how many cruise ships have been sunk

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

The thought of a cruise ship sinking conjures images of historic maritime tragedies, sparking curiosity and concern among modern travelers.

Despite the advancements in safety and technology, the question lingers in the minds of many: How many cruise ships have actually sunk? In this article, we dive deep into the annals of maritime history and safety records to uncover the truth.

By examining the rare instances of cruise ship sinkings, we’ll provide perspective on the safety of cruising today.

Whether you’re a maritime history enthusiast or planning your next vacation at sea, understanding these incidents sheds light on the impressive safety standards that protect millions of passengers each year.

The Titanic Tragedy (April 1912)

The Titanic’s sinking is one of the most well-known maritime disasters. On its first trip across the Atlantic Ocean, the ship hit an iceberg on the night of April 14, 1912. In just over two and a half hours, the Titanic was completely underwater. Sadly, most passengers couldn’t evacuate safely because there weren’t enough lifeboats for everyone.

The disaster led to more than 1,500 deaths, making it one of the deadliest incidents at sea. The freezing waters made survival even harder for those who couldn’t get on a lifeboat. The Titanic’s sinking is remembered as a tragic event in maritime history.

The Empress of Ireland Tragedy (May 1914)

Just two years after the Titanic sank, the Empress of Ireland had its own tragic accident. In May 1914, this ship with nearly 1,500 passengers hit the Norwegian ship Storstad. They could see each other earlier, but then fog made it hard to see.

The crash caused 1,012 passengers and crew to lose their lives. The Empress of Ireland was close to making 1,000 trips without any problems, but this was not one of them. This accident is another sad event in the history of ships at sea.

The Sinking of the Lusitania (May 1915)

Cunard Line has been operating ships since 1940 and is still active today. One of its famous ships is the Queen Mary 2, the last ocean liner still in service.

The RMS Lusitania, built for Cunard Line, was the world’s largest passenger ship for three months. On May 7, 1915, while sailing off the coast of Ireland to Liverpool, England, a German U-Boat torpedoed the Lusitania. The ship started to sink faster than expected, and only six lifeboats could be launched.

Nearly 1,200 people died in the sinking of the Lusitania. This event is remembered as one of the major maritime tragedies of the early 20th century.

The Britannic’s Fate (November 1916)

The Britannic was the younger sister of the Olympic (1911) and Titanic (1912). Although intended to be a passenger ship, the outbreak of World War I changed her purpose. She became a hospital ship in December 1915.

In November 1916, less than a year into her service, the Britannic hit a German naval mine in the Kea Channel between the Greek islands of Kea and Makronisos. She sank 55 minutes later.

Fortunately, the casualties were minimal. Most people on board managed to escape on the 35 lifeboats that were launched. However, around 30 people still lost their lives in the sinking of the Britannic.

The Sinking of the Principessa Mafalda (October 1927)

The Principessa Mafalda was an Italian ship named after a princess. It started sailing in 1909 between Genoa, Italy, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In October 1927, the ship had a big problem when its propeller shaft broke, damaging the bottom of the ship. It sank off the coast of Brazil, and sadly, more than 300 people died.

The Saint-Philibert Tragedy (June 1931)

The Saint-Philibert, a small cruise ship, capsized and sank on June 14, 1931, off the coast of France. This tragic event led to the loss of nearly 500 lives, with only 8 passengers surviving.

Before this disaster, the Saint-Philibert was known for offering summer voyages along the French coast.

Check out: What Cruise Can You Go on Alone at 18?

The Sinking of the Georges Philippar (May 1932)

The French ocean liner Georges Philippar sank on the second leg of her maiden voyage near present-day Yemen, resulting in the loss of 54 lives.

The sinking was caused by an electrical fault. A fire started in one of the luxury cabins due to a faulty light switch that sparked and set the wood paneling on fire.

Before setting sail, there were worries about the ship’s safety. The ship’s launch was almost delayed to fix defects. However, these concerns were ignored to avoid penalties for delays.

The Tragedy of the SS Morro Castle (September 1934)

The SS Morro Castle, an American ocean liner operated by Ward Line, was traveling from Havana, Cuba, to New York City when it caught fire and ran aground on September 8, 1934.

