From the Files of Cruise Junkie dot Com


Reported Incidents of Passenger Ships Running Aground, 1972 - 2013
(N=131 incidents; 66 since 2005)



All items are drawn from the public media source.  When information is provided by an onboard source, it is clearly indicated.

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YEAR
SHIP
EVENT

2013 - 1st 6 months

N= 8

Nieuw Amsterdam
Holland America Line
Cruise Law News reports on an article in the Croatian media. The article describes a scene where the ship allegedly came perilously close to a beach at Split, Croatia. By some accounts, the anchor may have become loose due to high winds. Others suggest that the cruise ship may have intentionally close to the public beach area. The article has a short video clip as well as a few photos.
Serenissima
Noble Caledonia
Oban Times reports a ship went aground on the Corran Ledge on Monday evening,May 20 2013,in Oban Bay near St Columba’s Cathedral. It would appear that the 87-metre MS Serenissima,which was recently refurbished by Serenissima Cruises and is out to charter currently to Noble Caledonia,went the wrong way round a navigation buoy,as she encountered the MV Isle of Mull ferry,when she entered Oban Bay in Argyll from the north. All 112 people on the ship remained on board and no-one was believed to be injured in the incident. The initial attempt to refloat the ship using its own engine,with Oban lifeboat pulling from astern,failed because of strong winds blowing the ship towards the shore. High tide was not due until around midnight but it was hoped to tow the vessel off around 10.30pm.
Louis Joliet
AML Cruise Company
CTV News reports nobody was injured when the MV Louis Joliet cruise ship carrying 57 passengers ran aground on Thursday afternoon near Orleans Island near Quebec City. The passengers and roughly 20 crew mates were evacuated and shipped onto another vessel to the Quebec City port while a tugboat worked at pulling the MV Louis Joliet back into open waters. Alexandre Morin-Bernard of the AML Cruise ship company, which owns the MV Louis Joliet, said that the accident occurred when the ship's hull made contact with the bottom of the waterway. The extent of the damage remains to be determined. The ship left the Chouinard dock in Quebec City at 1 p.m. to visit Orleans Island and Montmorency Falls. The ship got stuck near the western tip of the island at 2:50 p.m. Morin-Bernard said that it was the first accident of its kind for AML Cruises, which has operated on the St. Lawrence River for 40 years.
Lady von Busum The Daily Mail reports this German passenger ferry got stuck on a sandbank, landing on the beach near the small island of Trischen in Germany, and left high and dry as the tide went out. The 136 passengers had to wait for eight hours before rescuers arrived to take them home. But the ship's crew had to remain on board and wait until the tide came back and they were then able to get the ship free under its own steam.
Marco Polo
Coastal and Maritime Voyages
Sea News no one was injured when the cruise ship Marco Polo aground just outside Sortland in Vesterålen. The ship had a leak in a ballast tank and is now docked where it is examined by divers. The cruise ship was on its way out from the dock with 1117 people on board when it touched the ground outside Sortland in Vesterålen. The grounding meant that there was a hole in a ballast tank.- There was a hole in a ballast tank, confirms rescue leader Oliver Delbekk at the rescue center northern Norway to the Northern Lights .
National Geographic Sea Lion
Lindblad Expeditions
USA Today reports the ship hit a submerged rock on Monday, causing damage to the vessel. The 62-passenger was departing an anchorage in the Las Perlas Islands, about 70 nautical miles from Panama City, when it struck the rock, which was uncharted. None of the 55 passengers and 35 crew on board the vessel was injured, Disken-Cahill says.The ship sustained damage to its hull and one propeller during the incident, but after clearance from the U.S. Coast Guard, returned to Panama City on its own power, arriving today at 5 a.m. The accident occurred on the third day of an eight-day voyage transiting the Panama Canal and exploring the islands of Panama and Costa Rica. Passengers on the vessel were given the option of continuing their journey to Costa Rica by air and land, or returning home. All but 16 of the passengers decided to continue their journey and flew this morning to San Jose, Costa Rica. The ship will enter a dry dock at Panama City on Wednesday to undergo repairs. The next departure of the vessel, scheduled to begin March 9, has been canceled. The ship will return to service March 16.
Kong Herald
Hurtigruten
NBC News reports the ship was forced to wait for the tide to come in and lift the ship off the underground rock at the entrance to Trollfjord where it was grounded. No injuries were reported in the incident, and a statement from the line described the situation onboard as calm. Once the incoming tide freed Kong Harald from its grounding, the ship carried on to Svolvaer, where all 258 passengers onboard disembarked and will be flown home today. Hurtigruten canceled the remainder of the 8-night Stokmarknes to Kirkenes to Bergen cruise, and the ship is on its way to dry-dock in Fiskarstrand for repairs to its breached hull. There has been no word from the line concerning compensation.
Unknown Associated Press reports Egyptian police officials say a cruise ship has run aground on the Nile River near the southern city of Aswan, but all 120 people aboard are safe. The officials said the ship was travelling to the city of Luxor, north of Aswan, when it hit rocks and took in water before running aground on Tuesday Local villagers and police helped rescue all 120 Egyptian passengers and crew. None of the passengers were injured, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

