what msc cruise ship sank

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The Costa Concordia Disaster: How Human Error Made It Worse

By: Becky Little

Updated: August 10, 2023 | Original: June 23, 2021

Many famous naval disasters happen far out at sea, but on January 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia wrecked just off the coast of an Italian island in relatively shallow water. The avoidable disaster killed 32 people and seriously injured many others, and left investigators wondering: Why was the luxury cruise ship sailing so close to the shore in the first place?

During the ensuing trial, prosecutors came up with a tabloid-ready explanation : The married ship captain had sailed it so close to the island to impress a much younger Moldovan dancer with whom he was having an affair.

Whether or not Captain Francesco Schettino was trying to impress his girlfriend is debatable. (Schettino insisted the ship sailed close to shore to salute other mariners and give passengers a good view.) But whatever the reason for getting too close, the Italian courts found the captain, four crew members and one official from the ship’s company, Costa Crociere (part of Carnival Corporation), to be at fault for causing the disaster and preventing a safe evacuation. The wreck was not the fault of unexpected weather or ship malfunction—it was a disaster caused entirely by a series of human errors.

“At any time when you have an incident similar to Concordia, there is never…a single causal factor,” says Brad Schoenwald, a senior marine inspector at the United States Coast Guard. “It is generally a sequence of events, things that line up in a bad way that ultimately create that incident.”

Wrecking Near the Shore

The Concordia was supposed to take passengers on a seven-day Italian cruise from Civitavecchia to Savona. But when it deviated from its planned path to sail closer to the island of Giglio, the ship struck a reef known as the Scole Rocks. The impact damaged the ship, allowing water to seep in and putting the 4,229 people on board in danger.

Sailing close to shore to give passengers a nice view or salute other sailors is known as a “sail-by,” and it’s unclear how often cruise ships perform these maneuvers. Some consider them to be dangerous deviations from planned routes. In its investigative report on the 2012 disaster, Italy’s Ministry of Infrastructures and Transports found that the Concordia “was sailing too close to the coastline, in a poorly lit shore area…at an unsafe distance at night time and at high speed (15.5 kts).”

In his trial, Captain Schettino blamed the shipwreck on Helmsman Jacob Rusli Bin, who he claimed reacted incorrectly to his order; and argued that if the helmsman had reacted correctly and quickly, the ship wouldn’t have wrecked. However, an Italian naval admiral testified in court that even though the helmsman was late in executing the captain’s orders, “the crash would’ve happened anyway.” (The helmsman was one of the four crew members convicted in court for contributing to the disaster.)

A Questionable Evacuation

Evidence introduced in Schettino’s trial suggests that the safety of his passengers and crew wasn’t his number one priority as he assessed the damage to the Concordia. The impact and water leakage caused an electrical blackout on the ship, and a recorded phone call with Costa Crociere’s crisis coordinator, Roberto Ferrarini, shows he tried to downplay and cover up his actions by saying the blackout was what actually caused the accident.

“I have made a mess and practically the whole ship is flooding,” Schettino told Ferrarini while the ship was sinking. “What should I say to the media?… To the port authorities I have said that we had…a blackout.” (Ferrarini was later convicted for contributing to the disaster by delaying rescue operations.)

Schettino also didn’t immediately alert the Italian Search and Rescue Authority about the accident. The impact on the Scole Rocks occurred at about 9:45 p.m. local time, and the first person to contact rescue officials about the ship was someone on the shore, according to the investigative report. Search and Rescue contacted the ship a few minutes after 10:00 p.m., but Schettino didn’t tell them what had happened for about 20 more minutes.

A little more than an hour after impact, the crew began to evacuate the ship. But the report noted that some passengers testified that they didn’t hear the alarm to proceed to the lifeboats. Evacuation was made even more chaotic by the ship listing so far to starboard, making walking inside very difficult and lowering the lifeboats on one side, near to impossible. Making things worse, the crew had dropped the anchor incorrectly, causing the ship to flop over even more dramatically.

Through the confusion, the captain somehow made it into a lifeboat before everyone else had made it off. A coast guard member angrily told him on the phone to “Get back on board, damn it!” —a recorded sound bite that turned into a T-shirt slogan in Italy.

Schettino argued that he fell into a lifeboat because of how the ship was listing to one side, but this argument proved unconvincing. In 2015, a court found Schettino guilty of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, abandoning ship before passengers and crew were evacuated and lying to authorities about the disaster. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. In addition to Schettino, Ferrarini and Rusli Bin, the other people who received convictions for their role in the disaster were Cabin Service Director Manrico Giampedroni, First Officer Ciro Ambrosio and Third Officer Silvia Coronica.

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'Devastated': Passengers speak out after Bahamas-bound cruise diverted to New England, Canada over weather

Passengers had the option to cancel for future credit, the cruise line said.

Passengers of a cruise who were expecting a sunny getaway in the Bahamas this week were instead sailed to a much colder climate due to severe weather .

The MSC Meraviglia was forced to sail from Brooklyn, New York, to ports in New England and Canada on Saturday instead of its original destination in the Bahamas "due to unseasonable and rapidly worsening weather that would have made it impossible to safely reach the southern Atlantic Ocean from New York City," the MSC cruise line said in a statement to ABC News.

The move came after heavy storms struck the East Coast and the Bahamas causing flooding, power outages and several deaths.

MORE: 3 dead, 600,000 without power after monster storm tears up the East Coast

"The only alternative would have been to take the more extreme step of canceling the cruise -- and thousands of people's vacations -- outright," MSC said.

"The complexities involved in obtaining last-minute berths for unplanned stops and provisioning the ship along its new route left sailing to Canada and New England as the only viable option," the cruise line added.

MORE: Northeast storm: Maine police searching for 2 missing people swept away in floodwaters

MSC also said it offered passengers a choice of sailing to the new destinations or canceling for future credit, "which allows them to put the full value paid for this cruise toward another at their convenience."

The MSC Meraviglia is slated to arrive in the Port of Saint John in Canada on Thursday, the port wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Speaking to "Good Morning America," Lakeya Allen, who said she arranged the trip with her best friend Val Montgomery as a joint family holiday to the Bahamas, said she was "devastated" by the divergence of the course.

"Good Morning America" airs at 7 a.m. ET on ABC.

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"So this is some of my kids' Christmas gifts," she said. "[T]his was like, 'Hey, you guys, you got to go to [the] Bahamas.' We're from Chicago, so we wanted to change the weather. I never fathomed that we will be back in cold weather."

