Key Aspects:
- A magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit the northwestern coast of Cuba on June 8, 2026.
- The shaking was felt at sea, in Florida’s major cruise ports, and parts of the Caribbean and Mexico.
- No significant damage has been reported as a result of the shaking, and cruise operations are continuing normally.
The biggest earthquake to hit Cuba in nearly 150 years struck off the coast of Mantua, and the shaking was felt by cruises throughout South Florida, as well as parts of Mexico and the Caribbean.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 6.1 earthquake occurred on June 8, 2026, at around 2 p.m. EDT, in the Gulf of Mexico (or Gulf of America).
“The June 8, 2026 magnitude 6.1 earthquake near the west coast of Cuba occurred as the result of reverse faulting at a shallow depth of 26 km,” USGS confirmed.
“The earthquake occurred beneath the Gulf of America within the North America plate. An intraplate earthquake, this event occurred 400-450 km north of the closest active plate boundary between the North America and Caribbean Sea plates,” USGS added.
Based on the data, the epicenter was determined to be 65 miles west-northwest of Mantua, a town in Cuba’s western Pinar del Río province.
Per seismologists, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 or higher has not hit Cuba in more than 100 years.
“This is the largest instrumentally recorded earthquake in the Gulf of America since 1950, and one of only six magnitude 5 or larger earthquakes to occur within the Gulf since 1950,” USGS noted.
“In 1880, an earthquake of approximately M6.0 occurred near San Cristobal, Cuba and was felt in Florida. The 1880 earthquake led to reports of building damages and fatalities in Cuba,” the organization continued.
Thankfully, Cruise Hive has not seen any reports of damage to infrastructure in Cuba or elsewhere as a result of the June 8th quake.
Shaking Felt Mid-Voyage
Obviously, the sizable quake was felt throughout Cuba, with some cruisers feeling the rumble onboard their cruise ships.
“Some of you may have heard that an earthquake happened near Cuba. Our cruise ship was almost right over it when it struck. The ship shook hard,” one cruise guest shared.
“Many people on the upper decks were frightened and some thought they should go to their muster stations. The ship’s captain came on the intercom a few minutes later and explained that we had experienced an earthquake and that the ship was not damaged,” they recalled.
The guest didn’t specify which ship they are onboard, but cruise tracking data showed Margaritaville at Sea’s Islander and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Escape sailing near the epicenter on the afternoon of June 8.
Reports of shaking also came from as far west as Cancun, Mexico, and the Riviera Maya, which is where Cozumel and Costa Maya are located.
No cruise ships were docked in Cancun, but Cozumel hosted Disney Destiny, Carnival Jubilee, and Carnival Breeze during the quake. Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas were in Costa Maya.
Shaking Impacts Florida Cruise Ports
Additionally, the shaking was felt at several of Florida’s major cruise ports, including PortMiami, Port Canaveral, and Port Tampa Bay.
“The City of Miami is aware of a magnitude 6.1 earthquake that occurred off the coast of Cuba,” the city said in a statement to CBS News. Resulting seismic activity was reportedly felt in several areas throughout the city, prompting multiple calls for service.”
Seven ships were in PortMiami during the earthquake for turnaround days, including Freedom of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, Resilient Lady, Norwegian Getaway, MSC Seaside, Carnival Sunrise, and Carnival Conquest.
Three more ships were in Port Canaveral, including Utopia of the Seas, Disney Wish, and Carnival Glory. Last but not least, one more Carnival ship, Carnival Paradise, was docked in Tampa Bay when the shaking began.
Cruise Passengers Shouldn’t Worry
Even if there are aftershocks, which are common with earthquakes of this size, cruise guests shouldn’t be worried. Cruise ships are designed for stability and float deep in the ocean, which allows them to easily absorb the seismic shock.
When at sea, cruise ships are also safe from potential tsunamis, which usually become destructive only once they reach the shallow ocean floor near the coast.
For example, part of the Caribbean was placed under a tsunami advisory after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake shook the Cayman Islands in February of 2025.
But in this case, Cruise Hive confirmed that there is no earthquake-related tsunami risk and the Florida cruise ports remain safe.
“There is no tsunami danger for the U.S. east coast, the Gulf of America states, or the eastern coast of Canada,” the National Tsunami Warning Center posted.
“Based on earthquake information and historic tsunami records, the earthquake is not expected to generate a tsunami,” the agency continued.
Cruise operations have continued normally both at sea and at the destinations where shaking was felt.