2012

N=6

Celebrity Summit
Celebrity Cruises
WGME-TV reports no one was hurt when a boat carrying 93 cruise ship passengers ran aground off Bar Harbor, Maine. Harbor Master Charles Phippen said the boat, a tender, was transporting passengers from Bar Harbor back to the ship when it hit a rocky shoal and became stuck. It happened Thursday night at low tide in rainy weather. Phippen tells WZON-AM that a fishing boat and a high-speed whale watch vessel, the Bay King III, came to the rescue to remove the passengers. Lt. Nick Barrow says the damaged tender has been taken out of service and the Coast Guard is investigating the incident. Fenceviewer reports a passenger on the cruise ship tender that ran aground near Bar Island the evening of Oct. 4 said that the impact of the crash threw nearly all the 100 people onboard from their seats. In the minutes following the accident, passenger Rex Garrett said the rattled passengers from the Celebrity Summit were left to fend for themselves. “Myself and a couple of other passengers started handing out life jackets while other guests assisted folks that could not get their life jackets on,” Mr. Garrett said via email Monday. “The crew provided no assistance to the passengers or instructions on safety procedures.” A total of 93 passengers and two crew members from the Summit were onboard the tender when it ran onto rocks between Bar Island and Sheep Porcupine Island around 7:45 p.m., during low tide and with low visibility from rain and fog. Tender #12 took “notable damage to both sides of the hull and breaches below the water line,” said U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Tiffany Hayes, search and rescue coordinator at the Sector Northern New England Command Center in South Portland. “It was fortunate that there were no injuries and nobody fell in the water,” Ms. Hayes said.
Milford Mariner
Real Journeys
The Otago Daily Times reports a commercial cruise ship has been sent to Bluff for repairs after it ran into gravel in Milford Sound on Thursday while carrying 101 passengers. The Real Journeys-owned Milford Mariner grounded at Harrisons Cove, 2km from the Milford Sound terminal, at about 3pm, damaging one of its propellers. The captain used one engine to return to the terminal. While none of the 101 passengers on board were injured during the incident, all on board were "well aware" of the collision. The ship ran in to trouble just short of finishing its two and a-half hour cruise and the experienced captain opted to switch to one engine and guide the cruise ship back to the terminal.
Yorktown
Great Lakes Cruise Company
Associated Press reports the U.S. Coast Guard says a cruise ship carrying 120 people has been freed after running aground and becoming stranded in the Detroit River. The Coast Guard says the 216-foot Yorktown ran aground about 8 p.m. Saturday south of Detroit, near Wyandotte. Petty Officer Tyler Andrews tells the Detroit Free Press that no injuries were reported and the ship wasn't taking on water. Petty Officer 2nd Class Levi Read in Cleveland says it was a soft grounding, and a commercial tug was able to free the Yorktown about 1:30 a.m. Sunday. He says an inspection found no significant damage, and the Cleveland-bound ship was under way near Lorain, Ohio, late Sunday morning. The ship is on an eight day cruise to Canada.
Provincetown III
Bay State Cruise Company
Boston Globe reports A skipper in training navigated a ferry to Provincetown into a sandbar in Boston Harbor Saturday morning. No injuries were reported, and all 149 passengers were transferred to another Bay State ferry. The company said a captain who has been training for about a month missed navigational marks and skidded onto a sandbar near Nixes Mate, a small patch of land between Deer Island and Long Island. “At this time, it appears to us that it was a matter of operator error, clear and simple,” Michael Glasfeld, a spokesman for Bay State Cruise Co., wrote in the statement. “Our electronic equipment is top notch, and there is no excuse for having missed the navigational marks and being as far out of position as they were.” Another captain with six years of experience was supervising the operation, Glasfeld said. “It appears at this time that the fault is ours completely, and we bear the responsibility fully,” Glasfeld wrote. The captain driving the ship was fired, Glasfeld said. At 5 p.m. Saturday, about an hour before high tide, the boat dislodged and crews slowly drove it back to the harbor for inspection.
Shardon
(Italian ferry)
Inquirer News reports more than 260 people were rescued early today when the ferry ran aground off Italy in a snow storm. The ferry ran aground shortly after setting off from Civitavecchia north of Rome.
Poesia
MSC Cruises
The Bahamas Weekly reports that the ship ran aground at Port Lucaya near Freeport, Bahamas. The ship waited for the tide to get high at 18:00, she was pulled off with 4 tugs and a 5th tug standing by. At 20:00hrs she was free and continued on her journey at 19.5 kts to little Salvador.

2011

N=2

Finnish Ferry All Headline News reports a Finnish ferry ran aground after the captain got locked in the ship's bathroom. The coast guard reported that the tourist ferry crashed into a rock near the shore of Helsinki, the Finnish capital. Officials said the captain got stuck in the bathroom after the lock jammed. He yelled for help and was rescued, but not in time to prevent the accident. A crew member was able to slow the vessel, but the island cruising ship still crashed. There were no reports of any serious injuries, but some of the 54 passengers onboard did suffer minor bruises. The name of the cruise line has not been released.
Polar Star
Polar Star Expeditions
The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators reports after sustaining a minor breach to its outer hull by grounding on a rock near Antarctica’s Detaille Island, the double-bottom ship was cleared to sail and is making its way northward. There are no reports of injury to any of the 80 passengers and 35 crew aboard the ship following Monday’s incident and no evidence of fuel oil leakage. After assessments, the ship, operated by Halifax-based Polar Star Expeditions, received permission from its Barbados flag state and classification society Det Norske Veritas to depart its location near Detaille Island. The ship sailed at 9 p.m. Monday and is now proceeding north along the Antarctic Peninsula, with the intention to return to Ushuaia under its own power with all passengers and crew aboard. The ship is currently heading north-northeast at approximately 10 knots toward Arctowski Station, the Polish research facility on King George Island in the South Shetland Islands. There, as an added precaution, station divers will make an underwater inspection to confirm the vessel is fit to return to Ushuaia. Further assessments of damage and repairs will be made. UPDATE February 2: Polar Star Expeditions reports that following an underwater inspection of the ship’s outer hull, it has decided to disembark the ship’s 80 passengers at King George Island in the South Shetland Islands as a precautionary measure before crossing the Drake Passage and returning to Ushuaia, Argentina. The company is currently arranging alternative transportation for its passengers via other IAATO vessels back to Ushuaia, where the MV Polar Star was originally scheduled to return on February 6. The Halifax-based company also announced that the February 6 Antarctica cruise aboard MV Polar Star would be canceled. Martin Karlsen, president of Polar Star Expeditions, stated that the double-hulled vessel traveled uneventfully and at normal cruising speed from Detaille Island to the Polish Arctowski Station on King George Island. The ship arrived on schedule at 0900 local time this morning at Arctowski, where station divers assessed the damage to the outer hull. Following discussions with the captain and DNV officials – Det Norske Veritas, the MV Polar Star’s classification society – the company made the precautionary decision not to cross the Drake Passage with passengers aboard. Once passengers have been transferred and temporary repairs made, the ship will proceed to Ushuaia with its 35 officers and crew. Polar Star Expeditions is notifying relevant maritime rescue coordination centers and Ushuaia port authorities of the new plan. Karlsen noted that estimated time of arrival of passengers in Ushuaia, and which ships they will be aboard, should be announced tomorrow, 3 February.

2010

N=3

Branson Belle
Showboat Branson Belle
Fox News reports more than 600 passengers and crew were expected to be stuck on a showboat overnight after high winds caused the vessel to run aground Saturday at Poverty Point on Table Rock Lake (Missouri). The cruise began having problems with propulsion around 6 p.m.and a tug boat was called to help, but wind picked up and the boat ran aground. At 11 p.m., officials decided it was best to let winds calm before trying to move the boat to where the passengers could disembark. About 567 passengers and 76 crew members were on board. It was speculated it could be 6 a.m. Sunday before the vessel can be moved. Subsequent reports indicate all were disembarked by noon.
Clipper Adventurer
Adventure Canada
The National Post reports evacuation efforts are underway in the Canadian Arctic after the ship ran aground in three metres of water on Friday evening about 55 nautical miles from Coppermine, Nunavut, near the border with the Northwest Territories. A Canadian Coast Guard ice breaker is en route to the scene to transport passengers to Coppermine where the ship was headed. The cruise began in Greenland. There were no reports of injuries and authorities said they were not concerned about environmental damage. Update September 1: With the ship still stuck on the uncharted rock where it grounded, Adventure Canada has canceled the remainder of the ship’s season. A technical team is on board doing evaluations and they expect it will take some days before a refloating attempt will take place.
Clelia II
Travel Dynamics International
Thought to have sustained only minor damage to its starboard propeller when a strong current pushed the ship against rocks in Antarctica in late December (see December 27, 2009), the ship's Antarctica season has now been canceled. When taken out of the water in drydock, it was determined the propeller would need to be replaced. The ship remains in drydock, awaiting the delivery of a propeller being manufactured in Denmark. The propeller is expected to be installed by the beginning of March. The ship is scheduled to sail the Amazon River starting March 20.