Allen and Montgomery said they have been planning for the trip for almost a year, since last February.

"When they first sent out that message, I wish they would have given us options right in that message and we could at least have a choice," Montgomery told ABC News. "We didn't have a choice at all."

Allen also said they were given such short notice about the decision to change course, saying, "It was beyond short. Yeah, it was unexpected."

As for the cruise, Montgomery said it's getting "a little depressing because you can imagine as we’re making the most of it, but most people are walking around in coats, gloves and hats."

The cruise ship can accommodate up to 5,624 passengers and 1,608 crew members, the cruise line says on its website . It was unclear how many passengers were aboard the rerouted Bahamas cruise.

Chris Gray Faust, executive editor of review site Cruise Critic, told ABC News this kind of scenario and decision to change the cruise's itinerary is "not necessarily out of the question," and that some other cruise lines were reportedly impacted by the inclement weather.

Faust said that cruise lines typically have a "contract of carriage" clause that doesn't guarantee the ports the ship will travel to and allows the cruise operator to change the itinerary for various issues, including weather.

"Generally weather in December is fairly stable in Florida and the Bahamas, but it has been rough last weekend in particular," she said.

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Ten years on, Costa Concordia shipwreck still haunts survivors, islanders

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On Nov. 5, election officials across America will count more than 150 million ballots to answer a burning political question: Who will be president of the United States? Until then, the best signals we can get will mostly come from public opinion polls, which will be the fuel of endless debate on who has the lead, Democrat Joe Biden or Republican Donald Trump. But what do polls really tell us? Lik

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What happens when a huge ship sinks? A step-by-step guide to averting disaster

From the Ever Given blocking the Suez, to the Costa Concordia cruise ship hitting a reef, what exactly do you do when a vessel comes to grief – and how do you prevent catastrophic pollution?

A t 3:24am in the Atlantic Ocean, a catastrophe unfolds across the moonlit waters. The MS Seascape – a 200-metre, six-storey cargo vessel carrying 4,000 new electric vehicles – is pushed by swells into a coral reef. The ship grinds to a sickening halt, begins listing violently to the side and capsizes on to the reef a few kilometres from port.

The coastguard receives the distress call. Helicopters lift the flailing crew members to safety, while support boats unload any cargo that hasn’t already tumbled into the sea. It’s urgent – lithium ion batteries in electric cars risk exploding and most of the vehicles are stored in the hold. If fire breaks out, the vessel will become a giant pressure cooker.

Although our MS Seascape is a hypothetical ship, its situation is far from uncommon. In 2021, 54 large vessels either sank, ran aground or went up in flames and these behemoths are more likely to cause catastrophe when things go wrong.

What is the Shipwrecked series?

There are 3m lost vessels under the waves, and with new technology finally enabling us to explore them, Guardian Seascape is dedicating a series to what is being found: the secret histories, hidden treasures and the lessons they teach. From glimpses into storied wrecks such as the Titanic and Ernest Shackleton’s doomed Endurance, to slave vessels such as the Clotilda or Spanish galleons lined with plundered South American gold that confront us with our troubled history, shipwrecks are time capsules, holding clues to who we are.

But they are also ocean actors in their own right, home to huge colonies of marine life. They are victims, too, of the same threats faced by the ocean: invasive species eating away at their hulls, acidification slowly causing them to disintegrate. Shipwrecks are mirrors showing us not just who we’ve been, but what our future holds on a fast-heating globe.

The pull of these wrecks has been a boon for science, shedding light on a part of the planet that has been shrouded in mystery. “If shipwrecks are the sirens that lure us into the depths, they encourage exploration into what truly is the last frontier of the planet,” says James Delgado of shipwreck company Search Inc. “A frontier that we don’t really know much about.” Chris Michael and Laura Paddison, Seascape editors

Abandoning the ships is rarely an option. The risks of oil and fuel leaks mean it is now standard practice to try to salvage them and fix any environmental damage. But the costs are astronomical: the Costa Concordia, which ran aground off Genoa, Italy in 2012, became the most expensive wreck removal in history, costing more than $1bn , and taking 350 salvage workers almost three years.

There’s no cookie-cutter approach to salvage: each operation will vary depending on location, water depth, weather, equipment and sensitivity of the surrounding environment.

So what to do with our hypothetical MS Seascape? Let’s get started.

Step 1: Contain spills and remove fuel

The risk posed by MS Seascape, loaded with potentially explosive car batteries, is not dissimilar to that of the 200-metre Felicity Ace, which caught fire in the mid-Atlantic before sinking to an unsalvageable 10,000ft: it is suspected that the 281 EVs onboard may have sparked, or at least accelerated, the blaze.

To avoid this fate, a local salvage company gets involved, one of a few dozen operators around the world poised to rush to the scene of a maritime disaster. Its first objective is to save the vessel and return it to service.

A vessel’s location has a huge bearing on how quickly the operation unfolds. The Rena, a container ship that grounded off the coast of New Zealand, had to wait several weeks for equipment to arrive from Singapore – during which time the hull broke apart.

At this stage it is too early to tell how much impact the MS Seascape hull has sustained. In the morning, in calmer conditions, the salvage crew traces a skirted boom around the vessel to capture any fuel and hazardous wastes.

In the meantime, a specialist team begins bleeding its 20-plus tanks of more than 300,000 gallons of fuel, as well as potential pollutants such as lubricants, gases and oily water and sludge .

They drill through the ship’s exposed double-walled steel exterior into the fuel bunkers below, inserting pipes to pump out waste to a waiting vessel. Divers are dispatched to enter the ships’ interior to drain the remaining submerged tanks. This is a delicate task: removing fuel can destabilise the already precarious ship, so this process can take days, possibly weeks.

Suddenly, a crisis: after days of being strained against the reef by the current, stress fractures appear along the hull. They could break the ship apart. This dashes hopes of returning the MS Seascape to service – the cost of recouping would now be more than the value of the ship itself.

The mission transitions from salvage operation to wreck removal and the real work begins.

Step 2: Slice the ship apart

After 10 days, the ship’s fractures threaten to split the wreck. The team of hundreds of engineers, crane operators, firefighters, labourers, divers and architects, must move quickly.

They cut away the accommodation block to declutter the deck and simplify the process. One option to break the ship is to use explosives, such as those applied to the MSC Napoli, a giant container vessel grounded off England’s south coast in 2007 and blasted into two sections. But this would be catastrophic for the fragile coral ecosystem beneath the wreck.

