how many cruise ships crash per year

How Often do Cruise Ships Sink?

Whether you’ve seen the Titanic, heard about Costa Concordia, or are thinking of booking a cruise, one of the most common questions new cruisers ask to assess their safety is how often cruise ships sink.

To give you a quick insight into how often cruise ships sink, we list below the vessels that have sunk and then go over each in more detail so you get a full understanding of the situation and the likelihood of a cruise ship ever sinking again.

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

16 cruise ships have sunk since 1912, which was the year the Titanic sank.

The first 6 sinkings up to 1956 were technically all ocean liners rather than cruise ships, but many people think of them as the same because they both can carry thousands of passengers.

See the post was the Titanic a cruise ship for a look at the key differences, some of which made ocean liners more likely to sink than a modern-day cruise ship.

Of the 16 cruise ship sinkings, one was a Chinese River cruise ship, and another was an Estonian cruiseferry, so not technically a cruise ship, but still similar in many ways with the capacity for carrying hundreds of passengers.

Of the ocean-going cruise ships, not all sunk while out at sea. In some instances, they didn’t even have passengers onboard.

Depending on what angle you are asking the question, the below table of cruise ship sinkings should help you find your answer.

Cruise Ship Sinkings Since the Titianic (1912 )

The table below details 16 cruise ships of various cruise vessel types that have sunk since the Titanic in 1912.

We have included vessel type, as arguably it said some of the vessels weren’t technically cruise ships, but we think most people think of the Titanic as a cruise ship, so we have included it and other similar ocean liners.

Considering there are more cruise ships than ever on the seas today, it’s clear that not many cruise ships have sunk in recent times.

How Many Cruise Ships Sink a Year?

With 16 cruise ship sinkings from 1912 to 2022, we can determine that a cruise ship sinks every 6 years 10 months.  

On average, that works out as a lot less than 1 cruise ship a year.  Just 0.15% of a cruise ship, to be precise.

The answer to this question will vary depending on your chosen timeframe, vessel type, and the reason for sinking.

For example, do you want to include ocean liners and a cruiseferry and do you want to include cruise ships that were empty and on the way to being scrapped?

When Was the Last Time a Cruise Ship Sunk?

The last time an ocean-going cruise ship sank was in 2012, when the Costa Concordia hit a reef off the coast of Italy.  Thirty-two people died in the incident.  4200 were rescued.

The sinking of the Costa Concordia is probably the most familiar cruise ship people think of when they ask this question.  Although the cruise ship only partially sank, it did not become completely submerged beneath the surface of the water.

Since 2012 there have been no other recorded sinkings of ocean-going cruise ships.   

Although the almost empty moored Orient Queen cruise ship sank in 2020 when it was damaged in a huge explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, it capsized that same night.  Two crew members died.

How Often Do Cruise Ships Sink?

Thankfully the answer is very rarely, but there have been a few notable instances where cruise ships have met with accidents leading to sinking.

From the table, we can see that in 110 years, 16 cruise ships have sunk.  This means, on average, 1 cruise ship sinks every 6.8 years.

However, in more modern times, since 2000, only 4 cruise ships have sunk while out at sea, an average of once every 5.5 years.

It does depend on what type of cruise ship you are considering and the situation in which it sank, at sea or empty at the port, destroyed in an explosion (Orient Queen) or awaiting to be scrapped anyway (Belofin-1 ).

Thankfully, when you think of the number of cruise ships launched into the water and currently sailing oceans, rivers, and great lakes all over the world cases like these are rare. Cruise ships have become much safer over the years and much less likely to ever sink.

As you can see, it’s very rare for a cruise ship to sink, but it does happen on occasion. In most cases, the cause is weather-related or due to hitting an obstacle like a reef or iceberg. However, there’s always the chance of a rogue wave event, which has been suspected of sinking other ship types, but thankfully not a cruise ship.

So now that we’ve answered the question of how often cruise ships sink, let’s take a more in-depth look at each of the four major instances where this unfortunate event has happened.

Well-Known Cruise Ships That Sunk

Here’s a look at some of the most famous (or infamous) cases of cruise ships sinking.

The Titanic is, without a doubt, the most famous cruise ship to ever sink. The vessel hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage in 1912 and went down, taking over 1,500 passengers and crew with it, partly because it did not have enough lifeboats for all passengers.

At the time, the Titanic was the largest and most luxurious ship ever built. It was meant to be an unsinkable vessel, but of course, we all know now that no ship is truly unsinkable.

The sinking of the Titanic is a tragic story that has been told time and time again. It’s one of the most famous maritime disasters in history and has been the subject of numerous books, movies, and TV shows.

4 years later in 1916, the Titanic sister ship, the HMHS Britannic , which had been turned into a hospital ship, was famously sunk by a German mine.

Some people might question, was the Titanic a Cruise Ship ?  Technically it was an ocean liner, but because it carried thousands of passengers and is thought to be a cruise ship by many, we have included it.

Costa Concordia

In the past, many ships that sank 100 or so years ago were ocean liners and nothing like the mega-cruise ships carrying thousands of passengers at a time.

The Costa Concordia was a much more recent example of a cruise ship sinking of the large modern-day design many of us know and love.

The vessel hit a reef off the coast of Italy in 2012 and capsized, killing 32 people.

The Costa Concordia was carrying 4,229 passengers and crew at the time of the incident. Thankfully, most people were able to evacuate the ship before it sank.

The captain of the Costa Concordia was later convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years in prison. One year of that sentence was for leaving the ship early instead of being the last to leave as per one of the duties of a highly-paid cruise captain salary .

In 1994, the MS Estonia sank in the Baltic Sea after hitting a storm, killing 852 people.

The MS Estonia was a cruise ferry carrying 989 passengers and crew at the time of the incident. It was traveling from Tallinn, Estonia to Stockholm, Sweden, when it hit a storm and started taking on water.

The MS Estonia quickly sank, and only 137 people were able to be rescued from the frigid waters. It is considered one of the deadliest maritime disasters of the 20th century.

Dongfang zhi Xing  ( Oriental Star or Eastern Star )

The Dongfang Zhi Xing (translated as Oriental Star or Eastern Star ) was a Chinese river cruise ship that capsized in 2015 during a heavy storm. 442 people were killed in the incident.

The Dongfang zhi Xing was carrying 454 passengers and crew at the time of the accident. Only 12 people were able to be rescued from the ship.

The cause of the capsizing was determined to be a severe storm that caused the ship to lose stability and tip over .

Other Cruise Ships That Sank

Prior to 1991, only ocean liners, like the Titanic and cruiseferries had sunk.

Since the year 1991, there have been 8 cruise ship sinkings, or partial sinkings (not including the cruiseferry MS Estonia)

Excluding Costa Concordia and Dongfang zhi xing, which we covered above, there have been 6 other cruise ship sinkings.

MTS Oceanos (1991)

The Oceanos was a French-built Greek-owned cruise ship that sank off the coast of South Africa in 1991. The vessel started taking on water after a series of leaks in the hull.

The ship had a capacity of 550 passengers and 250 crew.

All passengers and crew were successfully evacuated from the ship before it completely sunk. No one was killed or injured in the incident.

However, the captain and some crew members were later arrested and convicted of negligence for fleeing the ship while passengers were still on board.

Sun Vista (SS Galileo Galilei) (1999)

The SS Sun Vista was a cruise ship that caught fire and sank in 1999. The fire started in the vessel’s engine room while it was sailing from Malaysia to Singapore.

All 1,090 passengers and crew were evacuated from the ship before it sank. No one was killed but some people were injured in the incident and needed hospitalization.

Sun Vista was the name at the time of the sinking.  The ship was originally built as the ocean liner SS Galileo Galilei and later converted to a cruise ship.

Passengers reportedly sang music from the Titanic movie to keep their spirits up.  ( Source ).

MS Sea Diamond (2007)

The MS Sea Diamond was a Finnish cruise ship that sank off the coast of Santorini, Greece, in 2007. The vessel hit a volcanic reef and started taking on water.

The cruise ship had a capacity of 1537 passengers, with 1,195, mostly American and Canadian onboard at the time of the incident.

All passengers and crew were evacuated from the ship before it completely sunk. 2 people were killed in the incident.

This short video captures the cruise ship sinking in its final moments.

SS SeaBreeze (2000)

The SeaBreeze cruise ship sank off the coast of North Carolina in December 2000.   This was allegedly due to a boiler breaking off and damaging the ship and the engine room flooding.

Coast guard rescuers at the time did not expect the ship to sink and thought it could be towed to shore by tug boats, but the captain demanded everyone be extracted from the ship as soon as possible.

Subsequently, the ship sank in  Panamanian waters, which was potentially convenient as any investigation would have expected to have been much less stringent than those carried out by American investigators had it sunk in very nearby American waters.

There was much suspicion around the sinking because the scrap value of the ship was estimated to be around $5 to $6 million, which was much less than its insurance payout value of $20 million.

The cruise ship had a capacity of 840 passengers and 400 crew. 

At the time of the incident, there were 34 people all onboard who were all extracted to safety.

Belofin-1 (SS Monterey ) (2000)

The Belofin-1 had recently been sold for scrap and was meant to be being towed to India, but went via Mexico from Ukraine in 2000 when it sank near just over 90km from Cape Town, South Africa.

The vessel started taking on water and listing, so the tug boats cut here free and allowed how to sink.

The ship was previously known as the SS Monterey and had a capacity for 701 passengers and 360 crew.

MV Explorer (2007)

The MV Explorer was a small Liberian cruise ship and the first of its kind to sail the  Antarctic waters.

The ship had departed from Argentina, attempting to follow the route of 19th-century explorer Ernest Shackleton through the Drake Passage,a route well known for its rough seas.

The vessel sank in early November 2007 after hitting an iceberg which made a gash in the hull, allowing water to enter.

The ship had a capacity for a total of 104 passengers and 54 crew.

On the day of the incident 154 passengers, guides and crew were successfully evacuated from the ship before it sunk.

There were no fatalities or injuries as a result of the incident.

The video news report below shows photos of the listing ship and passengers being rescued.

Orient Queen (2020)

The Orient Queen was a Spanish cruise ship that was berthed in Beirut, Lebanon, at the time of a huge explosion of a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the port.

The ship suffered severe damage and capsized that night before partially sinking.

It was quite small by modern standards, with a capacity of 370 guests.

Two crew members were killed.

How Many Carnival Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

Carnival is one world’s largest cruise lines, but since it has existed, only one of its vessels has ever sunk, the Costa Concordia in 2012.

Although Costa is an Italian cruise ship company, it is owned by Carnival Corporation.

From its fleet of Carnival brand cruise ships, none have ever sunk or capsized.

There have been less serious incidents, such as in 2010, the Carnival Splendor had to be towed to port after an engine room fire disabled the vessel.

A more recent and well-known incident was that of a fire on Carnival Triumph, since renamed Carnival Sunshine. The ship was left stranded and without power after the generator caught fire.

Infamously the incident led to the ship being referred to as “the poop cruise” because raw sewage backed up onto the passenger decks and passengers had to use plastic bags as a makeshift solution.  It’s no wonder they renamed it.

Why Don’t Cruise Ships Tip Over or Sink?

There are many reasons why a cruise ship sinking is such a rare event, and that’s because of how they are designed.

Although many modern-day cruise ships look top-heavy, with relatively small proportions of the ship underwater , it’s no surprise people wonder if a cruise ship can tip over .

They are designed to have a low center of gravity, with most of the weight at the bottom of the ship . A wide, stable hull and other stabilizing factors, such as ballast tanks, stabilizing fins, and bilge keels, keeps a ship upright in even the roughest of sea conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cruise ships have sunk in the last 5 years.

In the last 5 years since 2017, only one cruise ship has sunk, the Orient Queen, which was damaged in a port explosion in Lebanon.

How Many Royal Caribbean Ships Have Sunk?

There have been no recorded instances of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship sinking.

Has a Disney Cruise Ship Ever Sunk?

No Disney cruise ships have ever sunk or capsized.

Conclusion: What Can We Learn From These Incidents?

While it’s certainly tragic when a cruise ship sinks, it’s important to remember that these incidents are rare.

The Titanic is the most famous example of a cruise ship sinking, but it happened over 100 years ago.

The Costa Concordia, MS Estonia, and Dongfang zhi Xing are more recent examples, but they are still relatively rare.

When you compare the number of cruise ship passengers to the number of incidents, it’s clear that cruising is a safe way to travel.

Of course, no one wants to be on a ship that sinks, so it’s important to do your research before booking a cruise.  If you are concerned, check the ship’s safety record and ensure it meets all required safety standards.

Cruising is a great way to see the world and is generally very safe.

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How Many Cruise Ship Crashes a Year?

By Michael Ferguson

Every year, thousands of people take a cruise ship vacation. With the increasing popularity of these vacations, it is important to consider the safety implications of cruising.

One of the biggest questions surrounding cruise ships is how many cruise ship crashes occur each year.

The truth is that there are very few cruise ship accidents reported each year. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) reports that in 2020 there were only nine reported incidents involving cruise ships out of over 27 million passengers worldwide. This means that for every 3 million passengers, only one incident occurred.

The most common type of incident was an engine malfunction or fire, which accounted for five out of nine incidents reported. Other incidents included on-board medical emergencies, mechanical issues with the ship, and a collision with another vessel.

While it is reassuring to know that there are not many accidents on board cruise ships each year, it is important to be aware that some risks do exist when taking a cruise vacation. It is important to research the safety record of any potential cruise line before booking your vacation. Additionally, always follow the instructions of crew members onboard and be prepared for any emergency situations.

Finally, consider purchasing travel insurance before embarking on your voyage so you can be protected in case something goes wrong while you’re out at sea.

Conclusion :

Overall, there are very few reported incidents involving cruise ships each year. However, it is still important to consider safety when planning a cruise vacation and to research the safety record of any potential cruise line before booking your trip. Additionally, always follow instructions from crew members onboard and consider purchasing travel insurance before embarking on your voyage.

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Are Cruise Ships Safe? Assessing Accident & Disease Risk

November 12, 2021 / Boating Accidents

Cruise ships are an extremely popular form of travel and entertainment. In 2019, the global cruise industry welcomed aboard more than 29 million passengers . 

But are cruise ships safe? A look at available statistics suggests that, in general, cruise ships are statistically safe. 

Available statistics show that 448 ‘major’ cruise ship accidents have been reported since 2005.

There is no single governmental organization which investigates and documents accidents on cruise ships in the way that the FAA does with plane crashes. As a result, it is difficult to find authoritative data on the incidence of accidents aboard cruise ships. However, data gathered and compiled by cruisejunkie.com shows that, since 2005, a total of 448 ‘major’ cruise ships accidents have occurred. In this context, a major accident includes a cruise ship which sank, ran aground, caught fire, or collided with an object. 

Two recent incidents highlight these risks. 

• In 2012, the cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground and sank off the Italian coast . Shortly after leaving port, the vessel struck a reef. The impact sheared through the ship’s hull. The tear allowed seawater to seep into the ship and caused the engines to shut off. The ship eventually listed to the starboard side and began sinking in shallow water on its side. This incident resulted in 32 deaths. 
• In 2013, the Carnival Triumph engine room caught fire midway through its voyage. This occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. The engine fire caused major damage to the ship, and it began floating without power. The loss of power resulted in unsanitary conditions for everyone aboard, as the function of toilets and showers stopped working. The passengers and crew were finally rescued after 3 days.

While the above examples are just two of the more than 400 major cruise ship accidents in the past 15 years, both give sense as to the scale of a disaster at sea. But the reality is, 448 major accidents is a small number of accidents compared to the total number of cruises that set sail each year. Based on available statistics, sinking or similar disaster is unlikely to occur while on a cruise ship. 

Between 2000 and 2019, a reported 623 cruise ship passengers and crew died.

Researchers who studied passenger and crew member deaths aboard cruise ships found that a total of 623 people were reported to have died on cruises that took place between 2000 and 2019. Of the 623 fatalities, 557 were passengers and 66 were crew members. Eighty-seven percent of the deaths occurred while the ship was at sea, while the other thirteen percent occurred while the ship was docked.

The table below shows the top three causes of death:

Cardiac-related deaths may be the result of underlying health conditions, especially given that the majority of cruise-goers are 50-79 years old . It is very clear that caution must be taken to prevent falls overboard, both by ships and their passengers. Slips, trips, and falls are the most common types of accident for cruise passengers and crew. Both alcohol consumption and passengers climbing atop deck railings contribute to this risk of falling. 

To give additional perspective, there are 323 cruise ships in the world operated by more than 20 companies. The total passenger capacity of these ships is more than 540,000. The total number of passengers and crew fatalities pales in comparison to the number of people who board a cruise ship each year. 

In this way, hitching a ride on a cruise ship is similar to boarding a commercial airplane. Deaths aboard a cruise ship are rare and the chance of one occurring is small. But the fact remains that accidents resulting in injury or death can and do happen. It is important to be cautious and follow the rules while on a cruise ship. 

