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Anatomy Of A Near-Disaster: Examining The Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident Of 2023

On May 27, 2023, the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship encountered a violent storm off the coast of North Carolina, sending shockwaves through the cruise industry and raising concerns about passenger safety.

While the ship eventually made it back to port safely, the incident served as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of the open sea and the importance of robust safety measures.

This article delves into the details of the Carnival Sunshine storm incident, providing a comprehensive analysis of the events that unfolded, the potential risks involved, and the lessons learned from this near-disaster.

From examining the storm’s intensity and the ship’s response to exploring the impact on passengers and the cruise industry, this in-depth exploration sheds light on the complexities of maritime safety and the importance of preparedness.

Whether you’re an avid cruiser seeking insights into safety protocols or simply intrigued by the intricacies of maritime operations, this guide serves as your one-stop resource for understanding the Carnival Sunshine storm incident and its broader implications.

The Storm’s Fury: Reconstructing the Events of May 27, 2023

The brewing storm: weather forecasts and initial warnings.

The Carnival Sunshine storm incident of 2023 was a harrowing experience for passengers and crew alike. It all began with the brewing storm that was forecasted days before the ship set sail. Weather experts had issued warnings about a developing tropical disturbance in the region.

However, the severity of the storm was initially underestimated, leading to a false sense of security among those onboard the ship.

As the ship embarked on its journey, the storm slowly gained strength. Passengers were informed of the worsening weather conditions, and the captain and crew closely monitored the situation. Despite the looming threat, the ship continued its course, hoping to navigate through the storm without incident.

Encountering the Storm’s Wrath: The Carnival Sunshine’s Ordeal

On May 27, 2023, the Carnival Sunshine found itself in the midst of a powerful storm. The ship was rocked by strong winds, towering waves, and torrential rain. Passengers and crew members were advised to stay in their cabins and secure any loose objects.

During this time, the ship faced significant challenges, battling against the relentless forces of nature. The crew worked tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone onboard. Despite the chaos and fear that engulfed the ship, acts of bravery and kindness were witnessed as passengers supported each other through this ordeal.

Navigating the Tempest: The Ship’s Response and Rescue Efforts

The Carnival Sunshine’s crew swiftly activated emergency protocols to ensure the safety of passengers. They communicated with onshore rescue teams, providing updates on the ship’s location and conditions. Efforts were made to stabilize the ship and minimize the impact of the storm.

Meanwhile, rescue vessels were dispatched to assist in the evacuation of passengers if necessary. The crew’s training and preparedness were put to the test as they worked diligently to keep everyone safe.

Their swift response and coordination were crucial in managing the situation and preventing further harm.

It is important to note that despite the challenging circumstances, the majority of passengers and crew members were able to safely disembark the Carnival Sunshine once the storm had passed. The incident served as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of weather and the importance of preparedness and quick action in such situations.

For more information on cruise ship safety protocols and emergency response procedures, you can visit https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/cruiseship/what_is_vsp_cruising.htm .

Assessing the Risks: Understanding the Potential Dangers of the Storm

When it comes to cruising, one cannot ignore the potential dangers that can arise from adverse weather conditions. The Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident of 2023 serves as a reminder of the importance of assessing the risks associated with storms and understanding their potential dangers.

By examining the storm’s intensity and impact, the ship’s design and structural integrity, as well as the human factors and safety procedures, we can gain valuable insights into how to improve safety measures and better protect passengers in the future.

The Power of the Sea: Analyzing the Storm’s Intensity and Impact

The Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident involved a powerful storm that put the ship and its passengers in a precarious situation. It is crucial to understand the intensity and impact of such storms to accurately assess the risks involved.

Meteorological data and expert analysis can provide valuable insights into the strength of the storm, including wind speeds, wave heights, and rainfall amounts. By studying these factors, cruise lines can better determine whether it is safe to set sail or make necessary adjustments to their routes to avoid potentially dangerous weather conditions.

In the case of the Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident, it is important to note that storms can be unpredictable and can escalate rapidly. While cruise ships are equipped with advanced weather monitoring systems, unexpected changes in weather patterns can still pose a significant risk.

Therefore, it is vital for cruise lines to have contingency plans in place to ensure the safety of their passengers and crew when faced with severe weather conditions.

Ship Design and Structural Integrity: Evaluating the Carnival Sunshine’s Resilience

The design and structural integrity of a cruise ship play a crucial role in determining its ability to withstand the forces of a storm. Cruise lines invest heavily in ensuring their vessels are built to withstand adverse weather conditions.

From reinforced hulls to stabilizers that counteract the motion of the ship, various measures are taken to enhance the ship’s stability and safety.

It is imperative for cruise lines to regularly assess and update their fleet to meet the latest safety standards. By conducting thorough inspections and implementing necessary upgrades, cruise ships can better withstand storms and minimize potential risks to passengers and crew.

The Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident serves as a reminder of the importance of continuously evaluating and improving ship design to enhance safety measures.

Human Factors and Safety Procedures: Assessing Passenger Response and Crew Actions

During the Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident, the response of both passengers and crew members played a crucial role in ensuring the safety of everyone on board. It is essential to assess how human factors and safety procedures come into play during such incidents.

Adequate training for crew members in emergency response protocols, as well as clear communication with passengers, are key factors in ensuring a safe and orderly evacuation, if necessary.

Passenger education and awareness are also crucial in promoting a culture of safety on board cruise ships. Informing passengers about safety measures, emergency procedures, and the importance of following instructions can help reduce panic and improve overall response during a crisis.

Additionally, implementing advanced technologies, such as improved communication systems and emergency evacuation drills, can further enhance passenger safety during storms.

The Aftermath: Passenger Experiences and Industry Repercussions

Passengers’ tales: first-hand accounts of the storm’s impact.

The Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident of 2023 left a lasting impact on the passengers who were on board the ill-fated cruise ship. Many passengers have shared their harrowing experiences of the storm, recounting the terrifying moments when the ship was tossed around by powerful waves and buffeted by strong winds.

Some described feeling a sense of helplessness as they were confined to their cabins for hours on end, unsure of when the storm would subside.

Passengers reported scenes of chaos and confusion as the ship’s crew worked tirelessly to ensure their safety. Some praised the crew for their professionalism and quick thinking, while others expressed frustration at the lack of communication and organization during the crisis.