The night before the disaster, Captain Robert Rennison Willmott, the ship’s captain, suddenly died after complaining about a stomach ache. Command of the ship was then passed to Chief Officer William Warms.

There were 137 casualties in total. Much of the blame was placed on the crew for not handling the emergency properly. Although the lifeboats could hold up to 408 people, they were launched with only 85.

The Sinking of the Empress of Britain (October 1940)

The Empress of Britain, an ocean liner of over 42,000 gross registered tons, holds the sad record of being the largest ocean liner sunk during World War II, and also the largest ship sunk by a U-Boat during the conflict.

On October 26, she was first bombed from above, then sunk by a torpedo launched by German U-Boats on October 28.

Most of the 416 crew members, 2 gunners, and 205 passengers managed to abandon the ship, leaving few people on board. In total, 45 people lost their lives in this tragic event.

The Collision of Andrea Doria and MS Stockholm (July 1956)

On July 25, 1956, the Andrea Doria and the MS Stockholm collided while on their way to New York City. The accident resulted in 51 deaths. However, this event is also known for one of the largest rescues in maritime history.

Thanks to improved communication systems, the crew of the Andrea Doria was able to quickly start rescue efforts and get help from other ships. Only five people died on board the Stockholm.

The damage to the Andrea Doria was so severe that the ship could not be saved. Those who lost their lives did so because of the initial collision.

The Story of the Bianca C (October 1961)

The Bianca C first sank during World War II when the Germans scuttled her before she was completed. Later, her hull was raised and refitted to become a cruise ship. She was first owned by Panama’s Arosa Line as their flagship but was eventually sold to Costa Line, where she got the name Bianca C after the owner’s daughter.

On October 22, 1961, while docked off the coast of Grenada, an explosion in the ship’s engine room led to fires breaking out. Thankfully, except for one person killed in the initial explosion, everyone was able to evacuate the ship before it sank.

The Journey and End of the Angelina Lauro (September 1979)

The Angelina Lauro didn’t always serve as a cruise ship. She started her journey in 1939 as the MS Oranje. Initially meant to be a passenger ferry, she was kept in Indonesia and turned into a hospital ship. After World War II, she sailed as a passenger liner for around 11 years, making trips around the world from Amsterdam to Australia through the Panama Canal and back via Singapore and the Suez Canal.

In 1964, she was sold to Lauro Lines and refitted as a cruise ship. She embarked on her maiden voyage as the Angelina Lauro on March 6, 1966. In the late 70s, Costa Lines chartered her.

While docked in Saint Thomas, the Angelina Lauro caught fire. The blaze lasted for several days. Before she could be towed to a scrapyard, her weakened hull began to take on water. She finally sank on September 24, 1979.

The Sinking of the MS Mikhail Lermontov (February 1986)

The MS Mikhail Lermontov was an ocean liner operated by the Soviet Union’s Baltic Shipping Company, entering service in 1972. A decade later, it was upgraded to serve as a cruise ship.

On February 6, 1986, the ship left Sydney for a two-week cruise around New Zealand. Ten days into the journey, while sailing past Cape Jackson, it hit rocks. Out of the 743 crew and passengers on board, the majority managed to escape on lifeboats. Tragically, there was one casualty: crew engineer Pavel Zagladimov.

The Tragic Collision of the SS Admiral Nakhimov (August 1986)

The SS Admiral Nakhimov started its journey in 1925 as the SS Berlin, a passenger liner of the German Weimar Republic. It later served as a hospital ship before becoming a Soviet Union passenger ship.

In August 1986, the ship met a tragic end when it collided with another ship in Tsemes Bay. The ship sank quickly, and sadly, 423 people lost their lives in the incident. This marked the third and final time that the ship sank.

The Sinking of MV Jupiter (October 1988)

The MV Jupiter, a Greek cruise ship, started sailing in 1961 as the Moledet. On October 21, 1988, it sank after leaving Piraeus, Greece. An Italian freight ship hit it.

The ship had nearly 400 British students, 84 adults, and 110 crew members on a study cruise. Sadly, one student, one teacher, and two crew members died. About 70 others were injured.