The COVID-19 pandemic was a reminder for cruise-goers that diseases pose a particularly high risk on cruise ships.

The spread of disease aboard a cruise ship is not a new phenomenon. The CDC says they treat hundreds of cruise passengers for gastrointestinal diseases each year. In 2019, more than 500 passengers and crew aboard a single cruise ship were infected with gastrointestinal disease. This single outbreak resulted in more infected cruise passengers than the entire 2018 calendar year. 

The potential for disease outbreak aboard a cruise ship became more evident as thousands of passengers contracted COVID-19 while traveling on cruises in early 2020. Over 700 passengers and crew aboard Diamond Princess fell ill with coronavirus in February 2020. Dozens of other cruise ships reported COVID-19 outbreaks around the same time.  The close quarters on cruise ships, as well as travelers from different geographic regions commingling, facilitate the spread of disease on a cruise. Cruise ships that experienced COVID-19 outbreaks were forced to dock, and passengers and crew forced to stay onboard to quarantine. 

The spread of disease aboard a cruise ship is not a new safety concern, but is now much more obvious. Of course, it is very difficult to predict an outbreak. If you are itching to set sail, follow local health guidelines before you board, follow the ship’s health guidelines, and be sure to wash your hands and take other precautions to help maintain a germ-free environment. 

Taking a cruise can be a fun, memorable experience. While it is good to remain cautious aboard any type of commercial transportation, in general, cruise ships are statistically safe. 

* This blog is not meant to dispense legal advice and is not a comprehensive review of the facts, the law, this topic or cases related to the topic. For a full review of our disclaimer and policies, please click here .

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Cruise Ship Accidents

CruiseMapper's cruise ship accidents project follows our CruiseMinus project for reports and news/updates on major passenger vessel accidents, cruise line incidents and various types of incidents on passenger ships.

Our accidents and incidents reports provide statistical data on negative ("cruise minus") experiences during unfortunate events at sea and ashore. Here you will find detailed reports on cruise ship disasters (sinking, groundings, collisions, allisions, listing, fires), mechanical / technical issues, sea pollution, Norovirus-Coronavirus and other illness outbreaks .

CruiseMapper's reports also include cases of crew and passenger deaths, injuries (overboards, missing people, drownings, suicides), crimes (murders, sexual abuse, violence/assaults), cruise law news (individually filed lawsuits, class action cases, scandals, social media campaigns, etc).

If you don't search for events on a particular vessel (via the search box above), the following link jumps down directly to our list of sea-going passenger ships with accident-incident reports.

Cruise Minus

While the "Cruise Minus" website used to report events only on cruise liners, CruiseMapper has reports also on cruiseferries (largest Ro-Ro ships with passenger cabins) and riverboats .

As soon as something wrong happens on a particular passenger ship, we add a report regarding the accident / incident at the vessel's dedicated accident page. This way, CruiseMapper provides you with an unofficial cruise ship accident database of "bad cruise" (minus) events at sea and on shore (during port stays, private or group excursions and tours).

Despite everything you read here about dangers on cruise ships, remember to stay positive and don't be afraid of cruising. Unarguably, ship cruises are among travel industry's top 5 "best value for money" vacation options. And remember that even cheapest cruise deals are almost all-inclusive. Your ticket price includes accommodation, all meals (almost 24 hour available), room-service (on most companies), live entertainment, swimming pools and jacuzzies, not to forget exciting itineraries with plenty of ports.

Most statistical data regarding passenger ship accidents and cruise incidents is based on official reports published online by United States Coast Guard (USCG.mil). Other sources are online news media and local police reports. Statistics for cruise illness outbreaks are based on official reports published online by the US agency "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" (CDC.gov). Our cruise ship tracking service is sponsored by VesselFinder.com.

• USCG department is a branch of US Armed Forces. It provides maritime service to both military and commercial/civilian vessels in distress at sea. The department provides maritime law enforcement service, and has jurisdiction in both US and international waters.
• CDC is USA's national public health institute, and federal agency under the umbrella of US Department of Health and Human Services. CDC is headquartered in Georgia (DeKalb County, northeast of Atlanta GA).
• VesselFinder is a free AIS marine traffic tracker providing real-time ship tracking data and historic ship positions (vessel movement) worldwide.

US Coast Guard (USCG) medevacs

An average medevac (medical emergency evacuation) of cruise ship passenger / crew conducted by the USCG cost around USD 30,000. The cost depends on the distance between vessel and nearest Coast Guard Air Station. USCG medevacs are paid by the US taxpayers. No expenses are charged directly to cruise companies or passengers / crew.

During standard missions, the nearest USCG air station dispatches an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter (twin-engine, single-rotor search and rescue helicopter) to the cruise vessel. The helicopter usually lands on the ship's helipad (Heli Deck) or (on smaller ships) just hovers over its top deck. From there, the team airlifts / hoists the patient in a rescue basket. The patient could be accompanied by a relative (spouse), and in more serious cases - by a crew nurse. Then it transports them to the nearest land-based medical facility.

Usually, such maritime rescue operations also include a Lockheed HC-130 Hercules (military transport aircraft) that supports communications coverage. Statistical data show that an average "cruise ship overboard" search and rescue operation conducted by the USCG could cost easily USD 0,5 million, and even reach USD 1 million.

What is the difference between cruise incident and accident?

"Accident" implies a negative association. Accidents usually result in major damages, serious injuries or even loss of life. The word is synonymous to mishap, unforeseen/unplanned bad event or circumstance with a negative outcome. For the argument sake, some use "accident" in a positive manner, when describing something bad that happened which lead to good things after all. Accidental love comes to mind.

Since "incident" can refer to anything bad or wrong that can happen, it could be both positive and negative as experience. "Incident" is used to describe feature events, usually with some adjective before the word explaining the incident type. These two words are majorly different, but often confused and interchangeably used. However, not so many among the cruise incidents can be termed "accidents". In most cases, these are simply unfortunate events (without Jim Carrey, of course).

Types of incidents and accidents on cruise ships

Cruise ship accidents and incidents can be classified as:

• disasters (sinking, grounding, capsizing, collision, allision, terrorist and pirate attacks, pollution, crashes and killings on land tours/shore excursions)
• mechanical (fire, propulsion issues, power loss) - often result in cruise cancellations.
• sickness / illness outbreaks (Norovirus/GastroIntestinal, Influenza, Legionellosis/aka "Legion Fever") - often result in delayed embarkation or itinerary changes.
• deaths (overboard jumps/missing passengers and crew members, drowning in ship pools, critical traumas, murder, suicide, Myocardial infarction/heart attack)
• injuries (rape, assault, battery, fractures by accidental falling/slipping)
• crimes (bomb threats, robbery, drug smuggling/possession, arrests for past fugitive warrants, theft, belligerent behavior and indecent exposure by intoxicated passengers)
• weather-related (heavy fogs, squalls, storms, hurricanes) - usually result in itinerary changes and ports of call delays.

NOTE: By "Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act" ( pdf ), all passenger shipping companies are required by law to report to FBI any criminal activity against US citizens. Reports are mandatory, even on incidents at sea, during which the vessels were in international waters. The act became a law in 2010, when was signed by Barack Obama. The most common accidents on cruise ships are caused by:

• rogue waves (may reach height of up to 100 ft / 30 m)
• Hurricanes and squalls /heavy storms at sea (10 such events per season on average)
• ship fires (a total of 72 onboard fire incidents happened between 1990-2011)
• collisions (6 cruise vessels sunk hitting the sea bottom /rocks and reefs) or icebergs between 1990-2012, the most notorious accident being on Costa Concordia .
• allisions - when the vessel strikes a fixed object (such as pier.wharf, rocks, buoy, etc), usually happen during docking/undocking maneuvers.
• Norovirus illness (an average of 15 virus outbreaks on cruise ships happen per year).

Statistical data about cruise ship overboard accidents show that the average overboard passenger age is 41 yo. Most overboards involve males and happen on voyage's last night. Most overboard passengers are either drunk, on drugs or engaged in tomfoolery (climbing between staterooms, playing on railings). The surviving rate is nearly 22% (1 in 5). The longest time an overboard cruise passenger managed to survive (found alive and recovered) was 18 hours.

When a passenger or crew disappears (officially is reported missing) while the vessel is at sea, the cruise company has the duty to conduct an onboard search immediately upon learning about it. If the person is not found on board, then the ship reports the incident to USCG and FBI and starts a search and rescue operation. The ship returns to the last location at sea when the victim was last seen. This location is often subject to adjusting for weather and sea conditions. The company's failure to perform a search and rescue operation can render it liable for the person's disappearance.

According to CLIA, 90% of all commercial vessels calling on US ports are foreign-flagged. Common cruise ship flag-states are Bahamas, Panama, Bermuda, Malta, Italy, Holland. When a person on the vessel's manifest disappears, an official report must be sent to the flag country.

Among the common factors contributing to cruise ship overboards are Inadequate security staff and CCTV surveillance, failures to monitor onboard CCTV camera footage, overserving alcohol to passengers on the ship, criminal activities (homicides, violent assaults), overboard jumps as suicides (due to loneliness, depression, terminal illness, marital problems, etc).

Shore excursion accidents and incidents

When cruise ship passengers suffer injuries while on land tours/excursions, the resulting litigations are some of the most complex maritime injury cases. They are unique and complicated as incidents which occur in foreign countries and involve foreign tour operators.

Cruise companies often argue that tour operators are wholly independent and, as such, they have no legal responsibility to disembarked passengers. However, it is often apparent that tour operators are either cruise line agents or joint ventures with the companies. Cruise ship companies earn large profits from tours and excursions, and often they control nearly every aspect of the contract-based relationship with the tour company.

When a shore excursion incident occurs to a passenger, the cruise line usually rejects blame and attempts to force him/her to seek recovery against the tour operator. However, experienced maritime lawyers can successfully battle such legal deceits, establish jurisdiction over the tour company, prove the cruise line's and tour company's negligence.

Cruise ship injury lawyers can uncover contacts between foreign tour companies and the USA in order to establish Court's jurisdiction over foreign tour providers. Cruise lawyers can pinpoint where the cruise ship line failed to provide safety and welfare of its customers.

Cruise passenger accident claims

The 4 biggest ever mistakes a passenger can possibly make are:

• Failing to read and understand the terms and conditions of the cruise ticket contract. Given to all passengers before they embark on a voyage, the cruise ticket contract contains all the limitations against the cruise line company and the specific terms for filing an injury claim.
• Failing to report the cruise incident (injury, crime) immediately after it occurred. In order to receive compensation, a victim on board the cruise vessel should act immediately to report the incident, collect witnesses' testimonies, and document about the claim.
• Settling for less. After being injured, a cruise passenger is likely to be shortchanged by the cruise line company, that will want to settle the claim by offering cheap gifts (like vouchers, for example).
• Not seeking proper medical care. Most passengers visit the ship's Infirmary (medical facility) after being injured but fail to follow up with their doctors once they get home. For a positive outcome regarding the claim, it is important to document the injuries as much as possible.

Know, that maritime law is often confusing even to experts. Get in touch with an experienced attorney specialized in cruise ship accident claims to help you avoid these common mistakes and receive the compensation you're entitled to.

What victims of incidents/crimes on cruise ships should do?

On the boat, a variety of cruise line employees (butlers, stewards, cleaning staff, security) have access to passenger staterooms. Onboard crimes are not uncommon. Victims of cruise crimes/incidents should take the following steps:

• Immediately report the incident to the ship's security department (in writing).
• Document who you reported it to, when, who was with you.
• Obtain a copy of your report.
• Take photos of the crime scene - if possible, before it changes. Even if it has changed, take photos.
• Write down names, addresses and phone numbers of all persons who were witnesses to the incident.
• If you're injured, visit the onboard doctor/infirmary for treatment.
• If necessary, visit a land-based hospital at the next call port.
• Contact an experienced maritime lawyer as soon as possible.

Cruise ship disasters

Synonymous to "misfortune" and "catastrophe", "cruise disaster" implies an event causing major destruction (ship crash, sinking, wreckage, manslaughter) and widespread distress.

The worst among all disastrous events at sea are:

• RMS Titanic sinking (1500 drowned /year 1912)
• SS Eastland tipping over in Chicago (800 drowned /year 1915)
• MS Eastern Star (China-Yangtze River cruise ship) hit by a cyclone, capsized and overturned (442 dead or missing /year 2015 June)
• MS Aleksandr Suvorov (Russia-Volga River cruise ship) crashed into a railway bridge girder, still in service (177 killed /year 1983)
• TSMS Lakonia caught fire and sank near Madeira island Portugal (128 drowned /year 1963)
• MS Bulgaria (Russia-Volga River cruise ship) sank in the Kuybyshev Reservoir in Tatarstan, Russia (122 drowned /year 2011)
• Concorde plane crash accident - a French aircraft with 100x Peter Deilmann cruise passengers (booked on MS Deutschland ) crashed on takeoff from Paris France, leaving no survivors.
• The ocean liner SS Andrea Doria was rammed by MS Stockholm (now Astoria) on July 25, 1956. A total of 46 people were killed in the collision. The liner capsized and sank on July 26.
• Costa Concordia sinking - hit a rock, capsized, sank near Giglio island Italy (32 drowned /year 2012)
• The terrorist attack on cruise passengers in Tunisia (22 killed /year 2015)
• MS Westerdam passengers were killed in an Alaskan plane crash accident (9 killed /year 2015).
• (statistics) In the period 1979-2013, a total of 55 cruise ships sank, of which 15 in the period 2010-2013.
• (statistics) In the period 1979-2013, a total of 106 cruise ship collisions were reported, of which 79 between 2005-2013.
• (statistics) In the period 1990-2013, a total of 139 cruise ship fires were reported, of which 101 between 2005-2013.

Ship grounding accidents

Ship grounding is a marine accident in which the vessel impacts on the seabed. When the grounding is severe, it applies extreme loads upon the ship's whole structure. In less severe incidents, running aground results in stranding and minor hull damages. Serious ship groundings (like Costa Concordia ) result in hull breaches (water ingress), oil spills, even total loss of the ship and human casualties.

• Worldwide statistics show ship groundings are ~1/3 of all commercial marine shipping accidents and are second in frequency (after ship collisions).
• (statistics) In the period 1972-2013, a total of 131 passenger ships ran aground, of which 66 in the period 2005-2013.

Cruise ship pollution at sea

On April 22, 2016, "International Maritime Organization" (IMO) officially banned cruise ships and ferries from dumping their untreated wastewater into Baltic Sea. The ban will be enforced in 2019 (for new vessels, built after 2010) and in 2021 (for older ships). The ban will chiefly affect larger ships cruising in the Gulf of Finland during summer. The measure makes Baltic Sea the world's first open sea region banning the passenger ships' sewage-dumping practice. Statistics show that 300+ international cruise vessels call at Helsinki port every year.

In December 2016, Princess Cruises pleaded guilty to 7 felony charges for sea pollution. The Carnival Corporation-owned company agreed to pay USD 40 million criminal penalties. The payment was the largest-ever that involved deliberate pollution by a marine vessel at sea. Caribbean Princess (together with the fleetmates Coral, Grand, Golden, Star) were dumping wastewater on a regular basis, covering up this practice.

These cruise ships used a "magic pipe" to bypass their usual equipment and illegally discharged large quantities of oily waste into open sea and ocean waters. The practice was reported by a ship engineer on Caribbean Princess in August 2013. Then the ship's chief and senior first engineers tried to cover it up by removing the "magic pipe" and ordering their subordinates to lie to the UK authorities when they boarded the ship for inspection in Southampton. The following month, upon arrival in NYC, USCG investigators examined the Caribbean Princess ship and eventually determined that it had been discharging waste since 2005. Other illegal practices were also discovered, among which allowing saltwater in to prevent the system's alarms when too much waste was being discharged, and also preventing the bilge alarm during bilge water discharge when the engine room's storage tanks were overflowed.

As part of the plea agreement, vessels from 8 Carnival Corporation companies (a total of 78 vessels) will operate for 5 years under a supervised "environmental compliance plan" requiring regular independent audits. Of the USD 40 million criminal penalties paid, USD 10 million went toward projects benefiting the marine environment.

Note: In the table below, all ship pollution-related incidents are marked as "sea pollution". Most of the official reports are for the region of Alaska issued by USCG and also by port authorities.

Cruise crime reports and statistics

A huge part of all listed below incidents reports and news are related to crimes done on cruise ships. Among those are murders, sexual assaults, criminal batteries, robberies. However, the most violent crimes on cruises are done ashore. A 2008 poll reports 10% of cruise passengers were affected by some sort of crime. In the period 2002-2007, FBI prosecuted only a quarter of all reported crimes, of which:

• 55% were sexual assaults
• 22% were physical assaults
• 7% were homicides
• 5% were about missing persons.

