergen-based Vestland Marine in 2012. Hurtigruten occasionally leases the vessel back for its own voyages, and the foreign nationals were employed on a Hurtigruten trip. "It is true that we have hired the ship," said Hurtigruten communications manager Rune Thomas Ege. "Last week, the ship sailed two short trips with passengers from Hurtigruten." Ege emphasized that the cruise firm has hundreds of subcontractors, and that they are required to follow all Norwegian laws and labor requirements as an "absolute requirement." Vestland Marine's owner, Jarle Rasmussen, told NRK that the arrests were a misunderstanding over the requirements for work and residence permits. "If we've made a mistake, we will rectify it," he said. Police spokeswoman Charlotte Ringkjøb told NRK that they would be interrogating the detainees to determine the next steps in the investigation. |
Crewmembers arrested over immigration issues |
| April 6 |
TUI Discovery
Thomson |
Caribbean 360 reports on the heels of horrified tourists witnessing the killing of two orcas in Vincentian waters, a cruise ship has taken strong action in protest of the age old tradition. TUI Discovery stopped short of pulling out of the destination, but has cancelled all its whale and dolphin watching tours, iWitness News has reported. In a grim account, crew member on one of the two Fantasea tours on a whale and dolphin excursion, Ken Issacs, told the online news site that the delight of the rare sighting of a pod of four orcas, also known as killer whales, turned into a bloody tragedy as whalers slaughtered two of the huge sea creatures just off the Leeward coast. He said the whaling boat, a pirogue with a modified shotgun with a harpoon mounted on the bow, carried three fishermen. |
Cancels all whale and dolphin tours in St. Vincent |
| April 6 |
Estrella Amazonica
International Expeditions (owned by TUI) |
Omaha World-Herald reports a Peruvian Navy report on the deaths of a Gretna couple during a cruise on the Amazon has confirmed the worst fears of their family, their two daughters say. The investigation concluded that the tragedy might have been averted had the 31-passenger luxury cruise ship been equipped with its advertised safety features, had its crew been adequately trained and had crew members responded promptly. Larry and Christy Hammer died in an April 10, 2016, blaze that was confined to their cabin. “Prompt action was not taken to aid and rescue the passengers,” according to an English translation of the report. “An opportune reaction and participation by the whole of the crew ... would have enabled at least Mrs. Christy Hammer to be saved.” The Peruvian Navy report was issued on Oct. 26, but the daughters were not able to obtain an English translation until February. The report confirmed many of the safety concerns uncovered by private investigators hired by the daughters. The harbor master ordered the revocation of the captain’s license and a $19,000 fine for the owner of the ship, a Peruvian subcontractor called Expediciones Amazonicas, for what the report called “a very serious accident.” The Estrella Amazonica is still sailing the Amazon. |
Pax deaths blamed on ship's malfeasance - Captain fined |
| April 6 |
Emerald
Princess |
Gisborne Herald reports the final cruise ship visit of the season was cancelled this morning after the skipper of the Emerald Princess decided conditions made it impossible to tender passengers ashore. The Eastland Port pilot boat went out to meet the ship at 7am but the ship’s captain decided to pass Gisborne by because it would be impossible to tender in the conditions. |
Missed port call (weather) |
| April 4 |
All |
TVNZ reports on a woman who was charged roaming charges on her cell phone while on a cruise ship even though she hadn't left the country. The story is only available as a video -- there is no print version. |
Phone roaming charges |
| April 4 |
Allure
RCI |
Florida Record reports a South African man alleges he injured his shoulder while participating in an activity on the Allure of the Seas cruise ship. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Dec. 24, 2015, he suffered a broken collar bone and torn rotator cuff, had to undergo surgery and months of recovery, and eventually developed an addiction to pain medications as a result of having participated in one of defendant's the Flow Rider activity. The plaintiff holds Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to take reasonable steps to correct or warn plaintiff of the hazards of the activity, failed to adequately train and supervise its personnel responsible for the safety of the participating passengers, and allowed a dangerous condition to exist. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-21134 |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| April 4 |
APT Touring |
Adelaise Now reports(quite belatedly) on a passenger account involving a collision with the pier. It is unclear when this occured: ON THE fourth day of our luxury small ship cruise from Venice to Istanbul, our very new ship ran into the pier while docking in Split in Croatia. We (my husband and I) only felt a rather significant thump but the ship sustained a hole in the stern about a metre square; I later saw two men in the hole while repairing it. Because it took three days to repair, we were stuck near Split (the shipyard was in Trogir) for an extra two days. |
Collision with pier |
| April 1 |
Breakaway
NCL |
Florida Record reports a passenger alleges his arm was injured because he got stuck in a water slide. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on July 19, 2016, he sustained a ruptured left bicep tendon as a result of being trapped in a water slide on the defendant's ship. The plaintiff holds NCL (Bahamas) LTD responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to station crewmembers along the ride to ensure the safe operation of the slides, failed to adequately monitor and control passenger activity, and failed to warn plaintiff of the danger of getting trapped in the slide. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-21100 |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| April 1 |
Epic
NCL |
Florida Record reports a Michigan woman who traveled on the cruise ship alleges she was injured by a crowd. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on May 10, 2016, she suffered severe injuries from falling in an uncontrolled crowd while trying to disembark from the vessel. She alleges she endured physical pain, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, disability, disfigurement, aggravation of any previously existing conditions, and lost wages. The plaintiff holds NCL (Bahamas) LTD responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to take steps to identify hazards during disembarkation and failed to adequately instruct and control passengers regarding safe disembarkation. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 17-cv-21104 |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| March 31 |
Caribbean
Princess |
Cruise Law News reports there is a bomb scare aboard the cruise ship, which is at the Grand Bahama shipyard. The worker stated: "I am currently on board the Caribbean Princess in the Grand Bahama Shipyard where today a bomb threat was called in to the shipyard. The ship performed a complete check and at 10 am the captain gave the abandon ship order. The ship has been evacuated and all contractors and crew were mustered outside the shipyard. We are awaiting further instructions. Have a good day because my day and thousands others are having a bad day. We were mustered away from the shipyard and were told no pictures." The Caribbean Princess is in dry dock for general maintenance. The Carnival Pride and Carnival Ecstasy are in port in Freeport today, as well as the Anna Maersk which is at the container port across from the shipyard. There is no indication whether these ships were the subject of this bomb threat. |
Bomb scare (in dry dock) |
| March 30 |
Xpedition
Celebrity |
From a reader: I have been trying to find out more info on why my Celebrity cruise to the Galapagos (Xperience) was just cancelled. I was called last week and told that there was engine malfunction and the ship was in Panama being repaired. This is weird, because the ship was supposedly just refurbished and the first sailing was to be in mid March. On top of that I have to argue with getting a full refund, because someone at Celebrity erroneously entered info saying I cancelled the reservation. WTF??? Is this a typical response from Celebrity? NOTE: Any information on this and other cancelations is appreciated. |
Canceled cruise |
| March 29 |
Pacific Dawn
P&O Australia |
Daily Telegraph reports travellers were told hours before leaving Brisbane that a planned port of call to Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays region of Australia would not go ahead due to the storm and that the ship’s crew was unable to organise an alternative last-minute shore day. A number of options had been investigated, including sailing to Lord Howe Island, however the conditions created by Cyclone Debbie around north-east Australia meant that it would have been too rough a ride. The captain told passengers they were embarking on a “cruise to nowhere” that would consist of a loop before returning to Brisbane. |
Itinerary change - cruise to nowhere |
| March 29 |
Independence
RCI |
Cruise Law News reports the ship is experiencing propulsion problems, necessitating a slight alteration in its current itinerary according to the popular RCL Blog. The ship will remain in Nassau, for two days, where repairs will be attempted to correct the problem. The propulsion problem issue is reportedly due to an electrical issue in one of the pod systems. The Anthem has been cruising at reduced speed on this voyage. AIS systems show it sailing between 15 and 17 knots. |
Propulsion problems |
| March 29 |
Deliziosa
Costa |
From a reader: Probably a crew member overboard during the cross of Atlantic to Canary Islands. The ship has repeatedly back and forth in search of missing man. In Marine Traffic is possible to see the repeated maneuvers of the ship in the geographic area between, more or less, 24° nord and 28° ovest. At the present time do not know each other more and the ship proceeds normally to Santa Cruz de Tenerife. A Dutch website confirms a crew member went missing overboard and a search undertaken. The crew member was not found. The captain stopped at 21:15 pm (local time) by the falling dusk with the search and the ship continued its route to Tenerife. |
Crew member overboard |
| March 29 |
Trollfjord
Hurtigruten |
Maritime Herald reports the ship collided with dock at Risoyhamn in Andoy, Norway. The vessel was proceeding to dock into the port, when hit the concrete of the pier and several plates fell through the hole in the bow. Fortunately there were no reported injuries among the passengers and crew on board of the passenger ship. MS Trollfjord berthed shortly after the accident and started assessing the damages. The local authorities and port state control requested special survey and inspection of the ship. The investigation for the root cause of the collision is under way, as the details and circumstances, which lead to collision are not clear. Following the collision the ship suffered visible damages in the bow, but all were above the waterline and did not caused water ingress or issue for the seaworthiness. There was also serious damage to the wharf as well. There was no panic among the passengers during the accident, but some of them were a little anxious. According to the schedule, the vessel was planned to continue on the journey south to Sortland. |
Collision with pier |
| March 27 |
Regal
Princess |
From a passenger: Our friends on board with us reported seeing that, in heavy winds, last Thursday Mar 23, a maintenance staffer on Regal Princess lost his finger when a 16th floor deck door slammed on it. The finger was recovered. We were told he was shaken up and opted to go home. |
Crew member injury |
| March 25 |
Dream
CCL |
Florida Record reports a woman alleges she injured her knee because a water spill had not been properly cleaned up on a cruise ship. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges she sustained severe bodily injury, including a meniscal tear of her right knee that required surgery, when she accidentally slipped and fell on a puddle of water that a staff of the defendant failed to clean up properly. She holds Carnival responsible because the defendant's staff allegedly failed to properly, adequately and/or completely clean up the spilled water, and failed to warn plaintiff and other invitees of the hazardous conditions. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-21063 |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| March 24 |
