Close call for Celebrity cruise ship; Norwegian Cruise Line on ice
A concerning trend in weather-fueled cruise ship mishaps continued in Alaska this week.
Mother Nature hasn’t been kind to cruise ship captains and their crew in recent weeks.
But in every case, the skilled captains of ships from various cruise lines rose to the challenge, taking weather-related blows, but preventing serious accidents.
Related: Royal Caribbean cruisers sound off on reckless cruise port stunt
Although these capable captains responded quickly and effectively in the face of unanticipated severe weather, the close calls were quite alarming for cruise passengers.
The latest incident, which was caught on video in Juneau, Alaska, on June 16, proved how potentially dangerous a cruise ship accident could be. However, it also showed how adept cruise ship captains are at handling whatever Mother Nature sends their way.
Although cruise ship captains will never intentionally put their passengers and crew in harm’s way, they can’t always avoid unexpected storms. You can rest assured, though, that even when thrown a windy curveball, captains know how to react and keep their ships safe — just like Celebrity Edge’s captain did in Juneau.
Doug Parker shared more details on Celebrity Edge’s close call in Juneau on the June 18th edition of Cruise News Today. The cruise news brief also covers Norwegian Cruise Line’s role in the Stanley Cup Final and how a luxury cruise ship evacuated 1,500 young adult travelers from Israel after war broke out during their heritage trip.
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Celebrity Cruises ship breaks free from dock in Juneau, Alaska
Transcript:
This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker.
Good morning, here's your cruise news for Wednesday, June 18th.
It was a close call in Juneau, Alaska, on Monday when high winds caused the Celebrity Edge to break free from its moorings. The ship briefly drifted into the harbor but was safely re-secured without injuries or damage.
Four other cruise ships were in the port at the same time, but thankfully, quick thinking by the captain and crew avoided any collisions. Celebrity Edge resumed its itinerary after the incident.
High winds have been blamed for a half-dozen mooring failures over the past month.
Related: Unsung hero helps Norwegian Cruise Line passengers in crisis
Luxury cruise ship evacuates 1,500 young adult tourists from Israel
And hundreds of young Jewish tourists have been evacuated from Israel via a cruise ship.
Yeah, amid rising tensions with Iran, around 1,500 participants in a Birthright Israel heritage trip were transported from Ashdod to Cyprus aboard the Crown Iris cruise ship along with a naval escort.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has arranged flights to bring the participants home.
The Crown Iris, operated by Mano Maritime, has served with various cruise lines since 1992. In fact, it sailed for NCL from 1997 to 2009 as the Norwegian Majesty.
Norwegian Cruise Line takes the ice at Stanley Cup Final
And speaking of NCL, Norwegian Cruise Line is making waves in the Stanley Cup Finals. Yeah, for the first time, a cruise line is featured in an NHL broadcast, thanks to a new league partnership.
NCL's Caribbean cruise ads are appearing on digital dashboards during the games between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers. The campaign has also aired throughout the season on ESPN and TNT.
Related: Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival salute veterans with major perks
And cruise stocks were lower on Tuesday. Carnival Corporation: flat, 23.28; Royal Caribbean: the same, 262.37. Norwegian: down 2%, 18.13; and Viking: down 1%, 47.62.
If you have a lead on a story, let us know. Tips@cruiseradio.net.
Have yourself a great Wednesday. I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
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