2009

N=7

Reef Escape
(Captain Cook Cruises)
The Fiji Times reports monster waves and strong winds from Cyclone Mick barrelled the cruise ship Reef Escape onto a beach on the southern end of Naviti, in the Yasawa Group. The ship was on a three-day cruise of southern Yasawa. The ship had departed Denarau on Saturday. The ship was rescued at 9.30am Tuesday. Then it was another six hour of rough sea travel before they were offloaded at Denarau.
Clelia II
(Adventure Life International Voyages)
There is a report the ship hit a rock in Possession Bay (Antarctica). Damage was minor; all onboard are safe and unharmed. UPDATE: The following was received in response to this report -- We became aware that you carried a report on your web site, Cruise Junkie, that the expedition cruise ship Clelia II hit a rock on November 27, 2009 in Possession Bay. We are the charterers and operators of the Clelia II, and would like to state categorically that the ship did not hit a rock in Possession Bay, which, by the way, is in South Georgia Island and not in Antarctica, as you wrote, or in any other place. We are really surprised that you would post information on your site without first checking the veracity of the report. We ask you that you retract your statement immediately and that you post an appropriate statement stating clearly that your earlier report was in error. If you do not post such a statement, we will take any and all legal actions against you to correct the record and seek appropriate damages.
Charaideo
Assam (Bengal Navigation Company)
The Telegraph India reports the luxury river boat got stuck on a sandbank near Kharguli in Kamrup (metro) district. Though the Assam Bengal Navigation Company, which runs the cruise, said it was not abnormal for ships to get stuck on sandbanks, police had to rush to the spot late last night to guard the foreigners. The ship, which was on its way to Orang National Park, left for its destination this morning. Jahnabi Phookan, an official of the company, said the tourists boarded the luxury ship around 2pm from Pandu ghat for a four-night-five-day tour, including a trip to the Orang Rajiv Gandhi National Park. The ship got stuck near the Khurguli area after sailing for about half-an-hour. A police official said they were informed about the incident around 10pm and by the time a patrol party reached the ship in the middle of the Brahmaputra, it was nearly 1.30am. “We found all the tourists safe and comfortable inside their respective cabins. We kept guard all night,” the police official said.
Zenith
(Pullmantur Cruises)
Cruising Talk reports the ship went aground on the approach to Copenhagen having cruised too close to a wind farm of twenty four turbines on Saturday in the Oresund Strait. Local reports have said that the ships captain has been fined as a result of the incident. She is at present operating seven day cruises, departing on a Saturday, from Copenhagen or Helsinki with calls at Gdynia, St Petersburg, Stockholm and Tallin. She was about 24 hours late when she sailed at 18.45 hrs. tonight from Copenhagen.
Ocean Nova
(Quark Expeditions)
Jeanne Leblanc's blog and Associated Press report the ship, with 64 passengers and 41 crew members aboard, ran aground about one mile (two kilometers) from the San Martin base (Antarctica), pushed by "extremely high winds" into craggy rocks. An initial assessment of damage indicated that there was no imminent danger and no threat to lives and there is no sign of leakage of any kind from the vessel. The ship was on its eighth day of a nearly two-week expedition exploring the polar circle that embarked from Ushuaia, Argentina's southernmost city. The company says the ship should be able to break free on its own as the tide rises. UPDATE: The Telegraph reports the ship was unable to free itself and that passengers will be evacuated to other ships. Update February 23: The comany canceled today’s sailing from Ushuaia so the ship can undergo an estimated three days of repairs. Passengers were rebooked on Polar Star Expeditions' Polar Star’s Feb. 24 sailing, with Quark providing hotel accommodations tonight and rearranging return flights.
Athena
(Classic International)
The Islander (Australia) report two of the ship's tenders ran aground off Kangaroo Island. The ship was docked at Outer Harbor in Adelaide yesterday. One tender ran aground with about 50 passengers and crew aboard. The other, with three crewmen aboard, went to its aid and also ran aground. Passengers were transported from the tender by a third tender as the Cooinda charter vessel stood by and three helicopters, including police, hovered in the area. Many more passengers were left stranded at the wharf as one tender began the slow process of bringing them all back to the cruise ship. The Cooinda tried to drag one tender to deeper water about 4pm but decided it would have to wait until the tide was higher, with high tide expected at 9pm. Local fisherman and boaties were perplexed about why the ship had anchored where it was instead of further into the bay where tenders would have a straighter run to the jetty.
Richard With
(Hurtigruten)
Cruise Business Review reports that the ship ran aground at the port of Trondheim on the west coast of Norway at 0757 this morning. It suffered propeller damage and took on board water through a leak in a seal and the 153 passengers on board have been evacuated. The ship was so close to the pier that the rescue operation could be conducted by the local emergency services from land. The vessel is now sitting on a mud bank and divers have been sent to investigate damage to the hull. No damage to the hull had been detected, but it is expected that the ship will have to enter dry dock for repairs and inspection.