Summit
Celebrity |
Passenegrs on the April 8 (the April 17 sailing is shortened to four days) have been notified as follows: "Summit experienced an electrical issue to one of its propulsion motors. All remaining motors are fully operational, and there is no impact on the maneuverability of the ship or on the safety of our guests and crew. However, since this electrical issue is directly related to the ship’s speed, we have had to limit the ship’s top speed during her previous sailings. We have explored numerous repair options. Regrettably, there is no satisfactory solution that does not involve taking the ship temporarily out of service. We are very sorry to say that because of this, it will be necessary to cancel your sailing in order to make the necessary repairs." |
Canceled sailing(s) |
| March 24 |
Divina
MSC |
TMZ reports Sib Hashian -- the drummer for the rock group Boston -- died after collapsing onstage Wednesday night. The drummer was on the Legends of Rock Cruise and was midset when he suddenly collapsed. A witness says CPR was performed and a defibrillator was used but to no avail. The L.O.R. Cruise began on March 18 in Florida and had stops in several places including Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. We're told the cruise will continue and other musicians are performing tributes to Sib on the boat Thursday. The drummer -- who donned an EPIC afro in the early days of his stellar career -- was famously part of Boston's self-titled album, which featured the mega-hit "More Than a Feeling." He was 67. |
Death of musician |
| March 23 |
Summit
Celebrity |
Cruise Criitc reports passengers scheduled to depart from San Juan on March 27 for a one-week cruise have been advised that their cruise departure has been delayed by one day. The delay is related to previous technical issues with the ship's propulsion system, which have been forcing Celebrity Summit to sail at reduced speeds. (The same issue forced the Summit to remain docked in Cozumel earlier this month for more than three days as crew attempted to repair the issue.) No ports will be missed, but a sea day will be cut from the itinerary. |
Delayed by a day departure because of propulsion problems |
| March 22 |
Victory
CCL |
Sun Sentinal reports Brandon Paul, 23, of Floral City reportedly went overboard from the eighth deck of the Carnival Victory cruise ship some 33 miles northwest of Pinar Del Rio about 3 a.m., according to the Coast Guard. The cruise ship launched its own search boat and contacted the Coast Guard which sent an airplane from its air station in Miami and diverted the cutter Sexton to the search area. Because of the location, the Cuban government is also assisting in the search, the Coast Guard said. No other information was immediately available. |
Pax overboard |
| March 21 |
Oriana
P&O |
From a reader: Staff Chief Engineer Darren on Oriana passed away on ship age 46. Sorry, no further information so this is just an FYI for those who have an interest. |
Death onboard (FYI) |
| March 20 |
Coral
Princess |
CDC reports 157 of 2016 (7.79%) passengers and 25 of 881 (2.84%) crew became ill during the cruise 8 - 18 March. A CDC Vessel Sanitation Program environmental health officer will board the ship in Ft. Lauderdale on March 18 to conduct an environmental health assessment and evaluate the outbreak and response activities. |
Illness |
| March 18 |
Anthem
RCI |
From a passenger: Are you aware a drowning occurred on Anthem of the Seas yesterday mid afternoon
In outdoor pool area. Sad news and not best response from lifeguards....traveller who was shouting orders acted quickly. On board Anthem headed to Bayonne. Cruise Law News confirmed that a woman in her 60's or 70's did die in the outdoor pool on Friday. |
Pax drowns |
| March 18 |
Queen Victoria
Cunard |
Otago Daily Times reports the ship’s arrival was affected by fog. It was expected to be docked at Port Chalmers at 8.30am. It spent most of the day anchored off the coast of Dunedin, waiting for the fog to clear, but at 3pm a decision was made by the crew to carry on to its next destination — Akaroa. |
Skpped port call - fog |
| March 17 |
Fantasy
CCL |
Florida Record reports a North Carolina mother is suing Carnival Corporation citing alleged negligence due to a sexual assault against her minor daughter. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Feb. 25, 2016, she and her minor daughter were passengers aboard defendant's cruise ship, Carnival Fantasy, when her daughter was approached by a man who pulled into a secluded area, kissing and touching her inappropriately until she fought herself loose and ran away. Plaintiff's daughter suffered physical pain, mental anguish and incurred medical expenses. The plaintiff holds Carnival responsible because it allegedly failed to provide adequate supervision and/or security for minor passengers aboard its cruise ships and failed to warn minors of the potential of being sexually assaulted or raped aboard the cruise ship. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-20652 |
Lawsuit over sexual aissault of minor |
| March 17 |
Queen Victoria
Cunard |
NZ Herald reports a reported man overboard in Sutherland Sound has turned out to be a false alarm. Maritime NZ said a muster was carried out on the Queen Victoria cruise ship and all passengers and crew were accounted for. "The ship has an electronic alarm system which indicated a person had fallen overboard," said Maritime NZ spokesman Vince Cholewa. "The system radar and thermal imaging did show an object going overboard but it was something like a piece of clothing but not a person." The ship "did all the right things" and was now continuing its cruise to Dunedin, he said. The Queen Victoria radioed in at 11.30am to Maritime NZ. The ship was in Sutherland Sound in Fiordland about 2 nautical miles from Bell Pt. Cholewa said the ship immediately began searching and a rescue co-ordinator immediately dispatched a chopper from Milford Helicopters. "It's essentially an eye in the sky. It's not equipped with search and rescue equipment," Cholewa said. Southern Lakes Helicopters in Te Anau has also sent a rescue chopper which is equipped with winches, rescue crew and a paramedic. |
False alarm of person overboard |
| March 16 |
L'Austral
Compagnie du Ponant |
Cruise Critic reports Ponant has diverted its current cruise on L'Austral between Port Vila and Kota Kinabalu due to safety concerns in the Sulu Sea near the Malaysian state of Sabah. L'Austral was forced to skip its visit to Borneo and will cease sailing its current itinerary today, three days early. The luxury ship will instead enter dry dock in Manila to undergo a full inspection for hull damage after two separate accidents earlier this year. In a letter to passengers, also provided to Cruise Critic, the cruise line explained that because Ponant ships sail under the French flag, “recognised by the maritime world as one of the most demanding of all, especially in terms of safety”, L’Austral was forced to reroute to the Philippines. The letter states: “On the recommendation of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have formally been requested to avoid the Sulu Sea, and especially the Sandakan region. In addition, the certification body of our vessels is asking us to carry out a technical intervention, to be held in a port near Manila, from 16 to 19 March.” The diversion conveniently allows the opportunity to inspect and repair the 264-passenger megayacht after it was involved in two incidents in two months. In January L’Austral struck a floating object in the Sub Antarctic Islands and diverted to Bluff for an initial inspection. In February the vessel hit an undersea rock while entering Milford Sound in New Zealand, causing minor damage to its hull. Two days later, on February 11, investigators from New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission boarded L’Austral during its visit to Dunedin to check its navigation system, Seatrade reported. On this month’s cruise, L’Austral altered the itinerary after its stop at the coral reef of Rajah Ampat, Indonesia, and headed directly to Manila, where passengers have been moved to hotels. During the three-day “stopover”, the line is providing complimentary five-star accommodation and land-based activities, with three Ponant executives flying in from France to assist passengers. The next sailing of L’Austral is expected to depart on time on March 19 from Manila instead of the scheduled departure port of Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. |
Cruise cut short to enter drydock for repairs |
| March 15 |
Unstated
RCI |
Florida Record reports awoman claims a cruise line failed to warn her before another passenger fell on her. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Feb. 2, 2016, she suffered physical injuries when another passenger fell onto her. The suit states the passenger had climbed up on the railing of a hot tub, slipped and fell on the plaintiff. The plaintiff holds Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to provide proper assistance and supervision to its passengers using the hot tub and failed to warn the plaintiff. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-20956-KMM |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| March 15 |
Freedom
CCL |
Florida Record reports an Indiana woman alleges she required emergency surgery after injuring her ankle on a cruise ship. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that in March 21, 2016, she suffered physical injuries when she slipped and fell due to an uneven and slippery condition of the stairs while aboard the Carnival Freedom. She alleges the incident caused her to fracture her ankle and that she required emergency surgery. The plaintiff holds Carnival Corp. responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to warn the plaintiff regarding the hazardous condition of the stairs. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-20940-JAL |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| March 13 |
NCL |
Miami Herald reports two former Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEOs are duking it out Dr. Phil style in a sizzling lawsuit that claims one was fired due to improper relationships with Norwegian employees. When former CEO Kevin Sheehan abruptly resigned in January 2015 after seven years with the cruise line, the reason for his departure was not publicly released. But according to a lawsuit filed by his predecessor, Colin Veitch, in Miami-Dade County circuit court in November, the Miami-based cruise company and many in the industry knew the circumstances of his departure. According to the suit, Norwegian and its affiliated companies have “long been aware” of Sheehan’s “improper behavior and relationships” with employees aboard its cruise ships. The allegations about Sheehan’s personal conduct appear in a section of lawsuit in which Veitch says Sheehan libeled him in an email to a trade publication. The primary charge in the suit relates to Veitch’s severance package. Sheehan purposely withheld payments from Veitch, the suit alleges, resulting in millions of dollars in damages to Veitch. But Veitch also claims libel, saying that Sheehan sent a “vindictive, false and defamatory” email to Travel Weekly after the trade publication published a glowing article about Veitch in December 2014. Travel Weekly eventually published Sheehan’s email and took down the article on Veitch’s tenure at Norwegian and his role in several of the line’s most innovative concepts — some that proved successful and others that were not. |
2 CEOs duking it out in court |
| March 12 |
Serena
Costa |
Shanghaiist reports tensions are apparently running so high over the installation of the THAAD missile defense system that Chinese tourists don't even want to visit the South Korea resort island of Jeju anymore.
When a cruise ship docked at the Chinese tourist mecca in the Korea Strait on Saturday afternoon, all 3,400 passengers on board refused to disembark, much to the surprise of the ship's captain, South Korean customs officials, tour guides and the drivers of 80 tour buses waiting to transport them around the island.
Instead, the Chinese tourists stayed on the 11,000-ton Costa Serena cruise ship for four hours before departing for their next stop in Tianjin. They were all were part of a reward trip that had been organized by a Chinese company which had departed from Fukuoka in Japan, local media reports. According to CGTN, the incident has contributed to the Italian cruise ship company canceling two ships from making trips to Jeju from mid-March to the end of June -- adding up to 26 canceled visits and up to 120,000 fewer Chinese tourists visiting the island.
