Gale force winds and high seas diverted three Holland America Line cruise ships this week in Sitka, Alaska. Over 4,000 guests on the Westerdam, Maasdam, and Amsterdam when they were all canceled into Sitka, this first reported by a local radio station.
A statement by Sitka tourism said,“Largely, it’s because they have to go on the outside of Baranof Island. They cannot take the path of the ferries, through the interisland areas. And so, they’re exposed to any type of heavy seas and right now it’s tremendously heavy seas,” she said.
This weather is typical towards the end of the Alaska cruise season, which runs April through September.
Alaska is seeing over 1,000,000 cruise guests in 2016, with 120,000 of those guests seeing Sitka.
Feature photo: flickr/Tom Børslid