2008

N=14

M/V Ushuaia
(Fathom Expeditions)
FROM A CREW MEMBER: Today, sometime during the morning around 10:30 AM, the ship Ushuaia run aground on a rock close to Wilhelmina Bay in Antarctica. I don't know the extent of the damage, but there is a hull breach, and possibly fuel leak. The Ushuaia is a small vessel, from Argentinean Company, carrying around 90 passengers and 40 crew (not precise numbers). The approximate coordinates are 64 degrees 34' S,  82 degrees 27' W. The British coast guard is coordinating the rescue by radio. The first ship to approach the accident is the Antarctic Dream, from a Chilean Company, another small vessel that can carry 80 passengers and around 40 crew members (approx). Two other ships are on the way, but we still don't know what we can do to help. Both ships are small, and none could accommodate the full compliment of crew and passengers from the Ushuaia. So far there has been no order to abandon ship. At the moment it seems they are not sinking, but there is no chance of it sailing across the Drake Passage with passengers. The weather on the Peninsula has been horrible, winds of 30 knots, gusts up to 60 knots. UPDATE: The Ushuaia was scheduled to make a landing at Danco Island this morning, but due to strong winds they canceled and went north to Wilhelmina Bay to try and find a more protect landing place. On their way there they hit a rock and run aground at approximately 10:30 am. They issued a distress call at around noon. Position: 64º34' S 62 º26' W. Two ships were in the area, the Antarctic Dream, and the Grigoriy Mikheev and attended to the distress call. The Antarctic Dream was the first to arrive at the scene at 13:30, and the Mikheev arrived at 15:00. At that time the situation was the following: There is a breach on their hull, it is on two of their fuel tanks. There is a diesel leak of about 40 m that is being dispersed by the winds. So although they are taking in water and leaking diesel, the breach does not affect the safety of the passengers, who will then remain on board until rescue arrives. On the other hand because the breach is in the fuel tank there is no chance of affecting any kind of repairs from inside the ship. Two ships from the Chilean Navy have been dispatched and are expected to arrive to their position tomorrow early morning: the Achiles and the Lautaro. The Achiles have capacity for 120 passengers, so it shall take on the passengers probably towards Frei Station (the one with the airport) or maybe directly to Punta Arenas. The other ship will work to try and free the Ushuaia. The crew will remain on board. The Lautaro has divers, and they will be able to access the extent of the breach. In the meantime, the Antarctic Dream is to stand guard around the Ushuaia, to provide assistance in case their situation changes. Its commercial activity has been suspended and it is on standby for any change in the situation, or further instructions. The weather is fine now, the wind has abated, and there was a nice sunset. Will give more information when I have it. NOTE: The ship previously ran aground in July 2005 and was cited for a number of deficiencies in its last safety inspection. See Lloyd's List. UPDATE: December 5 mid-day: all passengers have been taken aboard the Achiles, which is expected to arrive at Chile’s Frei station in Antarctica shortly before midnight. On Saturday morning they will be flown to Ushuaia. UPDATE: December 8, the ship has been refloated and is en route to Paradise Bay under its own power. Arrived in Punta Arenas December 18, entered Dry Dock December 24, and will need forty days for repairs.
QE2
(Cunard Line)
The ship ran aground as she came into her home port to make her final call. It touched the bottom at the Brambles sandbank near Calshot, Southampton, with three tugs attached to her stern. A spokesman for Solent Coastguard said they were alerted to the 70,000-tonne ship being aground at the entrance of Southampton Water at 5.26am today. Five tugs were sent out to assist her getting off the sandbank, he added, and she was pulled off just before 6.10am. The ship leaves Southampton for its final voyage later today.
Antarctic Dream
(Antarctic Shipping)
Aftenposten (Norway) reports the ship ran aground off the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard (near Alkefjellet in the Hinlopen Straits), just east of the island of Spitsbergen. The vessel, with about 130 passengers on board, called for help around 11am. There apparently was no damage to ship and that neither the vessel nor its passengers and crew were in danger. Any grounding, however, sparks environmental concerns. A rescue vessel was trying to free the vessel Wednesday afternoon, which was freed after six hours. The ship has been sailing around Svalbard this summer, and had an expected return to Longyearbyen on Monday.
Queen Victoria
Cunard Line
From a passenger: tWe were pax on the Aurora departing immediately behind the QVictoria. Ventura departed behind us, completing a three-in-line ahead departure. QVictoria had cast off first and went astern in a 90degree starboard turn around the end of the main jetty (stern now towards Soton city). A 25ish knot crosswind then drove her sideways, eastwards, away from the jetty and she grounded on the sandbank at the side of the marked navigation channel. We were advised this had occurred because one of her pods had jammed when they changed from astern to ahead. She remained on the sandbank whilst the pod was ‘freed’. She then used her engines for some 15minutes, alternately to wriggle off the bank. During this operation it as easy to see her roll a degree of two from side to side.  It took some 25minutes. Aurora had already cast off and within a few hundred meters heard of the QVictoria ’s plight. We held our mid-channel station using cross/bow thrusters fairly continuously, against the crosswind. We were slowly being driven towards the jetty and had QVictoria remained in difficulty much longer we’d have moved forward to occupy the QVictoria ’s now vacant berth. Ventura had cast off her springs when Aurora advised Ventura (behind us) not to cast off completely. Therefore, due to the crosswind, Ventura remained at berth.
Spririt of Glacier Bay
(Cruise West)
The ship grounded in Tarr Inlet near Glacier Bay just before 8AM. The Coast Guard says the hull of the ship has not been compromised, and no injuries have been reported. It deployed aircraft and ships to the site, and a National Park Service vessel from Glacier Bay also is en route. In the meantime a boom was deployed around the vessel as a precaution. The ship is home-ported in Juneau. Weather conditions at the time were clear skies and calm seas. Later in the day passengers were offloaded to a Coast Guard vessel and taken ashore. The ship was refloated the next day and towed to port. UPDATE: While en route to Ketchikan (under its own power) a crack was discovered in the hull and water was seeping into the ship at a rate of 10 gallons per hour. The ship was diverted to Wrangell where the crack was repaired. The company has cancelled the ship's next four cruise tours to allow for other repairs to be completed.