Royal Caribbean Cruises and Carnival Corp's Costa Cruises and Princess Cruises have all also cut calls to South Korean ports including Jeju, replacing them with visits to Japan. Meanwhile, 86 of the 159 flights linking the resort island to mainland China have also been canceled. |
Pax refuse to disembark / canceled port calls |
| March 12 |
Magic & Breeze
CCL |
From a passenger: I was a passenger onboard the Carnival Magic this past week, during which an extended delay leaving one of our ports (Mahogany Bay, Roatan – Honduras) occurred (on March 8, 2017). We were scheduled to leave port at 6:00pm (back on the boat by 5:30) and did not leave until approximately 10:20pm. Our delay (whatever the reason for it) also delayed the Breeze, who happened to be situated (unfortunately for them!) behind our boat – making it impossible for them to leave until the Magic moved! Many rumors have been tossed about – the first and most widely spoken of was that 4 people out of a traveling party of 8 never made it back to the ship. The four who did return to the ship requested to be let off to search for their family members but were denied that possibility (supposedly by the Honduran government). Many have said the missing four were on a Carnival sponsored excursion and that was the reason for the extended wait for their return. Indeed four names (a couple of them with the last name of “Lopez”) were announced over the pa system after we were to have left port, asking them or anyone knowing their whereabouts to come forward. The announcement was made two or three times… Another rumor was a crew worker fell overboard and a search was being done (indeed a spotlight was being used – shining it out in the water to the side of the ship. Had a great view of this from my balcony! but saw nothing being “discovered”)… Another rumor was that 2 kids were killed in a car wreck while on an excursion… Several other rumors swirling around our facebook cruise group pages too… Apparently (according to Facebook page posts) many aboard the Breeze were told simply that an “emergency” aboard the Magic was the cause of the delay. Meanwhile, we aboard the Magic were told nothing! Several other passengers saw a body bag being removed from the ship once in port Canaveral during our debarkation. (Indeed there was a “medical emergency” call made, with the request for assistance to be sent to the Laundry area on floor one during our muster drill on day one. The announcement interrupted the speaker during the drill!) some are speculating there could be a tie between the “medical emergency” from day one and the body bag on the final day of our cruise. Another passenger posted that it is very common for deaths at sea to occur… Many terminal or elderly choose to travel and pass on at sea, so not unusual to have a body bag siting at the end of a cruise. We would just like an answer as to why such a long (hush-hush) delay in Roatan! Any information you could post would be greatly appreciated! We’ve of course scoured the internet searching for answers and come up with none! |
Delayed departure from port |
| March 10 |
Dream
Disney |
Florida Record reports a Yulee mother and her minor child have filed a suit against Disney Cruise Line after the child was injured in a bathroom on the Disney Dream cruise ship, alleging the company failed to maintain the ship in a safe condition. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that in March 3, 2016, T.R. sustained physical injuries when he tripped and fell in the bathroom in a stateroom, hitting his cheek on sharp metal stripping on the side of a tub. The plaintiff holds Magical Cruise Co. Limited responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to warn T.R. regarding the hazardous condition of the bathroom and failed to keep it in a safe condition for passengers. U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division Case number 6:17-cv-00337-ACC-KRS |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| March 10 |
Breeze
CCL |
Florida Record reports a Canadian passenger on the Carnival Breeze alleges he suffered a shoulder injury on the ship because of a door. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on March 17, 2016, his shoulder was torn because a heavy wooden door closed on him. The plaintiff holds Carnival Corp. responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to warn the plaintiff regarding the defective nature of the door closer. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-20882-UU |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| March 10 |
Spirit of Baltimore Spirit Cruises |
Baltimore Sun reports nearly 30 passengers are suing Spirit Cruises LLC after a company ship crashed into a Fells Point pier last August during a midnight party ride. Maurice and Tonya Franklin of Baltimore County are suing for $1 million. The force of the crash aboard the Spirit of Baltimore cruise ship threw Maurice Franklin into a glass wall and rocked his wife from her seat, their attorneys wrote in a federal court lawsuit. Other passengers suffered injuries to their necks, backs and knees, according to court records. Coast Guard investigators said the captain dozed off before the 119-foot vessel veered off course and splintered a floating pier at Henderson's Wharf Marina. Twenty-eight people have filed claims, ranging from $5,000 to $1 million, against Spirit Cruises before a deadline last month set by U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander. Under U.S. maritime law, a company may request the courts set a deadline for people to bring claims and to limit the total payout to the value of the ship. Hollander set a deadline of Feb. 15 and a limit of $1.8 million. About 400 people boarded the Spirit of Baltimore on Aug. 28 for the "All Linen Affair," a midnight-to-3 a.m. party cruise. The ship was returning to its berth when it struck the pier around 2:30 a.m and continued cruising for about a mile to the dock. Two passengers were hospitalized with chest and back pain. The captain, who has not been identified, was fired within 24 hours, said Dan Leaman, general manager for Spirit Cruises. He called the captain's conduct "completely unacceptable" in a statement Thursday. |
Lawsuit for collision with pier |
| March 9 |
Imagination
CCL |
Florida Record reports an Arizona man claims he was injured while traveling on the cruise ship. David Jamieson filed a complaint on March 7 alleging negligence. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on March 7, 2016, he suffered physical injuries when he slipped and fell on a substance that was believed to be yogurt. The plaintiff holds Carnival Corp. responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to warn the plaintiff regarding the foreign substance that was left on the floor. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20862-DPG |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| March 8 |
Spendor
CCL |
From a reader: upgrade from “Propulsion Problems” which meant "only one engine was working when they took off from Florida", to “Stuck at Sea for at least four hours now, both engines down”. Passengers told they would arrive back in Miami on Sunday, further updates to follow. My college Freshman is enjoying getting a tan on the deck and says he is still having fun. Not so sure how long that will last and if facilities become unavailable it will be pretty gross and unsanitary. |
Loss of power; continued propulsion problems |
| March7 |
Pride
CCL |
Baltimore Sun reports the National Transportation Safety Board says a cruise ship returning from a weeklong trip to Florida and the Bahamas last May approached a Baltimore pier too quickly and at too steep an angle before it struck a gangway and caused nearly $2.1 million in damage. An accident report released Tuesday by the federal safety agency found that the Carnival Pride's staff captain, the second in command, erred in controlling the ship. It said the staff captain recognized the problem and attempted to assume manual control but was unable to do so. No one was injured, but the gangway fell, crushing three vehicles on the pier. The gangway also was destroyed and the ship's hull was damaged, along with a mooring platform. A harbor pilot from the Maryland Association of Pilots was aboard the vessel to guide it up the Chesapeake Bay and into the port of Baltimore but had transferred control of the cruise ship to the staff captain for the final approach and docking, according to the NTSB. |
Accident report |
| March 7 |
Caledonian Sky |
Deeper Blue reports the cruise ship MV Caledonian Sky ran aground over the weekend onto a coral reef near Kri, off Raja Ampat, Indonesia. The grounding of the Bahamas-flagged, 90-meter/295-foot-long ship took place at around 14:00 local time on March 4, according to a Facebook post by Hugo Mattsson. While the ship was able to free itself not long after, the vessel left a 20-meter/66-foot-long cut through the coral reef, he wrote. According to a Google Translate version of the local Teropong News, the ship was carrying 102 passengers consisting of three U.S. citizens, two Canadians, 86 British, two Irish, two Indonesians and seven Swedes, all of whom were evacuated from the vessel. The incident is under investigation by local authorities, according to Teropong News. According to marinetraffic.com, the ship was “underway using engine” as of 08:30 local time on March 7. Mongabay reports the ship damaged approximately 1,600 square meters of coral at a diving site known as Crossover Reef. The incident resulted in the destruction of the ecosystem’s structural habitat and the reduction or loss of diversity of eight coral genera, including acropora, porites, montipora and stylophora. Due to Raja Ampat’s special biodiversity and its status as one of the world’s most popular dive sites, as well as the fact that the damage occurred in a national park, the evaluation team will recommend the company pay compensation of $800-$1,200 per square meter, for a total of $1.28 million-$1.92 million, according to Tapilatu. The standard rate is $200-$400 per square meter. |
Aground - Environmental fine for destruction of reef |
| March 4 |
Majesty
RCI |
Florida Record reports a Connecticut cruise ship passenger claims he fell because of standing water on a set of steps. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Feb. 27, 2016, he suffered physical injuries when he slipped and fell on wooden stairs after exiting a hot tub because of the water on the steps. The plaintiff holds RCI responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to warn the plaintiff of the danger of the standing water around the outdoor hot tub aboard its vessel. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20791-CMA |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| March 4 |
Sea
Princess |
Nation News reports 11 passengers onboard were confined to their rooms after a virus outbreak on the vessel. A gastroenteritis bug prevented 11 visitors from disembarking the Sea Princess after it docked at the Bridgetown Port at 7:45 a.m. yesterday. It was the first time in over five years that the ship, which carries an estimated 1 950 passengers and is currently on a 90-day world cruise, had docked in Barbados’ waters. |
Illness outbreak? |
| March 4 |
Majesty
Thomson |
Express reports a group of travellers on a voyage aboard the Majesty cruise ship between December 2014 and January 2015 are claiming that Thomson is responsible after a number of people fell ill with gastric symptoms and chest infections during their cruise. The group reported concerns regarding the cleanliness on the ship, stating that sometimes the table linen and utensils within the restaurant were dirty. Passenger also alleged that the food served on board had sometimes been left out for long periods time or served lukewarm. |
Lawsuit for illness |
| March 4 |
Getaway
NCL |
Florida Record reports a Canadian passenger is suing NCL, alleging negligence led to injuries to the plaintiff. According to the complaint, on Feb. 1, 2016, he suffered physical injuries when he slipped and fell on Getaway. The plaintiff alleges NCL failed to warn the plaintiff regarding the slippery substance that was left on the floor. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-20802-UU |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| March 4 |
Star
NCL |
Florida Record reports a Michigan woman alleges she was injured when she was a passenger on the Norwegian Star. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that in March 27, 2016, she suffered physical injuries when she slipped and fell on a deck. The plaintiff holds NCL responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to warn the plaintiff regarding the slippery substance that was left on the floor. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-20710-JEM |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| March 3 |
Paradise
CCL |
Cruise Law News reports Carnival notified its customers that it was modifting the itinerary of the Carnival Paradise for the following dates: 3/13/17, 3/27/2017, 4/10/2017, 4/24/2017, 5/8/2017, 5/22/2017, 6/5/2017. Carnival Paradise is experiencing a technical issue which is only affecting the ship's maximum cruising speed. While our technicians make the necessary repairs; we will need to operate a modified itinerary. We have replaced our visit to Grand Cayman with a call to Costa Maya and will be visiting Cozumel on Wednesday instead. We will also be extending our time in Cozumel |
Technical issue - Itinerary change |
| March 2 |
Spendor
CCL |
Statement from CCL: Carnival Splendor is currently experiencing a technical issue that is affecting the vessel's maximum cruising speed. The ship's technical team is currently working on assessing the repairs.
Due to current speed limitations, the remaining calls at St. Thomas and Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic have been cancelled so that the ship can return to its homeport of Miami on Sunday on schedule.
All guests on the current voyage will receive a $100 per person shipboard credit and a 25 percent credit toward a future Carnival cruise. Carnival Splendor is on fourth day of a seven-day cruise that departed Miami on Sunday and returns this Sunday." |
Propulsion problems |
| March 2 |
Journey Azamara |
Stuff NZ reports an Australian passenger has been denied entry to New Zealand as his cruise ship arrived after a voyage around the country. When the vessel Azamara Journey arrived at Port Otago, Dunedin on Wednesday morning, a large welcome party of police and Immigration New Zealand officials was there to meet one of its passengers. Police declined to comment on the incident, but a spokesman for Immigration NZ confirmed that an Australian cruise ship passenger was referred to the department. "After an interview the passenger was refused entry to New Zealand on character grounds," he said. The department declined to make further comment, citing privacy and legal reasons. The main reasons people were refused entry on character requirements, included not declaring serious criminal convictions. The vessel departed Dunedin on Wednesday night for Akaroa. |