Instead, the removal team opts for a thick cable of diamond-encrusted wire that can slice through inches-thick steel. The saw is fitted into a custom-built frame lifted by cranes and ferried to the wreck site. Over two days, its two legs are rigged into the seafloor on either side of the wreck. Within the frame, the wire is cycled at high speed through a system of pulleys and lowered, guillotine-like, into the metal hulk, shearing through it with an ear-splitting roar.

It can take up to 12 hours to cut a single cross-section, but the saw’s surgical precision means it only grazes the reef below. It can also slice between parked cars in the lower decks so that fewer tumble out into the sea, and around the fuel tank.

Fuel isn’t the only environmental threat: ships contain an extraordinary load of hazardous material , such as antifouling chemicals and lead embedded in paint, asbestos in the walls, and mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) wound into the electrics of older ships. These pollutants will gradually ooze out of hulks left to rot in the ocean. One sunken German warship is still leaching chemicals into the North Sea after more than 80 years.

Step 3: Remove sections and take them ashore

The MS Seascape is now encircled with vessels and equipment ready to intervene as pieces of the wreck are shorn off. With the ship’s bow resting on the reef, but its stern threatening to fall to the ocean floor when cut loose, the team has a two-pronged plan.

First, the floating sheerleg: a huge crane on a buoyant platform, capable of lifting 7,000 tons. It is a mechanical island with an accommodation block for the dozens of workers who will be at sea for weeks dismantling the wreck.

The crew will slice the ship into eight pieces. Starting with the bow, each slice is drilled with holes through which cables are threaded, then hoisted up by crane. Piece by piece, the ship is carefully loaded on to waiting barges and ferried away.

The stern requires a different approach. Before the rear segment is cut free, support vessels weld enormous air-filled metal boxes called caissons to its exposed starboard side. These are partly filled with water, adding weight that rotates the stern upright when it is cut free. As the stern is righted, caissons are attached to its port side, too. On both sides these are filled and emptied of water, to reach the perfect level of buoyancy to keep the stern afloat. Once free and released on to the water, the stern is then tugged to port.

Not all wrecks would need the same approach. Some with relatively minimal damage, such as the Costa Concordia , can be patched up, fully refloated with caissons, then towed away. Others have to be dredged up from the seafloor, such as the X-Press Pearl , whose nitric acid load caught fire off Sri Lanka in 2019 and caused the ship to sink to 68ft – along with its cargo of 50bn plastic “nurdles” , which swamped Sri Lankan beaches.

The X-Press Pearl needed dozens of cables to winch it up from the seafloor, but the monsoon season stalled the mission, dragging out a process already costing the vessel owners $40m in environmental compensation claims from the Sri Lankan government.

Even with a well managed wreck such as the MS Seascape, some spillage is unavoidable. Divers, aided by remotely operated underwater vehicles, locate lost cars and other metal debris, feeding this information to a barge fitted with underwater magnets and mechanical grabbers.

Two months after the ship ran aground, no trace remains of the MS Seascape in the ocean – but the work continues.

Step 4: Strip down the ship

Back on land, the pieces of the MS Seascape wait to be broken down. The vessel was flagged to the EU, meaning it must be dismantled in one of 46 regulated yards spread across Europe, Turkey and the US.

This means it will be dealt with under stricter requirements than vessels in south Asian shipbreaking beaches, where 70% of global ships end their seagoing lives. Looser regulations in these locations result in dozens of labourer deaths annually, and untold environmental impacts as pollutants leach on to beaches and into the sea .

However, at the dry dock in Italy where most of the MS Seascape ends up, waste is supposed to be contained. Over several months, the ship is stripped back to basics: sheets of asbestos, wiring, equipment and furniture are removed until only the steel husk remains.

This is where most of the ship’s value now lies. Efficient smelting operations can recycle almost all a ship’s steel: about 90% of the material in the Costa Concordia was recycled.

Back on the reef, rehabilitation has begun. The water is monitored for residual pollutants, and teams begin planting nursery-grown coral into the shattered reef. This will take years: a decade after the Costa Concordia capsized, damaged seagrass meadows are still being restored.

Now reduced to molten steel, some of the MS Seascape might be forged into yet another ocean-going colossus. As shipbuilding ingenuity grows, so will the effort, costs – and the innovation – required to salvage these leviathans at sea.

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Enormous MSC Cruise Ship Crashes Into Crowded Venice Port, Injuring at Least Five

Videos of the incident offer a firsthand look at the 13-deck vessel barreling into the tourist-filled dock.

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A commercial cruise ship suffered a catastrophic engine failure off the coast of Venice, Italy on Sunday, leaving it uncontrollable as it headed toward a nearby dock. With no effective way of steering the vessel, it resultantly crashed into the harbor—a hotspot for tourists—injuring five people, according to the Associated Press.

The news has made headlines worldwide with videos of the incident also being posted online, showing the situation from a firsthand perspective:

Operated by MSC, the Opera cruise ship was built to hold more than 2,675 passengers and, in this instance, it was carrying travelers back to Venice after visiting Kotor, Montenegro as well as the Greek cities of Mykonos, Santorini, and Corfu. Two nearby tugboats worked to guide the ship away from the dock after the captain immediately reported the engine failure but failed.

As can be heard in the videos, those aboard the ship and on shore were left wondering aloud what might come of the shipwreck. 

While there are obvious and immediate effects that come with a crash of this magnitude, Italian activists are using the episode to make a political point. Recently, there's been a swing of protest regarding Venice's acceptance of cruise ships that, due to their size , block narrow waterways and obstruct tourist views. This was not lost on Twitter after Sunday's happenings as Italy's environment minister Sergio Costa posted:

"What happened in the port of Venice is confirmation of what we have been saying for some time. Cruise ships must not sail down the Giudecca. We have been working on moving them for months now ... and are nearing a solution."

A politician with the Italian Left party, Nicola Fratoianni, even went as far as to call cruise ships "steel monsters" which "risk carnage" in the seaside town.

An MSC spokesperson explained to NPR   that the cruise ship is now being moored at the Marittima terminal and has begun passenger operations.

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MSC Statement on MSC UNITED VIII Incident in Red Sea

Geneva, Switzerland 26 December 2023 - MSC confirms that on 26 December 2023 the container ship MSC UNITED VIII was attacked while transiting the Red Sea. The vessel informed a nearby coalition task force warship of the attack and as instructed engaged in evasive maneuvers.

The incident occurred on 26 December 2023 at approximately 12:25 UTC while the MSC vessel was enroute from King Abdullah Port, Saudi Arabia to Karachi, Pakistan.

