Source: Cruise Junkie dot Com


Events at Sea by U.S. Niche Operators

American Cruise Lines, American Safari, Cruise West, Glacier Bay Cruiseline


The events listed have been reported in the public domain or to cruisejunkie by passengers or crew members onboard.  The list is by no means comprehensive.  For that reason it is necessary to be cautious in drawing conclusions from the potentially limited data.  Keep in mind that some companies may be more transparent than others about things that go wrong; conversely, some companies may be better at concealing events and thereby project an appearance that is inaccurate.  With that said, the following list is still interesting, as are the patterns seen viewed separately by ship.




Date
Ship
2012 Incident
January 7 Independence
American Cruise Line
From a passenger: At 3AM (5th) the starboard  engine drive shaft broke on leaving Savanah. Returned to port where the problem was determined. Left port on the 5th with blessing of the CG to  cruise with all passengers on board. On one engine cruised to Brunswick, GA  where the CG withdrew its approval to continue with the passengers. Spent  the 6th in port terminating the cruise. On the 7th hauled everyone to the  airport. Ship  supposedly left at 8:01 for dry dock in Jacksonville.  No one hurt, just required to accept a different schedule than  planned. Lesson: when cruising think flexible. Further: I believe that it was the last cruise of the season as there were several  passengers that had boarded at Fernandino for the run to Charleston where we boarded. I heard that it was headed for dry dock in Jacksonville for 'rountine' maintenance. The propellor shaft break down gave them more reason. The consequence was that several stops were eliminated, some shore trips became free and we were taken to Jacksonville airport free of charge (had been told that was a $35.00 fee per person). The CG took an active part in the crisis management and were very present during the inspection while tied up in Savanah. They apparently called the shots after we reached Brunswick.
Propulsion problems - Cruise canceled
Date
Ship
2011 Incident
November 28 Safari Explorer
American Safari Cruises
The Maui News reports a Molokai protester said a cruise ship that he and others stopped from entering into Kaunakakai Harbor on Saturday "snuck back in" on Sunday. Walter Ritte said a vessel from American Safari Cruises made its way into the harbor Sunday despite a group opposing the stop by the cruise ship. The group Ritte is part of wants to sit down with company officials to discuss the business on the Friendly Isle, as they worry about the ship's impact on the island. Ritte said that on Saturday two boats and other protesters on surfboards met the Safari Explorer on the water near the harbor. The boat eventually turned away. On Sunday the yacht docked at the harbor without incident and was met by supporters on the pier. The company said Dan Blanchard, the CEO and principal of InnerSea Discoveries/American Safari Cruises, will have another community meeting on Molokai on Wednesday. Ritte said he heard Blanchard say on television Saturday that he wasn't going to go back to Molokai until things were worked out, but then the boat docked in the harbor on Sunday. "The trust has gone out the window with this guy," Ritte said when asked if he was going to Wednesday's meeting. Ritte said he and a group of protesters had held several demonstrations against the cruise ship. "We told him (Blanchard), you ask first, before you come to somebody's house."
Protest ashore delays disembarkation
dd/mm/yy
Ship
2010
Incident
9.9.10 Spirit of Oceanus
Cruise West
The Telegram reports the cruise scheduled to begin this week in St. Pierre et Miquelon, following a stop in St. John's, Newfpoundland as part of its world cruise, has been canceled. Those on the ship for the world cruise must debark at St. John's. The company has reportedly sold the ship and is in the process of restructuring as regards its otgher operations. At this point, they are not takling reservations and they have no cruises scheduled beyond October. UPDATE: Except for its Danube cruise, the company will cease all operations September 22. Booked passengers will be notified by the company. See here for details.
Cruise canceled
dd/mm/yy
Ship
2009
Incident
2.10.09 Spirit of 98
Cruise West
Oregon Live Online reports the ship the lock at The Dalles Dam will remain closed to Columbia River traffic at least through Saturday. Consequently, the cruise ship has been stuck on the river since the lock was closed Tuesday afternoon. Passengers on the Spirit of ’98 cruise ship, anchored near The Dalles, are “sleeping on board," said Jerrol Golden, a spokeswoman for Cruise West, which operates the multi-day cruise. "There's plenty of food." Itinerary change
dd/mm/yy
Ship
2008
Incident
7.7.08
Spririt of Glacier Bay
Cruise West
The ship grounded in Tarr Inlet near Glacier Bay just before 8AM. The Coast Guard says the hull of the ship has not been compromised, and no injuries have been reported. It deployed aircraft and ships to the site, and a National Park Service vessel from Glacier Bay also is en route. In the meantime a boom was deployed around the vessel as a precaution. The ship is home-ported in Juneau. Weather conditions at the time were clear skies and calm seas. Later in the day passengers were offloaded to a Coast Guard vessel and taken ashore. The ship was refloated the next day and towed to port. UPDATE: While en route to Ketchikan (under its own power) a crack was discovered in the hull and water was seeping into the ship at a rate of 10 gallons per hour. The ship was diverted to Wrangell where the crack was repaired. The company has cancelled the ship's next four cruise tours to allow for other repairs to be completed.
