Passengers aboard the Carnival Spirit experienced a startling moment last week when the cruise ship unexpectedly collided with a piece of drifting ice in Tracy Arm Fjord, a picturesque waterway famous for its icy vistas.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the vessel sustained no damage in the incident, which a Carnival Cruise Line spokesperson characterized as an encounter with “an errant piece of drifting ice.”
The incident unfolded while Carnival Spirit was on a scenic cruise near Juneau, and videos shared on social media captured the moments leading up to the collision.
Cassandra Goskie, a passenger, illustrated the tension of the situation in her TikTok video, where a voice can be heard humorously stating, “If we die it was damn well worth it, it’s a Titanic moment,” just before the ship struck the iceberg.
Following the impact, the ship reportedly halted for hours to conduct thorough assessments of its hull.
Passengers, including Saurabh Singhal, shared their experiences on social media, detailing the anticipation and uncertainty as the crew evaluated any possible damage.
The results showed that the ship’s hull remained intact, and operations continued uninterrupted.
Carnival Spirit completed its scheduled seven-day Alaskan cruise, returning to Seattle on Tuesday, and has since embarked on another 14-day round trip to Alaska.
This incident highlights the challenges cruise ships face in Alaskan waters, known for their treacherous navigation conditions and icebergs.
While these breathtaking landscapes attract millions of tourists each year, growing concerns regarding overcongestion from local residents pose new challenges for the industry.
In a similar incident last year, the Norwegian Sun also struck an iceberg while cruising in Alaska, sustaining minor damage but, like the Carnival Spirit, resulting in no injuries.
