EVENTS AT SEA
"All the Things that Can Go Wrong On A Cruise"


2004


The table below lists "events at sea" occurring after January 1, 2005, including cruise ship accidents.  It is based on media reports, passenger reports posted at on-line boards and discussion groups, and reports sent to Cruise Junkie. In reviewing the information, please keep in mind that some cruise lines are given less scrutiny by the media than others, and it is not uncommon for events to not appear in the media.  This information reflects only that which has made it into the public domain. 

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Date
Ship
Cruise Line
Event
Known Compensation 
Type of Incident
December 30
Holiday Carnival Cruise Line Cruise to Cozumel changed to a 4-night "cruise to nowhere" because mechanical problems made it impossible for the ship to make it to Cozumel and back. Passengers given a choice to cancel if the wanted.
$100 on onboard account OR cancel and full refund
Propulsion problems
December 28
Coral  Princess
Princess Cruises
The FBI is investigating a stabbing that took place two days earlier. Two workers reportedly got into an argument and one stabbed the other. The wounded man was transferred to hospital in stable condition.

Assault
Crew on Crew
December 25/26
Carnival Miracle Carnival Cruise Line From a passenger: We pitched over violently to one side, shattering 10's of thousands of dollars in kitchen ware, booze, etc.  Tossed stuff all over the cabins.  Had tugboats pull us to a temporary dock since we were coming back into Tampa and couldn't hold our own against the winds.  From what I heard, we drifted onto sand and that caused us to pitch to one side.  Didn't see anything in the news about it.

Weather
December 22
Maasdam
Holland America Line
The ship will arrive in Norfolk 8 or 9 hours later than scheduled, reportedly because of bad weather.  Disembarking passengers will begin at 5 PM; embarking passengers will begin boarding at 7:30 PM.

Delays
December 20
Brilliance of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
A couple have sued alleging that RCI's baby sitter sexually assaulted their 2-year-old son while they were on a cruise. The assault allegedly occurred on Dec. 18, 2003.
Sexual Assault
December 19
Golden Princess
Princess Cruises
A passenger reports there was a significant outbreak of illness (hundreds of passengers affected) on the Caribbean cruise, December 12 - 19.  According to CDC: the ship reported that an unusual number of passengers and some crew members were experiencing GI illness. The ship’s medical staff reported that 84 of 2742 (3.06%) passengers and 15 of 1100 (1.36%) crew members were ill.  Predominant symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting.  The cruise ends in San Juan on December 19.
Illness
December 14
Holland America Line The company agreed to a $2 million plea agreement in return for its discharge of raw sewage in Juneau Harbor in August 2002.  The offense was considered a misdemeanor.

Environmental
December 13
Silver Shadow
Silversea Cruises
The ship reported that an unusual number of passengers and some crew members were experiencing GI illness. The ship’s medical staff reported that 11 of 275 (4%) passengers and 20 of 291 (6.87%) crew members were ill.  Predominant symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting.  The cruise ends in San Diego on December 14.
Illness
December 10
Norwegian Dream
Norwegian Cruise Line
The ship reported that an unusual number of passengers and some crew members were experiencing GI illness. The ship’s medical staff reported that 73 of 1749 (9.37%) passengers and 9 of 744 (1.21%) crew members were ill.  Predominant symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting.  The cruise ends in New Orleans on December 12.  According to a passenger, the numbers were significantly higher:  "Once the passengers realized that reporting gastrointestinal illnesses would result in a 48 hour quarantine, many just suffered and gutted it out (pun intended) in their rooms."

Illness
December 10
Norwegian Sea
Norwegian Cruise Line
The ship reported that an unusual number of passengers and some crew members were experiencing GI illness. The ship’s medical staff reported that 44 of 1531 (2.87%) passengers and 4 of 683 (0.58%) crew members were ill.  Predominant symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting.  The cruise ends in Houston on December 11.

Illness
December 9
Silver Wind
Silversea Cruises
A crew member was lost at sea between Montevideo, Uruguay and Punta Arenas, Chile. The exact date was either December 9 or 10, 2004. Suicide note indicated marital complications. The event occurred at approximately 4AM and according to the captain, the ship was turned around and a two hour search was conducted to no avail.

Suicide
Dec 6 - 11
Celebration Carnival Cruise Line Received from a reader:
Our first stop to Grand Cayman was cancelled because, apparently, a crew member was struck by a forklift and broke his back (per the captain). The ship was re-routed to Cozumel (nearest port) where the injured person was disembarked. Our first port was then changed to Playa del Carmen.  The crew member is now in Miami in critical condition.

Crew injured
December 7
M/V Explorer
The ship reported that an unusual number of passengers and some crew members were experiencing GI illness. The ship’s medical staff reported that 71 of 758 (9.37%) passengers and 1 of 195 (0.51%) crew members were ill.  Predominant symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting.  The cruise ends in Fort Lauderdale on December 8.
Illness
December 6
Sapphire Princess

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 maneuvered 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.


Loss of propulsion
December 5
Carnival Pride Carnival Cruise Line A 37-year old woman disappeared from the ship late Saturday evening while 30 miles off the Mexican coast.  A search proved unsuccessful.  There is question regarding whether there foul play was involved.  See here for more info.

Person overboard
November 25
Celebration Carnival Cruise Line A 54-year-old man was reported missing, possibly at sea, after the ship arriving home from a five day cruise to the Bahamas.

Person overboard
November18
Carnival Conquest Carnival Cruise Line Posters at Cruise Critic have reported a 60-year-old German man committed suicide by throwing himself overboard and into the water when the ship was in port at Georgetown, Cayman Islands.

Suicide
November 14
Pacific Sky
P&O Australia
The ship was taking on passengers when the engines' water intake became clogged with jellyfish and the engines automatically shut down.  The ship was waiting for delivery of 60 tons of water before the engines could be restarted.  It was expected to depart from Brisbane on its seven day cruise up the Queensland coast the next morning, 15 hours late.

Engine Problems / Delay
November 13
Holiday
Carnival Cruise Line
The ship lost engine power and collided with some pilings along the Mobile River before dawn. As the ship made a turn to head back to its berth at the new cruise terminal, its starboard engine and bow thruster died. Despite being assisted by a tugboat, it collided bow-on with pilings. It eventually regained power and slipped into its berth.
Collision
November 5
Enchantment of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
While docked at Key West, the ship was struck by a barge leaving a 8 foot hole in the vessel's hull.  There is a 50 foot long mark down the side of the ship.  No one was injured and the ship is expected to be repaired and depart from Key West as scheduled.