Fact is, that most of the cruise crime incidents remain unreported. The following statistics are related to cruise ship crime rates based on FBI-collected data:

• (on average per year) 50 cases of crime at sea are opened/investigated by the FBI.
• In the period 2002-2007, 46% of all cruise crime cases involved members of the crew.
• In the period 2012-2014, a total of 74 rapes on cruise ships and a total of 29 assault crime cases involving serious body injuries were officially reported.
• Fact is that in only 1 year period (Oct 2007 through Oct 2008), the FBI received from Carnival Cruise Lines alone a total of 93 reports on sex-related crimes on cruise ships. In a significant proportion of those incidents, victims were minors.

Today, one of the world's top dangerous travel destinations is Nassau Bahamas (on New Providence Island). The country's capital city has one of the highest murder rates - over 30 per 100,000. For comparison, the US rate is ~4,5 per 100,000. City's young men jobless rate is also record-high (19,5% as of 2015). There are numerous crime reports about cruise passengers on shore excursions being robbed, raped, killed. In 2015, Nassau's tourist murder rate reached a record high. The USA issued far more Bahamas travel warnings than any other country. Nassau's image today is synonymous with violent crime, ineffective law enforcement, non-functioning legal system.

• All NCL ships in the Caribbean changed their 2010-2011-2012 itineraries, skipping St Lucia . The line's decision followed the 3 attacks on cruise passengers ((armed robberies) in 2009, that occurred ashore during excursions on the island.
• In August 2015, Canada's and UK's travel advisory offices issued Bahamas travel warnings about the rising number of sexual assaults and armed robberies and break-ins (targeting foreign tourists), often with fatal results. Both reports state the most violent crimes occur in Nassau and Freeport (Grand Bahama Island).

Of similar color is the "aura" around the tourism image of Honduras. On Isla Roatan (Bay Islands), numerous passengers and crew members have suffered "bad cruise" experiences due to armed robberies and assaults. There are also too many cases of murders even near the ports of Mahogany Bay and Coxen Hole, where the cruise vessels dock.

• In March 2015, the US State Department issued its Honduras Travel Warning. While crime and violence are serious issues throughout Honduras, its Government lacks enough resources to effectively protect tourists, to investigate and prosecute. The local police lack enough vehicles and even fuel to properly respond and assist. Members of the police have been arrested, charged and convicted for criminal activities.
• The travel warning suggests while ashore, passengers to avoid wearing any jewelry (valuables in general), displaying cash or credit cards, walking at night, walking alone on beaches, car traveling with the windows up and the doors locked.

Another major "cruise crime" destination is Mexico. In April 2015, the US State Department issued its Mexico Travel Warning. Due to threats to passenger safety posed by organized crime, there are risks of traveling to certain Mexican destinations. Among those are Baja California ( Ensenada ), Colima (Manzanillo), Sinaloa ( Mazatlan ), Guerrero ( Acapulco , Ixtapa ), Jalisco ( Puerto Vallarta ), Quintana Roo ( Cozumel , Cancun, Playa del Carmen ) and Yucatan (Merida, Chichen Itza). Most of the reported incidents are related to rapes, robberies and kidnappings. The number of US citizens murdered in Mexico was 100 in 2014.

Another major crime issue is drug trafficking. There are unofficial statements that cruise ships are used on "regular basis" for smuggling cocaine and marijuana, in amounts between 3-30 kg. Most drug smuggling incidents are reported on Transatlantic repositioning cruise ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean between South America and Europe (Italy). Another "favorable" drug smuggle destination is Western Caribbean (roundtrips from Florida), with stops in Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, from where drugs are smuggled into the US.

The improved cruise crime report policy is a direct result of the efforts of the nonprofit organization ICV ("International Cruise Victims Association") working with US Congress. Since 2016, cruise lines are required by law to report all crimes to USA's Department of Transportation. Cruise Line Incident Reports are officially issued by the US Department of Transportation. As result, the number of reported sexual assaults in 2016 jumped nearly 5 times (485%, 63 reports) over 2015 (13 reports). Total reported cruise ship crimes jumped over 3 times (339%, 95 reports) over 2015 (28 reports). FBI started responding to shipboard sexual assaults more aggressively.

Cruise Ship Accident Reports and News

Below are listed almost all cruise ships, owned by major line companies. If the vessel's name is linked, it means it has a record in our database. So simply follow the corresponding links.

Due to the large number of ships per line, those of the largest company fleets are listed in separate tables. This also allows you to compare cruise line incidents by type and year of occurrence.

The list below could also include officially announced names of new vessels under construction .

Accidents on cruiseferries

Worldwide Ferry Safety Association's statistics show between 800-1000 people die in ferry boat accidents annually. Among the main factors that usually contribute to a ferry accident are:

• Mechanical/machinery failure
• Overloaded vessel (miscalculation in boat's total weight could result in capsizing)
• Improper routine maintenance
• Adverse weather conditions (gales, storms, rogue waves)
• Operating under the influence of intoxicating substances (alcohol, drugs, narcotics).

The list of the world's deadliest accidents on cruiseferries (passenger / RoPax vessels only) includes:

• Al-Salam Boccaccio 98 (1968-built) - sank in February 2006, deaths 1020
• Estonia (1980-built as Viking Sally) - capsized and sunk in September 1994, deaths 852
• Sewol (2014-built) - sank in April 2014, deaths 306
• Heraklion (1949-built) - sank in December 1966, deaths 200+
• Herald of Free Enterprise (1980-built) - capsized in March 1987, deaths 193
• Princess Victoria (1947-built) - sank in January 1953, deaths 133
• Express Samina (1966-built as Corse) - hit rocks off Paros island in September 2000, deaths 82
• Jan Heweliusz (1977-built) - capsized and sank in January 1993, deaths 55
• TEV Wahine (1966-built) - sank in a cyclone in 1968, deaths 52
• Norman Atlantic (2009-built) - fire in December 2014, deaths 9 (plus 19 missing)
• Euroferry Olympia (1995-built) - fire in February 2022, deaths 8 (plus 3 missing)

You can search CruiseMapper's accidents on ferries by typing "ferry" in the page's search box or by pressing "Ctrl + F" and type "ferry" in your browser's search box. By the second option, all ferries in the ship list below will be highlighted.

Most of the reported here accidents on ferries are fires, ship collisions (in port and at sea), dock allisions, running aground, power loss, overboard passengers.

Accidents on river cruise ships

Since the following list doesn't include riverboats (all vessels with MMSI-identification only / without IMO), next (in bullets) are listed CruiseMapper's river cruise ship accidents.

• (fires) Arosa Riva (2017), Queen of the West (2008), Crucestar (2012), Gerard Schmitter (2012)
• (bridge crashes) Arosa Mia (2014), River Duchess (2005), River Empress (2006), Viking Freya (2016), Swiss Crystal (2018)
• (canal/lock crashes) American Empress (2003 / as Empress of the North), Ocean Voyager (2015 / as MS Saint Laurent), Viking Forseti (2013)
• (ship collisions) - Viking Mani (2016), Travelmarvel Jewel (2009, 2011 / as Avalon Tranquility), Viking Bragi (2013)
• aground - American Empress/Empress of the North (2006), Serenissima (2013)
• propulsion/power loss - Avalon Panorama (2011), Viking Magni (2013), Louisiane (2016)

Our unique "cruise accidents" project also allows YOU - the crew or the cruise tourist - to participate and add your very own incident report here. You are most welcome to share with our numerous users your personal "cruise minus" experience by submitting comments and/or updates via CruiseMapper's contact form.

You can email us a detailed report, or simply share your thoughts on events at sea/ashore you know about or whatever cruising-related bothers you. The idea is much like that of a forum, but with one HUGE difference - you will not find topic discussions here. CruiseMapper's incident reports are all about your personal ship travel events (bad vacation experiences) and not about discussing them or arguing about them.

The reasons are simple. You have here the opportunity to read and post about cruise events at sea and ashore, and share facts that the big-money-making cruise line companies don't like - and want to forget. However, all major cruise forum sites are either owned or influenced (some even manipulated financially) by the lucrative cruising industry. Mocking the complainants in most cases discourages people with negative ("cruise minus") experiences to share or even comment there.

At CruiseMapper you are free to share and complain (even anonymously, if you like so) about a particular cruise vessel or onshore events. Unlike forum sites, at Cruise Mapper you will find no sympathy or compunction - but you will be heard. Once you submit your report/comment, it will be first checked for authenticity and moderated (cleaned, if needed) removing foul language, grammatical errors, etc.

If you are unfortunate to have your own negative cruise travel event, and it still bothers you - just let it out here, share it with the world and be done with it. Enjoy our cruise ship "yellow pages" - and remember to stay positive. Everything happens for a reason.

Note: The following list of cruise line accidents (per ship) includes only CruiseMapper's ocean-going vessels. For all other vessels (including riverboats ) use the search box at page top .

Cruise Ship Accidents and Their Most Frequent Causes

Going on a cruise is the dream of many people’s life. Traveling on a fun pleasure boat to an exotic location, eating fantastic food, and enjoying fascinating entertainment at sea – what could be more exciting? The cruise ship industry spends millions each year to ensure their passengers have a wonderful time on the water and at various ports of call.

Unfortunately, accidents occur, both on and off the ship. If you go on a cruise and are injured aboard the vessel, either because of an accident that happens to the ship or conditions within the ship itself, what should you do? Who is responsible for what goes on inside and outside the ship?

How Often Do Cruise Ship Accidents Occur?

It’s difficult to know how often accidents and injuries happen aboard cruise ships around the world. There is no international agency tasked with gathering and reporting cruise ship accidents statistics, and cruise lines themselves are reluctant to disclose negative information about their ships.

According to the Maritime Injury Guide , which collects information from the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of Transportation, there were 448 major cruise ship accidents between 2005 and 2023. Fifteen cruise vessels sank, and 16 people died in cruise ship accidents. 

However, the number of incidents aboard ship, including outbreaks of norovirus (a contagious intestinal disease), people falling overboard and being recovered, and assaults and thefts aboard ship is unknown. Cruise lines are understandably unwilling to reveal this information.

The 5 Leading Causes of Cruise Ship Accidents

The top five causes of cruise ship accidents and incidents are the ones that make the news. These are situations where ships run aground or vessels return to port because large numbers of passengers are ill and in need of medical care. These are situations where the cruise line company may be liable for cruise ship injury cases.

1. Operator Negligence

In 2012, the cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground off the coast of Italy with 4200 passengers and crew aboard. The vessel began sinking almost immediately, but an order to abandon ship was not given for over an hour. It was determined by Italian authorities that the captain had been grandstanding for a friend on the bridge and brought the 115,000-ton vessel too close to shore.

Following an extensive investigation and trials of the ship’s officers, Costa Cruises was held civilly liable for damages for the captain’s actions that night. Captains are ultimately responsible for the actions of their crew, and the captain of the Costa Concordia was both civilly and criminally liable for the deaths of 33 people related to the incident.

2. Weather and Sea Conditions

The sea, as they say, is a harsh mistress. Thanks to modern weather forecasting models, cruise ships can usually be routed around bad weather and rough seas, but not always.

A phenomenon known as rogue waves – sudden, unpredictable waves reaching as high as 100 feet – has caused damage to ships around the world, and these waves are common in the warm waters off of the Florida coast. Thunderstorms and the fringes of hurricanes can appear from nowhere and cause brief but severe wave turbulence.

Although ship personnel cannot avoid all bad weather, they are responsible for ensuring that cruise ship passengers are prepared for its occurrence. Passengers should be directed to safe locations or instructed to shelter in place when rough seas make walking or standing unsafe.

3. Contaminated Food and Water

The occurrence of norovirus on cruise ships has become so common, it is now a staple of late-night comedians’ jokes. Norovirus is a highly contagious gastrointestinal disease spread through contact with contaminated food and water. It is difficult to eradicate, and once it becomes established within closed water systems, such as a cruise ship, it lingers in hidden crevices, resisting efforts to clean it out.

Because the virus is also spread by contact , once an outbreak begins, the only way to avoid it is constant handwashing and surface sterilization. The cruise lines’ habit of keeping things quiet tends to aggravate the spread of a norovirus outbreak until it becomes serious.

4. Lack of Adequate Security

The average cruise ship is about 1000 feet long (roughly the length of three football fields) and has more than 2800 staterooms. Combined passengers and crew can total as many as 6000 people, or more if the cruise is fully booked.

With that many people in one place, security and safety are paramount. The number of security officers and safety personnel depends on the actual size of each vessel, but even if the ship is fully staffed, there are thousands of feet of corridors and levels to attend to. Most ships, like casinos on land, use security cameras to monitor these areas, but they are not always monitored. Negligent security may overlook people loitering in hallways or falling from balconies, some of the leading causes of security-related incidents.

Crime, accidents, and people falling overboard are all security-related issues on cruise ships. The number-one reported crime is sexual assault. Very few crimes are reported to the FBI, and fewer of these are resolved. Suspected criminal activity should be reported immediately to the crew, and passengers’ best safeguard is to take care of themselves.

5. Cruise Ship Fires

Thankfully, onboard ship fires affecting passengers are rare. Only 72 fires were reported on cruise ships between 1990-2011. That is hardly comforting to the passengers and crew involved in the fires. Fire is taken very seriously by ships’ crews and firefighting teams are always on standby. Cruise accidents with fires are seldom limited to just fires. Generally, fires happen in connection with other cruise ship incidents, such as collisions or groundings.

Get Help From the Experts in Cruise Ship Injury Claims

If you or a loved one have suffered an accident on a cruise ship and believe you have a personal injury claim against the cruise line or someone aboard the ship, you should contact the legal professionals at Ratzan Weissman & Boldt. We will review the facts in the case and explain your options and alternatives for getting the compensation and justice you deserve.

Taking on the cruise lines and their legal department requires a cruise ship accident lawyer. This isn’t something you can do alone. You need the legal knowledge and dedicated attorneys from Ratzan Weissman & Boldt. Contact us today for a consultation.

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The Getaway

How Normal Are Cruise Mishaps?

By Stephanie Rosenbloom

• May 8, 2013

Its name is Triumph, yet this year has been anything but that for the 14-year-old ship owned by Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company.

The latest news is that Carnival is seeking to dismiss lawsuits from the Triumph passengers whose ordeal this winter transfixed the nation. In case you’ve blocked out the vile details: in February a fire in the engine room shut down the Triumph’s power, propulsion, sewage and air-conditioning systems, leaving 4,200 passengers adrift for days in the Gulf of Mexico with little to eat and raw sewage seeping through the ship’s walls and carpets. Even in the home stretch — when the crippled ship was being tugged to port — a towline snapped, prolonging the rescue. 

Savvy travelers have to ask: Is this normal? How many fires, power failures and other unwelcome incidents are there in the life of the average cruise ship? 

Before offering some answers, let’s recount what has happened to the Triumph over the last few months.

Triumph floated around the Gulf of Mexico for five days while news of the rank conditions leaked out through Facebook, Twitter and CNN, which had a helicopter whirring around the Triumph for nonstop coverage. The notion of travelers spending their vacations trapped amid raw sewage so captured the collective American imagination that “ Saturday Night Live ” opened a show with a skit set onboard the Triumph in which a perky cruise director informed passengers that “the Superstar Karaoke Bar is now officially a toilet.”

Amazingly, the Triumph’s travails didn’t end after it finally reached port in Mobile, Ala. Early last month while undergoing repairs, the ship became unmoored in strong winds, crashed into another boat and wound up with a 20-foot-long gash in its side. Could the Triumph be more unlucky?   Yes. A few weeks later explosions from fuel barges on the Mobile River forced workers on the nearby Triumph to evacuate. That incident was seemingly beyond Carnival’s control. And accidents happen on other passenger ships. But it’s worth looking closely at the Triumph because it belongs to a company that spent more last year than any other cruise line on lobbying Congress, according to the secretary of the United States Senate.

Is what happened to the Triumph normal? Obtaining answers is not easy. 

“No one is systemically collecting data of collisions, fires, evacuations, groundings, sinkings,” said Jim Walker , a maritime lawyer in Miami who has attended more than half a dozen Congressional hearings about cruise ship crime and passenger safety. The reason for the lack of data is that cruise lines, while based in the United States, typically incorporate and register their ships overseas. Industry experts say the only place cruise lines are obligated to report anything is to the state under whose laws the ship operates. “The whole industry is essentially outsourced abroad,” said Mr. Walker.   Or, as Senator Charles E. Schumer said in a statement after the Triumph debacle: “Cruise ships, in large part operating outside the bounds of United States enforcement, have become the wild west of the travel industry.”

Vance Gulliksen, a spokesman for Carnival, said that given that the company carries 4.5 million passengers annually, the incidents on the Triumph “are quite rare.”

“Carnival’s ships are extremely safe and we meet or exceed all regulatory standards in every respect,” he said in an e-mail. “Nonetheless, Carnival has taken the recent events extremely seriously and we want to do everything we can to prevent it from happening again.” To that end, Carnival said it has begun investing $300 million in enhancements across its fleet, including improved emergency power capabilities, and increased fire prevention and suppression systems.

Yet for the industry overall, there remains no comprehensive public database of events at sea like fires, power failures and evacuations. Neither the International Maritime Organization nor the United States Coast Guard track everything. But there is one unlikely man who does.