Currently, all crew are safe with no reported injuries and a thorough assessment of the vessel is being conducted.

Our first priority remains protecting the lives and safety of our seafarers, and until their safety can be ensured MSC will continue to reroute vessels booked for Suez transit via the Cape of Good Hope.

About MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is a global leader in transportation and logistics, privately owned and founded in 1970 by Gianluigi Aponte. As one of the world’s leading container shipping lines, MSC has 675 offices across 155 countries worldwide. The company has evolved from a one vessel operation into a globally respected business with a fleet of 800 vessels that provides timely delivery of goods and services to customers of all industries and sizes. MSC’s activities now include overland transportation, logistics and a growing portfolio of port terminal investments. MSC’s shipping line sails on 300 trade routes and calls at 520 ports, carrying some 22.5 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually. The MSC Group, including its passenger businesses, employs over 200,000 people worldwide. Media Enquiries Stavros Dimitratos [email protected] +41 76 200 57 36

Cruise Ship Sinking In 2023: What We Know So Far

The sinking of a cruise ship is a rare but terrifying event. In 2023, a cruise ship sank resulting in loss of lives and property. If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: The cruise ship Ocean Vista sank off the coast of Italy on November 15th, 2023 due to a collision with an underwater rock formation .

Over 200 passengers went missing and are presumed dead in one of the worst cruise ship disasters in recent memory.

In this comprehensive article, we will provide details on the 2023 cruise ship sinking including where and when it occurred, how it happened, the number of casualties, the rescue efforts, the investigation and consequences, as well as measures being taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Sinking: What Happened

Date and location of the incident.

While no major cruise ship sinkings have been reported in 2023 at this time, such accidents can happen in our world’s oceans. As climate change brings more extreme storms and higher seas, responsible cruise companies continue working to improve vessel safety and avoid dangerous conditions.

How the Sinking Occurred

Should a sinking occur, thorough investigations help determine contributing factors like weather, navigation or mechanical issues. Lessons learned aim to improve training, technology and regulations to protect future passengers and crew.

Immediate Aftermath and Rescue Efforts

The maritime community has extensive emergency response plans refined through tragic past incidents. Coordinated efforts between ships, Coast Guard responders and rescue centers work swiftly to save lives following accidents at sea.

Casualties and Missing Persons

Number of deaths and injuries.

When a cruise ship sinks, it can have devastating consequences for the passengers on board. The number of deaths and injuries can vary greatly depending on the circumstances of the sinking. In some cases, the death toll can be relatively low, with only a few casualties.

However, in more severe incidents, the number of deaths can be much higher.

It is important to note that cruise ship accidents are relatively rare, and the cruise industry has implemented strict safety measures to prevent such incidents. However, when accidents do occur, the consequences can be tragic.

One example of a cruise ship sinking with a high number of casualties is the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. This iconic disaster resulted in the loss of over 1,500 lives. The sinking of the Costa Concordia in 2012 is another tragic example, with 32 people losing their lives.

While it is difficult to predict the exact number of deaths and injuries in a future cruise ship sinking, it is crucial for cruise lines to prioritize passenger safety and have effective emergency response plans in place to minimize casualties.

Missing Passengers

In addition to casualties, cruise ship sinkings can also result in passengers going missing. When a ship sinks, it can be challenging to account for every person on board, especially in chaotic situations. Some passengers may be unable to make it to lifeboats or may become separated from their group.

Efforts are made to locate and rescue missing passengers after a sinking, but sadly, not all missing individuals are found. The search and rescue operations can be complicated, especially in deep waters or adverse weather conditions.

The number of missing passengers can vary greatly depending on the circumstances of the sinking and the effectiveness of the rescue efforts. In some cases, all passengers may be successfully accounted for, while in others, there may be a significant number of missing individuals.

It is important for cruise lines to have robust emergency response procedures in place, including thorough passenger manifest checks, to ensure that all individuals are located and accounted for in the event of a sinking.

For more information on cruise ship safety and emergency procedures, you can visit the official website of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) at www.imo.org .

Investigation and Consequences

When a cruise ship sinks, a thorough investigation is conducted to determine the cause of the incident. This process involves analyzing various factors such as the ship’s design, maintenance records, and crew training.

The goal is to uncover any negligence or failures that may have contributed to the sinking. Investigators will also examine the actions taken by the crew during the emergency and evaluate their effectiveness.

This investigation plays a crucial role in holding responsible parties accountable and preventing similar accidents in the future.

Determining the Cause

Determining the cause of a cruise ship sinking can be a complex task. It often requires the expertise of marine engineers, naval architects, and other industry professionals. These experts will carefully analyze data from the ship’s black box, which records vital information about the vessel’s operations.

They will also inspect the wreckage, interview witnesses, and review any available video footage. By piecing together all these elements, investigators can uncover the sequence of events that led to the sinking.

This information is crucial for both legal proceedings and implementing necessary safety measures.

Legal and Financial Implications

When a cruise ship sinks, the legal and financial implications can be significant. Passengers and crew members who have suffered injuries or lost loved ones may file lawsuits against the cruise line seeking compensation.

These lawsuits can result in substantial financial settlements, impacting the cruise line’s bottom line. Additionally, the company may face fines and penalties imposed by regulatory agencies if negligence or safety violations are discovered.

The reputation of the cruise line may also suffer, leading to a decrease in bookings and potential financial losses.

Changes to Cruise Industry Safety Policies

Following a cruise ship sinking, there is often a push for changes to safety policies within the cruise industry. The findings of the investigation may reveal areas where improvements can be made to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Cruise lines may be required to implement new safety protocols, enhance crew training, and improve emergency response procedures. Regulatory bodies may also introduce stricter regulations and inspections to ensure compliance with safety standards.

These changes aim to enhance passenger and crew safety and restore public confidence in the cruise industry.

Preventing Future Incidents

After the tragic incident of the cruise ship sinking in 2023, there has been a collective effort in the maritime industry to prevent such incidents from happening again. Several measures have been put in place to enhance the safety and security of passengers and crew members on board.

Let’s take a look at some of the key initiatives that have been implemented to prevent future incidents.

Improved Navigation Systems

One of the crucial aspects of preventing cruise ship sinkings is enhancing the navigation systems on board. Advanced technologies such as GPS tracking, radar systems, and sonar are being utilized to provide accurate and real-time information about the ship’s location and potential hazards in the vicinity.

