cruise ship collision in mallorca

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Mallorca: P&O ship with thousands of Britons onboard collides with tanker

Cruise vessel’s mooring ropes snapped in high winds, which blew liner into nearby oil transport ship off coast of Palma

A P&O cruise ship carrying thousands of British holidaymakers has crashed into an oil tanker off the coast of Palma in Mallorca after it snapped its moorings.

The Britannia was blown by gales towards the other vessel on Sunday after a storm battered the island in the Balearics. P&O said a small number of people had sustained minor injuries.

It was understood that 321 guests from the ship will be flying home early as it heads back to Southampton with a reduced number of people on board, as required by maritime law.

Ricky Stubbs, a passenger, said he and his children had been about to disembark when the crash happened.

“We were at the stairwell next to the sunset bar,” he said. “A loud crash came from the bar and the door flung open with people running in. Within seconds there was more crashing followed by chaos as people were trying to escape the onslaught of wind and rain.

“People were being ushered in by other guests and staff. You could clearly see some had injuries due to either falling over or debris flying around, and people were distraught.

“A couple of minutes later the captain came over the speaker asking all guest to return to their rooms until further instructions.”

Stubbs said the passengers had been told they would be staying overnight while the boat was moored up so the damage could be assessed.

“Huge respect for the captain and all the staff as they managed to stay calm and keep everyone updated,” he said. “The captain made announcements every 10-15 minutes once we were back in our cabins and they did a great job in a stressful situation.”

The £473m ship, which entered service in 2015, is the flagship of the P&O fleet.

A P&O Cruises spokesperson said: “On Sunday 27 August, P&O Cruises Britannia was impacted by severe weather when alongside in Palma de Mallorca.

“Following inspections, our third-party surveyor has confirmed that one of Britannia’s lifeboats has sustained structural issues and cannot be repaired onboard.

“We are so sorry but these extraordinary circumstances mean that the ship is required, by maritime regulation, to return to Southampton with a reduced number of people onboard.

“A limited number of guests and crew on board have been advised that they will be leaving the ship and will be returned to Southampton (or their starting point) by flight and transfer. The guests remaining onboard will be able to enjoy the entertainment and activities scheduled for the remainder of their trip.”

Mallorca had been experiencing winds of 75mph and torrential rains, which caused sun loungers to be blown into the air. An amber weather alert was in place across the whole of the island and had been extended until midnight on Sunday.

The Tramuntana region and the north and north-east of the island were most likely to be affected, forecasters said.

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Passengers on a cruise described the sheer chaos that broke out when their ship collided with an oil tanker: 'There was screaming and shouting and panic'

• Tourists on board a cruise recounted the moments their ship struck an oil tanker on Sunday.
• The 3,647-passenger ship was blown away from port by a vicious storm while docked in Mallorca.
• Strong winds caused the ship to break its moorings and drift into the nearby tanker.

Passengers on a cruise ship swept away from port are sharing what happened in the dramatic moment their vessel struck an oil tanker in the Balearic Islands.

The Britannia, a vessel under P&O Cruises, drifted into the tanker on Sunday after its moorings broke during a storm along the coast of Palma in Mallorca. The Britannia has a 3,647-passenger capacity, and is 1,082 feet long . 

One tourist on board, Ricky Stubbs, told The Guardian that he and his family were on a stairwell near the sunset bar when the ships collided.

"A loud crash came from the bar and the door flung open with people running in," he told the outlet. "Within seconds there was more crashing followed by chaos as people were trying to escape the onslaught of wind and rain."

Stubbs said he could "clearly see" some passengers had sustained injuries, and that people were "distraught."

Minutes later, the captain told guests over the ship's speakers to return to their rooms, Stubbs told The Guardian.

Russ Dawson, another passenger, told the BBC that the storm kicked up suddenly and that the sky "turned black."

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He was on the balcony of his cabin when the cruise vessel and tanker crashed, per the outlet.

"There was a bang when it hit the boat and there was screaming and shouting and panic," Dawson told the BBC.

A Welsh passenger, who was not named, told Wales Online that she, her partner, and two children were "browsing on our phones in bed and heard the big horn after the bang."