Collision
November 3
Pacific Sky
P&O Australia
The ship turned back to Brisbane from a 12 day South Pacific cruise after it developed engine problems that prevented it from operating at full speed.  The departure of the cruise had been delayed for more than a day after it was discovered the ship had a faulty boiler, and was further delayed to repair a damaged gearbox in the starboard engine.  The problem causing the ship to abort the cruise was also with the starboard engine.
Full refund +
25% credit on next cruise
Engine Problems / Cancellation
November 2 Sun Princess
Princess Cruises
The ten-day cruise was struck with an outbreak of illness.  According to one passenger:  I was confined (quarantined) to my cabin for 5 days with the Norwalk Virus. I got it 4 days into the sailing and at the 1st port we arrived at. I never left the ship. We were later told that the service in the dining room was so poor because everyone was sick. Then we heard from the entertainer that she had the flu and a fever and was the whole crew was given a vaccine(flu shot).  Representatives of the CDC boarded the ship, but no information has yet been released.
?Illness?
October / November
Seven Seas Mariner
Radisson Seven Seas
Canceled Cabo an Lucas on several 7-day cruises to the Mexican Riviera.  The ship's propeller had been damaged in Alaska five months before, forcing the ship to sail at a reduced speed.  Similar adjustments were made for future itineraries until the ship is dry docked in December.

Itinerary change
October 25
Norwegian Majesty
Norwegian Cruise Line
Arrives in Boston one day late after going through a storm on its return from Bermuda.  The ship reportedly experienced 25 - 30 foot waves and horrendous winds and spent much of Saturday and Sunday in poor conditions. Saturday evening a piece of the gangway broke loose, and flew through the windows in the Royal Fireworks lounge on Deck 5. One gentleman was injured from flying glass, and quite a lot of water was taken on. The crew alarm was sounded, but was misinterpreted by most of the crew and passengers. People began to panic, and headed for their life jackets and muster stations. (And the casino was even closed.) Calm was finally restored when the Captain came on and gave the order to "Stand Down." The entire forward area of deck five remained closed for the remainder of the trip, including all the shops, and the internet cafe. Repairs required the ship to turn away from the wind, so we traveled south at a slow speed for quite a while. (From a poster at Cruise Critic)
Damaged in Storm


October 17
Brilliance of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
As related by a passenger at Cruise Critic: We had left Livorno, (our third day on a cruise out of Barcelona) Italy and at about 11:30 PM the captain asked all passengers to gather at their assigned muster stations without life jackets. A passenger had reported a large splash in the water and they weren't sure whether it was a person or an object -- they needed to account for all crew and passengers via a roll call. In the meantime, the ship was turned around and returned to the area where it happened. It took 2 hours at our muster stations before all passengers were accounted for. One employee was missing. Passengers were allowed back to their business, but the ship continued its search and was joined by other ships in the area, without success. We skipped Mykonos and proceeded to Santorini with an extra sea day since we lost too much time on the search. Later in the cruise, the captain told us that they had found a note indicating the crew members intent to kill himself.  Thru crew members, the story was that he had just joined the crew (his first cruise) and was working with his wife on board. It appears that there was a love triangle situation of some sort (stories varied depending on who you talked to). It was sad and provided a little weirdness to the otherwise great trip.
Suicide
October 11
Royal Caribbean International Posted at rec.travel.cruises newsgroup:
I had a bad incident involving my very daughter on a  royal carb cruise. I complained to boat staff,  customer service,  guest relations.  It is now time to go to the upper management.  It involves a sexual assault by another guest on board. Also it deals with the lack of help I got onboard and from customer service as well.   The incident happened August 29, 2004.


Sexual Assault

(Pax on Child)

October 11
Serenade of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
Received from a reader re: 9/26 - 10/4 cruise:
On  10/4, the ship brought out sanitizing methods. thorough ship cleaning by crew, and hand sanitizers at the ships entrance and Windjammer cafe. It was personally reported from a relative of a crew member that several passengers had become ill with an intestinal virus and were quarantined for 72 hours.  We witnessed a few passengers that were missing from their assigned tables for a couple of nights.. In addition, the main pool was closed down for the last two days of the cruise after a passenger defecated and vomited in the pool.  Signs were posted around the pool that due to a fecal accident, the pool would be closed.  The Solarium pool was packed as a result. The Serenade was in port with the Veendam near the end of the cruise, so the above precautions could have been due to any contact a Serenade passenger may have had with a Veendam passenger.

?Illness?
October 3
Veendam
Holland America Line
The ship reported that an unusual number of passengers and some crew members were experiencing GI illness. The ship’s medical staff reported that 39 of 1230 (3.17%) passengers and 2 of 557 (0.36%) crew members were ill.  Predominant symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting.  The cruise began in San Diego and will end October 14.
Illness
September 28
Rotterdam
Holland America Line
Ambulances greeted the ship in Halifax after passengers and crew endured a harrowing encounter with monster waves generated by hurricane Karl in the North Atlantic. About a dozen passengers were taken to hospital with suspected fractures and severe bruising.  In total, 90 people (including five crew) reported some minor injury.  The ship lost power and for 3.5 hours was tossed around in high waves and in total darkness.  Here's a link to a news story if you want more info.  And another.
Free shore excursions in Halifax and a 50% refund or credit of cruise fare
Power Loss and Adrift
-----
"Cruise from Hell"
September 26
Jewel of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
A 20-metre whale was found impaled on the bow of the Jewel of the Seas when it arrived in Saint John, NB.  The ship's crew spotted the finback whale about the same time as officers in a small utility boat who had been dispatched to help tie up the ship, said Bruce Fiander of the coast guard's traffic operations centre.
Collision with Whale
September 26
Van Gogh
Travelscope
The 500 passenger ship collided with an oil tanker in foggy conditions off the southern coast of Spain.  The Van Gogh had just left the port at Gibraltar when it collided with the Greek-registered Spetses tanker carrying 140,000 tons of crude, off the Bay of Algeciras.  There was no report of injuries or spill of oil.  The Van Gogh returned to Gibraltar and passengers were flown home.