Theofilos
(NEL Lines)
The ferry changed course and had to be evacuated (475 passengers) after hitting the reef near the eastern Aegean islet of Oinousses. A 20-metre gash was found in its hull below the waterline, but the ship's watertight compartments held and it only listed two degrees. A cleanup operation was underway Sunday around the ferry to contain fuel that seeped out of the vessel during the incident. The ship's 97-man crew are on board as repairs are underway to seal the breach so the ship can sail to Chios for a fuller inspection. A prosecutor on Chios is expected to press charges against the captain and others deemed responsible for the incident. The Theofilos is one of the ferries connecting the islands of Chios and Mytilene with the Greek mainland and it is high season for tourists in the Aegean.
easyCruise Life
(easyCruise)
The ship ran aground inside the port of the Aegean island of Syros on Friday with 353 passengers and 105 crew on board. No injuries or damage were reported. The Merchant Marine Ministry, which handles rescue efforts at sea, said the Maltese-flagged ship from the budget easyCruise line ran aground on a sandy part of the port. The ministry said the easyCruise Life was not damaged, and a tug boat removed it from the sandy spit. The ship tied up at another part of the port for a full damage inspection and was then expected to continue its cruise.
Spririt of Alaska
(Cruise West)
The ship touched bottom in Tracy Arm, 45 miles south of Juneau on the third day of its cruise. The ship is not grounded; it is anchored in the arm's Williams Cove awaiting a Coast Guard inspection. It did not take on water and did not have interior damage but is having a problem with its propulsion system and awaiting a Coast Guard inspection to determine whether evacuation is needed. UPDATE June 5: Te ship has been tpwed to Juneau for inspection and repairs and passengers have been transferred to Cruise West's sister ship, Spirit of Endeavour.
Mona Lisa
The ship ran aground early in the morning on a snadboank about 10 miles from the Latvia coast. It was on its way from Kiel (Germany) to Riga (Latvia). Attempts to free itself were unsuccessful  which meant that almost 1000 passengers needed to be evacuated by the Latvian Coast Guard. There were no known injuries and no known environmental issues. The ship previously ran aground in Venice May 12 2004 and July 26 2003.
Sky Wonder
(Pullmantur Cruises)
The ship ran aground as a result of strong winds while the port of Kusadasi (Turkey). A total of 1,029 passengers were evacuated and brought to Kusadasi safely; the cruise was canceled. According to Think Spain: It seems that the captain of the'Sky Wonder' made a mistake as he was manoeuvering the elderly vessel towards the dock, and given that the ship's reverse gear was not working and that the Turkish port's tug boats were out of action, could do nothing to prevent her from slowly drifting on to a sand bank where she became stuck. The passengers only agreed to abandon ship after receiving guarantees from the Pullmantour company that organised the cruise. According to one of the passengers, Marta (26, from Madrid), "at the start they only offered us a 50% discount on our next cruise. "A protest meeting was organised and the passengers - already fuming about not being kept informed about the situation - opened negotiations, eventually agreeing to accept not only a full refund (around €900 euros), but also the promised 50% discount. The ship previously ran aground January 2007 -- click here for details.  Turkish-language media in Kusadai write that the ship's grounding did major damage to the city's sewage system. They report that The ship has landed on the sand at a distance of only 20 meters from the yacht harbour (see here and here). The main reason is the failure of small 'guide boats' which help the cruise ships. The experienced- skilled staff of guide boats have been totally substituted after the takeover of the harbor by Royal Caribbean with cheap and uneducated labor. Now, after the destruction of the underwater sewage system, the beaches are full of 'shit'; and the reparation process needs at least 2 months - at the high season of tourism industry. UPDATE:  As of May 9, repairs have not been made and the area stinks (as you'd expect with raw sewage in the harbour).
Georgis
Piraeus-based
The ship was evacuated (278 passengers and 35 crew) after it ran aground off the Saronic Gulf island of Poros, near Athens.  The Greek-flagged ship is believed to have hit a reef three nautical miles from the port of Poros, a small island in the Saronic Gulf an hour's distance from the capital that is popular with tourists.Winds up to 40 kilometres (25 miles) an hour were blowing in the area at the time.  The ship was on a day cruise from Piraeus to the Saronic islands of Aegina, Hydra and Poros.
Sky Wonder (Pullmantur Cruises) The ship ran aground as a result of strong winds while the port of Kusadasi (Turkey). A total of 1,029 passengers were evacuated and brought to Kusadasi safely; the cruise was canceled. According to Think Spain: It seems that the captain of the'Sky Wonder' made a mistake as he was manoeuvering the elderly vessel towards the dock, and given that the ship's reverse gear was not working and that the Turkish port's tug boats were out of action, could do nothing to prevent her from slowly drifting on to a sand bank where she became stuck. The passengers only agreed to abandon ship after receiving guarantees from the Pullmantour company that organised the cruise. According to one of the passengers, Marta (26, from Madrid), "at the start they only offered us a 50% discount on our next cruise. "A protest meeting was organised and the passengers - already fuming about not being kept informed about the situation - opened negotiations, eventually agreeing to accept not only a full refund (around €900 euros), but also the promised 50% discount. The ship previously ran aground January 2007 -- click here for details.
Georgis
Piraeus-based
The ship was evacuated (278 passengers and 35 crew) after it ran aground off the Saronic Gulf island of Poros, near Athens.  The Greek-flagged ship is believed to have hit a reef three nautical miles from the port of Poros, a small island in the Saronic Gulf an hour's distance from the capital that is popular with tourists.Winds up to 40 kilometres (25 miles) an hour were blowing in the area at the time.  The ship was on a day cruise from Piraeus to the Saronic islands of Aegina, Hydra and Poros.
Pride of Canterbury
(P&O Ferries)
The ferry grounded on a charted wreck while sheltering from heavy weather in an area known as ‘The Downs’ off Deal, Kent. The vessel suffered severe damage to her port propeller system but was able to proceed unaided to Dover, where she berthed with the assistance of two tugs. The vessel was on a scheduled crossing from Calais to Dover in severe weather when she learned that Dover Port was to be temporarily closed due to the weather and sea conditions. She proceeded to The Downs to wait for the reopening of the port.