The Sinking of MTS Oceanos (August 1991)

The MTS Oceanos, another Greek ship, sank three years after the MV Jupiter. It was traveling from South Africa to Durban when rough seas hit. A storm made things worse.

The ship’s waste system wasn’t fixed right. A key pipe wasn’t replaced. It’s thought that huge waves broke the pipe, letting seawater flood in.

No one died, but the captain and crew were found guilty of leaving without helping passengers. The ship’s entertainers led all rescue efforts.

The Sinking of MS Estonia (September 1994)

The sinking of the MS Estonia in 1994 was one of the worst maritime disasters of the 20th century. It was the deadliest peacetime sinking of a European ship after the Titanic and the Empress of Ireland. Over 850 lives were lost.

While sailing through rough waters in the Baltic Sea, a metallic bang was heard. Soon after, passengers and crew reported similar sounds. Around 1:15 am, the visor separated, opening the loading ramp and causing the ship to list as water flooded in.

It was difficult for those in cabins to reach the boat deck. Water was entering the ship through the car deck and the windows of public areas and cabins on Deck 6.

The Achille Lauro Incident (December 1994)

The Achille Lauro, originally the ocean liner Willem Ruys, was converted into a cruise ship by Italian businessman Achille Lauro in 1965. It had a series of unfortunate events, including collisions and onboard fires.

In 1985, the ship was hijacked by members of the Palestine Liberation Front. On November 30, 1994, the Achille Lauro caught fire while sailing to South Africa. There were 979 passengers and crew onboard. The majority evacuated the next morning when the ship listed, but two people were killed before it sank on December 2.

The Final Voyage of the Sun Vista (May 1999)

The Sun Vista started its journey in 1963 as the SS Galileo Galilei for the Lloyd Triestino line. Over the years, it sailed for five different cruise lines, including as the first-ever cruise ship for Celebrity Cruises, the Meridian. In 1997, it was transferred to Sun Cruises and renamed the Sun Vista.

On May 20, 1999, a fire broke out in the ship’s engine room. The Sun Vista sank in the early morning hours of May 21 in the Strait of Malacca. Fortunately, all passengers and crew were able to escape safely.

The Sinking of the Britanis (October 2000)

The Britanis began its life as the luxury ocean liner SS Monterey in 1932. It later sailed for Chandris under their “Fantasy Cruises” division starting in February 1971. When Chandris shifted focus to the Celebrity Cruises brand, all Fantasy Cruises operations ceased. In 1998, the ship was sold to AG Belofin and renamed Belofin-1.

Instead of being refurbished, the Britanis was sold to scrappers. While being towed to a scrapyard from Brazil, it developed a leak at the back of the ship. With no one on board, the ship was cut free and capsized off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa.

The Sinking of SeaBreeze (December 2000)

The SeaBreeze, originally named Federico C., was launched in 1958 and sailed for Costa Cruises. In 1983, it was transferred to Premier Cruises and renamed three times.

Premier Cruises went out of business in September 2000, leading to the ship being laid up. While being moved from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Charleston, South Carolina, by its new owner, Cruise Ventures III, the SeaBreeze sank about 225 nautical miles off the coast of Virginia. All 34 crew members on board were rescued safely.

The ship sank due to the boiler breaking off, causing significant damage to the vessel.

The Sinking of MV Explorer (November 2007)

The MV Explorer, originally the MS Lindblad Explorer, began her career in 1969 as the first ship of her kind to sail through the Antarctic Ocean.

On November 11, 2007, she set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, for a 19-day cruise. After visiting the Falkland Islands, she hit an iceberg in the Bransfield Strait on November 23, causing a gash in the hull that let water in.

All 91 passengers, 53 crew, and 9 guides were able to escape on lifeboats. They stayed there for five hours until the MS Nordnorge rescued them.

The Sinking of MS Sea Diamond (April 2007)

The MS Sea Diamond, originally known as Birka Princess, operated for Birka Line for most of her time at sea. In 2006, she was sold to Louis Cruises Line and renamed. A year later, she ran aground on a reef near Santorini, with 77 students from Paisley Magnet School in North Carolina on board.