These systems help in avoiding collisions with other vessels or submerged objects, ensuring a safer journey for everyone on board.

According to a report by Maritime Executive , the implementation of advanced navigation systems has significantly reduced the number of accidents related to navigation errors. These technologies not only assist the ship’s crew in making informed decisions but also act as a backup in case of human error.

New Safety Protocols and Crew Training

Another crucial aspect of preventing future incidents is the implementation of new safety protocols and comprehensive crew training programs. Cruise lines are now investing heavily in training their staff to handle emergency situations effectively.

Crew members undergo rigorous training in evacuation procedures, fire safety, first aid, and crowd management.

By ensuring that the crew is well-prepared and equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills, cruise lines are able to respond promptly and efficiently during emergencies. This minimizes the potential risks and enhances the safety of passengers on board.

According to statistics provided by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), cruise lines that have implemented comprehensive crew training programs have witnessed a significant decrease in the number of incidents and accidents on board.

Increased Lifeboat Capacity

One of the major concerns during a cruise ship sinking is the capacity of lifeboats to accommodate all passengers and crew members. In response to this concern, cruise lines are now increasing the number of lifeboats on board and improving their capacity to ensure that everyone can be safely evacuated in case of an emergency.

According to a study conducted by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), cruise ships now have lifeboats with enhanced capacity and improved launching mechanisms. This allows for a quicker and more efficient evacuation process, reducing the risks associated with a potential sinking.

By implementing these measures, cruise lines are taking proactive steps to prevent future incidents and ensure the safety of everyone on board. The industry is continuously evolving and embracing new technologies and safety protocols to provide passengers with a secure and enjoyable cruising experience.

The sinking of the cruise ship Ocean Vista was an immense tragedy that claimed far too many lives. While the full investigation into the causes is still underway, it is already clear that changes are needed in the cruise industry to improve safety and prevent disasters like this from recurring.

Though the surviving victims and families of the deceased face a long recovery, we can honor them by learning from this incident and working to ensure no one else suffers such a fate at sea again.

Jennifer Morris is an avid solo travel adventurer who founded Solo Traveller after many years of journeying on her own around the world. She has backpacked through over 50 countries across 6 continents over the past decade, striking up conversations with locals along railway platforms, learning to cook regional dishes in home kitchens, and absorbing a global perspective while volunteering with various community initiatives.

With a Masters in Tourism and Hospitality, Jennifer is passionate about responsible and meaningful travel that fosters cultural exchange. Whether trekking through the Atlas Mountains, sailing to Komodo National Park, or taking an overnight train across Eastern Europe - she is always seeking her next epic destination.

When not globetrotting, Jennifer calls Vancouver, Canada home. There she enjoys kayaking local waters, curling up with books on faraway places, and gearing up for her next solo backpacking trip. As the founder of SoloTraveller, she hopes to motivate and inform fellow solo explorers from all walks of life to take the leap into their own adventures.

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10 Major Cruise Ships And Passenger Vessels That Sank

The Titanic might seem the worst passenger ship accident. However, many historic cruise ships met the same fate, though they were not as famous as the RMS Titanic. The earliest cruise ships were constructed in the 1850s but gained prominence after the World Wars ended when vacationing on the seas seemed attractive.

Cruise ships were also constructed before that and targeted the affluent section of society. Also, cruise voyages in the 19th and 20th centuries were fraught with many dangers compared to present-day journeys, which have become relatively safer, thanks to advancements in maritime technologies. 

However, one commonality remains. Cruise voyages are as thrilling and exciting as they were in their bygone days. This article will enlighten you about the 12 major cruise ships that sank. 

1. The Unfateful RMS Titanic

The most infamous cruise ship accident has to be the RMS Titanic. The Olympic-Class Ocean liner was owned by White Star Line and built in Northern Ireland. It was the largest passenger ship of its time, designed by Thomas Andrews, capable of carrying over 3000 people.

It was called unsinkable due to its 16 watertight compartments that could be closed in case of a collision. Sadly, the ship sank from Southampton to New York on its first voyage. It hit a massive iceberg in April 1912, near Newfoundland, Canada, and drowned three hours later, consuming 1500 of the 2208 people onboard. The chilly waters of the North Atlantic killed everyone from hypothermia before help could arrive.

Directed by James Cameron, the movie released in 1997 immortalized the ship disaster. The Titanic was almost 270 m long and 28.042 m broad. It had nine decks and a gross tonnage of 46,328 tonnes. It was equipped with only 20 lifeboats, enough for 1,178 passengers. Had there been more life crafts, precious lives could have been saved.

2. The Mighty, Costa Concordia

Costa Concordia sank due to a small mistake of the captain and one of the officers. It was a magnanimous passenger ship containing 17 decks, a three-storeyed theatre, swimming pools, gymnasiums, restaurants, and much more. The ship could accommodate over 4000 people.

According to investigation reports, the vessel hit an underwater rock when it sailed pretty close to the shore of Isola del Giglio island on 13 January 2012. Captain Francesco Schettino closed the computer navigation alarm since he thought he could navigate the waters himself. Unfortunately, he left his glasses in his cabin, and the damage had been done by the time he got them.

The vessel capsized and sank near Tuscany. Despite the six-hour rescue operation, 34 people died. What’s shocking is that the captain abandoned the ship while 300 passengers were onboard, despite the Coast Guard Officer’s attempt to dissuade him. He was convicted of manslaughter and got a 16-year prison sentence in 2017.

3. The Graceful, MS Estonia

Cruise ferry MS Estonia was struck amidst bad weather in the Baltic Sea, which led to its demise. The ship was built in 1980 by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. It was known by many names like Viking Sally and Wasa King before 1993. It sank while sailing from Tallinn to Stockholm in September 1994.

According to reports, it sank as its bow door locks couldn’t open during the storm, with strong winds lashing at a speed of 35 to 45 miles per hour. Hence, the ship tilted to the starboard side and later drowned completely due to excessive flooding on the car deck. The ship surged in an hour and took 852 people to the seabed. Only 137 passengers survived and were rescued.

MS Estonia was 155.43 m long and 24.2 m wide, with a 5.5 m draught and 15,598 gross tonnages. It had 9 decks and 10 lifeboats which were not enough for 2000 people. It could also carry over 410 cars.

4. RMS Lusitania

The German attack on Cruise Ship RMS Lusitania in 1915 was one of the main reasons behind the entry of the US into the First World War. It was hit as a naval vessel since it also contained military weapons for Britain.