Collision
September 20 Sun Princess
Princess Cruises
The ship will go through a "super-sanitization" for any traces of Norwalk-like virus when its arrives at Vancouver today.  101 passengers and 14 crew were reported ill by September 17.  The cruise left Whittier September 13.

Illness
September 17
Regal Princess
Princess Cruises
I received the following from a passenger onboard the ship:  The captain has just announced that there are sick people on board and that we need to wash our hands especially after we use the restroom ... They have isolated the people who are sick and are in high alert and started the sterilization process to stop the virus before it  gets worse. It must just be starting. The cruise began  in New York on Sept. 11 and ended in Montreal Sept. 21.  On September 21, the ship’s medical staff reported that 47 of 1537 (3.06%) passengers and 7 of 680 (1.03%) crew members were ill. The predominant symptoms were diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and nausea.
Illness
September 13 Sun Princess
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises reported that that 145 of 1998 (7.26%) passengers and 5 of 855 (.58%) crew members were ill. The predominant symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting..  The ship's voyage will ended on September 13, 2004, in Whittier, AK (sailing dates: September 6 - 13).
Illness
September 8
Zenith
Celebrity Cruises
A Honduran worker was arraigned in a Bermuda court for "unlawful assault and causing bodily harm" to a female co-worker.  It is alleged that the co-worker received injuries to her face as a result of being attacked with a bottle.

Assault
Crew on Crew
September 8
Empress of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
Seven crew members were seriously injured after a lifeboat plunged 60 feet into the water during a training exercise.  One victim was airlifted out of Bermuda for treatment of spinal injuries and a second man is in intensive care after nearly drowning.  The victims include 2 Filipinos, one South African, one Ecuadorian, one West Indian, and two of unknown nationality (one of whom is South American).

Accident - 7 Crew Injured
September 4
Voyager of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
The Jersey Journal reports that a 67 year old woman committed suicide by jumping overboard after losing money in the casino.  See the article by clicking here.  On September 16, the paper reported: There were indications she'd lost money in the casino on board and she came back to her cabin, went onto the balcony of the cabin, where she appeared to have put a chair against the railing, removed her clothing and went off into the sea below.

Suicide
September 2
Berlin
Peter Deilmann Cruises
The ship entered dry dock for repair to a stabilizer damaged when it collided with a pier at Invergordon.  The cruise scheduled for August 28 was cancelled.  The next cruise will depart from Kiel on September 4.

Cancellation
September 1
Summit
Celebrity Cruises
It was announced that the ship will enter dry dock for a pre-emptive repair to its starboard propulsion system.  As a result, the September 10 cruise has been cancelled, the cruise beginning September 17 will be delayed until September 20, and the cruise beginning September 3 will have itinerary adjustments to accommodate the ship's top speed of 18 (rather than 20) knots.
For those on the cancelled cruise, a full refund and a free future cruise
Propulsion problems

Cancellation
Aug 27 - Sept 3
Mercury
Celebrity Cruises
A 40 year old passenger went missing the second day of the cruise.  The cruise line calls the disappearance a suicide but the family thinks otherwise, especially given that the cruise line had withheld information from them.  (See Arizona Republic, November 10, 2005, "Daughter vanishes while on Alaskan cruise: The strange disappearance of Miriam Carver)  For more information see here.

Passenger missing
August 28
Pride of Aloha
NCL America
Problems with service, cleanliness, and product quality have persisted since the cruise line began.  NLC America has taken the unusual step of refunding 50% of the mandatory service fee and is offering discounts on future cruises to past passengers.
$35 plus discount on future cruise
Poor service -
"Cruise from hell"
August 23
Splendor of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
A woman is suing the company, alleging she was attacked and raped by a senior worker and the cruise line did nothing about it.  The incident happened on the night of December 18, 2002 -- she had only been on the ship for 1.5 days.  RCI says  it reported her claim to authorities and the incident "appeared to be a consensual relationship on the night of the alleged incident."
Sexual Assault
(Crew on Crew)
August 22 Norwegian Sea
Norwegian Cruise Line
While en route from Houston to Cozumel, the ship rescued four men who had been clinging to a partially submerged fishing boat for 12 days. The four men -- all from Honduras -- had left Roatan for a fishing trip on Aug. 8, and their small outboard boat capsized two days later. For almost two weeks, the group drifted approximately 520 nautical miles through the Yucatán Strait, catching fish with the help of a t-shirt and drinking rainwater.
Rescue
August 22
Holiday
Carnival Cruise Line
The ship rescued five people, including a 10-year-old boy, after their fishing boat burned and capsized off the coast of Cancún.  A search ensued after ship employees reported hearing someone yell from the water.
Rescue
August 20
Clipper Odyssey Clipper Cruise Line After canceling the August 15 cruise because repairs were still not completed following the ship's grounding one July 31, it was announced that the August 26 "Alaska’s Glaciers, Fjords and Wildlife" cruise would also be cancelled because more time was needed to complete repairs.  Finally resumed service Oct. 1 in Papeete.
Cancellations
August 11 - 19
Carnival Legend
Carnival Cruise Line
The 8-day cruise from NYC to the Caribbean took a detour to Bermuda and passengers spent three days in port while repairs were made to an electrical component in the Azipod propulsion system.  Passengers returned to NYC from Bermuda.
$150 onboard credit
Propulsion problems

Ports skipped
August 11 Nantucket Clipper
Clipper Cruise Line
A health outbreak was reported, but specimens were not obtained and no other information is available.
Illness
August 9
Voyager of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
Associated Press reports that a female cruise passenger has sued RCI claiming she was sexually assaulted by an employee on the cruise running August 3 - 10, 2003.  The assault happened when an employee insisted on escorting the woman back to her cabin took her instead to an employees-only area and attacked her.

