Christmas came early to a group of fishermen stranded at sea without power when a P&O Cruises vessel happened to be sailing by.
As the 184,700-gross-ton Arvia was sailing in the Caribbean Sea during the evening hours of a sea day on December 19, 2024, the ship, filled with up to 5,200 passengers, spotted the distressed boat.
In a commendable act of maritime solidarity, the vessel came to the small fishing boat’s aid.
Passengers onboard Arvia shared a video during Captain Robert Camby’s announcement, apologizing for stopping the voyage and saying that the crew had spotted a breakdown of the fishing boat.
Said Captain Camby, “We made communications with them and then we gently pulled their vessel alongside our stern hull. We subsequently passed them an early Christmas present of a new battery.”
“They will be proceeding on their passage very shortly, and we will be proceeding on ours. They are very grateful,” the captain added, saying it’s part of the job. “We will now proceed on our original passage for an on-time arrival in Bridgetown.”
Guests applauded the efforts, with dozens on social media also adding praise.
“So amazing when you can help a small boat in distress. It made us feel very proud to be on the ship that helped,” wrote one passenger. “And a big cheer to the captain and crew from the dining room.”
The ship did arrive on time in Bridgetown, Barbados, on December 20, concluding a 14-night roundtrip Eastern Caribbean fly-cruise that called in Martinique, St. Kitts, British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Antigua, Grenada, and St. Lucia.
A Dose of Christmas Spirit
As Captain Camby said, supporting another vessel at sea is part of the job. In fact, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) requires cruise ships to assist other boaters in distress under international maritime law.
Although the law obligates all vessels to provide assistance only if they are able to do so without serious danger to their own vessel, crew, and passengers, Arvia was safely able to provide support with its gentle maneuvering.
Just days before this happy ending, a similar Christmas gift was given to a lone passenger of an inoperable catamaran. The captain and crew of Celebrity Reflection, a 126,000-gross-ton vessel owned by Celebrity Cruises, were on their own recent Caribbean Sea voyage at the time.
Guests on board spotted the severely damaged sailboat and saw a flare, prompting the 3,000-guest Celebrity Reflection to shift course on her December 16 itinerary and make a daring rescue during high seas and winds.
And last month, on November 10, as Disney Cruise Line’s new ship, Disney Treasure was making her way from the shipyard to her first homeport of Port Canaveral, Florida, the Coast Guard reached out to vessels who were in the vicinity of a distressed catamaran, taking on water.
Before even entering service, the 144,256-gross-ton ship quickly rerouted and made its way 70 nautical miles to meet the sailboat and rescue four passengers on board.
P&O Cruises is no stranger to rescues, either. In May 2024, its Australian cruise vessel Encounter rescued three sailors adrift at sea for three days as it was sailing to New Caledonia.
“P&O Cruises Australia will always come to the aid of our maritime friends in distress,” said the cruise line in a statement.
These acts of aid go beyond mere obligation but represent a shared commitment across the cruise industry to safeguard lives at sea – it really is a wonderful gift.