Despite the challenging circumstances, many passengers also shared stories of camaraderie and support among fellow travelers, highlighting the resilience of the human spirit even in the face of adversity.

These first-hand accounts serve as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the sea and the importance of preparedness in the cruise industry. Cruise lines must continually evaluate and enhance their safety protocols to ensure the well-being of their passengers in the event of a similar incident in the future.

Industry Response: Cruise Lines’ Actions and Safety Reviews

In the wake of the Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident, cruise lines across the industry have taken proactive steps to address safety concerns and reassure passengers of their commitment to their well-being.

Carnival Cruise Line, in particular, undertook a comprehensive review of their emergency response procedures and made several improvements based on lessons learned from the incident.

Other major cruise lines followed suit, conducting safety audits and implementing new measures to enhance passenger safety during extreme weather conditions. These measures include the installation of advanced weather tracking systems, improved communication protocols, and enhanced training for crew members.

Cruise lines have also increased their collaboration with meteorological agencies to receive real-time weather updates and make informed decisions regarding itinerary changes or ship rerouting.

The industry’s response to the Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident demonstrates its dedication to learning from past mistakes and prioritizing passenger safety. Cruise lines are continually striving to ensure that incidents like this are minimized, if not completely avoided, in the future.

Regulatory Scrutiny: Assessing Compliance and Potential Changes

Following any major incident in the cruise industry, regulatory bodies conduct thorough investigations to assess compliance with safety regulations and identify areas for improvement. The Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident prompted a comprehensive review of the cruise ship’s compliance with international safety standards and guidelines.

The investigation led to recommendations for industry-wide changes, including stricter guidelines for ship stability in adverse weather conditions and enhanced training for crew members on emergency response procedures.

Additionally, regulatory bodies have called for increased transparency and accountability from cruise lines regarding their safety protocols and contingency plans.

These regulatory measures aim to establish a more robust framework for ensuring the safety of passengers and crew members on board cruise ships. By holding cruise lines accountable and implementing necessary changes, regulatory bodies contribute to the overall improvement of safety standards in the industry.

Lessons Learned: Gleaning Valuable Insights from the Incident

The Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident of 2023 served as a wake-up call for the cruise industry, highlighting the importance of preparedness and safety measures. By examining the incident, valuable insights can be gained to prevent similar situations in the future. Here are some key lessons learned:

Enhancing Weather Monitoring and Forecasting Systems

One of the crucial aspects that emerged from the incident was the need for enhanced weather monitoring and forecasting systems. Cruise ships operate in unpredictable environments, and accurate and timely weather information is vital for ensuring passenger safety.

By investing in advanced technology and collaborating with meteorological agencies, cruise lines can better anticipate and navigate through adverse weather conditions. Additionally, developing onboard systems that provide real-time weather updates to both crew and passengers can greatly enhance situational awareness.

Improving Ship Design and Safety Features

The incident shed light on the importance of ship design and safety features in mitigating the impact of extreme weather events. Cruise ships should be built with reinforced structures and improved stability to withstand rough seas and high winds.

The installation of advanced propulsion systems and stabilizers can help maintain ship stability during adverse weather conditions. Moreover, the implementation of comprehensive safety measures, such as improved emergency lighting, backup power systems, and resilient communication channels, can ensure effective response and evacuation procedures in the event of a storm or any other emergency situation.

Strengthening Passenger Education and Emergency Preparedness

Passenger education and emergency preparedness play a vital role in ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone on board. The incident highlighted the need for comprehensive safety drills and training programs for passengers, enabling them to respond effectively to emergencies.

Cruise lines should provide clear and concise instructions on emergency procedures, including evacuation routes, life jacket usage, and communication protocols. Additionally, enhancing communication channels to reach passengers quickly and efficiently during critical situations can help minimize panic and ensure a swift response.

By implementing these lessons learned, the cruise industry can significantly enhance the safety and preparedness of its ships, ultimately ensuring a more secure and enjoyable experience for passengers.

It is imperative for cruise lines to prioritize the well-being of their guests and constantly strive for innovation and improvement in all aspects of ship operations.

Moving Forward: Embracing Safety Culture and Continuous Improvement

Following the Carnival Sunshine storm incident of 2023, it has become imperative for the cruise industry to reevaluate and strengthen its approach to safety. Embracing a safety culture and continuous improvement is crucial in ensuring the well-being of passengers and crew members.

The Importance of Safety Culture: Embedding Safety as a Core Value

A safety culture goes beyond mere compliance with regulations; it involves instilling safety as a core value within an organization. This means that safety is prioritized at all levels and becomes an integral part of the company’s identity.

By embedding safety as a core value, cruise lines can create an environment where every employee feels responsible for safety and takes proactive measures to prevent accidents and incidents.

One way to reinforce safety culture is through comprehensive training programs that address potential risks and provide employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle emergencies. These programs can include simulated scenarios, hands-on training, and regular drills to ensure that staff members are well-prepared to respond effectively in any situation.

Furthermore, fostering open communication channels is vital for a strong safety culture. Employees should feel comfortable reporting safety concerns or near-miss incidents without fear of retribution. This allows for timely identification and resolution of potential hazards, preventing them from escalating into full-blown emergencies.

Continuous Improvement and Risk Mitigation: Fostering a Learning Organization

Continuous improvement is a key aspect of maintaining and enhancing safety standards in the cruise industry. By adopting a mindset of constant learning, organizations can identify areas for improvement and implement measures to mitigate risks.

Regular safety audits and inspections play a critical role in identifying potential weaknesses and areas of improvement within a cruise ship’s operation. These assessments should be carried out by independent third-party organizations to ensure objectivity and adherence to industry best practices.

The findings from these audits should be used as a basis for implementing corrective actions and enhancing safety protocols.

Another important aspect of continuous improvement is the analysis of near-miss incidents and accidents. By examining the root causes and underlying factors, cruise lines can identify trends and patterns that may indicate systemic issues.

This analysis can then inform the development and implementation of targeted interventions to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Regulator-Industry Collaboration: Ensuring Effective Oversight and Shared Responsibility

Effective oversight and regulation are essential in maintaining safety standards within the cruise industry. Regulators and industry stakeholders must work together to establish and enforce robust safety requirements.

Collaboration between regulators and cruise lines can take the form of regular meetings, sharing of information, and joint initiatives aimed at addressing safety concerns. By working together, they can identify emerging risks and develop proactive measures to mitigate them.