Sexual Assault

(Crew on Pax
August 7 R6 Blue Star
Pullmantur Cruises
It was reported in Kathimerini (English edition) in Athens that 30 passengers (3.82%) and 2 crew members came down with gastroenteritis on a seven-day cruise from Venice.  The ship is carrying 785 passengers and 388 crew.
Illness
August 5 Silver Shadow
Silversea Cruises
On August 4, the ship reported that 13 passengers (3.5%) and 5 crew (1.73%) had reported illness consistent with norovirus.  The cruise ran from July 26 - August 6, ending in San Francisco.
Illness
August 4
Carnival Miracle
Carnival Cruise Line
The Baltimore Sun carried a story that Carnival had been forced to bump passengers on cruises leaving from Baltimore because the cruises were overbooked.  Hundreds of passengers have had their cruise cancelled.  See story in Baltimore Sun (August 4, 2004)
Overbooking
July 31
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.
Grounded

Evacuation
July 31
Carnival Miracle
Carnival Cruise Line
At 4 AM, just hours before docking in NYC, an announcement came over the public address system saying, "This is the Captain speaking.  All crew members abandon ship."  This was followed a few minutes later by a message from a female saying all was well and the previous message was a mistake.  The Captain followed a bit later apologizing with the explanation that teenagers had gotten hold of the public address system.

Hoax
July 31
Zuiderdam
Holland America Line
A passenger reported:  Just got off their July 24th sailing.  Reportedly had over  25 cases of a GI bug.  Ship was then placed on high alert with sanitizing going on everywhere,  No salt and pepper on tables and the Lido restaurant was placed on no self serve status.
Illness
July 28 Pacific Princess
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruise Line reported that that 22 of 614 (3.58%) passengers and 4 of 383 (1.04%) crew members were ill. The predominant symptom is diarrhea.  The ship's voyage will end on August 17, 2004, in Honolulu, HI (sailing dates: July 25-August 17). They will arrive in U.S. port (Saipan) on August 1.
Illness
July 27
Nantucket Clipper Clipper Cruise Line Clipper Cruise Line reported an increased number of cases of gastrointestinal (GI) illness on the ship for the voyage completed on July 27, 2004, in Buffalo, NY (sailing dates: July 1-26).  On July 24th, the ships medical staff reported that 6 of 51 (11.76%) passengers had reported gastrointestinal illness.
Illness
July 26
Carnival Legend
Carnival Cruise Line
There was a medical emergency on the prior cruise, requiring the ship to stop in Bermuda on its way back to NYC and causing it to arrive late in NYC. The cruise beginning today will sail approximately 8 hours later than planned, departing at midnight rather than 4 PM. $20 per passenger onboard credit
Delayed departure
July 23
Fascination
Carnival Cruise Line
A passenger is suspected to have fallen overboard -- he was last seen at 3:30 AM, was reported missing at 7:00 AM, and did not disembark at the end of the cruise in Miami.  The story is on-line at: NBC 6 - Miami and at the Sun Sentinel

Man Overboard
July 21
Norwegian Crown &
Norwegian Majesty
Norwegian Cruise Line

The Royal Gazette (Bermuda) reported that hundreds of passengers fell violently sick as their Bermuda-bound ships were pounded by 15 foot waves during a fierce storm.  All outdoor activities were cancelled and staff distributed seasickness drugs, green apples and salt crackers.  Click here to see the story.

Stormy seas
July 8
Rhapsody of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
It was reported on the Herald Wire Service (and today's Miami Herald -- Florida Business Briefs) that an underage girl has filed suit accusing crew members of giving her alcohol and sexually assaulting her.  The incident is alleged to have happened in July 2003 on a Gulf of Mexico cruise from Galveston.

Sexual Assault

(Crew on Pax)
July 7
Jubilee
Carnival Cruise Line
A passenger onboard has reported that there are major engine problems on the current 5 day cruise from Jacksonville and that ports of call have been cancelled/changed.  They were to go to Key West and Nassau and instead went to Freeport today and are in Nassau tomorrow -- both are shortened port stays.  

Engine Problems
June 27 - July 4
Veendam
Holland America Line
Two passengers reported that at least 40 passengers and an unknown number of crew had come down with gastro intestinal illness.  The ship reminded passengers on need to wash hands "and provided sanitizers at every imaginable spot on the ship".

Illness
June 30
Holland America Line
Former Vice President, Richard K. Softye, was fined $10,000 after pleading guilty to falsely certifying that Holland America Line was performing environmental audits when it wasn't.  He was also ordered to perform 450 hours of community service while on probation for three years.

Environmental
June 27
Pride of Aloha
NCL America

The ship's main den call at Hilo was met with protest by MOKU O KEAWE OHANA, a grassroots not-for-profit Hawaii based organization  Protests are also planned for the ship's other stops: June 27th in Kona, June 28th and 29th in Kahului, June 30th and July 1st in Nawiliwili and July 2nd in Honolulu.

"At issue is Norwegian Cruise Line’s failure to respect and accept responsibility for the impact that they will have on the Hawaiian culture and environment. Cultural protocols have been ignored and the overall impact that thousands of tourists will have on the land and sea has not been addressed. We have asked NCL, what is their Ho’okupu to Na Kanaka Hawaii? Their response was jobs. Moku O Keawe Ohana views this response as insensitive and degrading in the Ho’okupu protocol to Na Kanaka Hawaii”, says Moku O Keawe Ohana President, Kale Gumapac.


Protest
June 25
Queen Mary
Cunard Line
A BBC investigation led the UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency to warn Carnival Corporation that panels in 900 of the bathrooms "do not fully meet fire regulation standards."  The ship was fitted with 1300 additional smoke alarms and there are plans to install sprinklers in the bathrooms.

Noncompliance with Fire Standards
June 11 - 19
Queen Mary
Cunard Line
I received the following from a passenger:  There was a man overboard incident during the Caribbean cruise from 6-11 to 6-19-04;  the rumor aboard was that it was a suicide. There was also a delay in St Thomas because they did not have the "paperwork" in order with the USCG. This delayed disembarkation more than 3 hours.
Man Overboard

Delay
June 18
World Discoverer
Society Expeditions
The ship's mortgage holders took possession of the ship and the company ceased operations.  Passengers onboard were flown home from Nome, Alaska, where the cruise was planning to disembark and embark passengers.  The company filed for bankruptcy on June 30.

Bankruptcy
June 14
Serenade of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
On June 13, the ship reported that 71 passengers and 9 crew had reported illness consistent with norovirus.  The cruise ran from June 6 - 13, ending in Vancouver.