Refused entry to NZ |
| March 2 |
Pride of America
NCL |
Hawaii Tribune Herald reports the ship's scheduled call Wednesday in Kailua-Kona was canceled because of unusual and high winds associated with a weather system to the west. The high winds, coming from the south, are the result of a surface low pressure system centered about 100 miles northwest of Kauai, said Tom Birchard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu. |
Canceled port call (wind) |
| March 1 |
Glory
CCL |
Local 10 reports passengers on a South Florida-based cruise line said their vacation was spoiled by construction. Varis Ozols said he, his wife and their young son were hoping to have a relaxing stay; Instead, they found nearly an entire deck closed for construction. Before the cruise left PortMiami, a passenger took a video showing a crane loading construction supplies onto a deck with passengers directly below it, wearing bathing suits and no safety equipment. Bryce Koomans, who was also a passenger on the ship, said the construction continued while they were at sea. "The sea days were really kind of, almost, taken away from us in the sense that there was so much construction -- the sounds, the noises, the smells and then also just the busyness of it," Koomans said. Carnival apologized in a statement sent to Local 10. |
"Construction" closes deck during cruise |
| February 27 |
Seadream Yacht Club |
Local 10 reports a South Florida maritime attorney filed a $25 million lawsuit this week against the cruise line and a bartender on behalf of a 46-year-old woman from North Carolina who claims that she was raped in June 2015. According to the lawsuit, the woman, who was a repeat passenger on the SeaDream Yacht Club voyages, was raped by a bartender on the ship on June 24, 2015. The woman claims she was held against her will behind a bar on the ship by the bartender, Rui Manuel Duarte Guerreiro, who allegedly closed all the windows near them and then raped her vaginally, orally and anally. The complaint states that the rape lasted for an extended period of time, during which the victim repeatedly told Duarte Guerreiro to stop and asked, "Why are you doing this?" The woman claims to have suffered physical and mental injuries that have changed her life, and now she wants to hold the cruise line accountable. "My client is extremely brave to tell her story publicly," attorney Michael Winkelman said in a statement. "Her primary motivation is raising public awareness of the hidden dangers at sea and making sure this doesn't happen to anyone else." A representative for Winkleman's firm said the lawsuit is the only recourse for the victim because Duarte Guerreiro is a Portuguese citizen and the incident happened in international waters. |
Sexual assault lawsuit |
| February 27 |
RCI &Celebrity |
Seatrade Cruise News reports the cruise lines settled all claims related to alleged violations of the Alaska Marine Visible Emissions Standards that occurred over an earlier five-year period on certain ships. In April 2015, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation issued notices of violation to a number of operators, including Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, for alleged violations over the previous five years. In its just-filed annual report, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. said the company had settled the claims pursuant to a compliance order by consent this month. That involved paying an amount and performing certain remedial actions. The amounts paid were immaterial, the filing said. The notices of violation were controversial because Alaska uses human smoke readers who, some cruise operators contend, may not be uniformly following the Method 9 protocols developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency. When a ship is observed to be exceeding opacity limits, the state gives notice of a possible violation and asks the cruise line for its opacity meter readings and other data. Later, sometimes much later, a notice of violation may be issued. NOTE: Carnival Corp was reported to pay similar fines (see Jan 30 below). |
Fine for environmental violation |
| February 27 |
Unknown
Celebrity |
Florida Record reports a cruise ship passenger alleges he was injured after he slipped and fell near the food court on the ship. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Nov. 9, 2015, while aboard on defendant's cruise ship, he slipped and fell while walking on a slippery area near the food court. As a result, he alleges he suffered pain, loss of earnings and incurred medical expenses. The plaintiff holds Celebrity Cruises Inc. responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to conduct routine inspections of the area, failed to warn passengers of wet or contaminated floor surface and failed to establish, implement and enforce policies and procedures regarding the proper maintenance of the area. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-20617 |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| February 25 |
Magica
Costa |
Cruise Law News reports a passenger indicated that a fire broke out on the Costa cruise ship yesterday, February 24th, while the cruise ship was heading toward Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe which is in the eastern Caribbean between St. Kitts and Antigua & Barbuda to the north and Dominica to the south. The passenger, who wishes to remain anonymous, indicated that the fire started around 1:30, apparently in the engine room. The passenger stated that the passengers were timely informed that a fire broke out but there was confusing announcements regarding the location of the fire. There was first an announcement regarding an emergency on deck A. Later, there was an announcement regarding an emergency in the luggage area on deck 0. Finally, there was an announcement of an emergency in the engine room, according to the passenger. |
Fire |
| February 25 |
Pride
CCL |
Florida Record reports a New Jersey woman alleges she was injured after slipping on steps on a Carnival cruise ship. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Sept. 11, 2016, she was a tour guest aboard defendant's cruise ship the Carnival Pride when she slipped and fell while descending the marble steps from deck 4 to deck 3. As a result, she alleges she suffered bodily injury resulting in pain and suffering, inconvenience, loss of capacity to enjoy life, medical expenses and loss of earnings. The plaintiff holds Carnival Corp. responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to make the surface of the steps sufficiently slip-resistant and negligently allowed water or some other slippery substance to be on the steps. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20637 |
Lawsuit for injury |
| February 25 |
Ecstasy
CCL |
Florida Record reports a North Carolina couple allege they were beaten by another passenger while traveling on the Carnival Ecstasy. According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that on Feb. 28, 2016, Broadus Jones and Corliss Jones were in their cabin when someone knocked at the door. The suit states that when Broadus Jones opened the door, the attacker pushed the door open and knocked plaintiff Broadus Jones down, pinning him with his knees and severely beat and assaulted him. Corliss Jones alleges that she was also struck in the face and injured. The plaintiffs holds Carnival Corp. responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to provide adequate and proper security to its passengers and violated its own policy by selling excessive alcoholic beverages to plaintiffs' attacker. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20648 |
Lawsuit for injuries |
| February 24 |
Vietnamese Cruise Ship |
VN Express reports a Vietnamese cruise ship leaked while sailing on Ha Long Bay on Friday morning, and the 47 tourists aboard, 45 of them foreigners, had to move to other ships. The passengers, including two Vietnamese, were touring the World Heritage site in the northern province of Quang Ninh when their captain discovered the leaking after the ship sailed though underwater rocks. The passengers were rushed to two other ships for their safety. Water safety has long been a concern among tourists on cruise trips in Ha Long Bay, a world-renowned destination in northern Vietnam. Last month 21 people, including 14 foreigners, their guide and the 6-member crew, were rescued after a fire broke out on their ship at the bay. Port authorities in Quang Ninh said they inspected 60 cruise ships between February 15-22 and found 21 of them failing to meet safety requirements. |
Taking on water - pax evacuated |
| February 23 |
Encore
Seabourn |
Stuff NZ reports passengers were barred from a cruise ship docked in Marlborough on Thursday after poisonous gas seeped through a refrigeration seal in a nearby building. Port Marlborough staff smelled the ammonia leak from a Talley's Group Ltd refrigeration unit on Picton's Waitohi Wharf shortly after 2pm. The wharf and ship were both closed to the public for about an hour, and all the windows and doors on the ship were shut. |
Ammonia casues delayed boarding |
| February 23 |
Magnifica
MSC Cruises |
Sunday World reports a man is being held by Italian authorities after his wife vanished from the cruise liner Magnifica. The 45-year-old man, his two children aged four and six and his wife had been on a cruise on the Mediterranean since the 10th of February. He was arrested by cops on Tuesday night after attempting to board a flight to Ireland with his two kids, at Rome’s Ciampino Airport. Police started looking for the man after a roll call on the ship showed that his wife, who is of Chinese descent, was missing. The woman’s disappearance was only noticed 10 days after the family had boarded the boat in Genoa, when the ship docked again. When crew members noticed that the passenger details didn’t tally they contacted police who launched a hunt for the man. |
Pax disappears |
| February 23 |
RCI |
From a reader: Hot off the press: Royal Caribbean has imposed a fee of $65.00 if you leave cruise early. So if you get sick, have an emergency at home or just hate the cruise it will cost you $65.00 more!! If you decide not to pay you could be banned from EVER sailing with RCCL/Celebrity again! |
Charge for leaving cruise before end |
| February 22 |
Fascination
CCL |
Florida Record reports aKentucky woman alleges a slippery deck n ear a hot tub on a cruise ship caused her to fall. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Feb. 26, 2016, she suffered serious physical injuries when she slipped The plaintiff holds Carnival Cruise Lines responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to warn the plaintiff regarding the slippery surface while exiting the Jacuzzi. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-20552-RNS |
Lawsuit for personal injury |
| February 22 |
Golden
Princess |
Daily Mail reports passengers who boarded two recent cruises from Melbourne have been warned they may have been exposed to Hepatitis E while on board. The Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday alerted passengers who were travelling on the Golden Princess between February 8 and 15. An on-board crew member had been suffering the illness at the time. |
Pax exposed to Hepatitis E |
| February 22 |
Solstice
Celebrity |
The Guardian reports a bus carrying cruise ship passengers has collided with a car and plunged down a steep bank in New Zealand’s south island, critically injuring two people. The accident happened on a narrow, two-lane road on the Akaroa peninsula outside Christchurch on Wednesday afternoon. The two people with critical injuries were airlifted to Christchurch hospital. Five other people who suffered serious injuries and one person with moderate injuries were also taken to hospital. A further 26 people with minor injuries or who were unhurt were taken on a different bus to Akaroa fire station, where they were assessed. The bus was transporting 31 guests when it plunged bonnet first into a steep gully, embedding itself in thick vines and vegetation about 50 metres down the bank. |
2 pax critically injured in bus accident |
| February 22 |
Caribbean Cruise Line |
FTC reports the Federal Trade Commission and 10 states have closed the book on the remaining defendants who assisted a Florida-based cruise line company in running an illegal telemarketing campaign that flooded consumers with billions of unwanted robocalls. In settling the charges, Fred Accuardi and his companies are barred from robocalling and illegal telemarketing, as well as helping anyone else make such calls. In early 2015, the FTC and its state partners alleged that that the companies involved in the scheme illegally sold cruise vacations using political survey robocalls. The FTC and states filed charges against—and reached settlements with—most of the defendants in the case, including Caribbean Cruise Line, Inc. (CCL). The CCL robocall campaign ran from October 2011 through July 2012 and averaged approximately 12 to 15 million illegal sales calls a day. Consumers who answered these calls typically heard a pre-recorded message telling them they had been selected to participate in a 30-second research survey, after which they would receive a “free” two-day cruise to the Bahamas. In reality, the calls were designed to market CCL’s cruises and various up-sell packages. The illegal robocalls generated millions of dollars for CCL |
Lawsuit and case settled and closed |
| February 21 |
Unknown
Princess |
Northern California Record reports a Studio City man alleges he was injured in a cruise ship's lounge because of spilled drinks on a dance floor. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Nov. 17, 2015, he suffered injuries to his ankle from stepping on liquids and debris that were left on a lounge floor on the defendant's ship. The plaintiff holds Princess Cruise Lines LTD responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to warn the plaintiff regarding the hazardous condition of the dance floor. U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Case number 2:17-cv-01196-SJO-AGR |
Lawsuit for injury |
| February 21 |
Emerald
Princess |
Stuff NZ reports the ship didn't stop in Akaroa after all, as stated below. Instead, it made an unexpected early arrival in Picton after being diverted from Akaroa on Monday. The cruise ship was scheduled to arrive on Tuesday but made the rare decision to dock overnight in the Marlborough Sounds town, and businesses are counting the benefits. But at the same time, business in Dunedin and Akaroa are negatively impacted by the canceled port call. |
Change in itinerary |
| February 19 |
Unknown |
St. Lucia Times reports a cruise ship visitor was robbed this afternoon near the Castries Market, the Times has been informed. The President of the Vendors Association, Peter ‘Ras Ipa’ Isaac, disclosed that three visitors were looking around by the market when two young men pounced on an elderly woman who was part of the group, grabbed a gold chain and escaped. The incident occurred at around 3:30 pm, he said. He told the Times that the visitors, two women and a man, were so upset after the incident that they did not want to speak to anyone, but headed back to their cruise ship. |