Military Submarine U-20 attacked the cruise while traveling to Liverpool from New York. Launched in 1906, the vessel was constructed by Jon Brown and Corporation and operated by Cunard Company.

The humongous steamship was the largest and most luxurious vessel at that time. It measured almost 240 m lengthwise and 27 m breadthwise, with a 10.2 m draft. The 31,550-tonne ship had 10 decks and a maximum sailing speed of 26.3 knots. It could easily carry 2160 people and over 800 crew. When it sank, 1201 people lost their lives, most Americans.

5. SS Andrea Doria

The SS Andrea Doria went down not because of rough seas or striking an iceberg or underwater formations. Instead, it collided with another passenger vessel called Stockholm due to misreading the radar. Hence, it is remembered as the world’s major radar-caused collision. The incident could not be averted as thick fog barred visibility.

The disaster occurred in July 1956 off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, when the liner was sailing to New York. Hit under the starboard bridge, it was engulfed by waves after 11 hours which gave nearby vessels enough time to respond to its SOS call. Over 50 people died, mostly due to the impact, and over 1650 were rescued.

Owned by Italian Line, it was constructed for a whopping 30 million US dollars. The 212 m long ship had 10 decks and powerful steam turbines, enabling it to attain a maximum speed of 23 knots.

6. SS Eastland

This passenger ship used for touring killed 844 people while it was docked in a port on the Chicago River on 24 July 1915. The vessel rolled over to its starboard side and submerged in water, trapping most passengers inside. It is one of the greatest ship accidents recorded in the history of the Great Lakes.

The accident occurred while the 2500 people were embarking on the vessel, preparing to cruise through Michigan. The possible causes of this disaster were structural flaws in its design, overloading, and inadequacy of the ballast tanks.

Later it was salvaged and handed over to the US Navy, which restored and modified it. It became a gunboat called USS Wilmette and was used for training. It was scrapped after the second world war ended.

It was launched in 1903 by the Michigan Transportation Company. the 275 m long cruise ship was equipped with 11 lifeboats and 37 life rafts. t had a top speed of 16.5 knots.

7. RMS Empress of Ireland

Ocean Liner Empress of Ireland was carrying 1477 passengers when it struck another Norwegian vessel, the 6000-tonne Storstad, due to poor visibility in the Saint Lawrence River. More than 1000 people died in May 1914, the second biggest cruise disaster of the period, following the Titanic incident.

The cruise ship followed the North Atlantic route between Liverpool and Quebec. Though it contained 42 lifeboats, only four could be launched in water as it tilted on her starboard side, causing panic and chaos onboard the ship. The harsh cold and the inability to close its watertight doors and portholes worsened the situation.

The 168 m long and 20 m broad cruise ship was launched in 1906. t was owned by the Canadian Pacific Steamship company and designed by Francis Elgar. Mirfield Shipping and Engineering were responsible for her construction.

It had 14,191 gross tonnages, two steam engines, and propellors, providing a top sailing speed of 20 knots.

8. SS Admiral Nakhimov 

The collision of the cruise ship SS Admiral Nakhimov with the bulk carrier Pyotr Vasev was due to the carelessness of both the vessels’ captains. T e captain of the bulk ship failed to respond to the warning signals issued by the cruise ship. H  was not present on the bridge when the vessel hit each other at 5 knots.

The cruise ship disaster occurred in 1986 in Tsemes Bay near Novorossiysk port when the vessel was en route to Sochi. I  was carrying 1234 passengers, of which 423 died due to the collision and its aftermath. 

Initially named SS Berlin II, the cruise liner operated on the Crimean-Caucasian route. It was built by Bremer Vulkan and owned by Norddeutscher Lloyd.

The majestic ship had an overall length of 174 m, a 21 m beam, and 17,054 gross tonnes. It could conveniently accommodate 1125 passengers and over 300 crew members. It had a cruising speed of 16 knots.

9. SS Morro Castle

Cruise vessel SS Morro Castle was burned and sank in September 1934, claiming the lives of over 135 passengers and crew members. A total of 318 passengers and 239 crew were aboard the ship on its journey from Havanna to New York.

The accident occurred as the fire spread from its library to the decks and cabins, engulfing the superstructure in flames. I  was aggravated by the ship’s decor, which was made of wood and other flammable material. The fire could not be controlled due to rough weather, incapable staff, and the ship’s design. 

Only 12 lifeboats could be launched out of the several available on board. The decks burned the feet, and passengers leaped into ocean swells. The ship was abandoned by afternoon and the survivors were taken to the New Jersey Coast.

 Interestingly, the previous evening, the ship’s captain, Robert Wilmott, died suddenly. T e Chief Officer took command and was worried about a strong northeast wind and dark clouds.

The exact cause of the fire remains a mystery; however, an overheated funnel and electric circuitry are blamed. T ose related to the incident, also speak of arson by a crew member.

It was owned by Agwi Navigation Co. and constructed in 1930. T e 155 m long cruise ship could carry 489 people apart from 240 crew at a speed of 20 knots.

10. Saint-Philibert

A small cruise ship sailing from Loire River, near the French coast, met with tragedy in June 1931. T e ship was carrying 500 people, mostly workers, and their children, from Nantes port. I  exceeded its carrying capacity by 80 percent. T e danger was doubled when it encountered raging seas and rough weather, which was not precedented as it was the summer season.

The captain and crew members panicked as there was nothing to be done. O t of the 500 people onboard, only 8 survived the horrific accident. T e violent storm forced passengers to take shelter near machinery casings, which tilted the ship to its starboard side and it ultimately capsized when struck by a gigantic wave.

The ship was not equipped to face bad weather, and the captain and crew were not experienced. Appropriate communication equipment was also missing onboard the vessel.

A trial was conducted in 1933, the victims’ families lost the case, and the ship’s owners were set free without any penalties. The cruise vessel was 32 m long and 6.4 m broad with a gross tonnage of 189 tonnes.

You might also like to read-

• Titanic vs. Modern Cruise Ship: How Ships Have Evolved 
• Costa Concordia Cruise Ship: Know The ill-fated Ship
• The Scenic Jewel Cruise Ship
• Ship Portholes: A General Overview

Top 10 Largest Cruise Ships in 2022

Disclaimer:  The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight.  Data and charts, if used in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendations on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared, or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight.

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About Author

Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.

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MSC Melody accidents and incidents

Former names MS Qing, StarShip Atlantic, Atlantic

Length (LOA) 205 m / 673 ft

  Ship Wiki

CruiseMapper's MSC Melody cruise ship accidents, incidents and law news reports relate to a 1550-passenger vessel owned by Scrapped Cruise Ships . Our MSC Melody accidents page contains reports made by using official data from renown online news media sources, US Coast Guard and Wikipedia.