"It was panic stations, I was bawling my eyes out," she said, per the outlet. "We went out onto our balcony and could see debris in the ocean and all the damage to the side of the boat and our lifeboat."

A video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, showed the view from port as the Britannia's moorings appeared to snap while the ship was pulled away by winds.

—Insider Corner (@insidercnews) August 27, 2023

"A small number of individuals sustained minor injuries and are being cared for by the onboard medical centre," a P&O representative previously told Insider in a statement.

One of the Britannia's lifeboats was damaged, meaning the cruise was required to return to Southampton with a "reduced number of people onboard," and some passengers and crew were told they had to leave the ship, per the statement.

The BBC reported on Tuesday that 321 passengers were scheduled to fly back to Southampton.

Watch: The rise and fall of the cruise industry

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Powerful storm causes chaos at resort, cruise ship collision on Spanish island of Mallorca

The Spanish holiday island of Mallorca was slammed by a storm with wind gusts of up to 100 km/h on Sunday, causing chaos at a local hotel and caused a collision involving a cruise ship.

Video captured guests fleeing from the pool at the Sol Mirlos Tordos Hotel as sun loungers were sent flying by the powerful winds.

The storm also broke the P&O Cruises ship Britannia free of its mooring, causing it to collide with another ship in the island's capital of Palma.

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"P&O Cruises Britannia was involved in a weather-related incident while alongside in Palma de Mallorca. A small number of individuals sustained minor injuries and are being cared for by the onboard medical centre," a spokesperson for P&O Cruises said.

With files from Reuters

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Hundreds of passengers forced to fly home early after P&O Cruises ship collision

The p&o cruise ship britannia collided with another vessel during severe weather in palma de mallorca, article bookmarked.

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Hundreds of passengers are to leave a P&O cruise ship early after it collided with another boat during severe weather in Palma de Mallorca.

Britannia reportedly came free from its mooring during the storm and was involved in a bump with another vessel on Sunday.

A small number of people sustained minor injuries and were cared for by the onboard medical centre, a P&O Cruises spokesperson said.

Inspections revealed that one of the lifeboats sustained structural issues and cannot be repaired onboard, the spokesperson added.

This means the ship has to return to Southampton with a reduced number of passengers.

It is understood 321 people will be flying home early.

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A P&O Cruises spokesman said: “On Sunday August 27, P&O Cruises Britannia was impacted by severe weather when alongside in Palma de Mallorca.

“Following inspections, our third-party surveyor has confirmed that one of Britannia’s lifeboats has sustained structural issues and cannot be repaired onboard.

“We are so sorry but these extraordinary circumstances mean that the ship is required, by maritime regulation, to return to Southampton with a reduced number of people on board.

“A limited number of guests and crew on board have been advised that they will be leaving the ship and will be returned to Southampton (or their starting point) by flight and transfer.

“The guests remaining on board will be able to enjoy the entertainment and activities scheduled for the remainder of their trip.”

Britannia departed from Palma de Mallorca on Monday and is expected to reach Southampton on Friday, the spokesman added.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Cruise ship sent crashing into cargo vessel as hurricane-force winds hit Majorca

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Several passengers on board a P&O cruise ship sustained minor injuries when severe stormy weather sent it smashing into a cargo vessel in Majorca.

Along with its neighbours Ibiza and Menorca, the island is being battered by hurricane-force winds and torrential rain.

Weather warnings for wind and stormy seas have been extended into Monday for the Balearics and parts of Catalonia in Spain ’s north-east.

Thousands of people sailing on the P&O ship Britannia, which is based in Southampton, got a frighteningly close look at the extreme weather this morning.

Their vessel broke free from its moorings near the island’s shore at around 11am and collided with a smaller ship nearby, causing the walkway to fall into the sea.

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According to BBC News , the captain informed passengers after the incident that ‘there’s no structural compromise, but deck five has sustained a small amount of damage’.

Britannia, which can hold 6,647 passengers and 1,350 crew, will remain in Palma while a technical assessment is completed.

One Welsh passenger told WalesOnline : ‘It was panic stations, I was bawling my eyes out.