Pax robbed ashore |
| February 19 |
Emerald
Princess |
Otago Daily Times reports bad weather caused the ship to skip the Dunedin port call, heading directly to Akaroa. |
Skipped port call |
| February 18 |
Sun
Princess |
Stuff NZ reports a woman who fell overboard during a cruise spent almost an hour in the Pacific Ocean before being rescued. New Zealand singer Will Martin, who is currently working as a headline entertainer aboard the Sun Princess, said the passenger fell off the cruise ship between Brisbane and New Caledonia on Friday. Shortly after 4pm on Friday (4pm NZT) the "man overboard" announcement came over the bridge. Two life rings were deployed to mark the approximate location of where the passenger went into the water, Martin said. It took about 15 minutes for the ship to completely turn around and make it back to the same area. "By the time the ship made it back to the vicinity, all onlookers could see that both life rings were in fact empty - she hadn't made it to either one - no one could see her," Martin said. A zodiac-type life boat was then deployed from the ship to conduct a search. Shortly after 4.30pm (7.30pm NZT) the woman was located by the zodiac vessel, hauled aboard and returned to Sun Princess. In total, the woman was in the water for about 45 minutes. |
Pax overboard - rescued alive |
| February 16 |
Luminosa
Costa & Crown
Princess |
BNAmericas reports Chilean state port operator Empresa Portuaria Valparaíso (EPV) reported that a group of port workers temporarily downed tools and blocked access to the Pacífico Sur Terminal (TPS) in Valparaíso for several hours, refusing to provide services to two cruise ships and affecting thousands of passengers. |
Labour action affects cruise pax |
| February 16 |
Magica
Costa |
Antigua Observer reports police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a crew member who was found hanging in his cabin this afternoon. The deceased was 27 years old, a dishwasher from India. The name has been withheld pending confirmation from the police that his relatives have been notified. Well-placed sources reported that another crew member discovered the body just before 2 pm. The crew member who shared a cabin with the deceased, allegedly took down the body and attempted to revive him, to no avail. The doctor on board was also called upon to help, but could do nothing for the man who was pronounced dead on the scene. |
Crew suicide |
| February 16 |
Sun
Princess |
ABC reports about 140 passengers have come down with gastro, a fortnight after a similar outbreak on the vessel during a previous cruise. The Sun Princess returned to Brisbane about 7:00am after its 14-day trip around New Zealand. Queensland Health said 140 people were ill, but passengers estimated that number was higher. Some have complained that the ship should have delayed the voyage after 90 people suffered from norovirus on the ship's prior trip to Papua New Guinea. ABC journalist Kathryn Perrott, who was on the cruise with her brother, left the vessel in New Zealand. "We were so scared of getting the norovirus, there were people obviously sick," she said. "My brother was particularly not keen after a bad experience getting sick in the past. "We had cabins all around us being cleaned by people in hazmat suits. "It was increasingly common to see those hazmat suits cleaning rooms during the cruise. "It got to the point where there was an announcement over the loudspeaker from the captain saying that there was a high spike in norovirus cases on board the ship again. "That's when my brother and I decided to go home." Perrott and her brother paid to fly home, and were told by the cruise line that they would not be offered any compensation. ABC subsequently revised the numbers to 173 passengers and 3 crew. |
Illness outbreak |
| 14 February |
Elation
CCL |
Sun Sentinel reports the Coast Guard is searching for a man who reportedly went overboard about 15 miles southwest of Abaco, Bahamas. About 11 a.m. Monday, the agency was told that a 24-year-old man was seen on the ship’s closed circuit television system going overboard from the Elation’s 11th deck. Crews from the Coast Guard’s Air Station Miami and in Clearwater were sent to the scene off the Bahamas to conduct a search. The incident happened as the ship was heading from Jacksonville to its first port of call in Nassau. According to the Coast Guard, the man’s wife notified officials on the Elation about 8:30 a.m. Monday, when the ship was moored in Nassau, that her husband was missing. |
Pax overboard |
| 14 February |
Majesty
RCI |
WKMG reports the ship was grounded Monday at Port Canaveral following a safety inspection. The United States Coast Guard said it noticed issues concerning "safety of life at sea," but would not give any additional details. Royal Caribbean released a statement about the issue Tuesday morning. "The U.S. Coast Guard conducted a routine inspection of Majesty of the Seas. They came across some technical issues, including some outdoor life jackets that were showing their age. We hope to have replacements join the ship (Wednesday), and we expect to address the other issues shortly. The ship stayed in port overnight until they arrive," the company said. Fox 35 Orlando reports that even though the ship was permitted to depart the next day, passengers still found (and photographed) life vests that had not been replaced and were considered by the US Coast Guard to be unsafe. |
Detained in port for safety violations |
| 14 February |
Vietnamese tourist boat |
VN Express reports a cruise ship went on fire on Monday afternoon in Ha Long Bay, a top travel destination in the northern province of Quang Ninh. No injuries were reported. The incident happened at around 3 p.m. when the anchored ship was waiting for seven tourists, including five foreigners, who had just left for a kayaking session, local media reported. Crew members managed to save all the luggage and put out the fire. The wooden vessel was built in 2003 and renovated in 2012. Authorities are investigating what caused the incident. Just more than a month ago, another cruise ship carrying 14 foreigners in Ha Long went on fire before it sank on January 10. The ship was returning from a night trip at around 6:30 a.m. when flames spread quickly and engulfed most of the vessel. Rescue workers at a local port managed to bring all 14 foreign tourists, their guide and six crew members to another boat before their ship sank. |
|
| 14 February |
Epic
NCL |
From a passenger: We were on the ship ast week when a 20 year old girl died. The ship of course kept it hush hush but it was pretty obvious that there was foul play. The cabin door was taped off for 2 days with a guard in the hallway and evidence bags sitting outside the room. We were suppose to port at Great Stirrup Cay on Friday the 10th, but they announced there was a power outage there and we detoured to Nassau. Once arriving at Nassau it took forever to get clearance so we could get off the boat. |
Pax death? / Skipped port call |
| February 12 |
Encore
Seabourn |
Radio New Zealand reports the ship berthed at the Port of Timaru this morning and, according to the Port's website, was due to leave for Akaroa about 6pm. Harbourmaster Jim Dilley said there were mooring issues with the ship and a strong southerly wind blew it away from the wharf. It hit another vessel, the Milburn Carrier II and became stuck between two wharves. Pilot and tug boats held the ship stable to minimise damage while they waited for the wind to subside. There were no reported injuries on either ship. Mr Dilley said the boat was now secure alongside the wharf with mooring lines. Two tug boats were keeping it in place and all remaining passengers were heading back on board. PrimePort Timaru chief executive Phil Melhop said while many passengers were away on tours, there were some onboard when the ship crashed. The ship was unable to leave Timaru as scheduled on Sunday evening. A Maritime NZ spokesman said it had been detained by the Harbourmaster, "under his jurisdiction". There was no clear timeframe on its possible departure. |
Collision - delayed for repairs |
| February 14 |
Star
NCL |
Travel Weekly reports the ship is scheduled to sail for Auckland today. NCL said that guests are comfortable and enjoying the ship's amenities or time ashore in Melbourne. The cruise line said a small number of guests have chosen to disembark and transportation to the airport is being provided for them. The ship's next cruise is scheduled to begin Feb. 18 from Auckland. |
Repairs complete - departing Melbourne |
| February 10 |
L'Austral
Compagnie du Ponant |
Radio New Zealand reports the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has launched its second investigation this year into a luxury French cruise ship, after it hit rocks in the Milford Sound yesterday. The L'Austral moored in Bordeaux in April 2016.L'Austral moored at a wharf in Bordeaux in April 2016. Photo: AFP
The commission's chief investigator, Tim Burfoot, said the L'Austral, which is about 160 metres long, only had minor damage to its hull. But Mr Burfoot said it was already investigating another event involving the ship. He said the L'Austral had hit rocks while transferring passengers on Snares Island in January and had needed to call into Bluff for repairs. "The second event in itself is of concern enough to launch and enquiry.... The fact that it is the second of these events in such a short space of time has given more of a sense of urgency for us to find out what's actually happening." Mr Burfoot said three investigators would go onboard the L'Austral and starting making enquiries when it made a scheduled call into Dunedin tomorrow. |
Hits rocks |
| February 10 |
Clipper Adventurer |
CBC reports the owners of a cruise ship that ran into a rock shelf in Nunavut will have to pay nearly $500,000 in environmental costs to the Canadian government after a Federal Court judge ruled they were responsible for the grounding. In the same decision, Justice Sean Harrington dismissed a $13.5-million claim from the MV Clipper Adventurer and its Bahamas-based owners, Adventurer Owner Ltd., who alleged that the Canadian government should have given them more information that could have prevented the crash. The decisions stem from an August 2010 incident, when the Clipper Adventurer, carrying 128 passengers and 69 crew, struck an uncharted rock shelf near Kugluktuk, Nunavut. The Canadian Coast Guard's Amundsen icebreaker rescued the passengers after the Clipper Adventurer's crew was unable to dislodge the vessel. It was eventually freed by four tugs and taken to Poland for repairs. |
Environmental fine |
| February 9 |
Star
NCL |
Cruise Critic reports the ship has broken down off the coast of Australia, with plans underway to tow the ship back to Melbourne for urgent repairs to its propulsion system. It is believed the ship's second azipod failed after continuing issues with its other azipod, which started two weeks ago, causing the 16 year old vessel to sail at very slow speeds from Asia to Australia. Several itineraries have been affected, with multiple ports skipped to make up for lost time. In the latest incident, passengers told Cruise Critic the ship has been "dead in the water" since around 3 a.m this morning. An Australian passenger, Katrina B, said they are expected to stay in Melbourne for up to five days before cruising to Auckland, the last scheduled port of call. All other New Zealand ports will be missed, she said, although this has not yet been confirmed to Cruise Critic by the ship's operator, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). "The second azipod has now also failed and we are drifting at sea. Waiting for tug boats to take us back to Melbourne. Hoping to get towed back to Melbourne by Saturday," Katrina B said from the ship. "Either way, it's turning out to be a 12-night cruise starting in Sydney, ending in Auckland, with one port: Melbourne." The missed ports are likely to include Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Napier and Tauranga, as well as scenic cruising through the fjords of Milford Sound. Yesterday's call to Burnie, Tasmania, was also cancelled before the cruise began in anticipation of the ship's maneuverability and propulsion problems. |
Dead in the water - under tow |
| February 9 |
Unnamed
Celebrity |
Florida Record reports Christine Bojanowski filed a complaint on Jan. 31 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division against Celebrity Cruises Inc. alleging negligence. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Feb. 15, 2016, she sustained physical injuries, including a right shoulder dislocation and a knee injury, after tripping on a ramp. The plaintiff holds Celebrity Cruises Inc. responsible because the defendant allegedly allowed the ramp to exist in an unsafe and hazardous condition. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-20407-DPG |
Lawsuit for injury |
| February 9 |
Unnamed
NCL |
Florida Record reports a New York resident alleges she was injured because of a ramp on a cruise ship. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on August 20, 2016, she suffered injuries when she slipped and fell due to the hazardous condition of a ramp in an area of the ship's pool deck. The plaintiff holds NCL (BAHAMAS) LTD, doing business as Norwegian Cruise Line, responsible because the defendants allegedly failed to warn the plaintiff regarding the condition of the ramp. |
Lawsuit for injury |
| February 9 |
Emerald
Princess |
New Zealand Herald reports a crew member has been killed on board the cruise ship Emerald Princess at Port Chalmers wharf after a gas cylinder exploded. The Herald understands inflatable vessels were being reinflated on deck seven when a 45kg gas cylinder exploded and flew through the air, killing the crew member. The gas bottle was then seen spinning on the wharf with its base blown out, according to a passenger on board. St John confirmed the death of a man in the 5pm explosion. "We did not transport any patient from the scene - one person was deceased at the scene," St John spokesperson Ian Henderson said. The Herald understands Maritime New Zealand will board the ship tomorrow at 10am to carry out an investigation. The ship departed that night,a day later than planned, as a consequence Milford Sound has been dropped from the intinerary. |
Death of crew member / Change in itinerary |
| February 9 |
Silver Whisper Silverseas |
The Avocate reports the ship bound for Burnie on Wednesday cancelled its planned stop due to easterly winds. was was coming from Sydney and was making a stop off at Burnie before heading to Melbourne. A Burnie City Council spokesman said the ship attempted to get into port at Burnie early on Wednesday but was forced to turn around due to easterly winds. The North-West Coast was under a strong wind warning on Wednesday with winds blowing at 35 to 50km/h.