Transparency and accountability are also crucial in this collaboration. Cruise lines should be open and transparent about their safety practices, making information easily accessible to both regulators and the public.

This fosters trust and ensures that all parties are working towards a common goal of ensuring passenger and crew safety.

In conclusion, the Carnival Sunshine storm incident of 2023 serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges and responsibilities inherent in maritime operations. While the incident unfolded without serious injuries or loss of life, it underscored the importance of preparedness, vigilance, and a commitment to safety at all levels.

By examining the incident’s details, understanding the potential risks, and learning from the lessons it imparts, the cruise industry can continue to strive for excellence in safety practices, ensuring that passengers can embark on their voyages with confidence and peace of mind.

As maritime technology evolves and the demand for cruise experiences continues to grow, the industry must remain at the forefront of safety innovation, embracing new advancements and continuously refining existing protocols.

By doing so, the cruise industry can foster a culture of safety that prioritizes the well-being of passengers and crew, transforming every voyage into an adventure marked by both enjoyment and unwavering safety.

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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'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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Carnival passengers recount ‘nightmare’ cruise as storm floods ship

Videos showed the carnival sunshine cabins and hallways flooding and ceilings leaking.

Matthew Branham and his fiancée, Madison Davis, were lying by a Carnival Sunshine pool on Friday aboard a cruise returning to Charleston, S.C., from the Bahamas when an announcement came over the loudspeaker. The captain was expecting rougher weather that evening, but there was nothing to worry about. So Branham and Davis didn’t worry.

As the day went on, “We noticed it started getting cooler in the afternoon — much, much cooler,” said Branham, 25, of Castlewood, Va. “And then it was like a switch was flipped, and it literally turned into a nightmare.”

En route back to Charleston Friday night into Saturday, the Carnival Sunshine navigated into a strong storm system that battered the southeast over the holiday weekend. Videos emerged on social media showing cabins and hallways flooding, shop floors littered with destroyed merchandise and leaking ceilings . Passenger Brad Morrell snapped a photo of an automated instrument map reporting a 69 knot, or 79 mph, wind.

#CarnivalSunshine : Due to return to Charleston, South Carolina this Saturday, May 27, 2023, has been delayed due to severe weather. The ship is currently off the South Carolina coast and holding position, unable to return to the port because of high winds & rough seas. #cruise 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/2B6HlAn2yD — ∼Marietta (@MariettaDaviz) May 28, 2023

Carnival said in a statement that the weather was unexpectedly strong, causing conditions that were rougher than forecast, but that its fleet operations center team, which relies on outside meteorology resources for itinerary planning, “coordinated to keep the ship in its safest location.”

“Attempting to sail out of the large front could have been dangerous,” the statement continued. “The ship proceeded to the port as soon as the weather began to clear.”

Strong Southeast storm slams Carolinas

Carnival said the captain made “several announcements about the weather and the delay it caused in returning to Charleston, asking guests to use extra precaution while walking around the ship.” Additionally, “some of the worst weather occurred in the overnight hours when announcements are not typically made, but guests and crew were safe.”

The ship’s medical staff did help a “small number” of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance following the storm. Despite the significant damage and a delay in schedule, Carnival Sunshine embarked on its next five-day Bahama sailing on Saturday.

From their sea-view room, Branham and Davis watched as waves surged over their window and braced themselves as the 892-foot-long ship lurched in the storm.

“Waves were hitting the boat so hard that it was like an earthquake experience, jarring you like a really rough roller coaster — even in the middle floor,” Branham said.

They were told to stay in their cabins. Meanwhile, Branham said, TVs were falling off walls, and glassware was sliding off shelves and shattering on the floor. “You could not stand up in your room,” he said. “You could be thrown from the bed.”

They packed up their belongings when their floor started to flood and took shelter in a main lobby area.

“All of the employees were sprinting downstairs with life vests,” Branham said. “There were little kids besides us screaming and crying and throwing fits.”

Throughout the storm, Branham wondered why there weren’t more announcements from Carnival staff. Besides the warning of rougher seas earlier Friday and one Saturday morning after they’d weathered the storm, Branham said they weren’t given any official updates on their situation. When he asked workers what was going on, they told him not to worry.

⁦⁦ @CarnivalCruise ⁩ #carnivalsunshine still 75mph winds at 9:25am. Sitting and spinning in the Atlantic. pic.twitter.com/NITCO2l9Ss — FlyersCaptain™®© (@flyerscaptain) May 29, 2023

“But you see rooms flooded, and you can pick up a handful of sand and you’re kind of like, ‘What in the world? Why is nobody telling us anything?’” Branham said.

Jim Walker, a maritime lawyer and cruise industry legal expert, says his firm has been contacted by some Carnival Sunshine passengers who were injured during the storm, including a man who says he was struck by a door and broke his foot. Others have asked him about the potential for a class-action lawsuit.

While Walker said passengers should make their complaints known to Carnival, he doesn’t believe filing a lawsuit would be an efficient next step. Instead, impacted passengers can ask Carnival for a refund or a credit for another cruise, although there’s no guarantee the cruise line will grant such requests.

Pete Peterson, owner of Storybook Cruises , which is affiliated with Cruise Planners, said cruise ships keep a close eye on weather developments and will adjust their itinerary depending on the severity of the storm.

“Cruise lines monitor the weather all the time. They’re not going to put their passengers in harm’s way,” said Peterson, who has been a cruise adviser for more than 20 years and has sailed on nearly 60 cruises. “Obviously, some cruise lines are better at doing this than others.”

In 2016, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas returned to port after cruising into a “bomb cyclone,” which damaged the ship amid winds gusting to 100 mph. The ship sailed into the remnants of Hurricane Hermine seven months later, causing additional problems.

To ensure the safety and comfort of its passengers, a cruise ship can alter its course and circumvent the rough weather system. In stormy conditions, the crew can deploy the stabilizers, which will prevent the ship from rolling and bucking.

“You don’t experience the up and down,” Peterson said. “It’s not as rough a ride.”

Both approaches can add to a cruise line’s expenditures, Peterson said. Stabilizers slow the vessel, thereby consuming more fuel. Sailing around the storm can take longer than the original route and disrupt the company’s cruise schedule, leading to delays or cancellations. The cruise line may have to reimburse passengers or provide them with future credits because of the inconvenience.

“When they do something like that, it’s going to cost them money,” Peterson said.