‘We went out onto our balcony and could see debris in the ocean and all the damage to the side of the boat and our lifeboat.’

P&O said a small number of people had sustained minor injuries and were being cared for on board.

A spokesman for the company said: ‘On Sunday 27 August, P&O Cruises Britannia was involved in a weather-related incident while alongside in Palma de Mallorca.

‘A small number of individuals sustained minor injuries and are being cared for by the onboard medical centre.

‘To allow our technical teams to make an assessment, Britannia will remain alongside in Palma de Mallorca tonight with onboard entertainment and activities scheduled.’

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P&O Britannia cruise ship carrying thousands of British passengers crashes into another vessel in Mallorca

A Welsh woman on board said: 'We were up browsing on our phones in bed and heard the big horn after the bang. It was panic stations, I was bawling my eyes out'

• 14:30, 27 AUG 2023
• Updated 19:54, 27 AUG 2023

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A cruise ship carrying thousands of British passengers has crashed into another vessel off the coast of Palma in Mallorca.

The cause of the crash beside the Spanish island is currently unknown, but passengers on board the P&O Britannia ship - including a family from Wales who have spoken to WalesOnline - said they believed strong winds and untypically difficult weather conditions for the island moved the vessel into another in Palma on Sunday morning, August 27. Welsh holidaymakers staying in a hotel in Mallorca captured the storm destroying part of their hotel, which you can read about here and watch in the video above.

Another Welsh passenger sent WalesOnline video of the moment the ships collided, which you can see here .

Local publications reported on Sunday morning how a storm “suddenly hit” the island with heavy rain and hail accompanied by strong gusts. The Welsh passengers, who shared pictures of the collision but did not want to be named, said the Britannia ship was anchored less than a mile from the shore following the accident. Other passengers have since reported the ship has since docked again at Palma.

Pictures sent to WalesOnline from the ship show passenger decks damaged, with tables and chairs in disarray. A small number of people onboard have also suffered injuries as a result of the accident, P&O has said. A separate video sent by Welsh holidaymakers also in Mallorca shows a storm wrecking one resort on Sunday, even turning sunbeds over and into the pool and sending loungers flying through the air.

Read more: Hundreds attend large illegal rave on Welsh mountain as police swarm the area

One Welsh family onboard the Britannia said all passengers were told to remain in their cabins, while being told, “this is not a drill”, by the captain on Sunday after they heard a loud bang and saw debris floating in the water. You can get more story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here .

One Welsh woman, who is on the ship with her partner and two children, said: “We have now been told we’re allowed to leave our cabins but we can’t do anything on the ship and all the crew are in their life jackets and doing all of their emergency things. The side of the boat is battered."

“We were docked overnight in Palma and the wind was so strong our anchors broke and we blew out into another ship," she believed. "We were up browsing on our phones in bed and heard the big horn after the bang. It was panic stations, I was bawling my eyes out. We went out onto our balcony and could see debris in the ocean and all the damage to the side of the boat and our lifeboat. The captain said: ‘Everyone to their muster stations, this is not a drill.’ Lots of people were running around looking panicked.

“Then they came around again and said everyone needs to get back to their cabins. We’re still none the wiser. I can’t see how they’ll be able to sail it again after this.”

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The Britannia set sail from Southampton on August 18 for the Mediterranean cruise including stops at Cadiz and Ibiza and had been due to leave Mallorca on Sunday afternoon. It can carry up to 3,647 passengers and is 330 metres in length. She has a crew of 1,398 and cost £473m.

“They’ve pulled us out to sea now after checking there were no fires on the ship and anchored us,” a passenger explained. “They’ve said we can leave the cabins now and we’re waiting for further updates from the captain. I think we’ll probably get off the ship now and fly back. I won’t be sailing back. As soon as this is over I’m getting off and looking for a hotel.”

Another passenger, Mark Beckwith, told WalesOnline on Sunday evening: "The captain has and is doing an amazingly calm job with the fantastic crew. It's very calm and relaxed onboard now and we are just redocking to collect the passengers whom were off the ship for the duration of the incident."

