Key Aspects:
- MV Gemini collided with the pier in Piraeus, Greece on the morning of Friday, September 5, 2025.
- The ship’s hull has been significantly punctured and will likely need repairs before the vessel can resume sailing.
- Cruise ship vs. pier impacts aren’t frequent, but they’re also not uncommon and many factors can contribute to such incidents.
Maneuvering a cruise ship while docking is a tricky situation. For MV Gemini of Miray Cruises, docking in Piraeus, Greece on Friday, September 5 was too challenging, and the ship has been significantly damaged from impact with the pier.
Insider reports to Crew Center verify the damage, which appears to be above the ship’s waterline. Nevertheless, a substantial and lengthy gash down the hull may impact MV Gemini‘s seaworthiness.
A brief video of the ship shows the damage on the port aft corner of the ship, which remains tied up in Piraeus.
The ship will need to be carefully assessed to determine the extent of the repairs. Undoubtedly, MV Gemini will be unable to depart until fully repaired and thoroughly inspected.
It is unknown how the impact could have occurred, including whether or not any wind gusts or wave swells might have caused unexpected motion just as the ship was docking. Such sudden forces could have contributed to the impact.
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Typically, bumpers are in place for a ship to “rub” a pier without actually making impact. It is also possible that such bumpers may have failed or otherwise been out of alignment during the ship’s docking maneuvers.
A full investigation will determine what factors played a part in the incident and who, if anyone, may have been at fault to cause the collision.
There are no reports of any injuries among either guests or crew members onboard.
MV Gemini first launched in May 1991 with the now-defunct Crown Cruise Line. The 19,093-gross-ton ship has had a varied past, having served with six different cruise lines during her lengthy service life, including Cunard Line and Celestyal Cruises.
Since 2019, the yacht-like vessel has belonged to Miray Cruises. Though plans for a residential three-year cruise were eventually scrapped, the ship has sailed on with short Greek Islands cruises.
The ship can accommodate 1,074 guests per sailing.
Pier Collisions Not Uncommon
While they are rare, pier collisions between docks and cruise ships aren’t actually uncommon. These incidents can happen with both large and small ships from any cruise line and at any port.
In early July 2023, Ruby Princess collided with the pier at her then-homeport of San Francisco following a 10-night Alaskan cruise. A significant dent and hull scrapes had to be repaired, causing her next sailing to be abbreviated while that work was finished.
Later that same month, Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady contacted a mooring dolphin at PortMiami, denting and perforating the starboard aft hull. Fortunately, repairs could be completed quickly and the ship set sail again after just more than a six-hour delay.
In February 2024, Carnival Magic was pushed by winds and swells into the pier while visiting Ocho Rios, Jamaica. The ship was forced to depart early due to rough weather, but was able to return later to collect passengers who were ashore.
Celestyal Journey accidentally hit the pier in Kusadasi, Turkey in April 2024. That impact was a crew miscalculation but fortunately was minor and neither the ship’s itineraries nor the port operations were affected.
Prospective cruisers who might be concerned about whether or not their ship might be involved in a similar accident should rest easy. Every day in ports around the world, hundreds of cruise ships dock safely and smoothly, with no damage to piers or hulls.