“It’s a Canadian professor of sociology,” Mr. Walker said, “who testifies in front of the senate.”

Ross A. Klein, an American with dual citizenship and a professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, was a longtime cruise enthusiast, spending more than 300 days at sea between 1992 and 2002. During that time, he saw that there were differences between what the cruise industry was saying about environmental and labor issues, and what he was observing.

Today, Mr. Klein is an authority on the cruise industry, having testified at hearings before the House of Representatives and the Senate about onboard crimes, disappearances and industry oversights. His Web site, CruiseJunkie.com , is a record of fires, sunken ships, collisions and other events at sea over the last few decades that have been culled from news reports and sources like crew members and passengers.   There are some limits: Mr. Klein receives fewer reports about incidents in Asia, Africa and South America, therefore most of the information is about cruises in North America and Europe. And he is unlikely to learn about problems that are not reported by English speakers or English language news organizations. “I’m sure there are a lot more incidents going on that we don’t know about,” he said.

I used the statistics Mr. Klein does have — many of which were part of his testimony last year before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation — to help determine just how rare (or not) the events aboard the Triumph were. Here’s what the data reveal.

Adrift at Sea Loss of power is common, according to Mr. Klein. “It’s inconvenient,” he said. But it typically lasts no more than a few hours.

Evacuation Evacuations are infrequent, and when they do happen, they are usually done safely. Mr. Klein said that about three or four times a year there is preparation to abandon a ship, though actually abandoning it is rare. One of the most recent evacuations was in 2007, when a GAP Adventures ship called the Explorer struck ice off Antarctica and began sinking. All 154 people on board were safely evacuated. Still, even larger evacuations in the ocean are possible: in 1999 a Sun Cruises ship caught fire and sank off the coast of Malaysia, but the more than 1,000 people on board safely made it onto lifeboats and rafts.

Fire Fires are not unusual. There have been about 79 fires onboard cruise ships between 1990 and 2011, according to Mr. Klein’s data. Up until about 2006 there were usually three or four fires a year. From 2006 onward the number of fires doubled to about seven or eight a year. That increase, Mr. Klein said, is the result of a combination of better reporting (thanks, social media) and the rapid growth of the cruise industry.

Overflowing Toilets Plumbing issues are, bewilderingly, par for the course. Mr. Klein said part of the problem is that the ships use vacuum toilets and if passengers (particularly those on upper decks) flush anything down the toilet other than human waste or toilet paper, the line of pipes from the top cabins to the bottom (and usually several cabins across) stop working. But the Triumph had a bigger problem: it lost power. The resulting raw sewage put it in the rarest of ship categories — that which inspires bathroom humor by David Letterman, Conan O’Brien and Jon Stewart.

Running Aground It’s more likely that a cruise ship will run aground than sink. From 1972 to 2011, 98 cruise ships have run aground, according to Mr. Klein’s figures. On average that’s about 2.5 ships a year.

Sinking When the Costa Concordia (a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation) partly sank last year off Giglio, Italy, killing 32 people after hitting a submerged rock, it was one of the first times a cruise ship had done so since the Explorer in 2007. From 1980 to 2012, about 16 ships have sunk. They tend to be ships that sail in inhospitable waters like the Antarctic Ocean, or ships that belong to smaller lines. One of the most devastating accidents was in 1994 in the Baltic Sea, when the Estonia sank and more than 800 people died. Today, “ships don’t sink with everybody dying,” Mr. Klein said. “The chances of loss of life are pretty minuscule.”

Bottom Line So are the events that unfolded on the Triumph normal? Yes and no. “We see maybe two to four of these kinds of incidents a year, and they range in severity,” Mr. Klein said, “with the Triumph certainly being one extreme.”

“I think that what the numbers say is that things go wrong and in most cases there is no threat to physical harm,” Mr. Klein said. “In probably 95 percent of the cases, it’s purely inconvenience.”

“Just endure it as best you can,” he advised. “If something goes wrong, your attitude is what’s going to get you through it.”

And when it’s over, you can help build the public record by telling Mr. Klein all about it: [email protected].

Follow Stephanie Rosenbloom on Twitter @stephronyt .

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Cruise lines have regulations in place to prevent passengers from falling overboard.

Scared of Falling Off a Cruise Ship? Here's What You Should Know.

Despite recent reports, cruise ships are still a safe way to vacation.

Some might consider cruise ships havens, where passengers can destress freely and there's always something on tap. Still, although extremely rare, bad things can happen on them.

On April 12, crewmembers began a frantic search after choppy conditions tossed a woman from a P & O cruise liner . The ship, called Pacific Dawn , halted as fast as possible and turned around to search for her. Although the crew alerted other ships in the area, the search continues, as the woman has not been found.

Since 2000, reports say roughly 300 people on cruise ships have fallen overboard . There were 17 cases in 2017 and so far in 2018, there have been five.

These stats are low, considering the number of passengers on cruise ships has increased—today, more than 20 million people take cruises each year . All things considered, a fear of going overboard shouldn’t be an excuse to not take a cruise.

Safety First

Falling overboard is one of the rarest events that can happen on cruise ships , and there are specific safety standards in place to reduce the risk. High railings on public decks prevent passengers from getting blown or swept off accidentally, and security cameras record what’s going on in public places. There’s no official detection system for people who fall overboard quite yet, but the Coast Guard reportedly has technology in the works .

Overboard incidents are most commonly reckless or deliberate accidents induced by drunkenness. But cruise ship bartenders are trained to see when someone has had too much to drink and, like on land, they will stop serving them. Cruise ships also have on-board physicians and security officers to monitor people who might be at risk.

Too much alcohol consumption can also exacerbate conditions like bipolar disorder and depression. A small percentage of overboard situations are the result of suicides or foul play. Even when patrons have fallen overboard, crewmembers can circle the ship around to save them if they’ve been notified in a timely manner.

Aside from patrons falling overboard, other deaths take place aboard cruise ships , but they often don’t get as much attention. But of those deaths, most are of elderly passengers. The odds of dying on a cruise ship are roughly 1 in 6.25 million . It's much more dangerous to drive in a car, where the odds of dying in a crash are about 1 in 645 .

On a cruise ship, one of the biggest risks isn’t falling off—it’s the spread of diseases. Contact with ship railing, bathroom doors, and open food buffets can quickly spread contagious viruses like norovirus , which plagued hundreds aboard a Royal Caribbean International cruise in 2014.

Related: These Places Deserve More Travelers

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To prevent the spread of disease, some liners will sanitize railings, handles, and other objects with virus-killing alcohol. The best protection against gastrointestinal disease is to wash your hands and avoid contact with potentially infected people.

Cruising Along

In terms of falling overboard, river cruises are safer than their open water counterparts. River ships are smaller than traditional ocean liners , so the chances of a deadly fall are slimmer. (Smaller cruises also make it less likely to contract viruses.) River cruises also go on much tamer waters , and they sail closer to the shore.

Out of all the vacation options out there, cruise ships are still among the safest .

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Cruise Ship Deaths – Annual Statistics, Causes and Real Examples

You may be wondering how many people die on cruise ships annually. It’s inevitable that with so many people taking a cruise, some will die onboard. The majority will die from natural causes but not all are as innocent.

In recent years there have been many incidents of accidents, suicides, and murders.

How Many People Die on Cruise Ships Each Year?

There are many sources which quote 200 as the number of cruise ship deaths each year. The real number is likely to be higher as not all cruise lines and countries share their death statistics. The majority of deaths that occur onboard cruise ships are from natural causes although some die in accidents, murders, suicides, or overdoses. 

In the article, we will look at common cruise ship death causes and some examples which made it to the mainstream media.

Cruise Ship Death Statistics

There are relatively few sources that provide accurate death statistics for cruise lines. Accidents, suicides, and murders are well reported but deaths from natural causes are often missed from the figures. The website CruiseShipDeaths.com records many of the deaths that happen on cruise ships including deaths of crew members.

There are approximately 30 million people who took a cruise in 2019. Assuming that each took a cruise for one week that means that there are around 500 thousand guests at sea at any one time.

200 deaths out of 30,000,000 yearly passengers equate to 1 in 150,000 guests. This means that there are around 3/4 deaths per week.  

Cruise Ship Deaths – Murders

Although cruise ship murders are incredibly rare, they do happen. Murders are usually committed by a person that the victim knows and the majority of cruise ship murders involve arguments that escalate or a previous history of abuse.

For obvious reasons murders which happen on cruise ships are very rarely pre-planned.

It’s worth noting that guns are not allowed on cruise ships under any circumstances and as a result, most murders are either stabbings or involve pushing the victim into the ocean.

Tamara Loraine Tucker Murdered on Carnival Elation

Tamara Loraine Tucker was allegedly murdered by her ‘long term love’ onboard the Carnival Elation in 2018. The couple was taking a four-night cruise from Florida at the time.

An argument broke out just before midnight in their cabin on the 13th deck. Her partner Eric has admitted that he strangled her and pushed her over the balcony. She fell two decks down to deck 11 and died of blunt force trauma.

Eric was charged with murder in the second degree.

Kristy Manzanares Murdered on The Emerald Princess

In 2017 Kristy and Kenneth Manzanares were taking a cruise to Alaska onboard the Emerald Princess. Kristy was a 39-year-old mother of three and was traveling on the cruise with her husband and three teenage daughters.

Kenneth beat Kristy to death and attempted to throw her body overboard. He was caught by another person dragging her body out onto the balcony.  The murder took place in adjoining cabins on deck 9, cabins D726 and D728.

The video above shows news footage from the time of the incident. It was reported that other passengers heard Kristy’s screams and that the teenage girls suspected that their dad would do ‘something like this’.

Almarosa Tenorio Murdered on The Royal Princess

In 2018 Almarosa Terorio was cruising on the Royal Princess with her husband when she fell to her death. The couple was actually cruising in an inside cabin at the time but witnesses report seeing a man strangle her and then throw her overboard. The incident happened on the lido deck.

She fell down from deck 16 onto a lifeboat on deck 7 with such force that it actually broke the glass on the lifeboat. Many passengers report seeing blood and glass. The ship was held while the incident was investigated.

Darla J Mellinger Murdered on The Ryndam – Murder-Suicide

In 2015 Darla J Mellinger was murdered onboard Holland America’s Ryndam by her husband. They were taking a 14 night Caribbean cruise to celebrate the Easter holiday.

It’s reported that her husband John found a text from Darla to another man. He broke some glass in the cabin to make a weapon and stabbed Darla to death. After the murder, he hung himself in the bathroom.

Prior to the cruise, Darla had been to the hospital a stab wound to the chest which the pair had explained was caused by an accident.

Recommended Watching: Cruise Ship Killers

If you’re interested in cruise ship murders I recommend you watch the series Cruise Ship Killers. The show has changed the names of the people involved but the murders are real. It’s a little dramatic, but I enjoyed watching it.

Cruise ship killers is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

If you don’t have Amazon Prime you can use this link to sign up for a 30 day free trial. (It’s definitely possible to watch all episodes within the 30 days if you want to). Note: When you watch the show you’ll probably be curious as to who each episode is based on, I have written a guide which covers that here: Cruise Ship Killers – The REAL Deaths Behind The Show (Episode Guide)

Cruise Ship Deaths – Suicides

Sadly there are a number of people who decide to end their lives on cruise ships, mostly by jumping from the ship. It’s not only passengers who do this but also sometimes crew too.

I was actually on board a cruise where a man went overboard. We heard an announcement in our cabin and our next port stop was canceled so that we could search for the missing man. A number of other cruise ships also came from close by to join the search. He was never found and was presumed dead.

What would happen if you fell overboard on a cruise? The following post details step by step the processes that are in place:

Cruise Ships Stop if You Fall Overboard – Here’s What Happens

Crew Suicides and Coronavirus

In 2020 an increased number of crew members committed suicide during the coronavirus crisis. In may 2020,  5 crew members committed suicide on board cruise ships. Most jumped to their deaths and some hung themselves in cabin bathrooms.

Crew members at the time were unable to leave their cruise ships and were facing months at sea, sometimes quarantined to their cabins, with no real end in sight.

Cruise Ship Deaths – Accidental Deaths at Sea

Accidents happen at sea in the same way that they happen on land. Cruise ships are incredibly safe and the safety of passengers and crew is the primary concern for all.

That said many accidents still happen onboard when guests break rules, enter restricted areas, or simply just have bad luck. Accidents don’t just happen at sea but also when guests are on land on excursions.

Common examples of accidental cruise ship deaths include:

• Trips or Falls
• Accidents in Port
• Entering restricted areas
• Climbing from a balcony to another balcony

Salvatore Anello – Royal Caribbean Accidental Death

One of the highest-profile and most heartbreaking accidental death stories to occur on a cruise in recent years is that of grandfather Salvatore Anello who dropped his 18-month-old granddaughter from a window on to the dock below. The accident happened on the Freedom of the Seas.

“I wasn’t drinking and I wasn’t dangling her out of a window. I just wanted to knock on the glass with her as we did together so many times before. I was just so horribly wrong about our surroundings,” he said. – source.

Salvatore pleaded guilty to negligent homicide. In the above video he explains what happened and how he is trying to rebuild his life for his family.

Larent Mercer – Royal Caribbean Accidental Death

In 2019 a 16-year-old boy died when he tried to climb across outdoor balconies after losing his room key. Sadly this isn’t an isolated incident with many other people also meeting the same fate.

Some passengers who have died in this way have done so because they were trying to climb from deck to deck or to show off to friends and fellow guests.

Harmony of The Seas was docked in Labadee, Haiti at the time and the boy fell to his death landing on the pier below.

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t EVER try to climb on, or around, cruise ship balconies. Losing your room key isn’t a problem at all, lots of people do it, and if you do you just need to go to reception to get a new card issued to you.

Despite all of the warnings some guests still do not respect the cruise lines rules and they try to do things like jump from the balconies. Guests who do such irresponsible things are usually banned from the cruise line for life, and from other cruise lines too. The video below shows one of these people.

No cruise line wants to have to recover a dead body or clean up the mess!

Cruise Ship Deaths – Swimming Pool Drownings

As with any swimming pool, there is always a risk of drowning. On some cruise lines, you will find lifeguards but this isn’t mandatory and not all cruise lines have them. Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line have recently added lifeguards but Princess cruises are one cruise line that doesn’t have lifeguards on duty.

There have been multiple drownings on Princess ships.

In 2014 a 29-year-old woman drowned on board the Sapphire Princess. A year later in 2015, an 8-year-old boy was found drowned also onboard Sapphire Princess.  In 2019 a man in his 30s was found drowned on board the Caribbean Princess.

Of course, Princess aren’t the only cruise line where this has happened:

In 2019 a 10-year-old boy drowned on a Genting cruise ship.

In 2015 an 8-year-old boy drowned onboard Liberty of the Seas.

In 2015 a 10-year-old girl drowned on board the Norwegian Gem.

There are many more examples.

Costa Concordia

In 2012 the Costa Concordia struck an underwater rock and capsized near Tuscany. The cruise ship was only eight years old and the captain on board was Francesco Schettino.

I’ve cruised with Costa since the event and many people still refuse to cruise with the cruise line because of this accident. In reality, it wasn’t the fault of Costa cruise line but that of a severely negligent captain.

Francesco Schettino

Francesco decided to change the route of the cruise ship which caused the accident. The ship sailed closer to land than she normally would and as a result, she overturned. 32 people lost their lives and captain Francesco was charged with manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

It’s a maritime tradition that the captain always goes down with his ship. Meaning that the captain should make sure that everybody else is off the ship before they disembark. Francesco didn’t do this and decided instead to save himself. He disobeyed orders to go back to the ship.

Now you go to the bow, you climb up the emergency ladder and coordinate the evacuation. You must tell us how many people, children, women and passengers are there and the exact number of each category,” said officials to Francesco Schettino. “What are you doing? Are you abandoning the rescue? Captain, this is an order, I am the one in charge now. You have declared abandoning ship,” he said, adding: “There are already bodies.” “How many?” Schettino says, prompting the cutting reply: “That is for you to tell me, what are you doing? Do you want to go home?” – source.

It’s estimated that the disaster cost Costa Cruises, owned by Carnival, around $2 billion dollars. To learn more about how the cruise industry overcame this disaster and other disasters similar to it, check out this video below:

Cruise Ship Deaths – Accidental Deaths in Port

As mentioned above some passengers do get injured, or die as a result of their activities when in port or on land. Cruise ship and organized excursions are usually very safe but it’s impossible to remove all risks from every activity.

Ovation of The Seas

One of the largest losses to life in recent years from an accidental death in port is when the Whakaari volcano in New Zealand erupted in 2019. Guests from Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of The Seas were visiting the island at the time.

At the time of the eruption, there were reportedly 47 people on the island and 19 people were killed, most on Royal Caribbean’s excursions. The victims included children as young as five.

Cruise Ship Deaths – Natural Causes

The majority of people who die on cruise ships do because of natural causes. Common causes are strokes and heart attacks as these strike quickly with little warning. People don’t send to board cruises if they have ongoing serious medical problems that aren’t well managed.