On the almost biblical weather on the island, holidaymaker Wendy Penson, from Wattsville, told us: “There is a small yacht opposite us and it ripped the sail off that. The Bali beds aren’t light, they’re made of steel, but the storm just took them like they were nothing."

A spokesperson for P&O Cruises said: “On Sunday, August 27, P&O Cruises Britannia was involved in a weather-related incident while alongside in Palma de Mallorca. A small number of individuals sustained minor injuries and are being cared for by the onboard medical centre. To allow our technical teams to make an assessment Britannia will remain alongside in Palma de Mallorca tonight with onboard entertainment and activities scheduled.”

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Cruise Ship Hits Oil Tanker During Bad Storm

Doug Parker

• August 28, 2023

Another cruise ship collision occurred over the weekend. On Sunday, the cruise ship P&O Britannia collided with an oil tanker off the coast of Palma in Mallorca after breaking free from the dock during a severe storm. Several passengers were injured during the weather-related incident to brought hurricane-force winds to the island.

The Cruise Ship Collision

The Britannia was pushed toward the oil tanker by winds reaching 75 mph. According to P&O, a limited number of passengers experienced minor injuries during the event and were cared for in the ship’s medical center.

Eyewitness Account

A P&O cruise ship, the Britannia, broke its moorings in the port of Palma, Mallorca, Spain due to strong winds from a storm. The ship drifted towards an oil tanker and collided with it, but there were no injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/FNowXtyNdv — Policy Scoop (@policyscoop) August 28, 2023

Ricky Stubbs, one of the passengers aboard, gave a play-by-play of the incident. In a report filed by The Guardian about the incident, he stated that a deafening crash echoed from the ship’s sunset bar as he and his children prepared to disembark. This was followed by a rush of people fleeing the impact and battling the fierce winds and rain.

“Within minutes, the captain addressed us through the speakers, asking everyone to return to their rooms for safety reasons,” said Stubbs. The crew and guests promptly assisted others, including those who suffered minor injuries from flying debris or falls.

Stubbs admired the captain and the crew members for their composed demeanor throughout the ordeal. “Announcements were made at regular intervals of 10-15 minutes, keeping us updated and reassured,” he added.

Official Statement and Immediate Actions

A spokesperson from P&O Cruises provided an official statement confirming that the Britannia was involved in a weather-related incident. “A few individuals have sustained minor injuries and are currently being attended to by our onboard medical team,” said the spokesperson.

To evaluate the extent of the damage, the ship will remain docked in Palma de Mallorca, offering onboard entertainment and activities to the passengers in the meantime.

At the time of the incident, Mallorca was already on an amber weather alert due to extreme winds and torrential rains.

Over the summer, nearly six ships have broken free in Europe during strong winds and thunderstorms.

P&O’s flagship Britannia entered service in 2015 and is 143,000 gross registered tons.

As of Monday morning, the ship was docked in Palma to undergo technical inspections.

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Storm behind P&O cruise ship crash destroys Mallorca hotel pool sending loungers flying

P&O have released statement after its Britannia cruise ship carrying thousands of British passengers crashed into a freight vessel after a storm cause havoc in Mallorca

• 22:01, 27 Aug 2023
• Updated 22:31, 27 Aug 2023

The storm said to have caused the collision between a P&O cruise ship and freight vessel earlier today also wrecked part of a resort on the island of Mallorca.

The strong gales sent loungers flying into the sea and the pool, which was captured on video by British holidaymakers. The video was taken at the Punta del Mar hotel and spa just outside Santa Ponsa on the island during the storm, which may also have caused Britannia to hurtle into another boat in the Balearics, with people on board treated for injuries.

Passengers on board Britannia described "being pushed ashore by tugs whilst confined to our cabins" after the terrifying incident. Another guest on the 5,000 capacity ship said it was 'panic stations' when the horn blew on board the boat after a storm 'suddenly hit' off the coast of Palma in Mallorca after it snapped its moorings.

In the latest hotel footage, shared by Wendy and Alan Penson, from Caerphilly, Wales, the resort is left in disarray with sunbeds flying through the air in the wind and into the sea, WalesOnline report. At least a dozen loungers then end up in the pool in the biblical scene.

