A Carnival Cruise Line vessel collided with ice as it navigated the Tracy Arm Fjord and headed to Hubbard Glacier.
Carnival Spirit was on a seven-night sailing when ice hit the ship’s starboard at around 12:30 p.m. on September 5.
Upon contact, the ice broke apart. Crew members immediately began evaluating the vessel and checking on passengers. Operations halted for around three hours.
What Carnival Says About Hitting Ice
According to the cruise operator, “Carnival Spirit made contact with an errant piece of drifting ice on Thursday afternoon while sailing in Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska. An assessment determined no damage to the ship’s hull and the vessel continued on its week-long Alaska cruise, with its next visit on Friday in Skagway.“
| “I’m very impressed with the crew on the Carnival Spirit,” reported a guest who had been onboard. “We hit an iceberg en route to a fjord and stopped waiting for a ship inspection. We were kept informed a few times an hour and had to wait three hours for one group to return from an excursion.” |
Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the 2,610-passenger ship sustained no damage. The vessel eventually gained clearance to proceed to Skagway, though the day’s excursions were canceled.
Its other ports of call include Juneau and Ketchikan in Alaska and Victoria in British Columbia.
Norwegian Sun Strikes Ice in 2022
Two years earlier, another cruise was affected by floating ice and poor visibility. Norwegian Sun made contact with a growler, pieces of ice measuring less than two meters.
After impact, the ship went to Juneau, where it underwent closer evaluations. Norwegian Cruise Line ultimately decided to shorten the voyage, and the ship carefully returned to its Seattle home port at a reduced speed.
Cruise ships frequently sail into ice, but Titanic-like impacts where significant damage occurs are rare.