Travel insurance can get very expensive if you have pre-existing medical conditions.

It is incredibly important that you have travel insurance for any cruise. Onboard medical expenses are very expensive and costs can quickly add up if passengers need to be airlifted off the ship. I’ve been on a couple of cruises where the ship has had to make extra called to drop off passengers who were unwell.

Never ever ever ever cruise without travel insurance! Even if you are just cruising to the Caribbean from the USA, you NEED insurance. Compare quotes (for free) here: – USA – UK

Bruce Campbell

In 2019 Bruce Campbell was playing bingo onboard the Carnival Sunshine when he suffered a stroke. He was originally sent to a hospital in Freeport, Bahamas but they didn’t have the medical facilities to treat him.

He was cruising with his wife at the time and they didn’t have the necessary funds to get him back to America. Amazingly an anonymous donor donated the $20,000 needed for Bruce to be flown back to the US for treatment. This highlights the importance of travel insurance mentioned above.

Sadly Bruce later passed away but he was able to donate his organs to save numerous other people’s lives.

The video above talks more about this story.

Peggy Bowman

Peggy Bowman died at the age of 89 on board a Cunard cruise. She took a world cruise annually and died shortly after visiting the port of Honolulu in Hawaii. Peggy had been cruising since the 80s and died of a heart attack on board.

What a way to go!

To learn more about the process of what happens in the situation where somebody dies on a cruise, including how the body is transported home and where it is stored, check out this post:

Cruise Ship Deaths: What Happens Next? Step by Step Process Guide

To Conclude:

Many people die each year on cruises although the exact number isn’t known. The majority die from natural causes or accidents but there are a few who are murdered or commit suicide. Death is inevitable with so many passengers cruising each year.

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20 Million Passengers Cruise Each Year, But How Many Are Injured?

And of those, how many of those accidents occurred because the cruise line or its crew did (or did not do) something to prevent the accident from happening?

The truth is, we don’t know . The cruise line industry does a very poor job of collecting and sharing that information. The reason? It’s probably because they don’t want to interfere with the marketing messages that depict cruise vacations as fun, care-free and family friendly.

But imagine – if even 1% of those 20 million passengers incurs and injury that’s 200,000 passengers who are hurt and confused about what action to take.

The Reality is, Accidents Happen on Cruise Ships

The reality is however, that cruise ships are just like other places – accidents are bound to happen. And many of these accidents are avoidable. Negligence plays a role in many injuries sustained by passengers (and crew) aboard cruise ships.

• Wet decks are not properly marked and people fall.
• Hallways are crowded with luggage and people trip.
• Medical staff misdiagnoses an injury and it gets worse.
• Stairways and gangways are broken, unstable or slick and someone stumbles.

Injured Passengers Do Have Rights

The ways people can be injured on a cruise ship is endless. Fortunately for these passengers, cruise ship personal injury lawyers can act as advocates for the passenger, helping them understand their legal rights and provide a course of action if a lawsuit needs to be filed against the cruise line for financial compensation for the injury.

If it can be proved that the injured was cause by the negligence of the cruise line or crew, there is a good chance that the passenger can be compensated for their injury. This is important as medical bills, unemployment and other considerations can have a severe financial impact on the injured passenger.

Contact the CruiseLawyers Law Firm

Waks and Barnett personal injury attorneys have successfully represented passengers who have been seriously injured, hurt or medically impaired while on a cruise vacation for over 25 years.

We also represent crewmembers who were injured while working on cruise ships and commerical vessels.

Whether your accident occurred on a Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney or Princess cruise – or any of the other cruise lines out there, we can help you.

How can we help you? Call us at 800-905-2891.

Winter is here! Check out the winter wonderlands at these 5 amazing winter destinations in Montana

• Plan Your Trip

How Many Cruise Ships Sink Each Year

Published: December 20, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Ferne Amundson

Introduction

Welcome aboard the exciting world of cruises! A vacation at sea is a dream for many, offering a unique blend of luxury, adventure, and relaxation. Cruise ships serve as floating cities, providing passengers with a wide range of amenities and memorable experiences. However, amidst the allure of these magnificent vessels, it’s natural to wonder about their safety and the risk of sinkings.

While cruise ship sinkings capture headlines and evoke fear, it’s important to put things into perspective. Cruise ship sinkings are relatively rare occurrences, with the industry taking extensive measures to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. In this article, we will delve into the history of cruise ship sinkings, explore the factors that contribute to these incidents, examine the safety measures implemented by the cruise ship industry, and highlight notable sinkings in recent years. Additionally, we will provide statistics to help you better understand the overall safety of cruising.

So, grab your life jacket and join us as we dive into the world of cruise ship sinkings.

History of Cruise Ship Sinkings

The history of cruise ship sinkings dates back centuries, highlighting both past tragedies and advancements in maritime safety. While sinkings can evoke a sense of fear, it’s important to remember that the cruise industry has made significant improvements over the years to prevent such incidents.

One of the most infamous cruise ship sinkings occurred in 1912 when the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg and sank during its maiden voyage. This tragedy claimed the lives of over 1,500 passengers and crew, serving as a monumental wake-up call for the maritime industry. The sinking of the Titanic led to the creation of international regulations and safety standards, such as mandatory lifeboat requirements and improved communication systems.

In the decades that followed, numerous cruise ship sinkings occurred, although the frequency decreased significantly. Notable incidents include the sinking of the RMS Empress of Ireland in 1914, the SS Andrea Doria in 1956, and the MV Estonia in 1994. These incidents highlighted the importance of ongoing safety improvements and emergency response protocols.

Since the turn of the century, there have been several high-profile cruise ship sinkings. The most notable of these include the sinking of the Costa Concordia in 2012 and the Sewol ferry disaster in 2014. These incidents served as sobering reminders of the need for constant vigilance and adherence to safety protocols.

It’s important to note that the vast majority of cruise ship voyages are completed without incident. The industry has implemented numerous safety measures to reduce the likelihood of sinkings, including extensive crew training, advanced navigation systems, and regular inspections by regulatory authorities.

While cruise ship sinkings do occur, it’s crucial to remember that they are rare events in comparison to the number of successful voyages undertaken each year. The cruise industry continues to prioritize safety as a top concern and works diligently to ensure the well-being of all those who embark on their voyages.

Factors Contributing to Cruise Ship Sinkings

Cruise ship sinkings can be caused by a variety of factors, ranging from natural disasters to human error. Understanding these factors is crucial in preventing future incidents and improving safety protocols within the industry.

1. Natural Disasters: Cruise ships can encounter severe weather conditions at sea, including hurricanes, storms, and rogue waves. These natural disasters can cause structural damage to the vessel, leading to potential sinkings. The cruise ship industry closely monitors weather patterns and alters itineraries or cancels trips when necessary to ensure passenger safety.

2. Mechanical Failures: Like any complex piece of machinery, cruise ships can experience mechanical failures. These failures can range from engine malfunctions to problems with navigation systems or onboard utilities. Regular maintenance and inspections, along with backup systems, are implemented to minimize the risk of mechanical failures and their potential impact on the ship’s safety.

3. Human Error: Human factors can play a significant role in cruise ship sinkings. Errors in navigation, communication, and decision-making can lead to disastrous consequences. It’s crucial for crew members to receive comprehensive training and adhere to established protocols to mitigate the risk of human error.

4. Fire Incidents: Cruise ships are equipped with various fire prevention and suppression systems, but fires can still occur onboard. Electrical malfunctions, unattended smoking, or equipment failures can lead to fires that pose a risk to the ship and its passengers. Regular fire drills, training programs, and stringent safety regulations help prevent and mitigate fire incidents.

5. Collision or Grounding: Collisions with other vessels or grounding on reefs or shallow waters can result in serious damage to a cruise ship, potentially leading to a sinking. Navigation systems, experienced bridge crews, and up-to-date charts help minimize the risk of collisions or groundings, but vigilance and adherence to safe operating practices are imperative.

It’s important to note that the cruise ship industry continuously evaluates and updates safety measures to address these contributing factors. Collaboration between cruise lines, regulatory bodies, and governing agencies plays a vital role in identifying potential risks and implementing necessary improvements.

By understanding and addressing these factors, the cruise ship industry strives to create a safer environment for passengers and crew, minimizing the chances of future sinkings and incidents at sea.

Safety Measures Implemented by the Cruise Ship Industry

The cruise ship industry places a paramount emphasis on passenger and crew safety. To ensure a secure voyage, numerous safety measures have been implemented throughout the industry. These measures address a range of areas, including crew training, onboard regulations, and emergency preparedness.

1. Crew Training: Cruise ship crew members undergo extensive training protocols to handle various emergencies and ensure passenger safety. This includes training in firefighting, first aid, evacuation procedures, and crowd management. Regular drills and simulations are conducted to test the ability of the crew to respond effectively in different scenarios.

2. Safety Regulations: The cruise ship industry is subject to strict regulations and standards enforced by regulatory bodies such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). These regulations cover a wide range of safety aspects, including construction standards, lifesaving equipment, fire protection, and ship stability.

3. Advanced Technology: Cruise ships are equipped with state-of-the-art technology to enhance safety. This includes advanced navigation systems, radar, and weather monitoring tools to detect potential risks at sea. The use of computerized monitoring systems allows for real-time analysis of crucial ship functions, promoting early detection of potential issues.

4. Emergency Preparedness: Cruise ships have comprehensive emergency response plans in place to handle various incidents, including medical emergencies, fires, and ship evacuations. These plans outline the roles and responsibilities of crew members, evacuation procedures, and the deployment of life-saving equipment such as lifeboats, life jackets, and rafts.

5. Regular Inspections: Cruise ships undergo regular inspections by flag state authorities and classification societies to ensure compliance with safety regulations. These inspections cover various aspects, including structural integrity, fire safety, lifesaving equipment, and operational systems. Non-compliance can result in penalties, fines, or the revocation of operating licenses.

6. Passenger Safety Briefings: Before a cruise ship sets sail, all passengers must attend a mandatory safety briefing. During this briefing, important safety information is provided, including the location of life jackets, emergency exits, and the assembly stations to gather in case of an evacuation. This ensures that passengers are well-informed and prepared for any potential emergency.

The cruise ship industry remains committed to continuously enhancing safety measures. As new technologies and practices emerge, cruise lines actively integrate them into their operations to further improve the safety of their passengers and crew. Through ongoing training, regulations, and preparedness, the industry strives to provide a secure and enjoyable experience for all on board.

Notable Cruise Ship Sinkings in Recent Years

While cruise ship sinkings are relatively rare, there have been some notable incidents in recent years that have captured the attention of the public. These incidents serve as important reminders of the importance of safety protocols and the need for continuous improvement within the cruise industry.

1. Costa Concordia (2012): One of the most infamous cruise ship sinkings in recent memory, the Costa Concordia struck a reef off the coast of Italy in January 2012. The captain made a navigational error, leading to the ship capsizing and resulting in the loss of 32 lives. This incident highlighted the importance of trained and responsible navigation, as well as the need for effective evacuation procedures.

2. MV Sewol (2014): While not a traditional cruise ship, the sinking of the MV Sewol ferry in South Korea in April 2014 had a profound impact on the maritime industry. The overloaded ferry capsized, resulting in the tragic loss of 304 passengers, mostly students on a school trip. The incident sparked a nationwide discussion on safety standards and resulted in tighter regulations for passenger vessels.

3. Norwegian Dawn (2015): In May 2015, the Norwegian Dawn, a cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line, encountered severe weather off the coast of the United States. The ship was hit by a massive wave, causing water to flood several decks and resulting in injuries to several passengers and crew. The incident highlighted the importance of monitoring weather conditions and taking appropriate measures to ensure passenger safety.

4. Viking Sky (2019): The Viking Sky, a cruise ship operated by Viking Ocean Cruises, made headlines in March 2019 when it experienced engine failure in treacherous conditions off the coast of Norway. The ship was left adrift and in danger of running aground, prompting a daring rescue operation to evacuate over 1,300 passengers. This incident underscored the importance of contingency plans and effective emergency response procedures.

These notable sinkings serve as reminders of the ever-present risks that can arise at sea. In their aftermath, the cruise industry has implemented additional safety measures, such as enhanced training, improved communication systems, and stricter guidelines for navigating challenging waters. The lessons learned from these incidents help shape regulations and enhance the industry’s commitment to passenger safety.

Statistics on Cruise Ship Sinkings

When considering the safety of cruise ship travel, it is important to look at the statistics surrounding cruise ship sinkings. By examining the numbers, we can gain a better understanding of the overall safety record of the industry.

According to data from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the likelihood of a cruise ship sinking is extremely low. Out of the millions of passengers who embark on cruise vacations each year, only a small fraction will ever experience a sinking or a major incident.

In fact, a study conducted by the University of Plymouth’s Maritime Research Group found that the chances of a cruise ship sinking are less than one in a million. This statistic includes all types of cruise ships and takes into account both major and minor incidents.

Furthermore, cruise ships are designed and built to withstand extreme conditions and are subject to rigorous safety regulations. Advances in technology, such as weather monitoring systems and state-of-the-art navigation equipment, have further enhanced the safety of modern cruise ships.

It’s also worth noting that cruise lines prioritize passenger safety and invest heavily in crew training and emergency preparedness. Regular safety drills, comprehensive emergency response plans, and ongoing safety inspections contribute to maintaining a high level of safety standards across the industry.

While cruise ships may encounter incidents such as engine failures or minor fires, the vast majority of these situations are handled smoothly and do not lead to sinkings or loss of life. The prompt response of trained crew members, advanced safety protocols, and proper evacuation procedures ensure that passengers are kept safe in the event of any incident.

As with any mode of transportation, there is always a certain level of inherent risk. However, statistics indicate that cruise ship travel remains one of the safest forms of leisure travel available today.

It is essential to keep these statistics in mind when considering a cruise vacation. While the possibility of a sinking exists, the overall risk is extremely low. By following the safety guidelines provided by the cruise line and remaining aware of emergency procedures, passengers can enjoy their cruise experience with peace of mind.

Embarking on a cruise ship vacation is a thrilling experience, filled with excitement, relaxation, and exploration. While the concept of cruise ship sinkings may evoke concern, it’s important to have a realistic perspective on the safety of the industry.

Throughout history, cruise ship sinkings have prompted significant improvements in safety regulations and practices. From the defining tragedy of the Titanic to more recent incidents, the industry has learned valuable lessons that have shaped its commitment to passenger safety.

The cruise ship industry has implemented a wide range of safety measures, including comprehensive crew training, adherence to strict regulations, advanced technology, and emergency preparedness. These measures work in harmony to reduce the risks associated with cruising and ensure the well-being of passengers and crew members.

Notable sinkings in recent years have further highlighted the importance of constant vigilance and the need for continuous improvement. By analyzing these incidents, the cruise industry is able to identify potential areas for enhancement and further strengthen its commitment to safety.

Statistics show that the chance of a cruise ship sinking is extremely low, with the industry continually striving to improve its safety record. Advances in technology, ongoing crew training, and regulatory oversight contribute to providing an environment where passengers can enjoy their vacation with confidence.

As in any form of travel, there will always be some level of inherent risk. However, the cruise ship industry’s dedication to safety measures and ongoing improvements make it one of the safest modes of leisure travel available today.

So, if you’ve been dreaming of embarking on a cruise adventure, rest assured that the industry’s commitment to safety is unwavering. By choosing a reputable cruise line, following safety guidelines, and staying informed about emergency procedures, you can indulge in the wonders of cruising while experiencing peace of mind.

Fair winds and smooth sailing on your next cruise journey!

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Facts + Statistics: Marine Accidents

In this facts + statistics, global shipping losses by number of vessels, 2013-2022 (1), global shipping losses by number of vessels by region, 2013-2022 (1).

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There were 38 large ships totally lost in 2022, a decline from 59 in 2021, according to latest data from Allianz. Safety & Shipping Review 2023 reports improvements in maritime safety have been significant over the past 10 years.

The region encompassing South China, Indochina, Indonesia and the Philippines had the largest number of shipping losses in 2022 with a total of 10. The region has ranked first in shipping losses over the past decade.

(1) Total losses, vessels over 100 gross tons.

Source: Allianz Commercial, Safety and Shipping Review 2023. Copyright © 2023.

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Tragic List: Discover How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk Throughout History

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk: Millions of people choose cruise ships for their vacations every year because they provide opulent amenities, thrilling activities, and the chance to see several places in one journey. But sometimes people doubt these enormous floating hotels’ safety, especially when you consider that they might sink.

There have been very few cruise ships that have sunk in the past century. Because of the safety procedures followed by the cruise liner industry, most or all of the passengers and crew survive when a cruise ship sinks.

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk

Only twenty-four cruise ships—both river and ocean liners—have sunk since 1912. It’s important to remember that some cruise ship capsizings happen while the ship was being towed or berthed.

Because cruise ships are built sturdy and have current safety mechanisms, we can explain why there aren’t many cruise ship sinkings.