Wendy said: “It said to expect thunderstorms on the news but we saw the weather change and Alan said ‘start filming’, and we couldn’t believe how quickly it changed. It was just like a hurricane coming through from the sea into the cove. There is a small yacht opposite us and it ripped the sail off that. The Bali beds aren’t light, they’re made of steel, but the storm just took them like they were nothing.

"I was speaking with someone who works at the hotel and she said when the temperature starts to drop after a period of no rain, this tends to happen. But she said they’ve never known it like this before." Alan added: “The unexpected storm happened at about 10.49am Spanish time. It all happened very quickly, as seen in the video.”

Passengers on board the cruise ship were left in tears after the crash as tables and chairs were thrown along the decks. The ship will now stay in Palma to allow for a technical assessment. Heavy rain and hail accompanied by strong 55 MPH gusts and the huge £473m ship is currently said to be anchored less than a mile from the shore following the accident.

Another passenger, Mark Beckwith, said the ship docked again in Palma on Sunday afternoon and praised the captain and crew for their efforts in calming passengers. "The captain has and is doing an amazingly calm job with the fantastic crew,” he said. “It's very calm and relaxed onboard now and we are just redocking to collect the passengers who were off the ship for the duration of the incident."

A spokesperson for P&O Cruises said: “We are aware of an incident involving Britannia on Sunday morning while the ship was alongside in Palma de Mallorca. We are working to assess the situation. The captain is keeping all guests updated.”

Passenger Gary McGuinness is on board and told the Mirror of his experience: "Me and my seven-year-old daughter Kasey stepped off the ship to go out for the day. I then saw a wall of water and wind heading towards us down the concrete jetty - it looked like a sort of ferocity that you would be unable to stand up in.

"The large fold out greeting umbrellas on the jetty, shot past into the sea about 80mph. We stepped back into the ship and about 8 seconds later, we broke our moorings. The walk way that we were just stood on, I think fell into the sea. But when you first witnessed it happening it looked, like the ship opposite and the concrete jetty was floating away. But of course we were floating away into a small cargo ship and rocks opposite."

He added: |I didn’t see any injuries myself. The fire brigade on the jetty and the ship itself were running an emergency drill at the time of the incident."

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Out-of-control 700ft cruise ship crunches into dock at Turkish port

This is the moment a 700ft cruise ship crunched into a dock at a Turkish port after desperately trying to slow down. 

The Celestyal Journey cruise ship was making a routine arrival into the port in Kusadasi, Turkey last week when it hit the concrete pier with its bow bulb.

The crew miscalculated the speed and approached the pier too quickly, resulting in the collision, Cruise Hive reported.

Members of the vessel's 597-person crew reportedly lowered the anchor in a bid to slow the approach, but despite their efforts the ship still crashed into the pier.

The collision caused only minimal damage to the ship and pier. No injuries were reported onboard or on the shore.

The Celestyal Journey struck a pier at Kusadasi Cruise Port on Monday last week at 12pm local time while crew were trying to dock.

Passengers were still able to enjoy their day in Kusadasi, one of the most well-preserved Greco-Roman cities in the world, as planned, according to Cruise Hive. 

The port, which has eight berths for large ships, is the most popular cruise port in Turkey. Officials say the incident has not negatively impacted operations. 

Celestyal Cruises, which operates the vessel and two other ships, did not have to alter any routes following the incident.

The Celestyal Journey entered service in 1994 and initially sailed for Holland America Line as Ryndam. Celestyal Cruises acquired the cruise ship last year.

The cruise liner has 630 cabins, including 149 that feature balconies, and offers guests access to seven exclusive restaurants, and eight bars and lounges, Haber7.com reported. 

Celestyal Journey is currently sailing seven-night cruises in the Aegean Sea region until late October 2024. 

However, unlike a typical closed-loop route, the Celestyal Journey's round-trip sailings overlap, allowing guests to embark and debark in Kusadasi, as well as various cities in Greece.

Travellers can start their voyage in Heraklion, Crete Greece; Piraeus-Athens, Greece; or Thessaloniki, Greece. 