Craig Setzer , a meteorologist and hurricane preparedness specialist, said that even with the hurricane-like conditions and flooding, “I would never be in doubt of the vessel’s integrity,” he said. “Cruise ships are structurally very, very sound and can survive a lot. They’re really rugged.”

Matthew Cappucci contributed to this report.

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Live updates, video shows carnival cruise ship in disarray after ‘horrific’ south carolina storm.

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Terrified passengers on a Carnival cruise were left vomiting after a torrential storm pounded the ship in South Carolina — flooding the vessel and ripping doors off their hinges.

The Carnival Sunshine was returning to Charleston following a week-long trip in the Bahamas when it got caught in wild weather and rough seas over the Memorial Day weekend.

Videos shared online by vacationers show flooded hallways littered with glass and other debris, doors ripped off their hinges and downed pipes laying soaked on the floor.

The ship’s crew members were forced to evacuate their flooded quarters, according to a video shared on Twitter that shows the area in disarray.

Throughout the storm, several passengers also complained they were starting to feel sick due to the boat’s rough movements.

One traveler described being able to “smell people being sick walking down the halls,” the Daily Mail Reported .

Cruise-goer RJ Whited, who was celebrating his engagement to fiancé Tracy on the Carnival Sunshine, told WCIV that the ship was shaking “so violently.”

Passengers also complained that they didn’t hear from the ship’s captain or any crew members for hours during the chaos.

“They left us blind,” passenger Daniel Taylor told the outlet. “Not reassuring us about what was going on, where we were headed to, what the plan was. They could have updated us and let us know something.”

Another passenger, Christa Seifert-Alicea, said they didn’t receive word from the captain or crew for more than 12 hours.

“What we endured is indescribable, not only to feel it yourself but to hear and see it set in on every single person around you from adult, child and the elderly is something I will never forget,” Seifer-Alicea said.

Water damage and broken glass were left in the hallways and rooms following the storm.

A Carnival spokesperson said only a “small number” of passengers and crew members required “minor assistance.”

“Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday. Guests on board the ship were safe. Our medical staff helped a small number of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance,” the cruise liner said in a statement to WCIV.

“The weather’s prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship’s arrival on Sunday and as a result, the next voyage’s embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests.”

The spokesperson added that the Carnival Sunshine is now sailing on a five-day Bahamas cruise and will return to Charleston on Thursday.

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Cruise Ship Faces Near-Sinking in Storm Off South Carolina Coast

Videos posted by passengers showed flooded hallways and damaged pipes as the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship prepared to dock in Charleston.

Brunno Braga • May 30, 2023

On May 27, a cruise ship sailed into a fierce storm off the coast of South Carolina , resulting in flooding and the evacuation of passengers. Videos posted by passengers showed flooded hallways, damaged pipes, and toppled doors as the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship prepared to dock in Charleston. Many passengers endured a harrowing journey, with reports of illness and crew members being ordered to evacuate their quarters, Daily Mail reported on May 28.

As a low-pressure system moved up the Atlantic coast, the National Weather Service issued a warning about treacherous boating conditions. During the weeklong trip, things took a turn for the worse as the ship encountered choppy waters. At 4:30 p.m. on Friday, the ship approached the tumultuous sea, with winds reaching 80 mph. Glassware crashed, and the ship slowed down to 5 knots, battling massive waves that forced the crew to distribute life vests.

Apparently the Carnival Sunshine waited out the Gulf Stream low outside of Charleston. Videos/reports starting to come in from the ship and passengers. https://t.co/58Qjnw6kif — Mike's Weather Page (@tropicalupdate) May 28, 2023

By 7:30 a.m. the following day, the ship’s cruise director announced that docking in Charleston harbor would not be possible. Nine hours after the scheduled arrival time, the ship finally reached the port at 5:30 p.m.

Passengers on the ship said that things got worse overnight on Friday and into Saturday while the crew kept quiet about what was going on. Daniel Taylor, one of the passengers, told Daily Mail about how much of the week-long trip to the Bahamas went well.

In a statement to WCIV, a Carnival spokesperson said that “the weather and rough seas on Saturday” impacted the ship’s return to Charleston.

“Guests on board the ship were safe. Our medical staff helped a small number of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance. The weather’s prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship’s arrival on Sunday, and as a result, the next voyage’s embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests.”

The Carnival Sunshine is currently departing on a cruise to the Bahamas that will last for a total of five days and will arrive back in Charleston on Thursday. 

In 2022, Carnival Cruise Lines announced it will no longer sail from Charleston , starting in 2024.

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'We all suffer from PTSD': 10 years after the Costa Concordia cruise disaster, memories remain

GIGLIO, Italy — Ten years have passed since the Costa Concordia cruise ship slammed into a reef and capsized off the Tuscan island of Giglio. But for the passengers on board and the residents who welcomed them ashore, the memories of that harrowing, freezing night remain vividly etched into their minds.

The dinner plates that flew off the tables when the rocks first gashed the hull. The blackout after the ship's engine room flooded and its generators failed. The final mad scramble to evacuate the listing liner and then the extraordinary generosity of Giglio islanders who offered shoes, sweatshirts and shelter until the sun rose and passengers were ferried to the mainland.

Italy on Thursday is marking the 10th anniversary of the Concordia disaster with a daylong commemoration that will end with a candlelit vigil near the moment the ship hit the reef: 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2012. The events will honor the 32 people who died that night, the 4,200 survivors, but also the residents of Giglio, who took in passengers and crew and then lived with the Concordia's wrecked carcass off their shore for another two years until it was righted and hauled away for scrap.

► CDC travel guidance: CDC warns 'avoid cruise travel' after more than 5,000 COVID cases in two weeks amid omicron

“For us islanders, when we remember some event, we always refer to whether it was before or after the Concordia,” said Matteo Coppa, who was 23 and fishing on the jetty when the darkened Concordia listed toward shore and then collapsed onto its side in the water.

“I imagine it like a nail stuck to the wall that marks that date, as a before and after,” he said, recounting how he joined the rescue effort that night, helping pull ashore the dazed, injured and freezing passengers from lifeboats.

The sad anniversary comes as the cruise industry, shut down in much of the world for months because of the coronavirus pandemic, is once again in the spotlight because of COVID-19 outbreaks that threaten passenger safety. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control last month  warned people across-the-board not to go on cruises, regardless of their vaccination status, because of the risks of infection.