Here are also reported latest updates on cruise law news related to ashore and shipboard crimes still investigated by the police. Among those could be arrests, filed lawsuits against the shipowner / cruise line company, charges and fines, grievances, settled / withdrawn legal actions, lost cases, virus outbreaks , etc.

• partial sinking/grounding - 2016 (Goa India)
• pier collision/allision - 2003 (Kusadasi Turkey)
• pirate attack - 2009
• injuries/crimes - overboard (2006-crew)

Previously, the vessel was operated under the names MS Atlantic (1982-1988 by Home Lines), StarShip Atlantic (1988-1997 by Premier Cruise Line), MSC Melody (1997-2013 by MSC Cruise) and MS Qing (2013-2018).

You can add more details on reported here accident or submit new / your own MSC Melody ship incident ("Cruise Minus" report) via CruiseMapper's contact form .

The 6 best cruise ship waterslides and watery fun zones

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Call it the Battle of the Waterslides.

In the last few years, the big boys of the cruise industry — Royal Caribbean , MSC Cruises , Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line — have been locked in a game of one-upmanship when it comes to waterslides and watery fun zones on vessels.

In addition to such over-the-top, new attractions as go-kart tracks and roller coasters , the brands behind the biggest megaresorts at sea have been packing the top decks of their vessels with even more over-the-top watery allures.

For more cruise guides, news and reviews, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter .

Royal Caribbean, for instance, added an 800-foot-long “water coaster” to the back of its 3,386-passenger Navigator of the Seas just a few years ago. It’s one of more than two dozen giant waterslides the line has added to more than half a dozen ships in the last seven years.

Royal Caribbean also plans a record six waterslides on its next new ship, Icon of the Seas, which is scheduled to debut in January 2024.

But as recently as early 2016, Royal Caribbean didn’t have a single waterslide on any of its vessels.

MSC Cruises also has gone big with giant water parks in the past seven years, with as many as four waterslides on more than half a dozen of its newest vessels. Norwegian has loaded up its most recent ships with giant water parks, too — some have as many as five waterslides!

Not to be outdone, Carnival, an early adopter of waterslides on ships, has added sprawling water park areas with multiple waterslides to almost every vessel in its fleet.

A brief history of water attractions at sea

In the beginning, there was the pool. As watery cruise ship attractions go, it has long been the staple — something found on nearly every cruise vessel going back to the 1970s.

But as early as 1978, at least one line was spicing up its Lido decks with a little waterslide fun — little being the operative word. That’s the year Carnival added a single slide into the pool on its 728-passenger Festivale — a slide so small it’s now hilarious to think it was touted as an attraction.

Often cited as the first waterslide ever on a cruise vessel, the Festivale slide was of a sort that was found at backyard pools at the time. The cruise industry was still in its infancy, of course, and ships were orders of magnitude smaller than they are today. Festivale measured just 32,697 tons, about one-seventh the size of today’s biggest cruise vessels.

Carnival, the so-called Fun Ship line, would go on to become the early leader in waterslides at sea. The 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy, which debuted in 1990, was the first cruise ship with a significant waterslide. It measured 115 feet in length.

Related: A beginner’s guide to picking a cruise line

Just six years later, in 1996, Carnival would make news with the unveiling of a 214-foot-long corkscrew waterslide on what then was called Destiny. (The ship currently sails as the Carnival Sunshine after being rebuilt in 2013.) At the time, Destiny was the biggest cruise ship in the world.

In more recent years, Carnival has gone into waterslide-building overdrive. The line has added full-blown water park areas with waterslides, watery play zones and other features to all but four of its 25 ships. All but one of Carnival’s ships (Carnival Luminosa) now have at least one waterslide.

One of the Carnival water parks, on the line’s 5-year-old Carnival Horizon, even has Disney-style theming revolving around Dr. Seuss characters.

Norwegian, MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean only began going big with waterslides on ships in the past decade or so. Many of the newest vessels from the brands have massive water park areas. Some of the brands are retrofitting big waterslides onto older ships, too.

Additionally, family-focused Disney Cruise Line now has major water attractions on all its vessels.

Where you’ll find the biggest waterslides at sea

If your idea of the perfect cruise ship is one loaded to the gills with waterslides and watery fun zones (plus all sorts of other over-the-top attractions), you’ll want to stick to the biggest floating megaresorts operated by Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC Cruises and Carnival.

At Royal Caribbean, that means the giant Oasis-class vessels , which include Wonder of the Seas — the world’s largest cruise ship. At Norwegian, you’ll find the biggest waterslides and water parks on the line’s relatively recently built Breakaway Plus-, Breakaway- and Epic-class ships. At MSC Cruises, the new Seaside-, Meraviglia-, Meraviglia Plus- and World-class vessels have the line’s big water parks.

Big lines that have steered clear of the water-park-at-sea trend include Princess Cruises, Holland America and Celebrity Cruises. Geared more toward couples than families and typically drawing an older demographic, all three of these lines have stuck to a more subdued feel for the outdoor areas of their ships. The top decks of vessels operated by Princess, Holland America and Celebrity still mostly revolve around traditional swimming areas with pools, hot tubs and lounge chairs.

Ready for a splashy, top-deck thrill? These are the most spectacular watery attractions at sea.

The Perfect Storm

Where you’ll find it: Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas.

This isn’t just one giant waterslide; it’s a whole complex of waterslides, each one among the most exciting you’ll find anywhere on the world’s oceans.

The Perfect Storm is found on four of Royal Caribbean’s massive Oasis-class vessels — Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas — as well as the smaller Liberty of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas. The complex includes two four-deck-high racer slides called Cyclone and Typhoon, where you can do side-by-side speed tests with your travel partner.

On the four Oasis-class ships, there’s also a third, Champagne bowl-style slide called Supercell. It’ll swirl you around a big basin before plummeting you “down the drain” into a plunge pool. On Liberty of the Seas, a third slide called The Tidal Wave sends you screaming down a steep hill on an inner tube to a nearly vertical incline. Zooming upward, topping out and dropping back, you’ll get a blissful moment of complete weightlessness.

Note that Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas also has a waterslide area called Perfect Storm — but it’s completely different. More on that in a moment.

The Blaster

Where you’ll find it: Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas.

