No doubt many cruise passengers have heard of the Titanic and that tragic moment when the iconic ocean liner hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean.
It’s something most think of when it comes to movies, but yes, even modern cruise ships can hit pieces of floating ice, and that’s the case with one Carnival cruise ship.
Carnival Cruise Line confirmed to Cruise Hive that while the Carnival Spirit ship was sailing in Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska, on September 5, the 2,610-passenger ship came into contact with a piece of drifting ice on its starboard side. This is much smaller than a growler or large iceberg.
You can watch footage of the moment the Carnival Spirit hit the drifting ice:
The cruise ship came to a halt after the contact just as a precaution and to assess any possible damage. The good news is that the vessel was cleared to continue sailing. Passengers on the ship reported that another small vessel also came alongside to check for any damage.
Carnival Cruise Line stated to Cruise Hive, “Carnival Spirit made contact with an errant piece of drifting ice on Thursday afternoon while sailing in Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska. An assessment determined no damage to the ship’s hull and the vessel continued on its week-long Alaska cruise, with its next visit on Friday in Skagway.“
The 88,500 gross ton vessel was not delayed by the impact and has continued en route to the first port of call. Carnival Spirit is still expected to call at Skagway on September 6 as scheduled.
Other ports on the 7-night voyage, which embarked out of Seattle on September 3, include Juneau on September 7, Ketchikan on September 8, and the final port visit at Victoria in British Columbia on September 10.
The ship, which entered service in 2001, is coming near the end of its Alaska season and will reposition to Mobile, Alabama, for cruises to the Western Caribbean and the Bahamas.
Second Major Cruise Ship to Hit Ice in Alaska
Often, when it comes to the Fjords in Alaska, cruise ships are forced to cancel their scenic routes due to increased ice in the area. However, the harsh region can be unpredictable, and this is not the first time a cruise ship has come into contact with ice.
In June 2022, the Norwegian Sun cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line hit an iceberg while transiting to Hubbard Glacier in Alaska. For context, the Hubbard Glacier is approximately 258 miles further north of Tracy Arm Fjord.
At the time, the cruise line confined that the Norwegian Sun was engulfed in dense fog, which hampered visibility and eventually resulted in the ship hitting the ice, which is also known as a growler. The incident resulted in the voyage being canceled and the ship needing repair.
Thankfully, the Carnival Spirit hit a much smaller piece of ice compared to the Norwegian Sun. The ice may have been similar in length to one of the ship’s lifeboats. The ice did break up once the Carnival ship came in contact.
Read Also: How and Why Did the Titanic Break in Half?
This recent incident reminds us just how harsh Alaska can be. The popular cruise port of Sitka has suffered from rockslides near where cruise ships dock. More recently, there was a tragic landslide at the cruise port of Ketchikan.