2007

N=13

Dipolog Princess
(Sulpicio Lines)
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) today said they have began conducting rescue operations on the ship, carrying 825 passengers, that ran aground some 500 yards off the pier of Tagbilaran, Bohol on Friday morning. The ship hit a shallow area of the Tagbilaran Channel, which was near the Port of Tagbilaran en route to Zamboanga del Norte. The shipping company is sending sister ship agayan Princess to fetch the passengers from the port and bring them to their destination in Zamboanga del Norte. It also sent a tugboat but it failed to pull the vessel free.
Lycianda
(Blue Lagoon Cruises)
The ship was on its way back to Lautoka when it was run aground in Rotuma by cyclone Daman. The ship suffered no damage to its hull, only minor damage to its rudders and proeplers. Only crew wasonboard at the time; there were no injuries. (Source: Fiji Times)
Spirit of Nantucket
(Cruise West)
The ship's captain ran the vessel aground in Virginia Beach this morning to prevent it from sinking.  It had begun taking on water while passing through the Intercoastal Waterway after striking something at about 5:30 AM which left a 2 inch by 12 inch gash in the hull near the ned of the ship.  None of the 61 passengers or five crew members were as injured in the ship's evacuation.  The ship was on a ten day cruise from Alexandria, VA to Charleston, SC.  Passengers were given the choice of continuing their tour by bus or returning home with a refund for the remining time of the cruise.
Spirit of Columbia
(Cruise West)
The ship ran aground in Prince William Sound after getting too close to shore for bear watching --  it went "soft aground" at low tide near Evans Island at about 10 a.m.  "Soft aground" means the ship essentially was stuck in the mud.  It refloated as the tide came in and by 2 p.m. was headed back to Whittier.
Royal Express Four
(SunCruz Casinos)
The Port Richey Casino cruise ship ran aground as it was rerturning to shore.  Several passenger fell and two people were taken to hospital.  There were only minor injuries.
Millennium
(Celebrity Cruises)
Posted at Cruise Critic:  Unsceduled day at sea and no Florence stop... Yesterday while we were in Villefranche the boat drifted towards shore and ended up hitting submerged rocks. (Someone wasn't doing their job). Most people felt a shudder about 5pm last night, then noticed something was wrong when the cooks and mechanics were looking over aft deck 10 ... Well, after a night of silence from the bridge, we discover through a letter slipped under our door at 6am that three of the four blades on the propeller on the starboard side were damaged. We were supposed to leave port at 8pm, but didn't leave until 11pm. Because of the damage, the ship can only travel at 11 knots instead of 22. They tried to go faster, but the ship was rocking so bad it felt like a fast rolling earthquake. We're still rocking pretty good, a mechanical rocking, not wave rolling. We are going to have to pass up Florence today and travel straight to Rome so they can attempt to fix it.  Announced the evening of July 7:  Cruise has been cancelled and passengers may fly home from Rome or be transported to Venice and fly from there as originally scheduled.
Disko II (Albatros Travel)
The small cruise ship ran aground off Greenland's west coast and more than 50 people were evacuated safely Wednesday. It hit rocks near the island of Qeqertarsuaq, but was not believed to be seriously damaged.  The 52 passengers - all Danes - and two tour guides were taken ashore as a precaution on the ship's lifeboats and small vessels sent from a village on the island; the 18-member crew remained aboard.  The passengers would remain in Qeqertarsuaq, about 155 miles north of the Arctic Circle, while authorities investigated whether the ship (which appeared to not have suffered any damage) could continue its cruise north to Uummannaq, about 310 miles farther north. The cruise had started in Kangerlussuaq, the site of a former U.S. Air Force base in southwestern Greenland.
Island Explorer II  (Island Adventures Tours)
The Coast Guard said there was no sign of an oil spill or other pollution after a whale-watching ship ran aground near Deception Pass State Park (San Juan Islands, Washington State).  The boat managed to pull free after the grounding and was able to make its way under its own power to Anacortes, where all 52 people disembarked.  The hull of the vessel was damaged and water gushed into two compartments, but pumps were used to control the
flooding.
Empress of the North (Majestic America Line) The 360-foot long ship ran aground off the Alaskan coast and began taking on water near Hanus Reef in Lynn Canal.  It was listing 6 degrees at the southern end of Icy Strait, about 15 miles southwest of Juneau when all passengers and most crew (approx 281) were evacuated to a tugboat and barge.  By early morning the ship was moving toward Juneau with 29 crew members under Coast Guard escort.  The accident occured on day 2 of a 7 day cruise.  For past events for this ship, check hereUPDATE:  The ship is expected to return to service in 4 weeks (i.e., June 9).
Sea Diamond (Louis Cruises) The ship hit a reef in a lagoon a half mile from shore near the main port of Santorini.  It was reported to be taking on water and listed 12 degrees but was stabilized when watertight doors were stabilized.  All 1153 passengers and all but 20 of 391 were evacuated from the shi, without injury.  Sister ship Perla is en route to Santorini to collect Sea Diamond’s passengers.  UPDATE APRIL 6:  It is reported that the ship sunk in the early morning hours and that two French passengers — a 45 year-old man and his 16-year-old daughterare missing.
Regal Princess (Princess Cruises) The 10-day Panama Canal cruise scheduled for February 19 has been canceled after the ship sustained damage to a ballast tank after touching bottom on Sunday’s (2/18) departure from Huatulco. The vessel arrived safely in Acapulco from where it was due to sail for San Juan. Passengers boarded the ship on the 19th and were soon told the cruise was cancelled and the would be flown home.  After temporary repairs, the ship will proceed to a drydock.  It was announced February 21 that the cruise scheduled for March 1 has also been cancelled.  The next scheduled voyage will be March 13 from Lima to San Juan.  The ship was seen leaving Acapulco at 10:30AM on February 22.
Nordkapp (Norwegian Coastal Voyage) The ship touched ground near Deception Island in the Antarctic.  No one was injured and the ship sustained an 82 foot long gash to its outer hull.  Passengers will be transferred to Nordnorge (a sister ship) which will return to Ushuaia. will have temporary repairs before HMS Endurance escorts her to Argentina for full repairs.  Reported Feb 1:  "We confirm that there has been a spill, given that traces of hydrocarbons have been detected," Raul Perez, a scientist at Spain's Antarctic base, told Spanish state radio. He said more than 5km of coast had been hit.   The spill was estimated to be between 227 and 757 litres of diesel oil.
Sky Wonder (Pullmantur Cruises) The ship ran aground in the Rio de la Plata in the early morning, three kilometres away from the port of Buenos Aires.  Authorities say there were no injuries (though one passenger was subsequently evacuated after complaining of arrhythmia) and indicated strong wind and sea currents pushed the ship to a bank of sand. After three tug-boats failed in the effort to "rescue" the ship, the plan was to wait for high tide. The ship was freed; while the ship underwent a full technical inspection.

2006

N=10

Lyubov Orlova (Quark Expeditions) The ship with 150 passengers onboard ran aground in Whalers' Bay while visiting Deception Island in the South Shetland Islands (en route to Antartica).  A Spanish ship responded to the distress call and after an assessment waited for high tide and began towing operations.  The Orlova was freed eight hours later and returned to Ushuaia on its own power.
Statendam (Holland America Line) At about 05:01 on 6 December 2006, the Dutch registered passenger vessel Statendam with about 1,700 persons on board arrived at Port Phillip Heads to berth at Station Pier in the Port of Melbourne. In the process of picking up the pilot, the vessel altered its course to create a lee for the pilot vessel to come alongside. This action caused Statendam to head towards the shallow banks off Point Lonsdale. As soon as the pilot was on board, the master turned the vessel towards its intended track through Port Phillip Heads. When the pilot arrived on the bridge he noted that Statendam was steering close to the shallow banks off Point Lonsdale. The investigation found that Statendam was travelling over the recommended speed limit when it picked up the pilot well inside the pilot boarding ground and applied a slow rate of turn to get back on track causing it to enter shallow water. It is likely that Statendam’s port side stabiliser fin came in contact with some underwater obstruction causing it to have superficial abrasions at the outer tip and affecting its alignment in the shipside housing. See here.
Grand Princess (Princess)
According to a passenger, at approx 19:20 (local time) the ship appeared to run aground while heading to sea from Liverno, Italy.  Approx 1/2 mile beyond the harbor entrance, just as the pilot appeared to have disembarked, the ship appeared to come to a soft stop. For the next 30 minutes (from our starboard balcony) it appeared that the ship's officers tried many combinations of thrusters and props at varying speeds and directions trying to twist and pivot the ship back and forth on it's axis until at about 20:00 she began to regain her way forward.  No notice was or has been given to passengers.  In an unrelated incident, a week and a half ago the Golden Princess in the waters around Rhodes reportedly scraped bottom (sustaining some damage to itself and to the reefs).
Norwegian Crown (NCL)
The ship ran aground while en route from St. Georges to Hamilton, Bermuda  Passengers went ashore by tender.  The ship was refloated ten hours later and is expected to keep to its original itinerary.
Columbus (Hapag-Lloyd)
The ship scraped bottom during her visit to Sault Sainte Marie, sustaining no damage.  Return visits October 5 and 16 depend on dredging to remove high spots near the dock face.  The high spots, probably caused by sedimentation and wave action, need to be reduced 7 inches in order to accommodate the 17 feet required by the Columbus.  (Subsequent visits were cancelled.)
Celebration (Carnival)
One of the ship's propellers struck bottom while approaching the dock at Nassau spilling an estimated 200 liters of lubricating oil and affecting the operation of the engine.  The Nassau call was cancelled and the ship is en route back to its homeport, Jacksonville
Yorktown Clipper
(Clipper Cruises)
Ran aground at Matia Island in Washington state.  No injuries.  Company fined $1000 for placing passengers at risk because company officials did not report a dent the ship sustained on its bottom.
Regal Princess (Princess Cruises) The ship became stuck on a sandbar in the Amazon in its current cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Manaus.  The ship was freed after 1.5 hours, "by using its bow thrusters, emptying the pools and probably grey water and some ballast."
Empress of the North
(American West Steamboat)
The 360-foot cruise ship with more than 250 people on board ran aground on a sandbar near Washougal, Wash>; there were no injuries, the vessel wasn't sinking and a tugboat would be used to refloat it.  In the meantime, passengers were transferred to the Queen of the West, which pulled alongside in order to take aboard passengers and crew members.  The ship was refloated two days later at high tide.  It returned to service April 16th, following repairs.
QM 2 (Cunard)
The ship returned to Fort Lauderdale shortly after leaving port for a 38-day trip around South America and ending in San Francisco; The ship departed shortly after 1 PM but soon returned because something felt wrong with one of the (propulsion units).  An investigation revealed that the ship touched some sort of submerged object and one of the four motor pods was damaged.  The ship left 41 hours later than its initial departure and will operate on 3 rather than 4 motors (meaning reduced speeds. 