► 'We found out while we were flying': Last-minute cruise cancellations leave travelers scrambling

► 'The Disney magic is gone' ... or is it?: Longtime fans weigh in on changes at Disney World

'We all suffer from PTSD'

For Concordia survivor Georgia Ananias, the COVID-19 infections are just the latest evidence that passenger safety still isn’t a top priority for the cruise ship industry. Passengers aboard the Concordia were largely left on their own to find life jackets and a functioning lifeboat after the captain steered the ship close too shore in a stunt. He then delayed an evacuation order until it was too late, with lifeboats unable to lower because the ship was listing too heavily.

“I always said this will not define me, but you have no choice," Ananias said in an interview from her home in Los Angeles, Calif. “We all suffer from PTSD. We had a lot of guilt that we survived and 32 other people died.”

Prosecutors blamed the delayed evacuation order and conflicting instructions given by crew for the chaos that ensued as passengers scrambled to get off the ship. The captain, Francesco Schettino, is serving a 16-year prison sentence for manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning a ship before all the passengers and crew had evacuated.

Ananias and her family declined Costa’s initial $14,500 compensation offered to each passenger and sued Costa, a unit of U.S.-based Carnival Corp., to try to cover the cost of their medical bills and therapy for the post-traumatic stress they have suffered. But after eight years in the U.S. and then Italian court system, they lost their case.

“I think people need to be aware that when you go on a cruise, that if there is a problem, you will not have the justice that you may be used to in the country in which you are living,” said Ananias, who went onto become a top official in the International Cruise Victims association, an advocacy group that lobbies to improve safety aboard ships and increase transparency and accountability in the industry.

Costa didn’t respond to emails seeking comment on the anniversary.

► Royal Caribbean cancels sailings: Pushes back restart on several ships over COVID

'We did something incredible'

Cruise Lines International Association, the world’s largest cruise industry trade association, stressed in a statement to The Associated Press that passenger and crew safety was the industry's top priority, and that cruising remains one of the safest vacation experiences available.

“Our thoughts continue to be with the victims of the Concordia tragedy and their families on this sad anniversary," CLIA said. It said it has worked over the past 10 years with the International Maritime Organization and the maritime industry to “drive a safety culture that is based on continuous improvement."

For Giglio Mayor Sergio Ortelli, the memories of that night run the gamut: the horror of seeing the capsized ship, the scramble to coordinate rescue services on shore, the recovery of the first bodies and then the pride that islanders rose to the occasion to tend to the survivors.

► Cruising during COVID-19: Cancellation, refund policies vary by cruise line

Ortelli was later on hand when, in September 2013, the 115,000-ton, 1,000-foot long cruise ship was righted vertical off its seabed graveyard in an extraordinary feat of engineering. But the night of the disaster, a Friday the 13th, remains seared in his memory.

“It was a night that, in addition to being a tragedy, had a beautiful side because the response of the people was a spontaneous gesture that was appreciated around the world,” Ortelli said.

It seemed the natural thing to do at the time. “But then we realized that on that night, in just a few hours, we did something incredible.”

Norovirus: Nearly 200 sick in outbreaks on Princess, Royal Caribbean ships, CDC says

FILE - Tourists crowd upper decks and stateroom balconies as the Anthem of the Seas owned by Royal Caribbean International on Aug. 9, 2023, in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Nearly 200 passengers on U.S. cruise ships suffered from diarrhea and vomiting in norovirus outbreaks in April, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC reported that 94 of the 2,532 (3.71%) passengers on Princess Cruises’ Sapphire Princess ship reported getting sick during its current voyage. The 32-day, roundtrip cruise began on April 5 and ends on May 7, according to the cruise tracking and information site CruiseMapper . 

Another 20 of the 1,066 crew members on board also reported getting sick, the CDC said.

Cruise ship rescued 14 stranded at sea for over a week

This was the scene from the lunch buffet during the first full day of cruising for the Icon of the Seas. The crew rescued all 14 from the distressed boat which was dwarfed by the largest cruise ship in the world.

On Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas ship, 67 of the 1,993 (3.36%) total passengers on board became ill during a voyage that began on April 8 and ended on April 22, according to the agency. Two crew members aboard also got sick. 

In both of the norovirus outbreaks, the main symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting, the CDC said.

Princess Cruises told FOX Television Stations that "at the first sign" of an increase in passengers reporting gastrointestinal illnesses, "we immediately initiated additional enhanced sanitization procedures to interrupt the person-to-person spread of this virus."

"Our sanitization program, includes disinfection measures, isolation of ill passengers and communication to passengers about steps they can take to stay well while onboard," the company told FOX Television Stations.

Royal Caribbean International did not immediately return a request for comment, but the CDC said in its notice that the company also took several steps in response to the outbreak – including isolating the sick passengers and crew members and "increased cleaning and disinfection procedures." 

RELATED: 'Vampire facials' at unlicensed spa likely resulted in HIV infections: CDC

Cruise ships expose passengers to high volumes of people and new environments, which can "create the risk for illness from contaminated food, or water or, more commonly, through person-to-person contact," the CDC says. 

The agency recommends that anyone feeling sick should report their illness. If it happens before the voyage, travelers can ask their cruise line about any possible alternative cruising options. 

Those on board should wash their hands often to prevent illness, as well as get plenty of rest and stay hydrated. 

This story was reported from Cincinnati.

• CruiseMapper
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• Cruise Industry
• Hamburg's cruise industry sets record with 1.2+ million...

Hamburg's cruise industry sets record with 1.2+ million passengers in 2023

In 2023, Hamburger Hafen experienced a record number of cruise passengers, with 1,204,089 embarking on cruises from the port, up from 785,000 in 2022. This surge in numbers solidifies Hamburg's status as a major cruise port, according to a press release issued on April 22.

A total of 51 different ships made 278 calls at the Port of Hamburg during the year, including 8 first-time visits. Additionally, 62 calls were made by riverboats , continuing the success seen in 2022, which had 280 calls.

Dr. Melanie Leonhard, Senator for Economics, emphasized the significant economic impact of the cruise sector on Hamburg. She stated that the arrival and departure of a cruise ship in the Port of Hamburg is always impressive. Last year, 1.2+ million passengers experienced that moment. Thus, the cruise industry is contributing significantly to value creation and employment around the port.

The sector now generates an annual gross value added of EUR 420 million and supports 4,490 full-time jobs, making it a vital economic driver for Hamburg.