Illness
June 12 - 19
Zenith
Celebrity Cruises

The following report was received:  "Sailed with Celebrity on this cruise. Sewer smell throughout ship, water was brown in our cabin, toilet vacuum system out for 2 days. My wife became ill and reported it to the staff who immediately drew blood and treated her for stomach "virus". Cruise line admitted there was a problem with the sewer system but denied my wife was ill from this.We noted the placement of hand sanitizers at the gang way immediately following."

Sewer smell

Illness
June 10
Island Princess
Princess Cruises
For a second week in a row, passengers were struck with illness consistent with norovirus. On June 9, the ship reported that 66 passengers and 19 crew had reported illness consistent with norovirus.  The cruise began in Whittier and will end June 12 in Vancouver.

Illness
June 10
Viking Europe
Viking River Cruises
The river cruise ship (135 passengers; 39 crew) hit a bridge in Vienna, injuring 19 people. Injuries were minor -- mainly scrapes and bruises. The ship was still function and the damage to the bridge was slight.

Collision
June 9
Royal Caribbean International
The Miami Herald reported in today's paper that an ex-crew member has charged in a lawsuit that RCI failed to respond promptly or properly after she reported having been sexually assaulted by a co-worker.  The woman also alleges that RCI failed to save any evidence but 'subjected her to multiple interrogations,' that no action was taken against the accused, and that she was subsequently fired.  (See www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/8873964.htm)

Sexual Assault
(Crew on Crew)

June 8
Pride of Aloha
NCL America
KSBW-TV reported that the ship may have dropped anchor over a fragile marine environment -- fragile shale beds.  The ship insists that it anchored at one of the two permitted locations, but a scientist using lasers and global positioning equipment suggests otherwise. 
Environmental
June 7
Carnival Destiny
Carnival Cruise Line
A passenger reported that "the ship broke down while cruising from St.Thomas to Dominica. We were delayed 3.5 hours. Also, while docked at St.Thomas there was a fire in one of trash incinerators. Passengers were delayed 45 minutes to board. There was no cause given as to why the fire started."

Propulsion problems
June 5
Carnival Miracle
Carnival Cruise Line
It was announced that the August 28, 2004 sailing would be cancelled for maintenance on the seal on the slewing bearing, a component of the steering drive in the podded propulsion unit.  Carnival says it has made a temporary fix that will suffice for now.  

Cancellation
June 4
Adventure of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
The following was posted at "rec.travel.cruises" (the Usenet newsgroup) and may be of interest to some:
RCCL seems to have a problem providing clean water to the bathrooms in the cabins. The water in the sink was brown many times during our cruise. We spoke to Guest Relations about it. They said it should still be okay to drink. Oh really? So plan on brushing your teeth with bottled water and you'll be fine.

Water Quality in Cabin
June 4

Island Princess
Princess Cruises
375 passengers and 49 crew were reportedly stricken with norovirus.  The seven-day cruise began in Vancouver on May 29 and ended a day early in Whittier on June 4.

Illness
June 1
Caronia
P&O Cruises
A passenger reported that the ship "suffered a total power failure following a leak from a swimming pool that took out the main electric board.  Drifted for approximately 2 hours before partial power restored.  Incident caused delay resulting in revised itinerary.  No reports of injury (well none mentioned to passengers)."

Power failure
May 12 - 30
Veendam
Volendam
Holland America Line
There have been multiple reports on Internet newsgroups of engine/propulsion problems with the Veendam.  The May 14th and May21st cruises skipped College Fjord, cut short the visit to ports, and arrived late into Vancouver (and Seward)  because of the problems, which caused most passengers to miss their scheduled flights home.  
There also appear to have been propulsion problems aboard the Volendam's May 12th cruise -- the right engine was not operational and the cruise was ended on one engine.  
Neither ship has been taken out of service for repairs.

Propulsion problems

Ports skipped

Delayed arrivals & departures
May 24
Festival Cruises
It is expected that Festival Cruises will file for bankruptcy this week and cease all operations.

Bankruptcy
May 22
Diamond Princess
Princess Cruises
The ship left port late (3:30 AM Sunday morning) because of inspection of damage caused by the grounding/collision in Victoria.  Because of the late departure, and sailing at slower than normal speeds, both Juneau and Victoria have been dropped from this weeks itinerary (although there will be at least a technical stop at a Canadian port in order to satisfy Cabotage laws).
$500 per cabin credit to compensate for missing two ports
Delay

Schedule change
May 21
Diamond Princess
Princess Cruises
High winds pushed the ship into a pier at Victoria, BC, when it tried to dock.  "You could hear the scraping and crunching," said one witness.  The ship aborted the docking operation until winds subsided.  Damage was minor, except for bent propeller blade tips, and there were no injuries.  The ship returned to Seattle the next day, arriving six hours late.

Collision with pier
May 21
Ocean Majesty
Majestic International
The ship arrived in Warnemunde and was scheduled to depart for Tallinn that evening, but the sailing was cancelled due to a problem with the steering gear's hydraulic system.  Passengers were disembarked.

Cancellation
May 20
Pacific Sky
P&O Australia
The ship returned from a 12 night South Pacific cruise.  It was confirmed by a NSW Health spokeswoman that 32 passengers and 24 crew members had been ill with gastroenteritis.

Illness
May 18
Carnival Sensation
Carnival Cruise Line
Four foreign seamen fell about 100 feet during a lifeboat drill when a winch failed while the ship was docked in Cozumel, Mexico, according to lawsuits filed May 25 in Miami.  The crew members allegedly suffered broken legs, hips and spines when the lifeboat smashed into the water.

Crew injured
May 15
Sun Cruz V
Sun Cruz Casino Boat
An engine room fire was extinguished and no one was injured after the ship caught fire with 160 passengers onboard (560 capacity) when it was 3 miles (30 minutes) south of Port Everglades.  It was towed back to Port Everglades two hours later and passengers were offloaded.

Fire
May 13
Carnival Victory
Carnival Cruise Line
Passengers were delayed in disembarking the ship when it arrived at Grand Cayman and was searched for a bomb. None was found.  The threat was traced to a passenger who was allegedly inebriated. She was taken into custody by authorities in the Cayman Islands and was eventually sent back to the US.

Delay
May 12
Wilderness Adventurer
Glacier Bay Cruiseline
The ship was evacuated after striking ice and taking on water in Tracy Arm in southeastern Alaska.  The ice punctured a 3 inch hole into the hull. There were no injuries and all passengers and crew were safely evacuated to another ship.
Holed / Evacuated
May 12
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.