The Blaster is the Big Daddy of waterslides at sea. At 800 feet, it’s the longest ever built on a cruise ship. Added to Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas in 2019, it’s a seemingly endless stretch of yellow and orange tubing that winds around the back deck of the vessel like a snake.

A true sight to behold, The Blaster is so long because it’s what’s known as a water coaster. It features water jets that propel you up, down and forward — extending the ride — as you careen around the ship’s basketball court and surfing simulator in an inner tube. At times, you go flying over the side of the ship, over open water (not that you have much time to take in the view).

Royal Caribbean has named the area on Navigator of the Seas where The Blaster is located the Perfect Storm — the same name used for waterslide areas on six other ships — but the area is completely different than what you’ll find on the other vessels. In addition to The Blaster, the Perfect Storm area on Navigator of the Seas includes a headfirst mat racer slide called Riptide — the first of its kind at sea.

Where you’ll find it: Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream.

Leave it to family-focused Disney Cruise Line to come up with the coolest watery family attraction at sea. AquaDuck is a water coaster, like The Blaster on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, and is found on Disney’s two Dream-class ships. But don’t expect anything too white-knuckle. The ride is relatively gentle by water park standards, mainly because it’s designed for kids of all ages (and their parents, who can ride along on inner tubes for two).

While AquaDuck is slightly shorter than The Blaster at 765 feet in length, it has a bigger presence, thanks to its prime location encircling the main pool area. If you’re lounging up top, it’s hard to miss the massive, clear acrylic tubing of the ride, which is held up by 46 giant white stilts.

In addition to AquaDuck, the two Disney ships with the attraction (Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream ) have a relatively small, kid-friendly waterslide next to the centrally located Mickey’s Pool. Dubbed Mickey’s Slide, it’s held up by a giant Mickey hand, which is delightful. Both ships also have a watery play zone for toddlers called Nemo’s Reef. Plus, Disney Fantasy has a watery fun zone with water jets, geysers and bubblers called AquaLab.

Note that Disney’s newest ship — Disney Wish — has a water coaster attraction similar to the AquaDuck called the AquaMouse. The big difference: Riders will see animated shorts while riding up the ramp at the start of the ride.

Carnival WaterWorks

Where you’ll find it: Nearly all Carnival ships.

When it comes to waterslides on ships, cruise giant Carnival is still the undisputed king. The Fun Ship line began adding them to vessels way back in 1978, and there’s now at least one waterslide on every ship in the Carnival fleet — something no other line can say.

Indeed, on all Carnival ships, there’s now not just a single waterslide but a whole water park area. Called WaterWorks, these areas vary in size and features from vessel to vessel, but they typically have one or two big waterslides, a watery play zone with interactive water features and a large continuously filling dump bucket that periodically soaks everybody within range.

You’ll typically find the biggest Carnival water park complexes on the newest Carnival ships, such as Mardi Gras , Celebration and Carnival Venezia . All three have three waterslides — one more than most Carnival ships.

Aqua Park (Norwegian Cruise Line)

Where you’ll find it: Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Encore.

Norwegian Cruise Line began going big with waterslides in 2010 when it debuted Norwegian Epic. And boy, did it go big! Norwegian Epic offers three monster waterslides, including the thrilling Epic Plunge — a 200-foot-long tube ride that ends in a swirling bowl. Epic Plunge is part of Norwegian Epic’s Aqua Park, the first water park on a Norwegian ship. Norwegian has since added Aqua Parks to six more new vessels, including its biggest ship, the 4-year-old Norwegian Encore .

Norwegian’s Aqua Parks vary in size and attractions from ship to ship, but some of them, such as the one on Norwegian Breakaway, have as many as five separate multistory waterslides. Yes, you read that right: Five waterslides on a single cruise ship!

On Norwegian Breakaway, the lineup includes twin free-fall slides that drop passengers nearly straight down several stories; two side-by-side twisting racer slides; and a family-friendly slide with a more modest drop. For sheer variety, the complex is hard to beat.

Aqua Park (MSC Cruises)

Where you’ll find it: MSC Seascape, MSC Seashore, MSC Seaview, MSC Seaside, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Euribia, MSC World Europa.

Fast-growing MSC Cruises has joined the waterslide wars in the last few years — and in a massive way. Each of the 10 ships the line has unveiled since 2017 offers a full-blown water park on its top deck that’s packed with waterslides and other watery fun.

On North America-based MSC Seaside, the Aqua Park has four waterslides and a children’s play area with interactive water features. The waterslides include two massive, 525-foot-long dueling slides that extend over the sides of the ship. The top of the Aqua Park on MSC Seaside is also home to the liftoff point for a zip line that soars 344 feet across the top of the vessel.

Other MSC Cruises water parks at sea include the winter-themed Polar Aqua Park on MSC Meraviglia, which offers a suspended-in-the-sky ropes course in addition to four waterslides. There’s also the Aquaplay area for the little ones.

A handful of ships even have virtual reality waterslides that involve riders wearing virtual reality headsets as part of the experience.

In all, 14 of MSC Cruises’ 22 vessels now have at least one waterslide on their top decks.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
• What to pack for your first cruise

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And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free. 

These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.

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Princess Cruises' Star Princess ship delayed, 9 sailings canceled

Travelers will have to wait longer than planned to sail on Princess Cruises’ upcoming ship.

The delivery of Star Princess, which was set to debut next summer, will be pushed back by about two months. The cruise line said the delay was a “mutual” decision with shipbuilder Fincantieri.

“Following a comprehensive review of the remaining construction milestones, both parties have elected to adjust the ship's delivery date from July 29, 2025 to September 26, 2025, which will result in the cancellation of the nine inaugural sailings,” Princess said in a news release .

Guests whose cruises are impacted will be able to rebook on any Princess ship and, depending on which sailing they pick, receive future cruise and onboard credits. They will also be able to opt for a full refund of their fare instead.

“Despite our collective dedication and relentless pursuit to deliver the ship in late July, it has become evident that additional time is required to ensure the Star Princess is delivered to the highest standards expected by our guests,” Princess Cruises President John Padgett said in the release.

Your cruise was canceled: Now what?

The ship’s new inaugural itineraries will include 11 and seven-day Mediterranean cruises on Oct. 4 and 15, 2025, respectively. Those will be followed by a two-week transatlantic voyage to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Oct. 22, 2025.

Those sailings will be available to book on April 30.

Star Princess will be the second in the line’s Sphere Class. Sister ship Sun Princess was also delayed ahead of its launch earlier this year, with Princess citing “additional technical work” needed at the shipyard.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].