Today’s cruise ships are extremely resistant to sinking because of their emphasis on safety throughout construction. Modern cruise ships are outfitted with a plethora of safety precautions to preserve as many lives as possible in the event of an unfortunate disaster.

Consequently, the death toll from these kinds of incidents is usually rather low.

Sadly, several people lost their lives in some of the first sinkings.

Since 1912, a cruise ship has sunk an average of once every 4.5 years, underscoring how uncommon these incidents are. However, as safety and technology advance and we continue to learn from past tragedies, the number of cruise ship disasters is declining.

While cruise ship sinkings are uncommon, there have been a few famous cases, like the Titanic and the Costa Concordia catastrophe. However, despite these high-profile incidents, the cruise industry does have a remarkable overall safety record.

What percentage of cruise ships sink?

It’s critical to realize that cruise ship sinkings are quite uncommon. There have only been 22 cruise ship sinkings in the last 100 years.

Still, a number of shipwrecks happened while docked or being towed. Given the quantity of cruise ships that are in operation all year round, cruise ship sinkings are quite unusual.

Many safety precautions included into contemporary cruise ships reduce the possibility of a sinking. Strict rules and inspections also contribute to the high standard of safety that is maintained on these boats. Cruise ship sinkings are uncommon, which is partly due to these efforts and technological developments.

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In contrast to this total, cruise ships in particular have an even lower frequency of sinking. Although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact number of cruise ship sinkings in the recent past, it is widely accepted that these incidents are uncommon and do not pose a serious threat to passengers.

In conclusion, the rarity of cruise ship sinkings can be attributed to stringent safety rules and contemporary technology. Travelers may relax knowing that their cruise ship experiences will be stable and safe.

Do Cruise Ships Sink Frequently?

Because of stringent restrictions and advanced safety systems, cruise ships seldom sink. In the last century, there have only been 20 cruise ship sinkings.

It is noteworthy that not all of these sinkings contained passengers or caused a sizable number of casualties.

The frequency of cruise ship sinkings has decreased due to advances in navigation technology.

Are Cruise Ships Capable of Sinking?

Cruise ships do occasionally sink, but this is extremely uncommon.

Contemporary cruise ships come with cutting-edge safety technologies that reduce the chance of capsizing. In addition, watertight compartments and improved hull construction keep a ship from absorbing too much water. Cruise ship crew members are also regularly trained in safety exercises and emergency procedures.

Despite these safety precautions, 24 cruise ships and ocean liners have sunk since the RMS Titanic disaster in 1912.

In spite of the disconcerting prospect of a cruise ship sinking, safety remains the cruise industry’s top priority. Compared to other means of transportation, passengers may travel with peace of mind on one of the safest modes.

When Did a Cruise Ship Most Recently Sink?

The last time a cruise ship capsized while carrying people on board was the Costa Concordia, which grounded in Italy in 2012. Thirty-four people perished when the Italian cruise liner struck rocks and subsequently capsized. The accusations made against the ship’s crew, especially Captain Francesco Schettino, who is currently serving a 16-year manslaughter term, made the incident noteworthy as well.

To provide the highest level of security for its patrons, the cruise industry has enacted a number of safety rules and procedures in recent years. These modifications have greatly decreased the quantity of mishaps and sinkings, which has helped to explain why we don’t hear about them as frequently.

Why Do Ships Stay Afloat?

Even while cruise ships, in particular, might be extraordinarily large buildings, their purpose is to float on water with ease. It is because of the buoyancy principle that cruise ships may float. Any object submerged in a fluid (such as water) experiences an upward force equal to the weight of the fluid the object has displaced. This is known as Archimedes’ principle, or the physical law of buoyancy.

The hull form of a ship is a major component that affects its buoyancy. Because of their wide, flat bottoms, ships are able to move a lot of water. This displacement produces an upward force that balances the ship’s weight.

If the density of the cruise ship is lower than that of the water, it will still float.

Steel and aluminum are two examples of strong, lightweight materials used in ships that offer structural support while maintaining a low overall density. In addition, the hull is separated into waterproof sections so that, in the event of damage, water does not flood the entire ship. This design keeps cruise ships from toppling over and aids in maintaining the ship’s buoyancy.

Preventing a ship from capsizing also depends on its stability. A low center of gravity is a feature of ship design. Heavy parts of the ship, including engines and fuel tanks, are located in the lowermost part of the structure to provide a low center of gravity. Even in choppy waters, the ship will stay upright and steady thanks to the design philosophy.

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Overview of How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk Throughout History

1912’s rms titanic.

On April 15, 1912, the British passenger ship RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean. When the ship struck an iceberg on its first trip from Southampton, UK, to New York City, it sank. Out of the estimated 2,224 passengers and crew, 1,517 are thought to have perished in the accident.

The Titanic was regarded as an engineering wonder when it was built and was the largest ship ever to sail. With more than 2,200 passengers and crew members on board, she sailed for her maiden transatlantic voyage. Despite multiple alerts of icebergs up ahead on April 14, the Titanic proceeded to travel at a speed of 22 knots.

Lookouts noticed an iceberg on the ship’s course just before midnight. The Titanic suffered damage below the waterline when she met the iceberg on her starboard side due to her inability to turn quickly enough.

It was obvious the ship would sink when water began to fill it. There was a significant death toll from the Titanic accident because there were not enough lifeboats and the water was quite cold. Laws about maritime safety have significantly improved as a result of the disaster.

Empress of Ireland in 1914

Early on May 29, 1914, in the thick fog, the ocean liner RMS Empress of Ireland collided with another ship and sank in Canada’s St. Lawrence River.

There were 1,477 passengers and staff members on board the Empress as it traveled from Quebec City to Liverpool. The Norwegian collier Storstad struck the Empress, causing significant damage and rapid submersion. Despite hasty attempts to evacuate passengers, the ship sank in about fourteen minutes. The accident claimed 1,012 lives from those on board, making it the deadliest marine accident to occur in Canadian history during a peacetime.

1915’s RMS Lusitania

On May 7, 1915, during World War I, a German U-boat torpedo sank the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania, killing 1,198 people—passengers and crew. The Cunard Line-owned Lusitania was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland when it was making her 202 transatlantic voyage from New York to Liverpool.

A second explosion burst from the ship’s hull shortly after the torpedo hit. Due to the significant damage and degree of listing, only six lifeboats were able to descend from the starboard side of the ship.

The ship sank around eighteen minutes after the torpedo hit. Seventy-six out of the 1,962 passengers and crew on board the Lusitania made it out alive.

The RMS Lusitania was allegedly carrying 173 tons of weapons and ammunition, according to the German authorities. Apart from the small arms ammunition listed on the ship’s military cargo, the British government disputes that the ocean liner carried any war weaponry.

1916’s HMHS Britannic

HMHS Britannic was the third and largest Olympic-class ocean liner that White Star Line operated. Constructed as a transatlantic passenger liner, the ship was launched shortly before the outbreak of World War I.

Before Britannic could be used for passenger travel following the start of the war, the British Admiralty seized her and renamed her Britannic as a hospital ship. The Britannic ran into a naval mine that a German U-boat had planted while it was in the Aegean Sea in November 1916.

In approximately 55 minutes, the explosion destroyed much of the ship and caused serious damage. Despite the sinking’s rapid pace, the prompt evacuation saved 1,030 lives. 30 persons sadly lost their lives in the sinking.

1927’s Principessa Mafalda

Off the coast of Brazil in 1927, the Italian transatlantic liner SS Principessa Mafalda sank. The ship departed on her 14-day voyage after a technical delay.

The ship made multiple stops in the ocean during the voyage, indicating that it was not in good shape. The breakage of the starboard propeller shaft on October 25 resulted in numerous hull gashes.

The ship started to absorb water, and the watertight doors could not be closed all the way. It took the ship more than four hours to sink completely. However, miscommunication resulted in 314 fatalities.

1932-Georges Philippar

In 1932, the French passenger liner Georges Philippar caught fire and sank in the Gulf of Aden, killing fifty-four people. On May 16, during her inaugural journey off the coast of Italian Somaliland, Mme Valentin’s opulent cabin’s wood paneling caught fire due to a malfunctioning light switch.

The fire was allowed to spread quickly since there was a delay in reporting it. Captain Vicq tried to put out the fire and beach the ship, but things worsened.

The engine rooms were evacuated, leaving the Georges Philippar adrift. The captain issued a distress call and told the crew and passengers to get off the ship. The French ship Andre Lebon, the two British cargo ships Mahsud and Contractor, and the Soviet tanker Sovietskaïa Neft were the three neighboring vessels that came to the rescue.

Rescuers were able to save 698 people. 54 people died, nevertheless, some of them from desperate jumps overboard.

1934’s SS Morro Castle

On September 7, 1934, at around three in the morning, a fire broke out on board the opulent ocean liner SS Morro Castle, which was traveling from Havana to New York City. Strong winds contributed to the fire’s rapid out-of-control spread.

Chaos broke out as terrified passengers had to decide whether to leap into the sea or stay on the blazing ship, even as efforts were made to put out the fire and launch lifeboats. The ruined Morro Castle ran aground close to Asbury Park, New Jersey, after only six hours.

Only 312 of the 549 occupants, including the crew, made it out alive.

Following investigations, it became clear that a lack of training and preparation for fire safety contributed to the shockingly high death toll. The burned-out wreck, which served as a somber reminder of the horror everyone on board had to endure, remained on the beach until 1935.

The fatal incident made it clear that ocean liners need to strengthen their fireproofing, safety exercises, and crew training.

Empress of Britain – 1940

The Canadian Pacific Steamship Company, which the Canadian Pacific Railway and the RMS Empress of Britain owned, transported people and soldiers across the Atlantic during World War II.

The German submarine U-32 fired two torpedoes at the Empress of Britain early on October 26, 1940, as it was cruising roughly 450 miles west of Ireland. The damage was too great, leading the ship to list badly in spite of efforts to prevent flooding.

Lifeboats were hastily lowered into the darkness after the order to evacuate the ship, with some capsizing in the confusion as flares lit up the sky. British navy ships saved 1,259 people from the sinking liner, but 45 unfortunate people perished in the early explosions or drowned.

The graceful British Empress had disappeared under the seas by sunrise, exposing civilian ships to Germany’s merciless submarine warfare techniques.

Andrea Doria – 1956

In July 1956, the Italian ocean liner SS Andrea Doria carried more than 1,700 passengers and crew members on a normal trip from Italy to New York. In extremely foggy conditions, the Andrea Doria and the Swedish ship Stockholm collided on July 25, off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Below the waterline, the Stockholm’s bow caused catastrophic damage by severing passenger compartments and stabbing into Andrea Doria’s side. Ten hours later, in excess of 200 feet of water, the mortally damaged Andrea Doria sank in spite of attempts to contain flooding.

Thankfully, 1,660 individuals made it out of the lifeboats. Nevertheless, 46 people died as a result of impact injuries and drowned during the intense crash.

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1961’s Bianca C

The ship Bianca C is special since it sank twice. The first sinking occurred during World War II when a German-operated passenger ferry was sunk.

Before it sank in 1961, the ship’s hull was lifted and converted into a cruise liner.

With more than 600 passengers and crew, the Italian cruise liner Bianca C sailed from Grenada to Italy overnight on September 22, 1961. An explosion in the engine room at midnight caused a fire that swiftly spread throughout the ship.

The captain gave the order for the staff and passengers to leave the burning ship as smoke filled the halls. As other ships raced to help, liferafts and lifeboats were lowered into the murky tropical waters. While the majority of passengers safely evacuated the Bianca C, one staff member unfortunately perished in the explosion. However, the crew and all other passengers made it out safely.

1979 Angelina Lauro

In March 1979, Costa Lines acquired the aging Italian ocean liner Angelina Lauro. When the new cruise line was chartering the ship, it caught fire while berthed in Saint Thomas.

After burning for a few days, the ship was declared completely destroyed. The fire did not claim any lives.

1986’s MS Mikhail Lermentov

Around 1,000 guests and crew perished when the Soviet cruise ship Mikhail Lermentov struck rocks and sank off the coast of New Zealand on February 16, 1986. During the frantic evacuation, the chief electrical engineer sadly drowned, although no passengers were lost.

In a matter of hours, rescue ships and aircraft safely evacuated everyone else on board the sinking ship before it submerged beneath the water. A subsequent investigation found that inadequate navigation had caused the enormous ship to veer dangerously near the rocky reef in low light, rupturing a huge hole in the hull and quickly flooding the liner.

1986’s SS Admiral Nakhimov

On our list, SS Admiral Nakhimov has the most intriguing tale. The ship has sunk three times in total.

It served as a hospital ship for Germany during World War II before being lost.

The ship was turned up to the Soviet Union as payment for reparations. The Germans had hidden mines in the ship’s hull, which detonated and caused the ship to sink a second time, despite Soviet attempts to retrieve its hull.

On August 31, 1986, the SS Admiral Nakhimov sank for the third and last time. In the Black Sea, close to the Strait of Kerch, the Soviet passenger liner and the bulk freighter Pyotr Vasev collided. Admiral Nakhimov’s hull sustained a huge hole from the accident, which quickly caused the ship to flood.

When the electricity went out, the evacuation process became disorganized due to a lack of lifeboats and inadequate leadership. The Admiral Nakhimov sank after capizing in thirty minutes. Sadly, more than 423 people perished.

1988’s MV Jupiter

The British roll-on/roll-off ferry MV Jupiter and the tanker Phoenix II collided on June 21, 1975, as the two were traveling from Dover to Zeebrugge across the English Channel. The accident caused catastrophic flooding by rupturing open the car deck of the MV Jupiter.

The majority of the 585 passengers and crew were evacuated as the Jupiter began to list alarmingly. Tragically, two passengers—a teacher and a student—as well as two crew members perished.

1988 Achille Lauro

As the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro sailed off Somalia on November 30, 1994, a destructive engine room fire broke out and swiftly got out of control. Tragically, during a nocturnal emergency evacuation, two passengers perished.

Rescue ships and aircraft were able to successfully evacuate all remaining passengers and crew from the burning liner. The ship sank following two days of fierce firefighting.

An engine room explosion was found to be the cause of the safety systems’ deactivation.

MTS Oceanos – 1991

The Greek cruise liner Oceanos sank off the coast of South Africa on August 3, 1991, as a result of severe waves that broke a ventilation pipe. It’s thought that a poor repair made the pipe susceptible to impacts.

A broken ventilation pipe was to blame for the severe flooding. The captain and a few other crew members left the ship as soon as they realized it was sinking.

Amazingly, the entertainment crew stepped up and assisted guests in getting off the sinking ship. Over the following two days, nearby vessels saved all 571 people.

Sun Vista (1999)

The Sun Vista, a cruise liner from Malaysia, capsized in the Malacca Strait on August 8, 1999, due to extreme listing caused by an engine room fire that took off power. The well-trained crew quickly boarded lifeboats with all of the passengers and crew after making a call for assistance from nearby ships.

SeaBreeze (2000)

A catastrophic mechanical failure caused the cruise ship Seabreeze I to swiftly sink on December 17, 2000, when it was sailing about 225 nautical miles off the coast of Virginia. The 21,000 GT, 9-deck passenger ship had just been purchased by Cruise Ventures III, who was traveling from Halifax to Charleston when the catastrophe occurred.

According to reports, the boiler broke away, seriously injuring the engine room of the ship and resulting in significant flooding. The captain yelled “abandon ship” as the 40-year-old Seabreeze quickly began to take on water, requesting that the 34 crew members be rescued right away.

There was a lot of suspicion surrounding the sinking since some people thought it was intentional. The old Seabreeze had a $20 million insurance policy even though its scrap value was probably about $5–6 million.

The vessel capsized in international seas. Maritime authorities questioned Panama’s thoroughness and were dismayed when the ship, which was flying the flag of another country, sank in international waters. This placed Panamanian jurisdiction over the probe.

The captain’s decision to abandon the ship rather than try to salvage it also raised suspicion.

Rescuers from the US Coast Guard thought it was extremely unusual that the ship could sink that quickly. The captain insisted on a full evacuation instead of asking for salvage tugs, which shocked the Coast Guard.

Britannis (2000)

The Britanis experienced a leak in the ship’s rear while en route to an Indian scrapyard. The boat’s owners let it sink after determining that fixing the leak would be too expensive.

The boat was being pulled by tug boats with no one on board. Additionally, no one was hurt in the incident.

2007’s MS Sea Diamond

Sea Diamond sank on April 5, 2007, after going off course and hitting coral near Santorini. When the ship lost power and listed, the crew quickly rescued nearly all 1,195 passengers.

Tragically, two passengers perished in the sinking. The damaged Sea Diamond had submerged in 500 feet of water by the afternoon.

The captain was first accused of veering dangerously near to shore during the investigation; however, it was later found that the area’s maritime charts were erroneous. The boat came aground 131 meters from shore, while the reef was shown on the map as 57 meters.

2007’s MV Explorer

The cruise ship MV Explorer struck an iceberg early on November 23, 2007, causing it to sink off the coast of Antarctica. The iceberg tore open the ship’s hull, resulting in catastrophic flooding.