Grounded
May 10
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.
Grounded
May 10
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
May 9
Pacific Sky
P&O Australia

140 passengers reported illness consistent with norovirus during an 11 day cruise from Sydney.  The cruise line was quoted as blaming poor personal hygiene among some passengers for the outbreak.

Illness
May 7
Norwegian Crown
Norwegian Cruise Line

For a second week in a row, passengers were struck with illness consistent with norovirus. On May 9, the ship reported that 39 passengers and 6 crew had reported illness consistent with norovirus..

Illness
May 7
Coral Princess
Princess Cruises
A cruise passenger called a San Francisco television station to report that the Coral Princess struck a whale near Golden Gate Bridge while leaving San Francisco harbour en route to Vancouver.  The incident was reported by KNTV, Channel 11.

Whale collision
May 3

Norwegian Wind
Norwegian Cruise Line

On May 2, the ship reported that 54 passengers and 2 crew had reported illness consistent with norovirus.  The cruise ran from April 17 - May 3, ending in Los Angeles.

Illness
May 1
Norwegian Dream
Norwegian Cruise Line

Earlier this week, the Norwegian Dream cancelled its its scheduled stop at Genoa, and it scheduled a stop at the port of Gibraltar.  Its next scheduled port of call was
to have been Barcelona the following day, but the Spanish
government decided to enforce a decades-old law that says a ship cannot dock at a Spanish port after it has called
at Gibraltar. NCL substituted Sete, France for Barcelona. Other cruise lines are now canceling stops at Gibraltar in order to avoid similar problems.

Cancellation of Port of Call
April 30

Norwegian Crown
Norwegian Cruise Line

On May 2, the ship reported that 43 passengers and 2 crew had reported illness consistent with norovirus.  The cruise ran from April 25 - May 2, ending in Philadelphia.  ALSO, fuel fumes filled 50 cabins as a result of a hole in a ventilation duct in the air conditioning system, and there were reportedly power outages.  Passengers were promised full refunds by the Captain onboard, but news reports indicate the company reneged.

Illness

Power Outages

Fumes
April 30

Veendam
Holland America Line
On April 30, the ship reported that 79 passengers and 6 crew had reported illness consistent with norovirus.  The cruise ran from April 17 - May 5, ending in Seattle.

Illness
April 27
Black Prince
Fred Olsen Cruises
En route to her first journey after engine repairs, the ship broke down just off Southampton docks.  412 passengers waiting to take a mini-cruise to Ireland and the Channel Islands had to wait until evening for the ship's arrival, which had been left without power.

Engine failure
April 16

Amsterdam
Holland America Line
On April 16, the ship reported that 75 passengers and 11 crew had reported gastrointestinal illness.  It was later confirmed that the illness was caused by E. coli.  The cruise ran from March 31 - April 17, ending in San Diego.
Illness
April 16
My Travel
(Airtours)
My Travel announced that it was selling its cruise operations to Cyprus-based Louis Cruises.  My Travel will continue to sell Sun Cruise holidays (operated by Louis Cruises) on Sundream up to September, Sunbird to January next year, and Sunbird to May 2005.  Seawing will leave the fleet at the end of this summer.

Out of the Business
April 14
Rotterdam
Holland America Line
On April 12, the ship reported that 38 passengers and 7 crew had reported illness consistent with norovirus.  The cruise ran from April 2 - 15, ending in Baltimore.

Illness
April 12
Queen Mary
Cunard Line
The ship arrived in Southampton, at the end of its second transatlantic cruise, 3.5 hours late.  The ship was delayed in Lisbon while a problem with a door over a bow thruster was repaired.  It was unable to make up the time from Lisbon to England becaus e one of the back-up engine turbines had not been working properly since the start of the trip. 
Delayed arrival
April 10
Diamond Princess
Princess Cruises
The ship was 5 hours late in its return to Los Angeles on the 3 - 10 April 2004 Mexican Riviera cruise because of "technical difficulties.".  The rumor onboard was that the ship had blown an engine.  On the cruise before this one, there were three power failures (none longer than 5 minutes) and there had been a water main break in a public washroom.

Delayed arrival
April 9
Zenith
Celebrity Cruises

On April 8, the ship reported that 48 passengers and 7 crew had reported illness consistent with norovirus.  The cruise ran from March 28 - April 11.

Illness
April 8
Noordam
Holland America Line
Carnival Corporation reported in its 10Q filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that on March 5, 2004, Holland America Line notified the United States and Netherlands governmental authorities that one of its chief engineers had admitted to improperly processing bilge water on the Noordam. A subsequent internal investigation determined that the improper operation may have begun in January 2004 and may have continued sporadically through March 4, 2004.  The matter had also been raised by Coast Guard officials in San Juan, Puerto Rico to their counterparts in Tampa following a report to them of the incidents.  It isn't clear whether Holland America's self-report predates the report made by the Coast Guard.  Holland America Line and three shipboard engineers have received grand jury subpoenas from the Office of the U.S. Attorney in Tampa, FL (where the ship was home ported).  (See CCL 10Q filed with the SEC on April 8, 2004)

Environmental
April 8
Norwegian Dream
Norwegian Cruise Line
The itinerary for the 22 March cruise was changed as a result of a broken crankshaft and need for the ship to operate on one engine.  Madeira and Genoa were cancelled as ports of call and a stop at Gibraltar was added.  NCL says the engine problems will not effect the next three Mediterranean sailings.  There is no word when the repairs will be made.
$50 per person onboard credit
Engine breakdown
April 7
Galaxy
Celebrity Cruises

380 passengers were stranded ashore in Charleston, SC when the ship was forced by the Coast Guard to leave its berth because it had failed to file its manifest paperwork on time (reportedly for the third time).  The ship departed and waited outside twelve miles from shore and then after the required wait returned to pick up those who had been left behind.  The ship was fined $32,500 for failing to file the required paperwork on time.