Initially, it was believed that all passengers and crew were safe. However, two French citizens, Jean Christophe Allain, 45, and his daughter Maud, 16, were reported missing and never found.

Greek authorities later announced plans to charge the captain and five other officers with negligence.

The Capsizing of Costa Concordia (January 2012)

The Costa Concordia was the first ship of Costa Cruises’ Concordia Class, entering service in 2006. On January 13, 2012, she set sail on a 7-night Mediterranean cruise with 3,206 passengers and 1,023 crew members.

Captain Francesco Schettino veered off course, sailing too close to the island of Giglio. The ship struck a large rock, causing a 174-foot gash in the hull, leading to flooding and loss of power. The ship’s rudder position made it unsteerable, and it began tilting toward the starboard side.

The evacuation took over six hours and resulted in 32 deaths. An investigation focused on the crew’s actions, particularly Captain Schettino’s, as he left the ship while passengers were still on board.

Tragic List: Discover How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk Throughout History

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk: Millions of people choose cruise ships for their vacations every year because they provide opulent amenities, thrilling activities, and the chance to see several places in one journey. But sometimes people doubt these enormous floating hotels’ safety, especially when you consider that they might sink.

There have been very few cruise ships that have sunk in the past century. Because of the safety procedures followed by the cruise liner industry, most or all of the passengers and crew survive when a cruise ship sinks.

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk

Only twenty-four cruise ships—both river and ocean liners—have sunk since 1912. It’s important to remember that some cruise ship capsizings happen while the ship was being towed or berthed.

Because cruise ships are built sturdy and have current safety mechanisms, we can explain why there aren’t many cruise ship sinkings.

Today’s cruise ships are extremely resistant to sinking because of their emphasis on safety throughout construction. Modern cruise ships are outfitted with a plethora of safety precautions to preserve as many lives as possible in the event of an unfortunate disaster.

Consequently, the death toll from these kinds of incidents is usually rather low.

Sadly, several people lost their lives in some of the first sinkings.

Since 1912, a cruise ship has sunk an average of once every 4.5 years, underscoring how uncommon these incidents are. However, as safety and technology advance and we continue to learn from past tragedies, the number of cruise ship disasters is declining.

While cruise ship sinkings are uncommon, there have been a few famous cases, like the Titanic and the Costa Concordia catastrophe. However, despite these high-profile incidents, the cruise industry does have a remarkable overall safety record.

What percentage of cruise ships sink?

Temperature of the Water when Titanic Sank, how cold was the water when titanic sank, water temperature when titanic sank

It’s critical to realize that cruise ship sinkings are quite uncommon. There have only been 22 cruise ship sinkings in the last 100 years.

Still, a number of shipwrecks happened while docked or being towed. Given the quantity of cruise ships that are in operation all year round, cruise ship sinkings are quite unusual.

Many safety precautions included into contemporary cruise ships reduce the possibility of a sinking. Strict rules and inspections also contribute to the high standard of safety that is maintained on these boats. Cruise ship sinkings are uncommon, which is partly due to these efforts and technological developments.

Cruise ship worker salary: How much do they make?

In contrast to this total, cruise ships in particular have an even lower frequency of sinking. Although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact number of cruise ship sinkings in the recent past, it is widely accepted that these incidents are uncommon and do not pose a serious threat to passengers.

In conclusion, the rarity of cruise ship sinkings can be attributed to stringent safety rules and contemporary technology. Travelers may relax knowing that their cruise ship experiences will be stable and safe.

Do Cruise Ships Sink Frequently?

Because of stringent restrictions and advanced safety systems, cruise ships seldom sink. In the last century, there have only been 20 cruise ship sinkings.

It is noteworthy that not all of these sinkings contained passengers or caused a sizable number of casualties.

The frequency of cruise ship sinkings has decreased due to advances in navigation technology.

Are Cruise Ships Capable of Sinking?

Cruise ships do occasionally sink, but this is extremely uncommon.

Contemporary cruise ships come with cutting-edge safety technologies that reduce the chance of capsizing. In addition, watertight compartments and improved hull construction keep a ship from absorbing too much water. Cruise ship crew members are also regularly trained in safety exercises and emergency procedures.