Simone Maraschi, Managing Director of Cruise Gate Hamburg GmbH, highlighted that the industry is returning to its pre-coronavirus growth trajectory, benefiting the entire northern German region.

Looking ahead, Hamburg has plans for further growth in the cruise sector. There are preparations for 10 new first-time ship calls, including the debut of a Disney Cruise Line vessel this year. Additionally, a new cruise terminal is scheduled to be opened in HafenCity in 2025. Furthermore, efforts are underway to expand onshore power supply extensively to ensure that all cruise terminals can be supplied with shore power in the future, as outlined by Senator Leonhard.

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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.

• Shipwrecked
• Shipping industry

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Terrified cruise passengers wrote good-bye texts to their families as their ship was battered by a giant storm in the Bay of Biscay

• A cruise ship was caught in a brutal storm in the Bay of Biscay over the weekend.
• Terrified passengers described massive swells and howling winds that sent the ship shaking.
• One hundred people were injured, the BBC reported, citing the cruise company, which described the injuries as "minor."

A dream vacation became a maritime nightmare for those onboard a cruise ship caught in a fierce storm in the Bay of Biscay that left 100 people injured over the weekend, according to media reports.

"People were writing texts to their loved ones in case we capsized," an unnamed passenger told BBC News of the chaotic voyage.

The Spirit of Discovery, a vessel run by Saga Cruises, was carrying about 1,000 people on what was supposed to be a two-week cruise around the Canary Islands, the outlet reported.

But when the weather turned, the ship decided to return to the UK earlier than expected amid a coming storm. As it was making its return voyage, the vessel ran into a storm in the Bay of Biscay, an area off the coast of Spain and France known for its rough seas.

Amid slamming waves and howling winds, the ship's automatic safety system kicked in which caused the boat to veer and stop, the BBC reported. A spokesperson for Saga told the outlet that most of the injuries among passengers occurred at this moment and described most of them as "minor."

A representative for Saga did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

"To say 'minor injuries' is an insult to the many horrific broken bones, pelvises, lacerations, stitches, etc. that were caused [to] a very old passenger clientele," the same unnamed passenger told the BBC.

Related stories

The ship stayed put until the weather cleared up, the outlet reported. Video from the voyage shows huge swells outside the ship's windows.

WATCH: BBC reports "tables were flying" as waves threw people "all up and down the place", say passengers on UK cruise ship 'Spirit of discovery' caught in storm. 100 people got injured as 30ft waves battered the ship windows. pic.twitter.com/NWZh2tL2ff — Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) November 7, 2023

Jan Bendall, 75, a passenger onboard the cruise, told the BBC that the vessel didn't move for 15 hours as the storm raged on around them.

"It was quite frightening," she told the outlet. "I'm not somebody who frightens easily, it was quite dramatic."

Bendall said a section of the dining room was turned into a makeshift medical center.

Richard Reynolds, 60, told The Daily Mail he and his wife were passengers onboard along with his elderly parents. Reynolds said his mom was injured after being thrown to the floor when the boat rocked.

Reynolds said passengers were confined to their cabins and wore life vests for two straight days as they rode out the storm, afraid the ship might capsize.

"People were screaming for their lives, things were banging and crashing around us and they thought they were going to die," he told the outlet.

Five people were taken to the hospital when the ship was finally able to dock in Portsmouth on Monday, according to the BBC.

Watch: Cruise ship captain breaks down 8 cruise ship disasters in movies and TV

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The 112-Year-Old Russian Navy Vessel Ukraine Just Hit with Anti-Ship Missiles

Many navies have very old ships still in commission and on active duty. The U.S. Navy’s USS Constitution was launched in 1797 and is currently the only active U.S. vessel to have sunk an enemy vessel. The United Kingdom's HMS Victory was launched in 1778 and has served for more than 240 years. But for all their grandeur and history, most countries just don’t actually send their aging hulls to war zones.

Russia, it turns out, has no problem with that: The Russian salvage ship Kommuna has been in service since 1915, when Tsar Nicholas II ruled the Russian Empire. After surviving two world wars, decades of Soviet rule and Russia’s subsequent post-Soviet decline, the onetime submarine tender was nearly taken to the bottom of the Black Sea by a Ukrainian anti-ship missile on April 21, 2024.

The Kommuna first entered service as the submarine tender Volkhov, part of the Imperial Russian Navy, in July 1915. When Russia became the Soviet Union in 1922, the Volkhov was renamed the Kommuna and went to work for the Soviet Navy, raising ships from the ocean’s depths. Now officially designated a rescue ship, it doesn’t carry armaments, but is capable of raising sunken combat vessels, something Ukraine is eager to prevent.

During World War II, the Kommuna fought against Nazi Germany’s Siege of Leningrad between 1941 and 1943, raising and repairing tens of thousands of tons of trucks, tanks and ships. The ship sailed down the Volga River, where it worked through the end of the war, continuing to raise and repair Soviet vessels. For their service during the “Great Patriotic War,” as World War II is known in Russia, the crew received the Defense of Leningrad medal.  Since the end of World War II, It underwent just three complete refits during its long life -- and now may be headed for a fourth.

The Kommuna is believed to have sailed for the Black Sea port at Sevastopol, which Russia currently occupies, to prepare an operation to raise the missile cruiser Moskva, flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which was sunk by Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missiles 80 nautical miles south of Odessa on April 14, 2022.

Social media reports of a Russian ship on fire in Sevastopol were later revealed to be the Kommuna, which was the target of more Ukrainian Neptune missiles. Ukraine claimed responsibility for the attack , while Crimea’s unrecognized Russian governor, Mikhail Razvozhayev, denied the assault resulted in a direct hit.

Razvozhayev said Russian forces "repelled an attack by an anti-ship missile" earlier in the day along the north of the port city, indirectly hitting the Kommuna . "The falling fragments caused a small fire, which was quickly extinguished," Razvozhayev added.

The Kommuna was not sunk in the attack, but Ukrainian officials believe damage sustained to the vessel is enough to ensure it can no longer raise the Moskva from the bottom of the Black Sea. Due to the damage inflicted on the Black Sea Fleet in Crimea since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the Russian Navy has moved most of its major warships out of Sevastopol and to Novorossiysk , in the Krasnodar region of Russia. Though out of range of Ukrainian missiles, Novorossiysk isn’t necessarily safe for Russian warships. Ukrainian forces used sea drones to damage the Olenegorsky Gornyak, a Russian landing ship based at Novorossiysk, in August 2023.