Screw - up
April 5 or 6
Queen Mary
Cunard Line
The ship encountered gale fore 12 winds and 70 foot seas on its maiden transAtlantic crossing.  Click here for photos.
Heavy Seas
April 2
Norwegian Star
Norwegian Cruise Line
Because of damage to the forward thrust bearing in the ship's Azipod system, stops at Fanning Island have been cancelled for cruises through April 25.  The ship will then enter dry dock one week early.
Those on the cancelled cruise: full refund plus 25% of the amount paid for this cruise off a future cruise.
Cancellation / Propulsion
Problems
April
Sovereign of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
It was reported in the media that in April 2004, a crewman on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Sovereign of the Seas passenger ship invaded the cabin of a female passenger and her daughter, then 12, assaulting the mother and frightening the girl.  According to the Court, the incident was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff's Office and reported that the crew member involved was extremely intoxicated, and within a very short time, he forced and/or attempted to force his way into several cabins (including this one), and that the occupants of each cabin forced the crew member out.

Assault and/or battery
March 31
Horizon
Celebrity Cruises

On March 31, the ship reported that 49 passengers and 5 crew had reported illness consistent with norovirus.  The cruise ran from March 22 - April 2.

Illness
March 31
Norwegian Crown
Norwegian Cruise Line

On March 31, the ship reported that 43 passengers and 8 crew had reported illness consistent with norovirus.  The cruise ran from March 22 - April 4.  There had been a similar outbreak in the cruise before (see below)

Illness
March 30
Carnival Glory
Carnival Cruise Line
Due to dredging operations in Key West, Florida the itinerary will substitute Costa Maya, Mexico for Key West in May through October.

Rescheduling
March 29
Black Prince
Fred Olsen Cruise Line
One of the ship's two main engines broke down on its transatlantic crossing.  The March 11th cruise ended on March 29, and the following cruise is also cancelled.  The ship will re-enter service April 27.
Those booked on cancelled cruise: refund, voucher for future cruise, or accommodated
Engine Breakdown / Cancellation
March 24
Royal Princess
Princess Cruises
On March 22, the ship reported that 46 passengers and 12 crew had reported illness consistent with norovirus.  The cruise ran from March 9 - 25.

Illness
March 24
Norwegian Crown
Norwegian Cruise Line
On March 20, the ship reported that 69 passengers and 9 crew had reported illness consistent with norovirus.  The cruise ran from March 7 - 22.

Illness
March 18
Holiday
Carnival Cruise Line
The ship arrived in New Orleans 12 hours late as a result of a "technical malfunction."  Passengers on the cruise beginning today were advised not to arrive at the terminal any earlier than 8PM.  All guests were expected to be onboard by 10PM.

Technical malfunction
March 16
Seawing
Sun Cruises (Airtours)
Cruises scheduled for April 4 and April 18 have been cancelled as a result of the ship being auctioned off as part of the Royal Olympia bankruptcy.  The ship was chartered by Sun Cruises from Royal Olympia.  Royal Caribbean had sold the ship to Royal Olympia and there is rumor that Sun Cruises will work something out with RCCL.

Cancellation
March 15
Seven Seas Voyager
Radisson Seven Seas
The ship was forced to drop anchor in the middle of Victoria Harbour (Hong Kong) last week because no berths were available. Passengers were reportedly upset because they wanted to get to town by just walking off the ship instead of having to be tendered ashore.  The problem was caused because the QE II had extended its port call from 2 nights to 3 nights.

Berthing change
March 6

Queen Mary
Cunard Line
The ship reported that 33 passengers (1.35%) and 55 crew (4.07%) were ill with symptoms consistent with Norovirus.  The CDC posted this information on its web site on March 17th, which is twelve days after the ship had docked in Fort Lauderdale (from Sint Maarten); 19 days after it was first alerted that an unusual number of passengers and crew had reported being ill.

Illness
March 12
Infinity
Millennium
Celebrity Cruises
It has been announced Millennium will assume the March 28 and April 11 Panama Canal itineraries scheduled for Infinity, which will go into dry dock to repair it propulsion system.  Millennium's March 28 seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise has been cancelled.  After leaving dry dock, Infinity will assume the Millennium itineraries scheduled for April 4, 11, and 18.
Passengers on Millennium's cancelled cruise will receive a full refund and a voucher for for a free Celebrity cruise.
Cancellation
March 11
Key West, Florida
It is worth noting a protest held today in Key West over the uncontrolled growth of cruise tourism that has brought over-crowding and congestion.  With 1.2 million passengers in the past year, the demonstration coincided with five ships were in port.  The city was listed third from the bottom in a recent National Geographic Traveler article that put Key West into the "Getting Ugly" category.  Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas) was fourth from the bottom.  Visit Livable Old Town for more information and background.

Demonstration
March 9
Infinity
Celebrity Cruises
It has been reported by passengers (and confirmed by the company) that the ship is experiencing propulsion problems and sailing at reduced speeds on its South American cruise.  Though the ship can cruise at 22 knots, it has been operating at speeds no higher than 16 knots.   It is unclear the degree to which alterations have been made in the itinerary.

Propulsion Problems
March 4
Oriana
P&O Cruises
The ship left Barbados February 20 and is due to arrive in New Orleans on March 5.  As of March 3rd, the ship reported that 65 passengers and 9 crew members had reported illness likely caused by Norovirus

Illness
February 26
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.

Grounding
February 25

Brilliance of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
The ship, on a ten day Caribbean cruise, reported that 78 passengers and 16 crew had reported gastrointestinal illness likely caused by Norovirus.

Illness
February 25

Queen Elizabeth 2
Cunard Line

The ship, on a world cruise, reported five days after leaving Sydney, Australia for Guam that 82 passengers and 24 crew had reported gastrointestinal illness likely caused by Norovirus.

Illness
February 23
Vistamar
Plantours & Partners
The ship was detained in St. Thomas for 36 hours when the US Coast Guard found that the ship lacked the International Convention for Standards of Training Certificate and Watch Keeping -- standards required by the International Maritime Organization.  The ship was help while crew got required training.

Detained
February 22
Norwegian Dream, Carnival Conquest, Holiday, Rhapsody of the Seas
On Sunday, the Carnival Conquest chose to dock in Gulfport, MS (and shuttle passengers from New Orleans) and the Norwegian Dream used a wharf on the Industrial Canal in East New Orleans.  A scheduled stop in New Orleans by Carnival's Holiday will shift to Mobile and the Rhapsody of the Seas will dock in Gulfport, MS.