Despite these safety precautions, 24 cruise ships and ocean liners have sunk since the RMS Titanic disaster in 1912.

In spite of the disconcerting prospect of a cruise ship sinking, safety remains the cruise industry’s top priority. Compared to other means of transportation, passengers may travel with peace of mind on one of the safest modes.

When Did a Cruise Ship Most Recently Sink?

The last time a cruise ship capsized while carrying people on board was the Costa Concordia, which grounded in Italy in 2012. Thirty-four people perished when the Italian cruise liner struck rocks and subsequently capsized. The accusations made against the ship’s crew, especially Captain Francesco Schettino, who is currently serving a 16-year manslaughter term, made the incident noteworthy as well.

To provide the highest level of security for its patrons, the cruise industry has enacted a number of safety rules and procedures in recent years. These modifications have greatly decreased the quantity of mishaps and sinkings, which has helped to explain why we don’t hear about them as frequently.

Why Do Ships Stay Afloat?

Even while cruise ships, in particular, might be extraordinarily large buildings, their purpose is to float on water with ease. It is because of the buoyancy principle that cruise ships may float. Any object submerged in a fluid (such as water) experiences an upward force equal to the weight of the fluid the object has displaced. This is known as Archimedes’ principle, or the physical law of buoyancy.

The hull form of a ship is a major component that affects its buoyancy. Because of their wide, flat bottoms, ships are able to move a lot of water. This displacement produces an upward force that balances the ship’s weight.

If the density of the cruise ship is lower than that of the water, it will still float.

Steel and aluminum are two examples of strong, lightweight materials used in ships that offer structural support while maintaining a low overall density. In addition, the hull is separated into waterproof sections so that, in the event of damage, water does not flood the entire ship. This design keeps cruise ships from toppling over and aids in maintaining the ship’s buoyancy.

Preventing a ship from capsizing also depends on its stability. A low center of gravity is a feature of ship design. Heavy parts of the ship, including engines and fuel tanks, are located in the lowermost part of the structure to provide a low center of gravity. Even in choppy waters, the ship will stay upright and steady thanks to the design philosophy.

Best Cruises for Adults: 4 Perfect Cruise Lines for Adult Only experience

Overview of How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk Throughout History

1912’s rms titanic.

On April 15, 1912, the British passenger ship RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean. When the ship struck an iceberg on its first trip from Southampton, UK, to New York City, it sank. Out of the estimated 2,224 passengers and crew, 1,517 are thought to have perished in the accident.

The Titanic was regarded as an engineering wonder when it was built and was the largest ship ever to sail. With more than 2,200 passengers and crew members on board, she sailed for her maiden transatlantic voyage. Despite multiple alerts of icebergs up ahead on April 14, the Titanic proceeded to travel at a speed of 22 knots.

Lookouts noticed an iceberg on the ship’s course just before midnight. The Titanic suffered damage below the waterline when she met the iceberg on her starboard side due to her inability to turn quickly enough.

It was obvious the ship would sink when water began to fill it. There was a significant death toll from the Titanic accident because there were not enough lifeboats and the water was quite cold. Laws about maritime safety have significantly improved as a result of the disaster.

Empress of Ireland in 1914

Early on May 29, 1914, in the thick fog, the ocean liner RMS Empress of Ireland collided with another ship and sank in Canada’s St. Lawrence River.

There were 1,477 passengers and staff members on board the Empress as it traveled from Quebec City to Liverpool. The Norwegian collier Storstad struck the Empress, causing significant damage and rapid submersion. Despite hasty attempts to evacuate passengers, the ship sank in about fourteen minutes. The accident claimed 1,012 lives from those on board, making it the deadliest marine accident to occur in Canadian history during a peacetime.

1915’s RMS Lusitania

On May 7, 1915, during World War I, a German U-boat torpedo sank the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania, killing 1,198 people—passengers and crew. The Cunard Line-owned Lusitania was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland when it was making her 202 transatlantic voyage from New York to Liverpool.