The rest of the Russian Black Sea Fleet has taken a beating elsewhere since the conflict with Ukraine began. Along with the sinking of the Moskva, a number of patrol boats and landing ships were sunk by Ukrainian forces. The Russian corvettes Ivanovets , Veliky Ustyug and Askold were also destroyed using a combination of cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles and sea drones.

Russia was probably right to withdraw the Kommuna from Crimea; as Russia’s oldest ship still in service , it’s a prime target whose structure was built long before missiles were a threat. When the ship was launched, the biggest threat to ships at sea were torpedoes. Today, it faces explosive-laden unmanned boats, underwater and airborne drones, along with the anti-ship missiles that just knocked the Kommuna out of Russia’s war with Ukraine.

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Cruise Ship Facts That Are Rarely Talked About

Posted: December 14, 2023 | Last updated: December 14, 2023

A Morgue Lurks Within Every Cruise Ship

Cruises are supposed to be about letting loose and having fun but there is often a dark side to cruises that passengers don't really see. Because a large portion of cruise goers usually tend to be older it's actually not uncommon for people to pass away while on ship.

One former crew estimated that around three people pass away every month on a cruise. Due to this, all cruise ships are required to have a morgue on board and usually has room for around three to six bodies.

It Might Sound Creepy but Crew Members Keep Record of Everything That Guests Do

The requirement that crew members be as hospitable and nice as possible to passengers, they don't usually get a chance to say everything they'd like to say. For this reason, cruise ships keep a log where they write down everything that happens while on a trip. These logs keep everything from something as big as a fire or injury to something as minimal as a comment a guest made.

It sounds weird but all of that information helps an incoming crew best prepare and spot potential hazards and how to manage them best. This log can also be used as a venting outlet for crew.

The Eerie Hidden Pools of Cruise Ships

If you have ever seen pictures from a cruise you will have noted that the pools are often the most crowded areas on the ship. Even though the ship is floating on water, people just gravitate toward the pools anyway. It turns out that most cruise ships have "secret" pools reserved for their staff only. Because these pools are dedicated to staff they are often much less crowded.

Guests can however be invited and of course, a guest would have to make quite the impression on the crew in order to be invited to the secret pool. The invite is actually harder to secure than you would think, considering some of the rules on board.

The Crew Speaks in Code to Keep Guests in the Dark

Passenger safety on board is paramount and maintaining that safety is not an easy task. Crew are sometimes forced to speak in code, so they don't incite panic while still being able to act quickly during an emergency. Some of these codes are used for dealing with medical emergencies, reacting to a fire, or responding if someone falls overboard. If you ever wondered about what code word is usually used for someone falling overboard, then it's "oscar."

This really makes a lot of sense since the last thing you really want is to terrify your passengers or cause a panic making it harder to do your job.

Gambling Rules on Board Aren't as Legal as You Think

Many cruise ships have casinos on board, and since most of the time you are traveling through international waters, it's completely legal. This also means that the cruise ship isn't necessarily subject to a single area's laws concerning gambling. The rules onboard will occasionally change depending on whatever country is closest.

Cruise ships might switch up the number of decks they use for blackjack, etc. and your odds of winning can change dramatically depending on where you are. Just be aware that the rules governing their games aren't set in stone, and can change.

Even Cruise Ships Are Vulnerable to Mysterious Accidents

The buck stops with the Captain at all times while on board which is a fantastic system when it works, and it typically does. It makes sense that one person with experience should calling the shots during an emergency. The last thing you would want is two or more people wasting time arguing over a decision in a crisis. That being said, even captains make mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes can be disastrous for a ship or its passengers.

It's not often that it happens which is why when it does it usually makes headlines. A few cruise ships have even been sunk due to a captain's decisions.

Sometimes Passengers Go Missing at Sea

Strange things happen while at sea, and one of those things is when people go missing. It sounds weird but people really do go missing on ships. Approximately 165 people reportedly went missing while on a cruise from 1995 to 2011.

There is speculation that the number is possibly higher. This is separate from passengers that fall overboard. We're talking about people who have just disappeared without a trace and were never seen again.

"I'm the Captain Now" - There's a Risk of Pirates Coming Onboard

On occasion you will hear about pirates taking over cargo ships or something like that but you don't often hear about cruise ships being boarded. Still, it does happen, and because of that the crew is trained for it.

In 2005 a cruise ship was targeted, and the crew used some kind of acoustic weapon to assault the pirates' eardrums. The attack was thwarted, and everyone on board went about enjoying their vacations.

No Fraternization With Guests

Where there are often hookups between crew members, they are strictly forbidden to fraternize with passengers while on board. This rule is mainly in place to protect the crew from being accused of anything inappropriate but it is also to protect the cruise company from being sued by a passenger.

The cruise company will have a much easier time cleaning up in-house than it would feilding a public lawsuit with a passenger.

You're Under Arrest

You have surely heard of the brig before but did you know there is one on a cruise ship and you don't have to be military to be thrown in it. It's a sort of jail cell on a ship, and it's reserved for passengers that break the law' get a bit too rowdy or in any way threaten the safety of other passengers or crew.

There is no judge or jury on a ship so if you're thrown in the brig, you'll most likely spend the rest of your vacation there or until the ship makes port and can offload you to the authorities. Sometimes this leaves you in a different country than the one you sailed from.

Rescuing Passengers Who Went Overboard Is Complicated

It's never good when someone goes overboard but on a cruise ship it can be especially complicated to initiate a rescue. If a passenger goes overboard during a cruise, you may see crew members throwing stuff over the side in order to mark where they are in the water.

There aren't any landmarks in the ocean, meaning your brain doesn't have anything to refer to when trying to locate an overboard passenger from the top of a very high cruise ship.

Crew Members Are Drinking All Day on Cruises

If you have ever noticed your crew is especially happy or chatty it may be because they have had a couple of drinks themselves. Crew members get great discounts on alcohol and although most cruise lines say they randomly test their employees to ensure that they're not drinking while on the job, they still manage to sneak a few drinks here and there.

According to former crew members, it happens more than from time to time. Some former crew members have also come out and said that drinking among crew members is much more common than some cruise companies would have their passengers believe.