The Silver Whisper is the second cruise ship of the season to not dock as scheduled as the Norwegian Star was forced to cancel its scheduled visit on February 9 due to mechanical issues. |
Canceled port call |
| February 3 |
Elation
CCL |
News4Jax reports a passenger was arrested Thursday after coming back from the Bahamas with two pill boxes of codeine, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said. Marty Hall, 26, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, is charged with trafficking in opium. According to his arrest report, a JSO officer who was working offduty at the JAXPORT Carnival cruise line terminal said his K-9 named Donna alerted officers to Hall. The suspect was questioned and told police that while he was in the Bahamas, he purchased 33 codeine pills, and a mortar and pestle to grind up the pills so he could snort them. Police said he did not have a prescription for codeine. Hall was booked into the Duval County Jail. He posted his $25,000 bond Friday afternoon. |
Drug bust |
| February 3 |
Getaway & Dawn
NCL |
Breaking Belize News reports over 6,000 cruise ship passengers visited Belize City this week, because their scheduled trip to the Harvest Caye port was canceled. The Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Dawn, diverted to the Fort Street Tourism Village (FSTV) on Wednesday and Thursday. The company’s public relations officers in Miami had reported to local media that the ships diverted as a safety measure, because there was an obstruction in the channel leading to Harvest Caye. However the Belize Port Authority says that there was no such obstruction. Chief Safety and Security Manager with the BPA, Michael Jenkins, said this afternoon that there was no obstruction of any kind in the channel this week. “One ship diverted due to mechanical problems, and the other did so at the decision of the company,” Jenkins continued. From a passenger: I was on that cruise. When I got off I did some Googling. As you noted for 3 Feb, the Belize news had some discussion of this. They noted that the port authority said there was no "object" blocking the channel and An NCL decision caused the Getaway to skip the port call. Earlier posting on breaking Belize new discussed issues with local fishermen, local tour operators banned from doing business on the private island and issues with the environmental impact statement for construction of the channel through the reef to the pier. Based on that information I "googled" the position of Green Peace's flag ship the a Rainbow Explorer. According to marinetracker.com that ship was in Cozumel 2/1/2017 and arrived in Panama waters 2/4/2017. This would have her in the area of Harvest Caye about the time Getaway skipped the port call. Thus it is possible that this ship was the "object" and a good reason NCL would desire to avoid confrontation and news media by skipping the port call. |
Itinerary change |
| February 3 |
Unnamed
CCL |
Florida Record reports a passenger is suing Carnival Corporation alleging negligence in that the cruise ship company failed to keep the floor of its vessel free from any foreign substance that could cause an accident. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on April 25, she slipped and fell, causing injuries to her left knee. The plaintiff holds Carnival Corporation, d/b/a Carnival Cruise Lines, responsible because the defendant allegedly allowed the hazardous condition and failed to warn the plaintiff about it. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20398-KMW |
Lawsuit for injury |
| February 3 |
Enchantment
RCI |
Florida Record reports an Ohio woman claims that she was injured. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Jan. 29, 2016, she suffered physical injuries when she fell on the gangway. The plaintiff holds Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to provide adequate assistance to its passengers using the gangway. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:17-cv-20367-FAM |
Lawsuit for injury |
| February 3 |
Unnamed
CCL |
Florida Record reports a passenger alleges he was injured because he slipped on a deck that was wet with rain. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that he sustained physical injuries when he accidentally slipped and fell due to a deck wet because of rain. The plaintiff holds Carnival Corp. responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to warn the plaintiff regarding the hazardous condition of the lido deck. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20270-UU |
Lawsuit for injury |
| February 2 |
Sun
Princess |
ABC reports a gastro outbreak on a cruise ship has affected about 90 holidaymakers, leaving others hoping to board in Brisbane with a prolonged and anxious wait as the ship is disinfected, Queensland Health says. The Sun Princess docked in Brisbane this morning, having completed a 12-day trip to Papua New Guinea. The operator said the ship and terminal would undergo a "prolonged disinfection" ahead of this evening's departure for a 14-day trip to New Zealand. Boarding passengers said they were left waiting for up to two hours as the ship was disinfected. |
Illness |
| January 30 |
Independence
RCI |
Sun-Sentinel an Ohio man was sentenced to two years in prison Friday after pleading no contest to reports a participating in an attack on a teenage boy who made a lewd comment to his daughter on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. Jason Lawson, 33, was charged with child abuse and false imprisonment for refusing to let the boy leave the library of theship on Aug. 16, 2015. Lawson's brother-in-law, Arturo Martinez, had overheard the boy offering Lawson's daughter a "key chain for her virginity," according to arrest reports. Prosecutors said Lawson did nothing as Martinez, 31, simulated a sex act on the boy after forcing him to pull down his pants. Lawson apologized repeatedly on Monday, telling Broward Circuit Judge Dennis Bailey that he was embarrassed by his conduct and his failure to stop the attack as it unfolded in front of him. |
No contest - child abuse |
| January 30 |
CCL |
Travel Weekly reports Carnival Corp. has settled with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation over allegations that Carnival Cruise Line violated Alaska's standards that regulate visible air pollution from marine vessels. Carnival said the settlement was reached Aug. 6, 2016, and resulted in a payment "not material to our consolidated financial statements." The disclosure was made in Carnival's 2016 annual report filed with securities regulators. Carnival said Alaska in 2015 issued notices of violation to all major cruise lines operating in Alaska, including its Princess Cruises and Holland America Line brands, the two biggest lines in the market. Carnival said it is cooperating with Alaska and "conducting its own internal investigation into these matters." |
Fine for environmental violation |
| January 30 |
Millennium
Celebrity |
Juneau Empire reports acruise ship worker who was found guilty of two counts of second-degree sexual assault for groping a fellow crew member has been sentenced to five years in prison. Eduar Klay Moran Bonilla, a Honduran native, was sentenced last month by Juneau Superior Court Judge Louis Menendez to two five-year terms to be served concurrently, plus one day to be served consecutively. Bonilla received credit for time already served and, according to a transcript from the sentencing hearing, will be deported upon his release from prison. He must register as a sex offender for life. Bonilla, 40 at the time, was arrested after a July 12, 2015 incident in which a comedian on board the ship reportedly stopped the assault before it could escalate further. During Bonilla’s trial in Juneau in October 2015, Rodney Johnson testified he heard the sounds of a struggle and opened a door that led to the crew members’ stairwell. When he opened the door, he said he saw the victim struggling to get free from Bonilla, who was holding her from behind with one hand on her waist. |
Sentenced for sexual assault |
| January 28 |
Royal
Princess |
Virgin Island Daily News reports a wheelchair-bound cruise ship passenger died and another person was injured after they both were struck by a station wagon near Havensight Mall. |
Pax death ashore |
| January 27 |
NCL |
I recently returned from a cruise on NCL. I was shocked to find that my beer purchase at a bar, more than one hour after leaving port, had a charge for "sales tax." First, it seemed odd to charge sales tax when we were long gone from port, but even more strange was that the tax was 8% when the sales tax in Florida is 6%; 7% in Miami-Dade County. I wonder what NCL does with the excess 1%. (This practice may also be common on CCL, RCI, and others) |
Excessive charge of sales tax |
| January 27 |
Ovation
RCI |
The Mercury reports Tasmania Police confirmed the cruise ship returned to Hobart to offload 53-year-old woman with a chronic medical condition after she became ill. Ambulance Tasmania said the woman was transferred from the ship off Sandy Bay by tender and transferred to an awaiting ambulance at Kings Pier. She was being taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital Police said the passenger was not critically ill. The ship left Hobart about 5.30pm yesterday bound for Sydney but was back in Hobart about 9pm. |
Return to port to offload ill passenger |
| January 26 |
Star
NCL |
Cruise Law News reports last month, I wrote about an azipod failure on the Norwegian Star which resulted in the NCL ship limping around on an altered Asian itinerary, much to the frustration of cruise vacationers. It seems that instead of sending the ship to dry dock, NCL arranged to send the azipod contractors aboard to repair the ship while it was sailing. They apparently fixed the problem but the other azipod has now apparently failed: According to a message which from a crew member on the Norwegian Star today: "I'm writing to you again from the unlucky Norwegian Star! I wrote to you sometime in December when we broke down in Singapore at the beginning of our Asian season . . . yesterday 25th of January, while at sea we experienced problems again, this timer with other engine, "the old one!" So now thatNCL Norwegian Star one is offline... Today, 26th, in Bali, Indonesia, captain made announcement that we are changing the itinerary AGAIN this cruise, skipping 3 ports and adding sea days in order to reach Sydney in time. At the beginning of the cruise (before 23rd, Singapore) we already skipped places and for that everybody received 200$ for onboard account, today, that was changed to 500$. But of course, guests are NOT happy and poor guys at the reception and the security are getting pounded heavily by raging crowd . . . I feel sorry for them because it is not their fault or any other crew member for a broken engine and Miami office made a decision about refunds and amounts, not onboard management . . . So the stricken Norwegian Star is going AGAIN through some very hard times . . ." I also received this message from a passenger's family: "I have been contacted by relatives on Norwegian Cruiseline NCL Star. They left Singapore earlier this week and are on the way to Australia. Azipod failure again and they have been told their day in Brisbane is canceled, and their trip to the barrier reef is off. This was the reason my relative took the cruise in the first place, so he is very annoyed - it was his 70th birthday present and he has waited over a year to take this cruise. This cruise already can celled part of the itinerary before leaving due to the delays on the previous cruise. So far, they have been offered no refund of this cruise - have been bunged some on-ship credit to spend and 50% off the next cruise. They are not happy bunnies!! There is nothing on the internet about this yet, so please can you inform everyone. I don't see how NCL keep getting away with this - there is an obvious issue with this ship and they just keep taking people's money and canceling the planned trips." |
Engine failure |
| January 26 |
Legend
RCI |
Stuff.NZ reports a 20-year-old crew member has suffered a serious spinal injury in a "traumatic event" on a cruise ship near Cook Strait. The incident happened as the shipwas travelling up the east coast of the South Island and through Cook Strait on its way to Brisbane overnight on Wednesday, a Maritime New Zealand spokesman said. The woman, who suffered a lower back fracture, was winched from the ship by a team using night-vision goggles, and was flown to Wellington Hospital in a serious but stable condition. A WorkSafe NZ spokesman said that, under the Health and Safety at Work Act, it investigated only those incidents involving New Zealand boats, or New Zealand-based charter boats hired by foreign operators when used in the country's waters. Legend of the Seas, which is based in the Asia-Pacific region and registered in the Bahamas, is not covered by the act. |
Crew member seriously injured - airlifted |
| January 26 |
Unnamed
CCL |
Florida Record reports a passenger is suing alleging negligence and insufficient measures taken to prevent injuries. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Nov. 23, she sustained physical injuries including a fracture when she tripped and fell down the stairs. The plaintiff holds Carnival Corporation, d/b/a Carnival Cruise Line, responsible because the defendant allegedly allowed a hazardous condition and failed to warn her about it. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20253-DPG |
Lawsuit for injury |
| January 26 |
Silhouette
Celebrity |
Florida Record reports a Delray Beach woman that was a passenger on cruise ship the Silhouette alleges she was injured by a sign that fell on her. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on April 15, 2015, she suffered serious injuries when she tripped due to a standing sign that fell in front of her while walking through the ship's Solarium Spa. The plaintiff holds Celebrity Cruises Inc. and Canyon Ranch Institute responsible because the defendants allegedly allowed the hazardous condition to exist on the spa's walkways and failed to warn passengers. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20055-CMA |
Lawsuit for injury |
| January 26 |
Unnamed
CCL |
Florida Record reports a passenger is suing alleging negligence and insufficient measures taken to prevent injuries. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Nov. 23, she sustained physical injuries including a fracture when she tripped and fell down the stairs. The plaintiff holds Carnival Corporation, d/b/a Carnival Cruise Line, responsible because the defendant allegedly allowed a hazardous condition and failed to warn her about it. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20253-DPG |
Lawsuit for injury |
| January 26 |
Unnamed
CCL |
Florida Record reports a child and her parents have filed suit against a cruise line after an incident at a ship's pool area. According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that in May 23, 2016, MJ suffered physical injuries when she was standing to exit a water slide and another child came down the slide and caused her to fall. The suit states the alleged incident caused MJ to fracture a tooth and broke the buccal plate. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20030-FAM |
Lawsuit for injury (child) |
| January 24 |
Triumph
CCL |
Florida Record reports a passenger alleges she was injured because of a glass door in her estate room. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Feb. 25, 2016, she sustained physical injuries, including fractured fingers and shoulder injury, when the glass balcony door in her estate room closed on her. The plaintiff holds Carnival Corp. responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to adequately inspect the door to make sure it was safe. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20054-KMM |
Lawsuit for injury |
| January 24 |
Freedom
CCL |
Cayman Compass reports a cruise ship passenger ended up spending a couple of extra days on the island after he was seen last week taking part in a transaction that turned out to be the purchase of ganja. Alexander Barentine, 23, appeared in Summary Court late Friday, when he pleaded guilty to buying a small quantity of ganja in the George Town harbor area on Jan. 18. The incident that led to Barentine’s arrest occurred around 12:45 p.m., Crown counsel Aaliyah McCarthy told Magistrate Valdis Foldats. She said customs officers were driving in the area of Shedden Road and South Church Street, near the Cayman Islands National Museum, when they observed a local person of interest. The officers had previously received information that he was selling drugs to tourists. |
Drug bust |
| January 24 |
Valor
CCL |
Cruise Critic reports the cruise scheduled to depart January 23 from Galveston will instead leave tomorrow and sail only four nights. Carnival Valor is expected to arrive in Galveston at 10 p.m. tonight. The ship was delayed due to a severe weather system that brought strong winds and currents, as well as heavy fog, to the region. As a result of the shortened itineraries, Carnival Valor will visit only Cozumel. |
Delayed debarkation and embarkation |
| January 24 |
Fantasy
CCL |
Local 15 reports winds and seas remain so rough that the ship didn't return to Mobile as scheduled this morning. Pat Brennan, Mobile's Waterfront Coordinator, says winds in the northern Gulf are clocking in at 33 knots or 37 miles per hours, with seas approaching 16 feet, so Fantasy won't be docking in Mobile until 7 AM Tuesday. "What will happen is the passengers that depart tomorrow will have a 4 day cruise and return Saturday, and that puts the Fantasy on the scheduled itinerary."