The well-trained crew quickly evacuated all 154 passengers and crew members onto lifeboats as the crippled ship lost power and leaned precariously close to King George Island. A great emergency reaction saved every life in the dramatic sinking in icy Antarctic waters.

After a five-hour drift on the lift rafts, MS Nordnorge recovered all 154 survivors.

2012’s Costa Concordia

On January 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia cruise ship was wrecked off Giglio Island, Italy. Leaving Civitavecchia in Lazio, the ship, carrying 4,252 people from all over the world, struck a reef during an unofficial salute to local islanders. The Costa Concordia crashed off the Italian island of Giglio on January 13, 2012, killing around 4,252 passengers and crew. A 951-foot cruise liner veered off course and approached too closely.

The impact that ripped a 160-foot gash in the hull led to significant listing and partial sinking.

Despite the ship’s lifeboats, helicopters, and ships, 34 people died in the chaotic aftermath.

Captain Francesco Schettino caused the incident by carelessly deviating from the course. Authorities convicted him of manslaughter and he is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence.

2016’s Ocean Dream

After the owner of the cruise ship went bankrupt in 2015, the Ocean Dream was abandoned without a crew or maintenance personnel at Laem Chabang, Sri Racha, Thailand. In February 2016, the abandoned ship overturned and sank in shallow waters off the coast.

There were unsuccessful attempts to raise the sunken ship. The authorities decided to disassemble and demolish the Ocean Dream on location instead of refloating it. By the end of 2019, the disaster’s visible remnants had been disassembled and salvaged, leaving only the bottom hull of the wreck on the seafloor.

2020’s Orient Queen

The cruise ship Orient Queen suffered terrible damage 1,000 feet away from the big 2020 explosion that tore through Beirut’s dock. The strong blast wave severely damaged the Orient Queen’s hull, which also caused fires to spread, killing two crew members and injuring seven others.

The abandoned cruise ship capsized where it was parked, terminating its 40-year cruise career over the following 48 hours. It was not possible to salvage it.

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Cruise industry in the United States - statistics & facts

Has the u.s. cruise industry recovered from the impact of covid-19, what are the leading u.s. cruise companies, key insights.

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Revenue of the cruises industry in the U.S. 2019-2028

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• Premium Statistic Number of global ocean cruise passengers 2009-2027
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Number of global ocean cruise passengers 2009-2027

Number of ocean cruise passengers worldwide from 2009 to 2022, with a forecast until 2027 (in millions)

Number of ocean cruise passengers worldwide from 2019 to 2022, by source region (in 1,000s)

Main global cruise destinations 2019-2022, by number of passengers

Leading ocean cruise destinations worldwide from 2019 to 2022, by number of passengers (in 1,000s)

Revenue of the cruises market in the United States from 2019 to 2028 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue growth of the cruises market in the United States from 2019 to 2028

Direct economic impact of the cruise industry in the U.S. 2021, by spending type

Direct economic impact of the cruise industry in the United States in 2021, by type of spending (in billion U.S. dollars)

Cruise line operator industry's market size in the U.S. 2012-2022

Market size of the cruise line operator industry in the United States from 2012 to 2021, with a forecast for 2022 ( in million U.S. dollars)

Businesses in the cruise line operator industry in the U.S. 2012-2022

Number of businesses in the cruise line operator industry in the United States from 2012 to 2021, with a forecast for 2022

Number of employees in the cruise line operator industry in the United States from 2012 to 2021, with a forecast for 2022

Cruise passengers

• Premium Statistic Number of cruise passengers from North America 2016-2022
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Number of cruise passengers from North America 2016-2022

Number of cruise passengers sourced from North America from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s)

Number of cruise passengers sourced from the United States from 2016 to 2022 (in 1,000s)

Growth rate of the cruise passenger volume from the U.S. 2017-2022

Year-over-year percentage change in the number of cruise passengers sourced from the United States from 2017 to 2022

Busiest cruise ports worldwide 2019-2022, by passenger movements

Busiest cruise ports worldwide in 2019 and 2022, by number of passenger movements (in 1,000s)

Share of U.S. travelers planning a cruise trip October 2021-June 2023

Share of travelers intending to take a cruise trip in the next 12 months in the United States from October 2021 to June 2023

Cruise companies

• Premium Statistic Revenue of Carnival Corporation & plc worldwide 2008-2023
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Revenue of Carnival Corporation & plc worldwide 2008-2023

Revenue of Carnival Corporation & plc worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Net income of Carnival Corporation & plc 2008-2023

Net income of Carnival Corporation & plc worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Royal Caribbean Cruises worldwide 1988-2023

Revenue of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. worldwide from 1988 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Net income of Royal Caribbean Cruises worldwide 2007-2023

Net income of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Norwegian Cruise Line worldwide 2011-2023

Revenue of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. worldwide from 2011 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Net income of Norwegian Cruise Line worldwide 2011-2023

Net Income of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. worldwide from 2011 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Percentage change in revenue of leading cruise companies worldwide 2020-2023

Percentage change in revenue of leading cruise companies worldwide from 2020 to 2023 (compared to 2019)

Consumer opinions

• Basic Statistic Best-rated mega-ship cruise lines by travelers worldwide 2023
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Best-rated mega-ship cruise lines by travelers worldwide 2023

Best-rated mega-ship cruise lines by travelers worldwide as of June 2023

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Best-rated midsize-ship cruise lines by travelers worldwide as of June 2023

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How many ships hit bridges, lose power every year? Data shows jarring numbers on the rise.

An alarm wails onboard the container ship as it approaches the Francis Scott Key Bridge during what had until that moment seemed like a routine departure from the Port of Baltimore.

For the past half hour, the crew navigated the hulking vessel through relatively calm waters and lined it up to pass perfectly under the main truss of the steel bridge, softly lit in the early morning darkness.

Now, just a half mile from the span, the vessel has gone dark – no power, no steering, no propulsion. Inside the ship’s towering command center, the crew tries to re-engage the system but no luck. The nearly 100,000-ton ship is adrift.

“Captain, we are on a collision course with the bridge support,” announces the officer of the watch, who recommends dropping its anchor. No change. A desperate call goes out to the shore to stop traffic from crossing the bridge.

The captain realizes the hard truth: The Dali is “at the point of extremis,” he says – the point of no return.

The crew watches helplessly as the bridge looms larger and larger until, just four minutes after the alarm sounded, their vessel slams into one of its main support columns.

“At this point there is absolutely, certainly nothing that we could do on our own,” said Chief Mate Kevin Calnan from inside California State University Maritime Academy’s 360-degree mission simulator during an eerily vivid replication of the Baltimore bridge disaster.

The state-of-the-art simulator – one of just three of its kind nationwide – showed how a total loss of power on a container ship the size and weight of the Dali could turn it into an uncontrollable weapon of mass destruction – a transformation counted in precisely calculated currents and breezes, velocity and minutes, not hours.

Moments after the Dali struck it, the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into Patapsco River , killing at least six construction workers, likely causing billions of dollars in damage and forever altering the Baltimore skyline.

Although such disasters are rare, the conditions that could cause them are frighteningly common, according to a USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Coast Guard maritime incident data, which includes any reportable maritime event involving a death or injury, collision, grounding, environmental harm, or the loss of power and propulsion.

Map: Where ships have struck bridges, lost power

This map shows issues categorized as "major" or "significant" marine casualties and “serious marine incidents” in U.S. Coast Guard incident investigation reports that mention a freight ship, freight barge, tank ship, tank barge or ocean cruise vessel striking a bridge. It also includes cases where ships lost power, propulsion or steering within two kilometers of a highway bridge over navigable waters. Don't see a map? Click here.

At least 6,000 times in the past 22 years – an average of more than five times a week – crews on board massive cargo ships, oil tankers, container barges and even cruise vessels have reported what befell the Dali: a loss of power, loss of propulsion, loss of steering, or some combination of the three, a USA TODAY data analysis reveals.

At least 900 of them occurred near bridges identified by the U.S. Department of Transportation as spanning navigable waters. The vast majority were classified as routine but a dozen were labeled major or significant.

Some damaged both the ships and the structures they hit. Others left crew members with broken bones or other injuries. But most, including cases remarkably similar to what happened last month in Baltimore, have never been made public, buried deep in a federal database.

Often the dividing line between major and routine came down to a last-minute effort by the crew or rescue teams.

The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge had an earlier close call, in 2018

On March 16, 2018, the bulk carrier Strategic Alliance lost power and propulsion on the Delaware River just north of the Commodore Barry Bridge, a 2.6-mile span connecting Philadelphia to New Jersey and carrying more than 41,000 vehicles a day.

The Singapore-flagged vessel, about half the size of the Dali, dropped anchor in the channel without incident early that Friday morning and was able to regain propulsion and generator power after clearing its clogged cooling water strainers of debris. Nearly two years later, the Dali-sized container ship Maersk Chicago lost power in New York’s Lower Bay Channel as it approached the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge late on a Wednesday night.

Roughly 500 feet from the country’s longest suspension span – crossed by nearly a quarter-million vehicles a day – the ship was adrift with no steering, no propulsion and no engine. Fortunately, a pair of tugboats were able to rescue the U.S.-flagged vessel and tow it to safety, where it was determined a broken air compressor valve was to blame.

Just last week, another container ship lost propulsion near the same bridge. The Liberia-flagged vessel, Qingdao, experienced the failure around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday as it navigated through the Kill Van Kull shipping lane between Staten Island and Bayonne, New Jersey.

It took three tugboats to bring the vessel under control.

Unlike most incidents in the Coast Guard database, the Qingdao made the news as images of the gigantic ship floating near the bridge spooked jittery Americans still reeling from the recent Baltimore disaster.

That the two events happened in close succession was not so much a coincidence, but rather a fairly common occurrence that’s bound to happen when tens of thousands of ships from all over the world travel in and out of U.S. waters every year, several maritime experts told USA TODAY.

Statistically, the experts said, such failures are more likely to happen in ports and harbors, as well as in close proximity to bridges, because that’s when the ships are under the most stress.

“That’s when you’re giving all your engine orders,” said Calnan, the assistant professor of marine transportation who ran the simulation at Cal Maritime for USA TODAY. Calnan has operated large ships himself and has experienced what is sometimes known as a dark ship, though only while out at sea.

“It’s just like in the car; if you’re going 65 on the highway, there’s not a lot happening,” he said, “But when you’re doing a lot of stop and go and changing engine orders, it’s putting stress on the engine, and if something is mechanically wrong with the engine itself, there’s a higher chance it will happen when you’re using it more.”

Mechanical failure, human error and a host of other conditions can conspire to shut down a vessel’s engine, seize up its propulsion system or thwart its crew’s ability to steer.

Sometimes a simple miscalculation can cause a crew to lose command of a ship – or cause an otherwise seaworthy ship to hit a bridge.

USA TODAY’s data analysis revealed at least 2,600 bridge strikes occurring in U.S. waters since 2002, the earliest year for which such data is available. Three of these allisions were fatal, claiming 16 lives in all. The majority, however, were minor – a ship’s antenna or mast hitting a bridge, or a barge clipping a bridge’s protective fender.

But maritime problems – which international governing agencies call “casualty incidents” – have been steadily rising over the past decade, according to a report by Lloyd’s List Intelligence, a global maritime data and analytics company.

That’s especially true for those caused by machinery damage or failure.

The Lloyd’s report cites 700 such reported events in the third quarter of 2022 – the highest in 14 years – and attributed the increase to several factors. Among them: fewer ship inspections and internal audits, an unavailability of dry docks and technicians to perform maintenance and repairs, as well as supply chain delays in getting spare parts.

Lloyd’s was unable to provide updated data, but a representative told USA TODAY incidents have continued to rise.

The crew could do little to avert catastrophe

The frequency of such malfunctions and the risks to life and property are at the heart of Cal Maritime’s simulation exercises, which train students how to react to the worst disasters in a controlled environment.

In the case of the Dali simulation, the unfortunate lesson was that there was little they could do to avoid a catastrophe once the power was down except alert others to their plight.

“Making that emergency call and alerting all of the other traffic in the area that, ‘Hey, we’re this ship and we can’t maneuver anymore, we’re not under command’ – that call itself is what we see in this accident in Baltimore,” Calnan said. “That singular call… saved countless lives.”

While most power outages cause minimal harm, the one that darkened the Dali occurred at a most unfortunate place and time: about 0.6 nautical miles from the Francis Scott Key Bridge while the laden ship was moving at a speed of roughly 8 knots and the wind was blowing from the northeast, according to real-time data fed into the simulator.

When the blackout occurred, the ship’s rudder was turned 3 degrees to the starboard side and remained stuck there as the vessel drifted off course. Its towering stack of containers acted as a sail for the wind, which aimed it directly at the bridge’s support column.

Even if the engine had been working, Calnan said, it would have taken 0.8 nautical miles to bring that particular vessel under those particular conditions to a full stop – farther than the distance to the bridge it was about to hit. Simply put, time had run out.

“During any situation on board any type of vessel, we have a concept which we call the point of extremis, which essentially means there’s a point in every situation where no matter what you do, it's going to lead to some form of undesirable outcome,” he said. “Basically, it’s the point of no return.”

National Transportation Safety Board and U.S. Coast Guard investigators are still working to determine the cause of the blackout on the Dali. They have retrieved documents and interviewed the crew, as well as others who witnessed or were involved in the crash. But it could be months before they release their findings.

In the meantime, maritime experts have offered a number of possible causes based on their own experience with engine failure.

“There are 101 potential reasons for a blackout,” said Capt. Ashok Pandey, a master mariner and associate professor of international maritime business at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

They include inexperienced crew members accidentally switching off a valve that shuts down the fuel supply, water forming inside poorly maintained fuel tanks and knocking out the engine, and countless situations involving dirty fuel gumming up the ship’s filters, pumps and injectors.

Deep-sea vessels like the Dali burn what’s known as heavy fuel oil – sometimes called bunker fuel – a cheap, tar-like residue that the crew processes onboard the ship by heating, filtering and purifying it before feeding it into the combustion system.

Sometimes the heavy fuel itself is particularly bad and can clog the ship’s strainers. Other times the crew fails to properly maintain its onboard processing system and dirty fuel gets into the engine. Either way, it can lead to disaster.

“We have all been through bad fuel situations – you get bad fuel and it clogs the strainers, and every engineer has had to go down and clean the strainers,” said Keith Deirup, a licensed chief engineer with 20 years of experience in the U.S. merchant marine industry. “If you lose an engine, it's a total loss of propulsion, and it takes a while to get it back online.”

Accidents, dirty fuel and fish cause blackouts 

Coast Guard incident reports blame a host of culprits for the power outages reported by hundreds of ships over the years. They include unpredictable events like lightning strikes, fires on board or even fish clogging water inlets meant to help cool the engines.

Several incident reports attribute power losses to dirty – or degraded – fuel, as was the case in June 2017, when the Hong Kong-flagged Mallika Naree went dark on the Elizabeth River outside Norfolk, Virginia. The bulk carrier dragged a buoy nearly 400 yards before running aground. The investigation revealed about 16 gallons of water had leaked into the fuel oil supply tank.

Delayed maintenance also shows up as a common cause of power outages. “Poor maintenance” on a fuel oil valve led to a power outage that ran the 681-foot-long Alexander Dimitrov aground east of New Orleans in January 2002. The report states “the valves should have been checked as part of routine maintenance.”

“Lack of inspection, testing replacement/maintenance of the time delay relays” was to blame in February 2019, when the captain of the Portuguese container ship EMS Trader ordered an emergency lowering of the anchor. The ship had lost power, steering and propulsion not far from the Commodore Barry Bridge southwest of Philadelphia.

Many of the incident reports blame human error and inattention.

The 1,096-foot-long container ship Ever Lotus lost power while mooring at the Port of Los Angeles in November 2016. Even though the vessel’s crew was trained to slowly increase the pitch of the bow thruster so as to not overload the generators, “the pilot adjusted the pitch from 0% to 100% instantly,” according to the incident report.

Three years earlier, the 604-foot-long Manistee went dark as it was backing out of Ashtabula Harbor east of Cleveland. The engineer on watch forgot to throw a switch that would prevent the generators from overheating, leading to the outage.

Such incidents reinforce the need for extra precaution when ships navigate near critical infrastructure, said Pandey of Massachusetts Maritime, who advocated for mandatory tug escorts regardless of the ship, its cargo or the port. 

Protecting bridges: Baltimore's Key Bridge, opened in 1977, had few ship defenses. Are modern bridges better?

“Increasingly, the use of tugs is considered too old-fashioned, maybe too expensive, simply because we have the technology,” he said. “It’s something we don’t talk enough about.”

Other experts said nothing can prevent every disaster, and the Dali might be a case in point.

“Naval engineers will look at the root causes and ask what we can do to prevent it from happening again,” said a senior government official and former Coast Guard officer who spoke to USA TODAY on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

"And maybe there isn’t anything we can do,” he said. ”Maybe fate just caught up with it.”