Disease Outbreaks Are More Common Than You Think

We all heard about outbreaks onboard cruise ships curing the 2020 pandemic. They got big news coverage as essentially floating petri dishes. Due to thousands of people situated together in a tight space the outbreaks seem to spread faster.

Even before the pandemic there were plenty of outbreaks. For example in 2014, around eight cruise ships and many of their passengers were hit with the norovirus. As a result there have been strict procedures and rules to limit the spread of sickness during an outbreak but the risk is always going to be there.

Crew Members Are Mostly From Outside of the USA

There are a lot of reasons that cruise lines don't tend to hire American workers and one of the reasons is that Americans wouldn't put up with the long hours required on a cruise ship. The typical work week in America is around 40 hours, compared to the sometimes 100-hour long work week on a cruise ship.

Together with different and less generous overtime rules as well as lower pay, it's not hard to see why there aren't as many Americans in the cruise industry.

Medical Care Can Be Spotty

Cruise ships aren't really required to operate to the same standards as other companies located on land in the U.S. and because of that the medical care available to passengers can sometimes be hit or miss.

It's common for cruise ships to hire doctors from countries with lower medical standards than in the U.S. and also have the facilities on board a cruise ship to be not quite as great as you'd find on land. Together with the fact that doctors on cruise ships basically can't be sued for malpractice, it leaves something lacking in the care like on a lot of cruise ships.

Where Does All The Waste Go?

Where does all the human waste go when you're on a ship and out at the ocean? It goes exactly where you might expect it to go, in the ocean. Cruise ships simply dump waste when they are around 12 miles from shore. They are required to treat it first but it still isn't great for the environment and it's quite gross.

Not all countries have the same laws either and this means that sometimes cruise ships will discharge waste when they're closer to shore in a country with more lax laws like recently when Canadians complained about U.S. cruise ships dumping near British Columbia.

Tight Quarters for the Crew

It goes without saying that rooms for crew members are much different than the rooms for guests on cruise ships. Crew quarters are very cramped in comparison and for the most part rooms are shared by multiple crew members.

That being said, crew members do have their own break areas and even have crew-only events, classes, and a pool for staff only. On the downside they don't really get to enjoy all of that stuff very often because they work such long hours.

Cruise Ships Wait For No One

You would think there would be some kind of system making sure every guest is accounted for when they cruise pulls away from port but there isn't. The cruise is not going to wait at port for a couple of passengers who failed to get back in time. If you're late getting back to the ship there is a good chance you will be watching from shore as your ship sails away.

That's why it's important that you always remember to get back to the ship well before it's scheduled departure. It's also a good idea to carry your documents and passport with you just in case you're left behind in a foreign country.

Preparing the Kitchen Is Done With Military Precision

To keep things running smoothly while feeding thousands of guests, it's no surprise that most cruise ship kitchens run their operations with military-like precision. With that many mouths to feed they have to ensure that they have enough food on board for everyone and stay within a budget working hard to eliminate waste.

Some kitchens are so precise that they can predict consumption down to a margin of two meals for a week. Sometimes crews even change up how much they order based on the nationality of their guests. For example, a ship with many Americans might order more ketchup than one with a majority of other nationalities.

Hiding Drinks Isn't Easy

Alcohol is always the most expensive part of any trip for good reason. There are really good margins for alcohol sales so it makes sense that there would be strict rules regarding their biggest money maker. Cruise lines force you to use the bars on the ship and for this reason, people have figured out how to smuggle their own booze onto cruises.

For these reasons guests get really inventive with the way they smuggle on alcohol. One way of sneaking alcohol on board a cruise ship involves filling a plastic bladder with booze in an effort to evade x-ray detection. People have also resorted to filling mouthwash bottles with alcohol and adding food coloring to dye them a specific color.

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Want to be king of the world? The Titanic is set to sail once again.

Australian billionaire Clive Palmer has noodled for years with the idea of building Titanic II : a full replica of the doomed luxury liner that sank on its maiden voyage in 1912. Now he’s set a date for the successor’s first voyage.

“We are very pleased to announce that after unforeseen global delays, we have re-engaged with partners to bring the dream of Titanic II to life. Let the journey begin,” Palmer said in a statement. The ship is scheduled to set sail in June of 2027, although tickets are not yet available.

First, Blue Star Line, of which Palmer is CEO, has to build Titanic II.

That’s something the mining billionaire and politician has hoped to do for more than a decade. He first announced his plans to do so in 2012. Nothing happened. He made another announcement in 2017, but blamed the pandemic for scuttling those plans. Now, he says, construction will begin next year—and Blue Star is seeking proposals and construction plans from builders.

There will be some differences from the original, of course. Palmer has said he wants cutting-edge navigation equipment (the better to avoid those icebergs) and a lot more lifeboats than the Titanic featured in James Cameron’s film .

Otherwise, though, the plan is to make it as exact as possible, with grand staircases; 835 cabins over nine decks; and first, second, and third/steerage class cabins. Folks who opt for the budget option will be served stew and mash at communal tables, just as the original passengers were (though they can opt for other meal choices).

Palmer even says that depending on the weather, they’ll have delousing for third-class passengers, just as the original vessel did.

The ship will begin its voyage in Southampton, England, according to Blue Star Line’s website . From there, it will head to Cherbourg, France, before sailing to New York.

Palmer, who jokes that his wife has tried to talk him out of re-creating the Titanic, says he is funding the project himself and has already allocated “a couple of hundred million dollars” for the recreation, adding, ”and certainly there’s more available.”

“One of the problems we had with the Titanic is that you have to make it safe,” he told Rolling Stone . “You’ll remember, in the movie you had the guy in the crow’s nest saying “Iceberg!” That was because from the bridge, you couldn’t see over the bow. We can’t do that today. So we had to put a whole new deck in the Titanic. And it’s got a lot of the modern conveniences that you want. We’re going to make sure that in every room there’ll be a little panel that will tell you the history of the person who occupied your cabin. Did they survive, did they prevail? Everyone will get a costume so that they can come up to dinner, and it will be a real experience for them.”

By funding the construction of Titanic II, Palmer is also able to put his own stamp on the cruise line. Passengers, he says, will not be required to be vaccinated for COVID, and the ship, he says, will reflect traditional values instead of ‘woke’ ones.

“Titanic ll is something that can provide peace,” he said in the press release. “It can be a ship of peace between all countries of the world. Millions have dreamt of sailing on her, seeing her in port and experiencing her unique majesty. Titanic ll will be the ship where those dreams come true.”

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