The ship's final journey in the Aegean Sea will embark on October 19 this year. It will be followed by a 14-day repositioning cruise from Athens to Doha, Qatar. 

Once it arrives in its new homeport in Doha, the Celestyal Journey will offer seven-night roundtrip sailings to the United Arab Emirates. 

MailOnline has approached Celestyal Cruises for comment. 

Norovirus: Nearly 200 sick in outbreaks on Princess, Royal Caribbean ships, CDC says

FILE - Tourists crowd upper decks and stateroom balconies as the Anthem of the Seas owned by Royal Caribbean International on Aug. 9, 2023, in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Nearly 200 passengers on U.S. cruise ships suffered from diarrhea and vomiting in norovirus outbreaks in April, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC reported that 94 of the 2,532 (3.71%) passengers on Princess Cruises’ Sapphire Princess ship reported getting sick during its current voyage. The 32-day, roundtrip cruise began on April 5 and ends on May 7, according to the cruise tracking and information site CruiseMapper . 

Another 20 of the 1,066 crew members on board also reported getting sick, the CDC said.

Cruise ship rescued 14 stranded at sea for over a week

This was the scene from the lunch buffet during the first full day of cruising for the Icon of the Seas. The crew rescued all 14 from the distressed boat which was dwarfed by the largest cruise ship in the world.

On Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas ship, 67 of the 1,993 (3.36%) total passengers on board became ill during a voyage that began on April 8 and ended on April 22, according to the agency. Two crew members aboard also got sick. 

In both of the norovirus outbreaks, the main symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting, the CDC said.

Princess Cruises told FOX Television Stations that "at the first sign" of an increase in passengers reporting gastrointestinal illnesses, "we immediately initiated additional enhanced sanitization procedures to interrupt the person-to-person spread of this virus."

"Our sanitization program, includes disinfection measures, isolation of ill passengers and communication to passengers about steps they can take to stay well while onboard," the company told FOX Television Stations.

Royal Caribbean International did not immediately return a request for comment, but the CDC said in its notice that the company also took several steps in response to the outbreak – including isolating the sick passengers and crew members and "increased cleaning and disinfection procedures." 

RELATED: 'Vampire facials' at unlicensed spa likely resulted in HIV infections: CDC

Cruise ships expose passengers to high volumes of people and new environments, which can "create the risk for illness from contaminated food, or water or, more commonly, through person-to-person contact," the CDC says. 

The agency recommends that anyone feeling sick should report their illness. If it happens before the voyage, travelers can ask their cruise line about any possible alternative cruising options. 

Those on board should wash their hands often to prevent illness, as well as get plenty of rest and stay hydrated. 

This story was reported from Cincinnati.

More From Forbes

Would you roll the dice on a $49-a-day holland america standby cruise.

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Holland America passengers from Eurodam horseback riding at Half Moon Cay.

After almost sinking during COVID, the cruise industry is getting hot again. New ships, from the “city at sea” 7,600 passenger Icon of the Seas (Royal Caribbean) to smaller, all-luxury ships like the 920-passenger Explora I are bringing new interest—and new cruisers—to the industry.

Innovative new marketing programs are also boosting cruising. Holland America is expanding its Standby List Program , where passengers can potentially get booked on a cruise for as low as $49 a day.

Once you’ve picked a destination and a sailing day, you can get on the standby list. (This means paying for the discounted cruise you’ve selected immediately.) If your lucky number comes up, Holland America will let you know if you’ll be sailing between two and seven days before the ship leaves port. If no vacancies materialize, the money will be returned to your credit card.

You will have to be able to live with uncertainty as to what kind of stateroom you’re getting.

“Guests for this program do not choose their stateroom category, so they could end up staying in a variety of different cabin types including Inside, Oceanview, or Verandah,” said a Holland America spokesperson. Where you end up “depends, in part, on where the last-minute cancellations happen. Guests will be confirmed in the order they joined the list within the week of sailing. It could be seven days or as close as 48 hours to departure. So it really is tailored for guests who live close to the port.”

But of course, as the spokesperson put, “Guests will still have access to everything onboard that full-fare paying guests do, such as world-class dining, exciting entertainment, and most importantly—access to desired destinations.”