Some passengers waiting to take the next cruise were already waiting in their cars, some from as far away as Wisconsin. Due to the delay, Fantasy will call only at Progreso. WIAT reports the ship experienced high seas and lots of passengers were ill during the extra day at sea. |
Delayed debarkation and embarkation (by one day) |
| January 24 |
Unknown |
Cayman Compass reports the evidence against a cruise ship passenger arrested in Grand Cayman and accused of terrorist offenses in Turkey in the 1980s is so poor it amounts to an “abuse of process,” his lawyer claimed Saturday. Celal Kildag will contest his extradition to the eastern European country in a hearing scheduled for February. Turkish authorities formally filed the extradition request on Wednesday. It was certified by the governor on Saturday, just inside the 45-day legal deadline from Mr. Kildag’s arrest on Dec. 7. He was detained after arriving in George Town on a cruise ship when police were alerted to an Interpol Red Notice, essentially an international arrest warrant. He is accused of being involved in the “murder of two victims and the burning of two primary schools” as a member of a Kurdish separatist group in eastern Turkey in 1988. |
Arrested on Interpol warrant |
| January 24 |
Quest
Seabourn |
Cruise Critic reports the ship was forced to leave Antarctica a day early due to a medical emergency requiring an air ambulance, which could not land on the continent. The ship, which is in the middle of its 21-night Ultimate Antarctica and Patagonia itinerary, was rerouted to the South Shetland Islands for the evacuation. Seabourn issued a statement: "Due to a medical emergency onboard, Seabourn Quest departed Antarctica on January 22, one day earlier than scheduled. The ship is currently making a few updates to the overall itinerary over the next week and will remain on schedule for disembarkation on February 2." Details of the adjusted itinerary have not yet been revealed, though whystayhome later added the ship spent January 22 at sea. Seabourn Quest was originally scheduled to be in Antarctica until January 24. |
Itinerary change (Antarctica) |
| January 23 |
Golden
Princess |
Otago Daily Times reports a storm forecast to hit the east coast of the South Island overnight prompted the captain of the Golden Princess cruise ship to stay in Port Chalmers last night.
The MetService warned there would be severe southwest gales and heavy rain for coastal Otago and Banks Peninsula. Golden Princess was scheduled to depart for Akaroa late yesterday afternoon, but the 109,000 gross ton, 290m-long vessel stayed in port and is now not expected to leave until noon today. Despite the weather warnings, the smaller Maasdam cruise ship left for Akaroa about 6pm yesterday, as scheduled. |
Unscheduled overnight stay in port |
| January 22 |
Unnamed DolusSea Cruises |
Arabian Supply Chain reports five people are missing from a cruise ship in The Gambia after the country declared a state of emergency following disputed election results.There are two crew and three passengers among those missing, while a statement on the company’s website confirms crew and passengers are missing, without providing details. Adnan William, operating manager for DolusSea Cruise Line, was quoted by Cruise Arabia & Africa as saying the ship docked in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia on Wednesday morning as part of a scheduled cruise itinerary. “The ship stayed overnight as planned, but one of our shore excursions did not return to the ship on Wednesday evening. We are working with the police to track their whereabouts, but the situation ashore is very fluid,” he said. |
Pax missing ashore |
| January 22 |
Liberty
CCL |
USA Today reports the same key that gets Henry Echevarria into to his home almost kept him and his wife from departing on a vacation cruise. On Sunday, security screeners at Port Canaveral, Fla., told Echevarria and his wife, Lisa, that they could not board the Carnival cruise ship Liberty with his 2-inch, gun-shaped house key. "He pulls out my key and says 'Oh, here's the problem,' " said Henry Echevarria, who lives in this community about 45 miles north of Tampa. "It's my house key, and he said, 'Well, you can't take it on.' Both Henry and Lisa Echevarria work in law enforcement — Henry Echevarria is a Pasco County deputy — so they know about security procedures. He let Carnival put the key in a safe so he could retrieve it when they returned, but Henry Echevarria contends that action raises some security concerns of its own. “It's embarrassing because you're sitting there and everyone is looking at you like you did something wrong.” "They have my address. They have my key," Henry Echevarria said. "All they need to do is make a replica, and next thing you know they could be at my house." Carnival Cruise Line officials told WTSP-TV that its prohibited items policy does forbid "all firearms including replicas, imitations and their components." However, a house key shaped like a firearm is not what is meant by the term "replica." |
Almost denied boarding |
| January 21 |
Veendam
HAL |
Local 10 News reports a ship waiter was arrested Thursday, days after he received oral sex from a 15-year-old girl who was aboard the ship with her family, authorities said. According to an arrest report, the incident happened Sunday night after Broward sheriff's deputies said Sukrantara, 26, met the victim on the 12th floor of the ship and the two began to kiss. Deputies said they went into a bathroom, where Sukrantara locked the door and the teen performed oral sex on him. The victim reported the incident to staff the next day. Detectives interviewed Sukrantara on Thursday, and said he confessed to receiving oral sex from the girl. The victim's father was also interviewed and expressed his desire to prosecute. Sukrantara was arrested on a charge of committing a lewd and lascivious act involving a minor. (NOTE: This crime will not be included in cruise line crime statistics because it does not qualify as a crime (as it is labeled) under the Cruise Vessel Secuirty and Safety Act -- see Cruise Law News) |
Ledwd and lascivious behaviour against a minor |
| January 20 |
Unknown
RCI |
Florida Record reports a passenger is suing RCI, alleging negligence and insufficient measures taken to prevent injuries. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that, in July 18, 2016, he suffered physical injuries from using a modified FlowRider Surfing Simulator aboard the vessel. The plaintiff holds Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. responsible because the defendant allegedly modified the attraction in a way that made it more dangerous and didn't provide proper warnings. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20151-UU |
Lawsuit for injuries |
| January 20 |
Unknown
CCL |
Florida Record reports Angela Moore filed a complaint on Jan. 12 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Carnival Corporation. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Oct. 30, she suffered injuries to her neck, back and arm when her foot got caught in a bent drain or grate found in the middle of the bathroom of her cabin. The plaintiff holds Carnival Corporation, d/b/a Carnival Cruise Line, responsible because the defendant allegedly allowed the hazardous condition. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Case number 1:17-cv-20156-UU |
Lawsuit for injuries |
| January 19 |
Unknown
NCL |
Canadian Press reports the mother of a Quebec woman jailed in the Bahamas for allegedly having sex with a teenage boy says her daughter dearly misses her three young children. Karine Gagne, 23, is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old American boy earlier this month. Chantale Auclair says her daughter, whose children are 3, 4 and 5, was on a cruise ship when she met a young male who supposedly told her he was 18. Auclair tells The Canadian Press the two had a sexual encounter before the boy's mother filed a complaint with police. Auclair travelled to the Bahamas where she spoke with her daughter this week. She says several questions remain unanswered, including how a teenager found himself in an area of the ship normally reserved for adults. Friends and relatives are trying to raise money to offset Gagne's legal costs, a possible bail amount and a plane ticket home. Gagne remains detained pending her next court appearance on Feb. 3. Cruise Law News reports The case involved a rather bizarre situation where the 23 year old woman met an American, 15 year old boy in what a newspaper describes as a "casino and bar area" on the cruise ship. The boy reportedly told the woman, (falsely so) that he was 18 years old. He also reportedly is over 6 feet tall and he was wearing a beard, apparently giving her the impression that he was an adult. The two then allegedly engaged in sex in a bathroom on the ship. The boy's mother learned of the tryst and, over the protestations of her son, reported the alleged incident to the police in the Bahamas. |
Jailed for sexual assault of minor |
| January 18 |
Pandaw River Cruises |
The Telegraph reports the company has cancelled a new itinerary in Borneo five weeks before the first departure, leaving hundreds of holidaymakers disappointed. In December the company bought a 24-passenger vessel for the one-week cruises on the Kapuas River, which were sold out until 2018. Pandaw said it took the decision to cancel because after more than a year the Indonesian government has still not granted the permits and licenses it needs to operate the cruises. |
Cancelation |
| January 16 |
Grandeur
RCI |
Cuise Law News reports a passenger aboard the cruise ship (who wishes to remain anonymous) informed me that a lifeboat had fallen from the cruise ship and was upside down in the water. He sent photographs of the lifeboat taken by other passengers. One photograph shows a cable which is are obviously frayed (bottom photo) and suggests that the cables may have broken and dropped the lifeboat into the water. It is currently unknown whether the accident occurred during a lifeboat drill or whether there were crew members in the lifeboat when it fell. The newspaper reports that the U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said "staff from the ship are attempting Grandeur of the Seas Lifeboatto retrieve the life raft and a team from the Coast Guard will assess any potential pollution impacts."
There are no reports at this time whether there are any crew member injuries at this time. The newspaper says that "there was no one was on the raft." January 17, 2017 Update: The Grandeur of the Seas arrives today at the port of Miami, without a lifeboat. The Grandeur apparently left the fallen lifeboat in Charleston. Has the Coast Guard inspected the other lifeboats? |
Lifeboat breaks free |
| January 15 |
AIDAprima
AIDA |
Cruise Law News reports today's Bild reports cruise ship Aida Prima was hit by 23 ft waves in the North Sea as it was returning to home port Hamburg on Friday evening from a week-long European itinerary. All passengers were ordered back to their cabins. Ship is now safely back in port in Hamburg. Aida cruise line confirmed the incident, including injuries to 'three passengers, 'two bruises and a bone fracture.' Per the article, The Elbe (river connecting Hamburg to the North Sea) had been closed in the hurricane for ships - but the authorities made an exception for the Aida Prima. 'She was allowed to enter and reached the berth at the cruise terminal Steinwerder at 7.45 am. The resulting material damage could not be quantified today.' The Bild story with stills and video is here, entitled 'Our chaos night on the Aida.' |
Hit by high seas |
| January 15 |
Unnamed |
Tokyo Reporter reports six Taiwanese men were arrested for attempting to smuggle more than one billion yen worth of stimulant drugs through Naha Port in a possible organized smuggling operation, police said on Sunday. Customs officers found four kilograms and 2.6 kilograms of kakuseizai, or stimulant drugs, strapped to the torsos of two of the men at Naha Port last month after they disembarked from a cruise ship that departed from Taiwan for Okinawa Prefecture, Nippon News Network reports (Jan. 15). Police also arrested four other men involved in the case. One was aboard the same ship, and three others were waiting in Okinawa for the drugs. All six men were arrested on suspicion of violating the Stimulant Drug Control Law for attempting to smuggle a total of 17.2 kilograms of stimulant drugs valued at around 1.2 billion yen. |
Drug bust |
| January 15 |
Freedom, Valor & Breeze
CCL |
Cruise Critic reports three Carnival Cruise Line ships have been affected by heavy fog in Galveston, Texas, with two ships scheduled to depart yesterday, January 14, expected to leave later today. Freedom was scheduled to depart Galveston January 14 on a return seven-night Western Caribbean cruise -- with calls at Ocho Rios in Jamaica and George Town in Grand Cayman -- while Carnival Valor was also scheduled to depart yesterday on a return five-night Western Caribbean cruise with calls at Cozumel and Progreso in Mexico. Carnival Breeze -- the third Carnival ship affected by adverse weather conditions in Galveston -- was scheduled to depart the port today, January 15, on a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise, with calls at Roatan in Honduras, Belize City and Cozumel in Mexico. A weather advisory on Carnival's website says: "The fog in Galveston is not expected to improve until sometime mid-day tomorrow [Sunday]. As soon as we receive clearance from port authorities, we will start to make our way into Galveston. Since there is only one cruise terminal available for us tomorrow, Carnival Valor, also delayed at sea today, has been given berthing priority for Sunday." A fourth ship -- Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas -- is also scheduled to depart Galveston today on a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise. |
Itinerary effected by fog |
| January 15 |
The World |
ABC reports the ship lost an anchor in Port Arthur bay and is waiting in Hobart for it to be retrieved. It is understood a section of the ship's main anchor chain broke in heavy winds at Port Arthur on Thursday, forcing the ship to use its starboard anchor. It travelled to Hobart and is now berthed at Macquarie Wharf No. 2. Shipping agent Wilhelmsen has contracted local firm Tasmanian Shipping Supplies to retrieve the anchor which weighs about 8 tonnes, but work has been delayed due to bad weather. |