More than half of major bridge collapses are in the U.S. 

Despite the frequency of power failures and bridge strikes reported to the Coast Guard, the maritime shipping industry has had relatively few major accidents like the one that toppled the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Until this March, the last incident identified by USA TODAY in which a ship knocked down a U.S. bridge was on Jan. 26, 2012, when the Delta Mariner cargo vessel carrying rocket components down the Tennessee River from Alabama to Florida slammed into the Eggner’s Ferry Bridge near Aurora, Kentucky.

The ship, going about 10 knots, tore away a 322-foot span of the bridge as it attempted to pass under a section with insufficient clearance.

Fortunately, traffic was light and vehicles stopped before reaching the missing portion of the bridge, according to an National Transportation Safety Board report of the crash. There were no deaths or injuries, but the bridge sustained major damage. It was repaired and reopened later that year but permanently closed in 2016 after a new bridge was built in its place.

Three years earlier, in March 2009, a tugboat pushing eight barges on the Mississippi River knocked out the Popps Ferry Bridge in Biloxi, Mississippi, when it crashed into one of its pilings and sent a section of the span tumbling into the water. Again, nobody died.

Other ship-on-bridge allisions killed people but did not topple the span. This includes the July 2015 death of a construction worker on the Eads Bridge in St. Louis when a tugboat pushing two loaded barges struck his scaffolding as it was passing under the span. And the August 2014 death of a tugboat master when his crane barge hit the Florida Avenue lift bridge in New Orleans and the crane’s mast fell onto the wheelhouse, crushing him.

The last U.S. ship-on-bridge allision to cause both fatalities and bring down the bridge, according to USA TODAY’s review of the data, happened more than two decades ago.

On May 26, 2002, the towboat Robert Y. Love was pushing two empty asphalt tank barges on the Arkansas River when it veered off course and struck a pier supporting the Interstate 40 highway bridge near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma.

The impact sent a 503-foot section of the bridge tumbling into the river. Unlike the Kentucky bridge collapse, highway traffic on the I-40 span had continued to “drive into the void,” according to the NTSB report.

Fourteen people died and five were injured in the accident, which the report said caused an estimated $30.1 million in damage to the bridge and $276,000 to the barges.

Worldwide, between 1960 and 2015 ships or barges caused 35 major bridge collapses that killed 342 people, according to a 2018 report from the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure.More than half occurred in the United States.

Yet the United States has some of the strictest maritime standards in the world, according to the experts. Its rules and regulations – which include a host of technical, personnel and environmental practices – go far beyond those set by the International Maritime Organization, which governs all global shipping.

They ensure that U.S ships are built and maintained to the highest standards and that its crews follow industry best practices. These rules also apply, to a certain extent, to foreign-flagged ships in U.S. waters, even though those ships might operate under what some experts described as subpar conditions.

“Many of the world’s shipping companies are based out of countries like Liberia, Marshall Islands and Panama” Deirup said. “They do that to save on costs and liability, so they get to run these ships really cheaply. They hire mariners from whatever country they can offer the cheapest wages and will run a really shoddy operation without much oversight.”

Many of the ships, he said, “are just ramshackle.”

The U.S. Coast Guard has jurisdiction in U.S. waters and can detain a ship for safety issues, Deirup said, “but they’re spread really thin.”

Detainments typically happen when a Coast Guard inspection finds significant issues with a ship, but it takes years to train the marine inspectors and there aren’t nearly enough of them in the field, said the former Coast Guard officer who was not authorized to speak to the media.

Not all ships are inspected, either, he said. The Coast Guard uses an algorithm based on the vessel’s history and previous ports of call and current port to determine which ships to check.

Exacerbating the situation are the extremely tight schedules ships’ crews face to unload outgoing cargo and pickup inbound cargo before racing to the next port. That’s especially true of container ships, experts said, whose slots at ports are scheduled weeks in advance and must make it on time or miss the window.

“For this ship, the Dali, in Baltimore, they were probably under that pressure,” Deirup said. “That’s why if they had problems with their generators – just theorizing – but they might have been under a lot of pressure to just make it work and get off that dock.”

That type of pressure is difficult to mimic in a simulator, which is perhaps why the crew on the bridge of Cal Maritime’s digital ship operated with calm efficiency each time they ran through the scenario. Blackout, steering out, ship dead in the water, bridge looming, crash. Again and again and again.

Only one run involving tug boats averted the disaster, and even then only when two tugs at full power were tethered to the ship all the way under the bridge. That lineup is not a current day reality except in rare situations, such as tankers transporting oil or other toxins in certain ports.

Solutions: Tugboats left before ship reached Baltimore bridge. They might have saved it.

“No matter what nationality the crew was or what their training was like, I think in the end, it’s an unlucky situation at an unlucky point,” said Conor Finnerty, a Cal Maritime senior who assumed the role of officer of the watch during the simulation.

One of the most critical positions on the ship, the officer of the watch ensures the vessel navigates safely regardless of obstacles or conditions. During the simulation, Finnerty gave orders to the crew to continue testing the equipment, then to drop the anchor and, finally, to sound the danger signal warning anyone on the water that collision was imminent.

“There’s really not much that could have been done about it,” Finnerty said of the unfolding disaster, “except just watch it.”

USA TODAY reporter Dinah Voyles Pulver contributed to this report.

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk in the Past 100 Years?

Home » How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk in the Past 100 Years?

Last updated on January 11th, 2024 at 10:24 am

Cruises are one of the safest options for vacations, but in the past 100 years there have been some incidents with cruise ships sinking . Here are some notable ones in the past 100 years.

Titanic (1912)  The most famous cruise ship sinking in history, the Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg.

Empress of Ireland (1914) This large passenger liner sank after colliding with a Norwegian cargo ship, the Storstad, during foggy weather. 

Lusitania (1915)   For a few months before her sinking, the Lusitania was the largest passenger ship in the world. A casualty of WWI, she was hit by a torpedo from a German U-boat off the south coast of Ireland. 

Britannic (1916) Sister ship of the Titanic, during WWI she struck a German naval mine off the coast of a Greek island and sank in less than an hour.  

Princess Mafalda (1927) When a propeller shaft broke and damaged the hull of the ship, the Princess Mafalda sank off the coast of Brazil. 

Saint Philibert (1931) A smaller cruise ship, the Saint Philibert sailed mainly in the Loire River and the French coastline. She sank in bad weather, but was also overloaded with twice her capacity on board. 

Georges Philippar (1932) Unfortuanlety, this ocean liner sank on her maiden voyage. There was an electrical fault that sparked and set wood paneling on fire causing her to sink near Italian Somaliland. 

SS Morro Castle (1934) A fire on board would disable the ship as it burned through the electrical cables and hydraulic lines that steered the ship. Her captain had died the evening before of an apparent heart attack. The burning ship drifted ashore in the shallow waters off Asbury Park in New Jersy, USA. 

Empress of Britian (1940)  Another victim of war, The ship was bombed from above in WWII when she was off the coast of Ireland. She was hit by two 550lb bombs.

Andrea Doria (1956) Struck by another ship, the Stockholm, the Andrea Doria began to list at once. This made most of the lifeboats inaccessible. However, because the ship sank slowly there were fourty six people killed, but 1660 passengers and crew were saved by rescue ships. 

Bianca C (1961) The Bianca has the dubious distinction of being sunk twice. As a passenger ferry, it was scuttled by the Germans in WWII. When she was sold to Costa Lines and refitted as a cruise ship, she sank for the second time when there was an explosion in the engine room. 

Angelina Lauro (1979) This ship caught fire in port at Saint Thomas. The ship burned for several days and was a total loss. While being towed to a scrapyard later that year, the Angelina Lauro sank.

MS Mikhail Lermentov (1986)  On a cruise from Sydney that was on a two-week itinerary to New Zealand, the ship hit some rocks while sailing past Cape Jackson.

SS Admiral Nakhimov (1986) While operating cruises in the Black Sea, this ship collided with a freighter. They had communicated with the freighter’s captain who had assured the SS Nakhimov that they would be able to avoid a collision.

MV Jupiter  (1988)  This Greek-registered ship conducted cruises around the Mediterranean. She sank just 40 minutes after leaving Piraeus with a study cruise. There were 391 British schoolchildren and 84 adults on the ship, along with 110 crew. One child, one teacher and two crew died.

Achille Lauro  (1988)  The Achille Lauro had several unfortunate events including a hijacking, two collisions with other ships and four onboard fires. The last fire sank the ship off the coast of Somalia.

MTS Oceanos  (1991)  This ship, sailing from Greece, sank from excessive flooding that was caused by freak waves. It is believed that the waves broke a ventilation pipe that had not been correctly repaired and caused the flooding to be severe. To their shame, the captain and some crew abandoned the ship. It was the entertainers on the ship who gave alarm and guided passengers to safety. The captain and crew members were later convicted.

Sun Vista  (1999) The sun set on this ship due to an engine room fire. The fire cut all power to the ship’s operating mechanisms and she sank in the Strait of Malacca.

SeaBreeze  (2000)  The boiler in the ship broke off and damaged the ship. This happened in 30-foot seas, which caused the ship to take on water and capsize. The ship had no passengers on board as she was headed into port for engine repairs.

Britanis  (2000)  While being towards a scrapyard in India, this ship began to take on water and list. As there was no one on board, the list was not corrected. The tugboat towing Britianis cut the ship free and it capzied and sank off the coast of Cape Town.

MV Explorer  (2007)  A small cruise ship, the MV Explorer was the first cruise ship that was specifically used for cruises to the Antarctic Ocean. She struck an iceberg and sank. Her passengers and crew made it to the lifeboats and were rescued after drifting for five hours.

MS Sea Diamond  (2007)  Striking a reef 430 feet from shore, the Captain was blamed and jailed for this sinking. The sea charts he was using were incorrect, and had stated that the reefs were 187 feet from shore off the island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea. 

Costa Concordia  (2012)  In modern history, the Costa Concordia is the most famous cruise ship that has sunk. It struck an underwater rock off the coast of Tuscany. The Captain was also blamed for taking the ship off course and too close to the shore line. He was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Eastern Star  (2015)  This Chinese river cruise ship was caught in a storm as she was sailing to Chongqing. The ship sank in just 50 feet of water, but only 12 people of the 456 onboard survived.

Ocean Dream  (2016)  This ship has many owners and about half a dozen names. After having been abandoned in Thailand for over a year, she sank when she capsized. 

Orient Queen  (2020)  The Orient Queen would sail from Beirut to the eastern Mediterranean. While in port, with no passengers on board, the ship sank after there was a huge ammonium nitrate explosion at the port. Other ships also in port were damaged, but the Orient Queen was the only one to sink. 

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Danube river cruise ship crashed after it was 'suddenly no longer able to maneuver,' 17 passengers injured

• A cruise ship crashed into a concrete wall along the Danube river in Austria on Friday.
• A police statement said the ship "was suddenly no longer able to maneuver."
• Eleven people were treated at the hospital and another six suffered less serious injuries.

A Bulgarian cruise ship carrying over 140 passengers crashed into a concrete wall along the Danube river in Austria.

The incident occurred late on Friday in the northern Austrian town of Aschach an der Donau, local police said Saturday.

Eleven people were injured and taken to hospital as a result of the crash. Six others suffered less serious injuries that did not require hospital treatment.

Related stories

The ship had set off from Passau, a German city on the Austrian border. A police statement said that as the ship was leaving a lock chamber further down the river, "the ship was suddenly no longer able to maneuver," and its right bow and left aft crashed into the lock walls.

The second-in-command of the ship, who had been at the helm during the crash, "pressed the emergency switch, whereupon the electronics started up again." He was then able to steer the ship out of the lock.

The ship was later docked at the quay wall and emergency services were notified. The ship was able to continue its journey toward Linz, Austria.

Earlier this week, a container ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, collapsing a section of the 1.6-mile-long structure. The bodies of two construction workers were found after the collision, and four more workers are missing and presumed dead.

Citing the container ship's recovered data recorder, officials said the power went out on the Dali for just one minute and three seconds as it approached the bridge, Sky News reported, but that was enough for the collision to become unavoidable.

In 2019, a cruise boat hit and sank a smaller boat near Budapest, Hungary, killing 25 South Korean tourists and two crew members. The captain was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the accident.

The Danube is the second-largest river in Europe, flowing from the Black Forest in Germany south into the Black Sea near Romania and Ukraine.

Correction: April 1, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated the year of the Danube ship crash in Hungary. It was in 2019, not 2023.

Watch: One of Europe's deadliest shipwrecks leaves hundreds missing

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Juneau had a record-breaking cruise season last year. This year should be about the same.

Juneau’s 2024 cruise ship tourism season is just around the corner as the  first ship of the year  — the Norwegian Bliss — is slated to arrive early Tuesday morning.

Last year, the capital city saw its busiest season ever — welcoming more than 1.6 million passengers. On the busiest days, Juneau welcomed upwards of 21,000 cruise visitors. 

Juneau Tourism Manager Alix Pierce said this year likely won’t top last year’s record-breaking season. She expects to see about the same number of visitors.

“I think it will run a lot more smoothly, and things will be better,” she said. “Generally, our tour operators know what to expect. They know what kind of volume to expect, and they’re gearing up and getting ready.”

In a survey conducted last fall, about 64% of Juneau residents said they wanted to keep the local tourism volume about the same or reduce it slightly. 

But some major problems did crop up during 2023’s record season — things like heavy  downtown congestion , the Mendenhall Glacier reaching  its tour capacity  and business owners saying it was just hard to keep up.

One big change this year for controlling the traffic will be a new limit of  five large ships  per day. 

During a tourism panel on Thursday, Cruise Lines International Association Alaska spokesperson Renee Reeve said that agreement with the city will be key to flattening growth in the coming years.

“I think what that shows is industry’s commitment and CBJs commitment to making this place somewhere that visitors want to visit, and somewhere that the residents want to live,” she said.

A limit on the number of ships does not necessarily mean fewer passengers. But an even bigger change could be coming in 2026. Pierce said the city is in the early stages of negotiating with cruise lines to limit the number of passengers that come off their ships each day. 

“The best thing that we can come up with are daily passenger caps to keep our numbers relatively flat or decrease a little bit,” she said. “I’m looking forward to seeing some of these things come to fruition, and then seeing how it feels in terms of passenger volume, and numbers and what that means for us as a destination.”

Last season, cruise ship passengers spent a total of $320 million in Juneau, according to a  report that came out last fall.  To support that business, it’s estimated that more than 3,000 people in Juneau worked jobs that were directly related to tourism. 

Local tour operators faced a tough situation after they sold out on  bus trips to the Mendenhall Glacier  halfway through the season, which meant more tourists stayed downtown.

This year, the city plans to send extra buses to follow the city buses that carry people out to the glacier to handle the overflow. Pierce said local operators are also trying to balance their permits over the season to reduce congestion on buses and downtown.

“They’re offering more city tours that go to other sites where you can see the glacier from elsewhere. So they’re trying to pick up that volume in different ways,” she said.

In April, about one-to-three ships will port in Juneau per week before ramping up to three-to-five ships per day by the latter half of May. Ships will continue to port in Juneau nearly every day before winding down in late October. 

And as tourism kicks up for the summer, residents can send in complaints and concerns to the city’s  tourism hotline.

Clarise Larson, KTOO - Juneau

Related articles more from author, anchorage sees third-snowiest winter, second place still possible but hitting all-time mark unlikely, the cook inlet gas crunch | alaska insight, bishop disputes feds’ claim that alaska didn’t fund schools equitably during pandemic.

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1 dead after shuttle bus crashes at a Honolulu cruise ship terminal

HONOLULU — (AP) — One person died and multiple people were injured when a shuttle bus collided with pedestrians and concrete barriers at a Honolulu cruise ship terminal, authorities said Friday.

The crash occurred when the shuttle bus driver mistook the gas pedal for the brake, Honolulu police said in statement.

The driver had dropped off customers at Pier 2 when bystanders noticed the bus was moving forward, police said. The driver jumped in the driver's seat and attempted to stop the vehicle when he stepped on the gas, police said.

One pedestrian, a 68-year-old woman, died. Paramedics took four others in their 50s and 60s to the hospital in serious condition. They also took a man in his 70s to the hospital in stable condition.

Paramedics evaluated and bandaged six others who declined transportation to the hospital, said Honolulu Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Shayne Enright.

Police said speed does not appear to be a factor in the crash. It's unknown if drugs or alcohol were involved, police said.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Propeller strikes maim, kill dozens of boaters every year

( InvestigateTV ) — Dozens of people each year die from danger on lakes that sits beneath the water’s surface.

It is from the boat’s propeller, and it is creating a dangerous suction that brings people closer to the swirling blades.

Boating experts stress these propeller strikes are preventable.

The U.S. Coast Guard said in 2022 that 74% of deaths occurred when the boating operator did not receive safety instructions.

While not all states require it, investigative reporter Morgan Loew shows how it could make a difference.

Warning: The video above contains some graphic imagery.

Copyright 2024 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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