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The Hydro Pool on board the Holland America Oosterdam.

The Holland America Standby Program launched in August of 2023 with cruises from Seattle. In October and November, the company expanded the program to include voyages from homeports in Fort Lauderdale and San Diego. Now, as the line launches its 2024 Alaska and Canada/New England sailings, guests will see standby offers sailing from ports including Boston, Vancouver as well as Seattle.

The standby concept has always been popular, typically with people who have more time than money. Travelers have tried to go standby (going to the airport without a ticket and getting on the standby list) on airlines for years. Last-minute hotel rooms are also commonly available through various vendors.

With flights, hotel rooms and cruises, the lure of waiting until the last minute is the same: a discounted deal. Once that flight leaves, the hotel calendar clicks to the next day or the ship sails, that seat, suite or stateroom is gone, empty and unsold.

With the Holland America standby program, the rates of $49 are per person per day (for either a solo cruiser or a cabin at double occupancy), but third and fourth guests sail free. The program is for guests 21 and over, so you can take your pals but not your kids.

Of course, there are additional charges. The $49 per day fare amount excludes taxes, fees and port expenses. And as with most ‘a la carte’ cruises, gratuities, liquor, Wi-Fi and other amenities are additional.

The standby program is for all vacancies on a particular cruise, although it’s certainly a win for Holland America if it can resell a cancelled trip for additional income.

NY Deli & Pizza - Central Park Pizza on Holland America cruise ships.

You’ll be charged for each date you sign up for, immediately upon signing up, so you may want to try going standby on one cruise at a time. Once you’ve paid and are on the standby list, you can’t leave it. If offered a cruise between 7 and 2 days prior to sailing, guests will be charged the full fare whether they decide to go or not. If you’re looking for more flexibility, a spokesperson said potential passengers can also purchase a cancelation plan.

Conde Nast Traveler calls the standby program a cruise “industry first.” But author Jessica Puckett cautions that the inability to pick your room might land you in a 143 square foot interior room, rather than that 405 square foot veranda stateroom you’re dreaming of. If you “win” the small interior room, it might start feeling cell-like, especially on, say, a 42-day Mediterranean cruise from Ft. Lauderdale in November. However, that would still be a good deal financially, as instead of $5,479 plus fees for an inside room, you’d pay $2,058 plus fees.

Another potential issue might be getting on certain excursions from the ship. Some might be sold out by the time your standby booking is confirmed.

If you’re getting interested in cruising, it’s worth researching the industry. There are many lines, ships, destinations, and a seemingly endless list of options. Some deals might make more sense than going standby.

Still, the spokesperson told us that they had talked to several guests who have used the standby program multiple times successfully this season in Florida.

Passengers playing pickleball on Holland America Koningsdam.

"We see Holland America Line’s Standby Program as a win-win for guests and our business,” said Dan Rough, vice president of revenue management at Holland America. “Circumstances may arise for booked guests where they must cancel a cruise the week before sailing. The Standby Program allows us to fill those cabins with people who have already committed to going and who presumably live close enough to the port that they can make last-minute travel arrangements.”

Rough added, “For those guests with flexibility to travel, it means access to an unforgettable cruise vacation at $49 per day—an exceptional value.”

You can see a list of available Holland America sailings here , or call 877-724-5425 to get on the standby list. The page also includes some frequently asked questions.

If you live near one of the ports, is it worth taking a shot at getting a great deal on a standby cruise?

Several years ago, as a registered Rolling Stones fan, I was contacted by email one day about a “Lucky Dip” for tickets at an upcoming show at T-Mobile in Las Vegas. Like the Holland American standby offer, the deal was $50 a ticket, ‘we pick the seats for you.’ We booked a room at the now-departed Tropicana and held our breath for a few weeks, expecting nosebleed seats. Instead, we sat 20 rows up with a perfect view of the stage, especially for Keith Richards emotional solo set.

Will your roll of the “tumbling dice” bring you similar luck on a Holland America cruise? As Mark Twain put it in HUCKLEBERRY FINN, “You pays your money and you takes your chances.”

Tamarind - Mongolian Beef Lamb Chop on Holland America.

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