Delayed - lost anchor |
| January 15 |
Sinfonia
MSC Cruises |
From a reader: MSC Sinfonia left Cape Town 1 hour late as a result of wind on 13 Jan for a 2 night ‘nowhere’ cruise. The ship returned to Cape town at full speed on the afternoon of Saturday 14 Jan with a pax on board in labour. The ship berthed at 19h10 local time and is set to sail for Walvis Bay and Ludertiz tomorrow (Sun 15th). |
Early return |
| January 13 |
Breeze
CCL |
Miami New Times reportsIn the fall of 2015, a Florida woman boarded the ship with her 15-year-old daughter and set sail for the Caribbean. It was October 3, the last leg of the eight-day voyage. As she had done several nights of the cruise, the girl stopped by Deck 4 to check out the ship's alcohol-free club, which catered to 15-to-17-year-olds. While inside, the girl says, she saw a group of drunk men being kicked out of the club after someone noticed they were too old to be there. It wouldn't be her last encounter with them: A lawsuit filed last week in federal court says the teen was attacked by the men as she left the club to get ice cream on another deck. The complaint, filed by the girl's mother, says the five men grabbed the teen, pushed her into an elevator, and dragged her down a hallway to one of the men's rooms. There, the girl says, she was stripped, forced to perform oral sex, and violently raped. Until the group entered the stateroom, the ship's surveillance cameras were capturing their every movement, according to the suit. The lawsuit accuses the cruise line of negligence, saying Carnival failed to deliver the safe and comfortable environment it promises teen guests and lacked "adequate security to protect minor passengers from pedophiles and other sorts of sexual attackers." |
Lawsuit for alleged rape of minor |
| January 13 |
L'Austral Ponant |
From a reader: The ship went back yesterday, to Bluff-New Zealand, interrupting its normal scheduled cruise to the New-Zealand sub-Antarctic islands and Macquarie island, after landings only on Aucklands islands (Enderby island and Musgrave inlet). There is no information as to an exp,lanation, yet. |
Disruption in itinerary? |
| January 11 |
Sinfonia
MSC Cruises |
From a reader: The ship arrived in Cape Town from Durban at around 01h00 on 9th January ahead of schedule in order to depart at 15h00 on the same day for Walvis Bay in Namibia because of strong winds forecasted. A 48 year old male pax suffered a fatal heart attack whilst waiting in the check in queue and 60 pax arrived late and held the ship back even further. By this time, the wind had picked up and the ship couldn’t sail. A further 2 pax arrived very late and they were denied boarding. Vessel sailed from Cape Town approximately 06h30 this morning 10th Jan and itinerary has changed. Walvis Bay has now been dropped and instead the ship will anchor in Luderitz, Nambia, and weather permitting, pax may tender ashore (very misty in Luderitz at this time of year) weather permitting. MSC Sinfonia is due back in Cape Town on Friday 13th and wind is forecast to be blowing strongly again. Update: Ship is on her way back to Cape Town on 11 Jan as Luderitz was fogbound. ETA Cape Town is 13 Jan and scheduled for a 2 night cruise to ‘nowhere’ which might just literally happen as the wind is forecast to be very strong. |
Itinerary changes (weather) |
| January 10 |
Independence
RCI |
TMZ reports Royal Caribbean Cruises put a bunch of tourists in a death trap by setting them up with a reckless Jamaican bus driver who ended up getting into a huge wreck ... according to a new lawsuit. The 8 passengers suing were aboard the Independence of the Seas a year ago when they pulled into port and booked a day excursion to Dunn's River Falls ... which required them to take a bus, and their description of the ride is pretty hairy. They say the driver was speeding, changing lanes and generally driving like a maniac. They repeatedly asked him to slow down, but were told he was driving "the way everyone typically drove in Jamaica." According to docs, the only thing slow about the driver was his reaction to an oncoming truck ... which had swerved into their lane. The passengers say their wheel man failed to get out of the way, and the bus was broadsided and flipped multiple times ... causing severe and permanent injuries. They say Royal Caribbean stuck them with an incompetent driver and failed to provide a safe excursion. |
|
| January10 |
Fascination
CCL |
Florida Record reports Linda Wieters filed a complaint on Dec. 21 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division against Carnival Corp. alleging negligence. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Jan. 30, 2016, she suffered physical injuries when she slipped and fell due to a slippery floor near the Atrium Bar because of ice on the floor. The plaintiff holds Carnival Corp. responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to keep its floors clean and dry or provide adequate warning to passengers regarding the hazardous condition of the floor. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:16-cv-25284-RNS |
Lawsuit for slip and fall |
| January 10 |
Various |
Travel Agent Central reports four cruise passengers were among the five people killed in Friday’s tragic shooting at a crowded baggage claim area within FLL Airport. At least six others were wounded. Several dozen airport passengers were also injured as people fled the scene. |
4 cruise pax among dead in FLL incident |
| January 6 |
Splendor
CCL |
TMZ reports a passenger sprang a major leak while playing mini-golf on the ship -- as in, his arm was ripped wide open, and we got the gory pics he says prove the cruise line's to blame. Dzung Tran says he was mini-golfing aboard the Carnival Splendor last summer when he tripped and fell over a loose border on the course. He says he suffered numerous injuries ... the worst of which was to his arm. Tran says he was impaled by a club which tore a major artery in his upper arm. If you want to know how major, check out the photos. You might want to sit down first. Tran claims the golf course was poorly maintained and not built to code, so he's suing for a ton of dough. We reached out to Carnival. No word back yet.
Take a look at the course ... if you've recovered from the injury pics. |
Lawsuit for onboard injury |
| January 5 |
Zenith
Pullmantur |
Nation News reports police are seeking the public’s help in locating a cruise ship visitor who arrived in Barbados on December 27, 2016. He is 28-year-old Luis Felipe Del Rosario Perez of the Dominican Republic. He was last seen by the captain of the ship around 11 a.m. on the day he departed the ship at the Bridgetown Port. |
Pax missing ashore |
| January 5 |
Golden
Princess |
Gisborne Herald reports the ship had to pass by Gisborne this morning due to a heavy swell beyond the safety limits to unload and tender passengers ashore. The ship‘s third visit of the season was cancelled yesterday afternoon. The ship’s captain was advised that a large swell was expected in Poverty Bay today. “A big swell puts the visit beyond safety limits to bring passengers ashore,” a port official said. Cruise co-ordinator Lana Davy from Heart of Gisborne said it was "extremely fortunate that an early cancellation call was made yesterday afternoon, because normally we find out on the day. |
Skipped port call (weather) |
| January 4 |
Minerva
Swan Hellenic
& Voyager
Voyages of Discovery |
The Telegraph reports All Leisure Group – the travel company that owns cruise lines Swan Hellenic and Voyages of Discovery – has announced that it has ceased trading, after selling off many of its brands. The two cruise companies had 13,000 passengers booked on future departures and 400 passengers currently overseas, according to Abta – the association of travel agents and tour operators. All future bookings have now been cancelled. All passengers who are currently overseas will be repatriated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) free of charge. ABTA advises, if you have paid for a future booking it will have been cancelled, and you may be refunded under one of two schemes, or through your credit card issuer. If your cruise was scheduled to depart from a UK port, you should claim through the link on the Abta website. If you have booked a flight and a cruise together you will normally be protected under the government’s Atol scheme. A detailed guide to how the claims system will operate has been published on the Atol website. |
Out of business |
| January 4 |
Unnamed (likely MSC Cruises) |
South China Morning Post reports a large cruise ship with more than 2,000 people on board was stuck at sea for two days because it was unable to dock in the heavy smog that has enveloped much of northern China, according to a newspaper report. The vessel finally returned to the Port of Tianjin on Monday afternoon after drifting for two days at sea, according to the Beijing Evening News. The thick air pollution had earlier made it impossible to safely berth the vessel, according to the article. While the cruise ship was stuck at sea, over 1,000 other passengers were held up at the Tianjin port on New Year’s Eve waiting to board their South Korea-bound vessel which was delayed due to the thick smog, Tianjin Daily reported. |
Stuck at sea for two days because of smog |
| January 4 |
Unknown
RCI |
Florida Record reports a North Carolina couple are suing RCI after they were injured in a bus accident during an on-shore excursion. According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that on Jan. 14, 2016, they were injured when the bus they were traveling on for an off-shore excursion was broadsided by a truck and flipped over several times. The plaintiffs holds Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD responsible because the defendant failed to investigate, screen and audit drivers used by its excursion operator and failed to select an excursion operator that had basic safety equipment. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division Case number 1:16-cv-25262-JEM |
Lawsuit for Shorex accident |
| January 3 |
Voyager
Voyages of Discovery |
Independent reports the company has cancelled a cruise starting from Malaysia tomorrow. The trip aboard Voyager was due to take in Borneo, Cambodia, Thailand and Singapore. But a statement on the line’s website says: “Due to operational reasons, Voyages of Discovery regrets to inform its passengers that the Riches of the Orient cruise due to start in Malaysia on 4th January 2017 has been cancelled. |
Canceled cruise |
| January 3 |
Minerva
Swan Hellenic |
Independent reports on the day when around 300 passengers booked with a leading cruise line were due to begin a New Year voyage from Marseille to Tenerife, mystery surrounds the last-minute cancellation of the sailing “due to operational reasons”. Swan Hellenic told passengers that the 15-day trip aboard Minerva would not be going ahead only on 30 December. The company said customers will be contacted shortly about refund procedures. |
Canceled cruise |
| January 2 |
Unnamed ferry
Tirrenia |
Daily Mail reports aman who fell asleep next to his wife on a cruise ship sunbed was shocked to wake up and find she was missing. Two months on, the pensioner's dead body has been found in a ship ventilation shaft. German Ernst Bechstein has slammed the crew for allegedly not carrying out a proper search of the ship, claiming his wife Imelda could still be alive had they done so The 74-year-old Mr Bechstein admitted his wife, who is the same age, could sometimes become disorientated and must have wandered into the engine room and toppled into the ventilation shaft. He first reported her missing when he woke up from the sun lounger to discover her missing, but her body has only been found TWO MONTHS later. On 30th October, the couple took a Tirrenia ferry from Porto Torres in Sardinia back to Genoa on the Italian mainland. Mr Bechstein said: "We rested in sleeping-chairs. When I woke up later, my wife had disappeared." Recent autopsy results showed that Imelda had died the night after she vanished and no other signs of violence were found on the body other than injuries from falling down the shaft. |
Missing passenger found dead two months later onboard |
| January 2 |
Zahro Express
Passenger ferry |
Time reports police in Indonesia have detained the captain of a ferry that caught fire Sunday, leaving 23 dead and 17 others missing, claiming that he abandoned ship as passengers struggled to escape. According to CNN, the captain is being investigated amid allegations that he was the first to jump ship, and that five other people — three crew members and two port authority staff — have also been detained in relation to the tragedy. Local news site Tempo reports that the skipper could face serious penalties for his alleged negligence, such as losing his license and a ban from sailing. Budiono also vowed to sack the port’s harbormaster because of the accident, citing a discrepancy over how many passengers were on board, Indonesia’s government-run news agency reported. “The number of passengers was written 100, but some said there were 184 people on the boat, some said 250. It was clearly different from what was written on the manifest,” Budiono told the Antara news agency. The Zahro Express, a tourist ferry reportedly carrying mostly Indonesian travelers to Tidung Island in North Jakarta, caught fire around 9 a.m. local time Sunday near the port of Muara Angke. At least 23 people died in the blaze, while divers are preparing to search for 17 people who are still missing. The cause of the fire is still unknown. |
Pax deaths in fire on ferry |
| January 2 |
Divina
MSC Cruises |
US Coast Guard reports it is searching for a passenger who is suspected of going overboard early Monday morning in waters north of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Jeon Pierre Knorr, 74, a French citizen was reportedly last seen by his wife at approximately 3 a.m. going out to the couple's room balcony to take some fresh air. The circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the missing passenger remain unknown. Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan proceeded to launch an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Borinquen to initiate the search. MSC Divina officials notified the Coast Guard that they have searched the entire cruise ship and made callouts through the public announcement system with negative results. See Cruise Law News for an interesting discussion of this incident. |
Pax overboard |