2005

N=3

Pacific Sky (P&O Australia) The ship suffered engine problems and drifted onto the reef of Bayonnaise near the isle of Pines (New Caledonia) on Sunday.  Police divers found it suffered no damage.  Two tugs arrived on Monday from Noumea to free the ship and Lloyds surveyor is en route from Brisbane to certify the ship is fit to sail. The incident occurred in calm conditions and all on board are safe. 
Hanseatic (Hapag-Lloyd) The ship ran aground near the island of Luroy off the Norwegian coast just south of the Polar Circle.  The grounding caused a 5 meter hole in the ships hull.  The ship remained stable and sailed to Bodo from where passengers flew back to Germany.
European Highlander (P&O Ferries) The ship ran aground off Cairnryan Harbour in the west of Scotland and was refloated after being stuck on a shingle bank for more than 30 hours. An initial inspection of the hull carried out by Maritime and Coastguard Agency divers found limited damage.

2004

N=5

Sapphire Princess (Princess Cruises) From a reader: As the ship came into the inlet to anchor at Moorea it lost all power and was out of control for about 5 minutes, which resulted in the ship touching the coral reef. Two weeks later the captain admitted what had happened and that to lose control of the ship was the worst thing to happen in his career. He told us that in August one of the front three thrusters packed in and a little while later the second one left him. As we manoeuvred into Moorea the last one as he said, left us resulting in a power surge and cutting all power. The only way to stop the ship was to drop an anchor and he said they just touched the reef. We then had to use tugs from then on and I don’t think even as I write this that the three thrusters have been fixed.
Clipper Odyssey (Clipper Cruise Line) Ran hard aground on rocks in the Aleutian Islands, forcing 153 passengers and crew to transfer to other ships and spilling an undetermined amount of fuel from a ruptured tank.  No injuries were reported and the ship floated free with the tide early Sunday.  It proceeded on its own power to Unalaska.
Le Conte (Alaska Marine Highway) The Alaska ferry nearly sank after running aground Cozian Reef in Peril Strait en route to Sitka. 86 passengers and 23 crew were on board at the time and all safely evacuated the ship upon grounding.  Soon after, 23,000 gallons of fuel were pumped out of the fuel tanks and cars were transferred to a landing craft in an elaborate procedure. A salvage operation then began and the vessel was successfully escorted to Ketchikan's Alaska Ship and Dry Dock for repairs under tow after temporary patches were put onto the expansive gashes that compromised five separate compartments of the hull — enough to have sunk the ship had it been lifted off its perch on the reef.  After assessing the circumstances of the grounding, it was concluded operator error caused the incident (not the notorious tidal currents that Peril Strait is known for) and those in command of the vessel were fired from the ferry system.
Mona Lisa (Holiday Kreuzfahrten The 655 foot ship, with 1000 passengers onboard, got stuck in the mud close to St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy.  It was at the start of its voyage.  There were no injuries and no known damage to the ship, but the grounding renewed calls for ships not to be allowed to cross the St. Mark's Basin.
Astor (Transocean Tours) It was disclosed on March 3 that the ship had grounded in the shipping channel after leaving Townsville port, Australia. According to Australian authorities, the ship made a turn a bit too late and hit soft mud at the end of the channel.  The ship was detained for two hours to ensure seaworthiness.  It was further inspected at Cairns (its next stop) and found to have sustained no damage.

2003

N=7

Empress of the North
(American West Steamboat)
The paddle wheel ship was headed upriver to Clarkson when it hit the gate at Ice Harbor Dam and became stuck in the navigational lock.  200 Passengers bussed back to Portland.
Empress of the North
(American West Steamboat)
Ship went aground on the Oregon side of the Columbia River.  Two crew and on passenger suffered minor injuries.
Mona Lisa (Holiday Kreuzfahrten) 670 passengers were evacuated  after the ship ran on to rocks near Sptisbergen in the Barents Sea (close to the Arctic Circle.  Both propellers and the hull are thought to be damaged.  Cruise scheduled for August 2 has been cancelled.
Summit (Celebrity Cruises) The hull was damaged when the vessel, under the control of a marine pilot who called out instructions as a crew member steered, hit a rock leaving Hubbard Glacier. The result was a 10-foot-long hole in the ballast tank midway along the hull, and a 140-foot-long crease.  The ship docked safely at Seward on Friday (July 11).
Spirit of Columbia (Cruise West) The master reported that his vessel had went "touch and go" (hit bottom) and possibly bent the port shaft and propeller in Jackpot Bay, Prince William Sound, approximately 75 miles south of Whittier. All passengers were safely off-loaded in Whittier and the ship was inspected.
Vistamar (Plantours & Partners) Ship collided with underwater rocks near the port of Ibiza.  It was towed by emergency tugs to Ibiza and all passengers and crew evacuated.  This cruise, planned to end on May 27, was cancelled as were two additional cruises.  
Safari Spirit (American Safari Cruises) Ship hit some rocks about 80 miles north of the northern tip of Vancouver while sailing from Seattle to Alaska.  All aboard were safely evacuated to lifeboats.  The ship sank in about 30 feet of water.

