A 7.6-magnitude earthquake that rattled the Caribbean near the Cayman Islands on Saturday evening, February 8, 2025, has led to multiple tsunami advisories across the region.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued tsunami advisories for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands shortly after the earthquake.
Alerts released at 7:35 p.m. EST warned of about surges of 1 to 3 feet for the Cayman Islands and a more severe 3 to 10 feet for Cuba.
“A tsunami warning is issued when a tsunami with the potential to generate widespread inundation is imminent, expected, or occurring,” says NOAA.
“Warnings alert the public that dangerous coastal flooding accompanied by powerful currents is possible and may continue for several hours after initial arrival,” NOAA continued.
The earthquake, approximately 130 miles southwest of the Cayman Islands, had its epicenter pinpointed at roughly 17.8° N latitude and 82.5° W longitude.
As of press time, there have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries from the earthquake itself. Emergency services across the affected regions are on high alert.
Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Summit was currently sailing closest to the epicenter, having spent 10 hours calling in George Town, Grand Cayman when the earthquake hit.
However, Cruise Hive’s ship tracker shows the vessel is still in port, with the Cayman Islands Port Authority saying the ship is not scheduled to depart until 11:30 p.m. The port is a tender port, meaning Celebrity Summit is not docked.
The 2,218-passenger vessel is on a special 7-night roundtrip Chris Botti voyage from Fort Lauderdale, scheduled to return to Port Everglades on February 11, and does not have any additional calls before the sailing concludes. Celebrity Cruises has not issued any travel alerts as of press time.
Read Also: Grand Cayman Cruise Port – Terminals, Tendering and Getting Around
South of Puerto Rico and west of the US Virgin Islands’ St. Croix, Costa Cruises’ 3,800-guest Costa Fascinosa wrapped up a call in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, when the earthquake hit and is slated to finish its 7-night cruise in La Romana, Dominican Republic on February 9.
Rhapsody of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean and hosting up to 2,416 passengers, is also currently in the waters near St. Croix, and scheduled to complete its 7-night Southern Caribbean itinerary in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on February 9.
A passenger on the ship posted on social media, “No announcements yet but we’re strongly rocking now.”
However, by 8:25 p.m., NOAA removed tsunami warnings for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, leaving warnings in affect for the Cayman Islands and Cuba. No additional ships are in any of the areas potentially at risk for a tsunami.
Are Passengers Safe During Earthquakes?
Many passengers took to social media, fearful the earthquake would affect upcoming calls and voyages. For vessels at sea, guests on cruise ships during an earthquake are generally safe as water absorbs seismic waves.
Passengers should not feel the impact of the shocks as cruise ships are designed to handle various sea conditions and are not affected by earthquakes taking place beneath the ocean floor.
The biggest danger of tsunamis affect shores, where increased waves can cause flooding and damage structures like ports.
Tsunami waves can travel at speeds of over 300 miles per hour and could take several hours to travel from the sea to the coast. This could be why Celebrity Summit remains in port.
This is a developing story. Check back with Cruise Hive for further updates as the situation unfolds.