Gounded
6.6.08
MV Ptarmigan
Portage Glacier Tours
The Anchorage Daily News reports the tour boat, owned by Holland America Line / Carnival Corporation, struck an iceberg in Portage Lake, jolting passengers and leaving as many as 10 with minor injuries. The vessel struck the iceberg after a tourist reported spotting a bear and the captain swung the vessel around for passengers to get a better look. The jolt apparently did not significantly damage the ship but two people were reported to have fallen during the crash, with one hitting her head on a rail. The rest appeared to have suffered minor bumps and bruises.
Collision with iceberg
4.6.08
Spririt of Alaska
Cruise West
The ship touched bottom in Tracy Arm, 45 miles south of Juneau on the third day of its cruise. The ship is not grounded; it is anchored in the arm's Williams Cove awaiting a Coast Guard inspection. It did not take on water and did not have interior damage but is having a problem with its propulsion system and awaiting a Coast Guard inspection to determine whether evacuation is needed. UPDATE June 5: Te ship has been tpwed to Juneau for inspection and repairs and passengers have been transferred to Cruise West's sister ship, Spirit of Endeavour.
Touched bottom
11.5.08
Spirit of Columbia
Cruise West
The ship, with 89 passengers onboard, arrived safely this afternoon in Juneau's Auke Bay. It had lost power to both generators at 8PM last night (two miles from Warm Spings Bay and 80 miles south of Juneau) when both generators and one of two propeller engines stopped working. The ship made it to Juneau on its own power, accompanied by the Coast Guard cutter Liberty. A Coast Guard spokesman said the ship's crew was able to repair the generators, but one of the propeller engines remained disabled. Propulsion problems
dd/mm/yy
Ship
2007
Incident
19.8.07
Spirit of Columbia
Cruise West
The ship ran aground in Prince William Sound after getting too close to shore for bear watching --  it went "soft aground" at low tide near Evans Island at about 10 a.m.  "Soft aground" means the ship essentially was stuck in the mud.  It refloated as the tide came in and by 2 p.m. was headed back to Whittier.
"Soft" Grounded
5.7.07
Spirit of Nantucket
Cruise West
The ship cancelled its port call at Eastport, Maine because of weather and because of mechanical problems.  Local folks commented that, "The preparation invested in this visit will serve as a dress rehearsal for the expected arrival of another cruise ship in September."
Cancelled port call
25.6.07
Spirit of Yorktown
Cruise West
The ship collided with a Seattle-based fishing vesssel, leaving the seiner "dead in the water" with a disabled steering mechanism.  The cruise ship appeared undamaged and continued on to Petersburg where it will arrive and be inspected tomorrow.  None of the four crew members on the fishing vesssel were injured in the collision which took place at 1AM in calm seas and light winds in Chatham Strait (about 15 mile south of Angoon).
Collision
28.2.07
Safari Quest
American Safari Cruises
The ship was fined $7178 for a diesel fuel spill that oiled boats and the shoreline near Richland Tacht Marina (Washington State).  The ship spilled 16 gallons of fuel while docked on October 8, 2006.
Environmental
2.2.07
Spirit of Nantucket
Cruise West
The ship reported that 10 of 35 (26.57%) crew and 8 of 36 (22.22%) passengers had reported ill on the 7 day Caribbean cruise to/from Crown Bay, St. Thomas, USVI ending today.  Symptons were consistent with gastrointestinal illness (e.g., norovirus). Illness
dd/mm/yy
Ship
2004 and earlier
Incident
12.5.04
Wilderness Adventurer
Glacier Bay Cruiseline
The ship was evacuated after striking ice and taking on water in Tracy Arm in southeastern Alaska.  The ice puctured a 3 inch hole into the hull. There were no injuries and all passengers and crew were safely evacuated to another ship. Holed / Evacuated
10.5.04
American Glory
American Cruise Lines
The ship destroyed a 40 foot section of the Downtown Marina dock in Beaufort, SC (and damaged two yachts) when a strong current and tide combination forced the stern into the pier.  One of the cruise ship's doors was damaged and two windows shattered.  It was delayed for 90 minutes and then continued on to Hilton Head Island.
Collision
12.6.03
Spirit of Columbia
Cruise West
The master reported that his vessel had went "touch and go" (hit bottom) and possibly bent the port shaft and propeller in Jackpot Bay (Prince William Sound), approximately 75 miles south of Whittier. All passengers were safely off-loaded in Whittier and the ship was inspected.
Grounded
9.5.03
Safari Spirit
American Safari Cruises
Ship hit some rocks about 80 miles north of the northern tip of Vancouver while sailing from Seattle to Alaska.  All aboard were safely evacuated to lifeboats.  The ship sank in about 30 feet of water.  See:  Grounding and sinking of U.S. Passenger Vessel Safari Spirit Kisameet Bay off Fisher Channel, about 20 miles southeast of the towns of Bella Bella and Shearwater, Denny Island, British Columbia, Canada on May 8, 2003, NTSB Report Number: MAB-04-01 Grounded / Sunk
1.8.02
Wilderness Explorer
Glacier Bay Cruiseline
Suspected case of  Norwalk-like virus (18 of 108 passengers and crew) on July 26 cruise causes following cruise to be canceled so the ship can be sanitized.  Ship returns to service August 8.
Cancellation

