About two hours after leaving Port Canaveral, the Princess Cruise Lines ship the Crown Princess apparently suffered a problem with it’s rudder causing the ship to tip heavily to one side. The listing caused tables to over turn, and things to slide around and break. Passengers were running for thier life vests. At least 93 passengers were injured, 16 of them seriously. Injuries included cuts, bruises and fractures.
The ship returned to Port Canaveral where the problem is being investigated. The Coast Guard can’t say how many degrees the ship tilted before righting itself.
The ship had been scheduled for a 9 day western Caribbean cruise with ports of call being Grand Turk, Ocho Rios, on Jamaica, and Grand Cayman.
A lot of people worry about incidents like this. But if you look at the number of cruise ships, and the fact that they are cruising nearly 52 weeks a year, then these incidents only make up a very tiny percentage of the total number of cruises. Most cruises suffer no problems, and have nothing but happy passengers. I don’t know that stats, but you are problem more likely to be in a car accident, than a mishap like this on a cruise ship.
I was a passenger on the Crown Princess when the mishap occurred. Believe me it was very scary and not like anything I have ever been through, my husband either.
I cannot say enough about the cruise and the employees who make it possible to force you to relax and enjoy life and take a break from the fast-paced world.
The incident was very professionally handled and everyone on that ship is to be commended for doing such a wonderful job! It was my husband and my first cruise and I would go again in a heartbeat and stick to the Princess line. I heard nothing but excellent things about them before we left.
It’s a tragedy that this happened and very sad on such a beautiful ship.
Once again, thank you for a wonderful vacation and we will be back I assure you!
Joan and George Lamoureux
30 Winchester Avenue
North Smithfield, RI 02896
(we booked through The Cruise Brothers)
Comment by Joan M. Lamoureux — July 24, 2006 @ 4:29 pm
Thank you for your note. I am sure it was very scary. There was an incident on the Carnival Legend back in July of 2005. It listed at about a 14 degree angle. It was alegedly caused by a computer malfunction. We cruised on the Legend in April of this year, and had no problems. In fact lots of people have cruised on the Legend since the tipping, and have not experienced a serious problem. Cruise ships are complex machines, and occasionally something breaks.
I am surprised that this being your first cruise, you would be so eager to go back after such a mishap. But trust me, I have been on 4 cruises, and they are wonderful. Normally bad things like this do not happen. Good luck on your next cruise!
Comment by RJ — July 24, 2006 @ 8:36 pm
My wife and I were in one of the Crown Princess lounges as it heeled. It was a frightening event because folks around us were getting hurt and you couldn’t tell from our location if the ship would keep tipping or not. It seemed to stay over a long time. Definitely an unfortunate finish to a fantastic vacation. The ship’s personnel were “Top-shelf”, professionals, right up to our departure. Go again? Probably but I need time to recover.
Comment by George — July 25, 2006 @ 3:32 pm
All I could think of was titanic
Comment by Sparkable — April 2, 2008 @ 12:06 pm
i love the princess line!
Comment by Buffalo — April 16, 2008 @ 9:19 am