5 Troubling Cruise Ship Crashes That Happened Right At The Dock

Cruise ship accidents are never good news, but while you might think of this as an "at sea" problem, incidents can happen at the dock, too. The recent collision, or allision, as an incident involving a moving vessel striking a stationary one is known, along the Mississippi River is a prime example, and it's just one of several troubling incidents in recent years. At approximately 12:30 p.m. on November 13, while the river cruise ship American Heritage was docked in New Orleans, it was struck by a tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt. 

As reported by The Associated Press, approximately 129 passengers, along with crew members, were aboard the ship when it was hit. Luckily, everyone on board was accounted for, with around 32 injured individuals receiving treatment. The outcome has been described as a "Miracle on the Mississippi" after officials confirmed there were no fatalities. Images show the ship on its side, partially submerged in the river after the collision.

The American Heritage, which is a 300-foot paddle-wheel ship with the capacity to carry up to 150 passengers, had just completed an eight-day cruise of the Mississippi River. The tanker involved is designed to carry asphalt and bitumen, materials commonly used in roofing and road construction. It was not immediately clear whether any cargo spilled into the river, and the cause of the incident remains under investigation. While this incident is indeed devastating, it isn't the first time that an accident has occurred while a cruise ship was in a port. There have been several others, each with its own circumstances.

In 2019, a river cruise ship docked in Venice, the River Countess, was also struck by another vessel. But instead of a ship carrying construction supplies, the vessel responsible for the allision was a much larger passenger cruise ship. The MSC Opera, which can carry 2,658 passengers and a crew of 728, experienced a mechanical malfunction while attempting to dock. It careened into the much smaller ship, damaging both the River Countess and a portion of the dock. Four passengers were reportedly injured as a result of the collision, and the incident renewed calls for banning cruise ships from the waterways of Venice. Although there have been various types of cruise ship bans in several ports worldwide, this collision helped fuel calls that eventually led to the 2021 ban on large cruise ships over 25,000 gross tons in Venice's Giudecca Canal, where the 2019 collision occurred.

Not all allisions involve two ships. Sometimes the incident is a battle between the ship and the dock. And there is never really a winner. In 2022, Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas struck a mooring structure as it approached the dock at the Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal. The incident caused $2.1 million in damage to the pier. It also affected cruise ship traffic to the terminal for the remainder of the 2022 season.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted the investigation of this incident and determined a number of factors involved, including miscommunication and an overreliance on electronic navigation charts. In addition, the port had extended the pier by 395 feet the previous year but had not notified the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the agency responsible for updating U.S. coastal nautical charts. Combined, these issues resulted in a huge (and costly) mishap, but fortunately, no injuries were reported from the incident. 

San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a popular port that lets passengers experience a taste of the Caribbean, but when the Norwegian Epic arrived on the afternoon of February 12, 2019, visiting the port became a bit difficult. While attempting to dock, the ship struck two of the pier's mooring dolphins, fixed structures in the water that help secure vessels to the dock. According to the NTSB, which investigated the incident, the accident was caused by poor communication between the dockmaster and the ship's pilot.

Communication between parties is clearly an integral part of the docking process, as this allision resulted in an estimated $3.5 million in damage to the port's Pier 3 and its various components. In addition, damage to the ship itself was estimated at approximately $200,000, but luckily, no injuries to passengers or crew were reported.

The year 2019 was apparently a busy year for cruise ship mishaps. Shortly before Christmas, the Carnival Glory was attempting to dock in Cozumel, a popular port in Mexico on the Caribbean Sea, when it struck another Carnival ship, the Carnival Legend. While only minor injuries were reported, neither ship sustained damage serious enough to prevent it from continuing its itinerary. In fact, the damage appeared to be largely cosmetic rather than structural, leaving both ships seaworthy and able to continue their scheduled itineraries. The day following the incident, CBS News reported on a statement from the Glory's captain, who said spontaneous wind gusts and strong currents were believed to have caused the incident.

Both ships remain active members of Carnival's fleet to this day, although only the Carnival Legend currently offers itineraries that include Mexico. The Carnival Glory on the other hand, is currently scheduled for itineraries to the Bahamas.

None of these incidents should dissuade you from planning a trip if you love cruising — or are curious about embarking on your first one. In fact, serious cruise ship accidents remain relatively uncommon compared with the sheer number of voyages taken each year. You may be more likely to encounter concerns like avoiding dangerous ports because of scams and unscrupulous people at some ports of call. But accidents in ports are still a possibility, so it's worth staying aware of your ship's safety protocols while on board.

The incidents listed here are just some of the many accidents that have occurred over the years, and they happen around the world with a variety of cruise lines. But incidents like these are relatively uncommon, and several of the examples here resulted in only minor injuries or none at all. This certainly doesn't minimize major disasters, but the next time you're cruising, stay alert near the dock, whether you're already on the ship or heading toward it to start your journey.