2002

N=6

Olympic Voyager (Royal Olympic Cruises) Ship pulled for service for three weeks after it experienced minor damage in the portside hull below the waterline.  The damage was incurred when it reportedly attempted to avoid a 'foreign flag' vessel and grounded.  Passengers were transferred to the Aegean I for the remainder of their cruise.
Clipper Adventurer (Clipper)
Ship ran aground in the vicinity of Deception Island (King George Island, Antarctica).  The ship was freed by a Chilean icebreaker.  There was minor damage but no pollution occurred and there were no injuries.
Holiday (Carnival)
The ship became lodged on a sandy bottom of the Caribbean Sea, a quarter mile off the coast of Playa del Carmen.  There were no injuries or damage.  The ship was freed after 3 days of trying (Pax evacuated).
Clipper Odyssey (Clipper)
Ship (with 106 pax and 78 crew) went aground on St. Matthew Island in the Bering Sea in favourable conditions. After calling for help because attempts to free were futile, the crew shifted all aft water to the stern of the ship and deployed the ship's stern anchor to get back afloat.  No damage and no spills.
Clipper Adventurer (Clipper)
While on an eco-tour of Brazil, Suriname, French Guiana, and Guyana, the ship ran aground on a sand-bank in the Essequibo River (Guyana's major waterway).  Stuck for more than a day.
Black Prince (Fred Olsen)
Ran aground on a sand bank while leaving Casilda, Cuba.  After several unsuccessful attempts to free ship, passengers evacuated and bused to Havana for flights home.

2001

N=4

Costa Tropicale
Grounded at Venice, towed free by tugboats.  2 weeks later grounded at Mykonos, towed free by Costa Atlantica
Wilderness Explorer
Grounded in Alaska
Regal Princess (Princess)
Grounded at Cairns; freed and continues
Mistral (Festival)
Grounded off Nevis; Stuck for more than 1 day

2000

N=2

World Discoverer
Hit rock or reef and holed – Forced to beach.  100 passengers rescued - Solomon Islands
Carousel (Sun Cruises)
Ran over rocks causing propeller damage and oil leak (50 ton spill) – Abandon ship at Calica

1999

N=4

Norwegian Sky (NCL) Grounded in St. Lawrence – Out for 8 weeks
Radisson Diamond (Radisson) Grounded near Stockholm – Refloated
Spirit of 98 (Sightseeing Tours) Grounded in mouth of Tracy Arm (SE of Juneau) – Holed.  Evacuated
Wilderness Explorer (Glacier Bay) Grounded west of Juneau - Refloated

1998

Monarch of the Seas (RCCL)
Strikes charted reef at St. Maarten – holed.  27,000 sq feet of coral reef damaged.  Out for four months.

1997

N=4

Leeward (NCL)
Collides with Great Mayan Reef near Cancun – damages 460 sq yard swath of coral
Noordam (Holland America)
Soft grounding off Mexican coast – Propeller damage.  Passengers sent home.  Out for 1 week
Hanseatic (Hapag-Lloyd) Grounded in Norwegian Arctic - Evacuated, refloated, continues
Albatross (Phoenix Horizon)
Holed while leaving Isles of Scilly – Out for 2 weeks

1996

N=4

Hanseatic (Hapag-Lloyd)
Grounded in North passage  – Refloated after being evacuated
Gripsholm (Cunard)
Grounded 2 miles from Swedish port – Out for 2 weeks Officers resign
Royal Viking Sun (Cunard)
Collision with reef in Red Sea – Holed.  Out for 2 months
Tropicale (Carnival)
Grounded while leaving Tampa – Freed.  Harbour pilot complains that ship failed to respond to 3 different orders to turn

1995

N=5

Sovereign of the Seas (RCCL) Grounded in mud bank in San Juan Harbour – Freed after 80 minutes; Towed to port, leaves 24 hours late
America Queen (Delta Steamboat) Grounded in Ohio River for 1 day – Refloated
Star Princess (P&O) Grounded in Alaska – 40' long, 8" wide gash + 100' gash,modest pollution.  Evacuated by tender.  Out for 6 weeks
Royal Majesty (Majesty) Grounded off Nantucket - 17 mi off course
Renaissance Six (Renaissance) Grounded, eastern Aegean – Evacuated.  One cruise cancelled

1994

N=4

Royal Odyssey (Royal) Grounded leaving Rome – Out for one month.
Starward (NCL) Grounded on St. John, VI – oil spill of 100 gallons
Nieuw Amsterdam (Holland America) Grounded in SE Alaska – 200 ft crease in hull, damaged propeller, puncture in ballast tank, 260 gallon spill.  Refloated in 30 minutes – Out for 2 weeks.
Sally Albatross (Later renamed Leeward) Grounded in Gulf of Finland – Half-sunk

1993

N=2

Yorktown Clipper (Clipper) Grounded in Glacier Bay -- Spills 28,000 gal of fuel 45 west of Juneau Evacuated.
Ocean Princess (Pacquet) Grounded near Belem – Life boat evacuation Declared a total loss

1992

N=4



Nantucket Clipper (Clipper) Aground off Maine - 4 minor injuries.  Refloated 3 hours later – Damage to hull and diesel tank
QE II (Cunard) Grounded off Cape Cod – 74 foot gash – Cruises cancelled
Mermoz (Pacquet) Grounded off Scandinavia – 2 cruises cancelled
Tropic Star (Starlite) Runs aground in Freeport
1991
Seaward (NCL) Runs aground near Miami after plastic bag caught in an air intake and engine shut down

1990

N=2

Regent Star (Regency) Fire and grounded while approaching Philadelphia – Evacuated
Bermuda Star (Bahamas) Grounded off Nova Scotia – evacuated.   Freed after 13 hours
1989
Frontier Spirit Grounded in storm off Fiji
1986
Dolphin (Dolphin) Grounded in Bahamas

1985

N=2

Amerikanis (Fantasy) Grounded off Mexico – 5 days to free
Bermuda Star (Bahamas) Grounded off Key West

1984

N=3

Yankee Clipper (Clipper) Grounded after tearing from anchorage at St. Martin
Sundancer
(Sundance Cruises)
On her third cruise on the US/Canadian west coast, the ship was declared a total constructive loss after hitting rocks off Maud Island, just north of Vancouver Island and being driven ashore in Duncan Bay by the captain.  The ship sank (partially submerged) and was evacuated with no loss of life, though lifeboats were useless and there was considerable confusion and terror.  Human error is blamed for the accident.  According to Canadian investigators, following the grounding the ship anchored in Menzies Bay (16 km north of Campbell River) to assess damage.  With uncontrollable flooding below decks, it headed back to open sea, limping an hour later -- at 1 AM -- into Duncan Bay (8 km south) where passengers were evacuated.  Crew were disorganized and evacuation was largely coordinated by passengers themselves.
Rhapsody Grounded off Cayman Islands – Evacuated after 4 days; freed after 12 days
1982
Alaskan Majestic Explorer (Exploration) Grounded – Evacuated  1 dead; 2 injured.  Captain charged with negligence
1978
Kungsholm Aground for 5 days at Martinique
1972
Mardi Gras (Carnival) Maiden Voyage – runs aground leaving Miami Harbour.  Stuck for 24 hours
   
Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved, Ross A. Klein