Delays / Itinerary Changes
February 21
Grandeur of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International

An offshore supply boat with a crew of five capsized and sank near the mouth of the Mississippi River early Saturday after colliding with a container cargo ship bound for New Orleans. Coast Guard officials late Saturday said the pass could be closed until Wednesday, depending on how long it will take to complete rescue and salvage operations.  The Grandeur of the Seas is blocked from leaving New Orleans.  Other ships are blocked from arriving.  The Grandeur of the Seas left for a two day cruise to nowhere on Wednesday afternoon, February 25.

Full refund plus 25% discount on a future sailing of up to seven nights to the Caribbean or Mexico Refunds will be made in the form of payment used to purchase the cruise (not cash).
Delays
February 16
Stena Nautica
Stena Line
The passenger ferry collided with a cargo ship (the Jamaican registered Joanna) en route from Denmark to Varberg in Sweden.  91 passengers and 37 crew were evacuated to another ship in the area at the time.  The collision caused an 11-metre hole in the ship's hull.

Collision
February 13
Royal Caribbean International
Calls at RCI's private island at Labadee in Haiti have been suspended until April (at least) due to unrest in the country.

Cancellation
February 13
Celebration
Carnival Cruise Line
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 328 passengers and 20 crew have been sickened with what appears to be Norwalk-like virus since the second day at sea on this five day cruise to the Caribbean from Galveston.  A passenger reports that the nurse told her the last night of the cruise that the number was well over 600.
Passengers who reported ill are being offered a full refund or a cruise credit in the amount they had paid toward a future 4 or 5 day cruise.
Illness
February 13
Ryndam
Holland America Line
79 passengers and 10 crew reported gastrointestinal illness suspected to be caused by Norwalk-like virus.  The seven day cruise to Mexico began February 7.

Illness
February 5
Majesty of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
Passengers were directed to stay at their muster stations for 24 minutes when a galley fire broke out at 5 AM in the Windjammer Cafe. The fire was extinguished in 21 minutes and there were no injuries.  The ship will continue on its itinerary, but the Windjammer Cafe will be closed.

Minor Fire
January 30
Caribe
Festival Cruises
The cruise scheduled to depart from Santo Domingo on January 31 has been cancelled, given the company's financial difficulties.  All seven ships owned by Festival Cruises are now idle.

Cancellation
January 28
Oceana
P&O Cruises
The U.S. Coast Guard ordered the ship out of St. Thomas harbour on Tuesday morning after it failed to provide a list of names and citizenship of its 2870 passengers and crew. Tenders filled with passengers were sent back to the ship.  The ship continued to its next port: Antigua

Cancelled port call
January 28
Bolero and Flamenco
Festival Cruises
Both ships reportedly arrested in Gibraltar on behalf of J.P. Morgan Bank.

Ships arrested
January
27
Azur
Festival Cruises
The ship suffered propulsion problems (one engine broke down) on Friday in bad weather off Antalya and was unable to enter port.  It cut short its call to Rhodes, skipped Piraeus, and ended in Ravenna, Italy instead of Venice as planned.  The January 27th cruise has been cancelled.

Engine Problems / Cancellation
January 23
Serenade of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean is investigating an incident on Serenade of the Seas where the ship made a sharp turn resulting in a 13.5 degree list which lasted for 20 seconds.  Originally, the turn was thought to be a malfunction during a required steering test. Instead it turned out to be human error that was a result of a miscommunication between individuals in two areas of the ship. A procedure is already being put into place to prevent a recurrence.  The pitch caused the inside pool to overflow and water washed down a stairway.  There were no serious injuries, although 24 passengers and 4 crew were treated for minor injuries.

Pitch
January 22
Mistral, European Stars, and European Vision
Festival Cruises
A dispute with creditors leads to the Mistral being seized in Marseille with 700 passengers onboard, the European Stars being seized in Barcelona with 750 passengers onboard, and the European Vision being impounded in Barbados with 1300 passengers onboard.  Sailings scheduled for the last week of January have been cancelled.

Cancellations

January 22
Coral Princess
Princess Cruises
134 passengers and 20 crew members on Panama Canal cruise reportedly came down with a gastrointestinal illness caused by norovirus.

Illness
January 19
Queen Elizabeth 2
Cunard Line

29 passengers (1.86%) and 46 crew (4.56%) reported gastrointestinal illness suspected to be caused by Norwalk-like virus.  The twelve day cruise ended in Los Angeles on January 19.

Illness
January 16 (approx) Serenade of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
From a passenger:  We were wakened sometime after midnight by searchlights outside our stateroom and then the Captain’s voice asking people to stop throwing life rings overboard. We assumed some boisterous partygoers had got carried away, but as we were listening we realized there was a lot more to this than that. Someone had gone overboard and we could hear him from our balcony yelling, "help me, help me" -- that's a voice I will never forget.  They were able to fish him out on a skiff and he walked from the skiff onto the ship under his own steam.The next morning, we saw him loaded into an ambulance at the dock in St. Thomas.  
Rescued Alive
January 16
Royal Olympia Cruises
Itinerary for 3 ships cancelled -- The Olympia Countess (chartered by Starlight Cruises), Olympia Voyager, and Olympia Explorer have been seized and are proceeding to sale.

Cancellations
January 14
Pride of America
NCL America
The ship sank at Lloyd Wert shipyard in Bremerhaven.  Due to be delivered in April, the ship stated to take on water during a heavy storm and shifted towards a pier.  The lower three decks were under water and engine spaces flooded.

Shipyard accident
January 9
Ocean Club Cruises
The company has cancelled cruises while it reorganizes under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.  The company offers two and three night cruises from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas.

Cancellation
January 9
Olympia Countess
Royal Olympia Cruises
The ship is impounded in Durban due to the financial dispute between the ship owners and parties in Greece.  Starlight Cruises, which was operating the ship under charter has cancelled all cruise through mid-February.

Cancellation
January 7

Pacific Sky
P&O Australia

60 passengers reported affected by gastro illness on the New Year Follies' cruise.  There had also been an outbreak on the previous cruise.

Illness
January 3
Legacy
Windjammer
Cruises
22 passengers (20.5%) and 2 crew (4.65%) reported gastrointestinal illness suspected to be caused by Norwalk-like virus.  The seven day cruise began and ended in St. Thomas, December 27 - January 3.

Illness

Go here for Events at Sea  - 2003

Go here for Events at Sea  - 2002
   
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