Illness
8.7.02 Safari Quest
American Safari Cruises
Engine room fire -- left engine disabled, however continues on its own power. Fire
10.6.02
Spirit of Oceanus
Cruise West
Outbreak of gastrointestinal illness caused by Norwalk-like virus effects 9 passengers (9.18%). Illness
23.5.01
Wilderness Explorer
Glacier Bay Cruiseline
Ran aground off the Norther tip of Vancouver Island while on an Alaska cruise.  The ship was refloated by the Coast Guard; none of the 24 people onboard were hurt.
Grounded
28.7.99
Spirit of '98
Cruise West
Struck a rock in Tracy Arm and started sinking -- resting aground on a small beach.  All passengers and most crew members boarded inflatable rafts and shuttled to a nearby ship.
Grounded
20.7.99
Wilderness Explorer
Glacier Bay Cruiseline
Grounded in Idaho Inlet about 80 miles west of Juneau.  It was refloated about four hours later.  There were no injuries nor pollution.
Grounded
12.6.99
Wilderness Adventurer
Glacier Bay Cruiseline
The ship ran aground in Dundas Bay (Alaska) and remains o a rock pinnacle with a 40 degree list to port.  The ship struck the rocks, cracked its hull, and spilled about 40 -50 gallons of fuel mixed with water.  Passengers were safely evacuated.
Grounded