A second explosion burst from the ship’s hull shortly after the torpedo hit. Due to the significant damage and degree of listing, only six lifeboats were able to descend from the starboard side of the ship.

The ship sank around eighteen minutes after the torpedo hit. Seventy-six out of the 1,962 passengers and crew on board the Lusitania made it out alive.

The RMS Lusitania was allegedly carrying 173 tons of weapons and ammunition, according to the German authorities. Apart from the small arms ammunition listed on the ship’s military cargo, the British government disputes that the ocean liner carried any war weaponry.

1916’s HMHS Britannic

HMHS Britannic was the third and largest Olympic-class ocean liner that White Star Line operated. Constructed as a transatlantic passenger liner, the ship was launched shortly before the outbreak of World War I.

Before Britannic could be used for passenger travel following the start of the war, the British Admiralty seized her and renamed her Britannic as a hospital ship. The Britannic ran into a naval mine that a German U-boat had planted while it was in the Aegean Sea in November 1916.

In approximately 55 minutes, the explosion destroyed much of the ship and caused serious damage. Despite the sinking’s rapid pace, the prompt evacuation saved 1,030 lives. 30 persons sadly lost their lives in the sinking.

1927’s Principessa Mafalda

Off the coast of Brazil in 1927, the Italian transatlantic liner SS Principessa Mafalda sank. The ship departed on her 14-day voyage after a technical delay.

The ship made multiple stops in the ocean during the voyage, indicating that it was not in good shape. The breakage of the starboard propeller shaft on October 25 resulted in numerous hull gashes.

The ship started to absorb water, and the watertight doors could not be closed all the way. It took the ship more than four hours to sink completely. However, miscommunication resulted in 314 fatalities.

1932-Georges Philippar

In 1932, the French passenger liner Georges Philippar caught fire and sank in the Gulf of Aden, killing fifty-four people. On May 16, during her inaugural journey off the coast of Italian Somaliland, Mme Valentin’s opulent cabin’s wood paneling caught fire due to a malfunctioning light switch.

The fire was allowed to spread quickly since there was a delay in reporting it. Captain Vicq tried to put out the fire and beach the ship, but things worsened.

The engine rooms were evacuated, leaving the Georges Philippar adrift. The captain issued a distress call and told the crew and passengers to get off the ship. The French ship Andre Lebon, the two British cargo ships Mahsud and Contractor, and the Soviet tanker Sovietskaïa Neft were the three neighboring vessels that came to the rescue.

Rescuers were able to save 698 people. 54 people died, nevertheless, some of them from desperate jumps overboard.

1934’s SS Morro Castle

On September 7, 1934, at around three in the morning, a fire broke out on board the opulent ocean liner SS Morro Castle, which was traveling from Havana to New York City. Strong winds contributed to the fire’s rapid out-of-control spread.

Chaos broke out as terrified passengers had to decide whether to leap into the sea or stay on the blazing ship, even as efforts were made to put out the fire and launch lifeboats. The ruined Morro Castle ran aground close to Asbury Park, New Jersey, after only six hours.

Only 312 of the 549 occupants, including the crew, made it out alive.

Following investigations, it became clear that a lack of training and preparation for fire safety contributed to the shockingly high death toll. The burned-out wreck, which served as a somber reminder of the horror everyone on board had to endure, remained on the beach until 1935.

The fatal incident made it clear that ocean liners need to strengthen their fireproofing, safety exercises, and crew training.

Empress of Britain – 1940

The Canadian Pacific Steamship Company, which the Canadian Pacific Railway and the RMS Empress of Britain owned, transported people and soldiers across the Atlantic during World War II.

The German submarine U-32 fired two torpedoes at the Empress of Britain early on October 26, 1940, as it was cruising roughly 450 miles west of Ireland. The damage was too great, leading the ship to list badly in spite of efforts to prevent flooding.

Lifeboats were hastily lowered into the darkness after the order to evacuate the ship, with some capsizing in the confusion as flares lit up the sky. British navy ships saved 1,259 people from the sinking liner, but 45 unfortunate people perished in the early explosions or drowned.

The graceful British Empress had disappeared under the seas by sunrise, exposing civilian ships to Germany’s merciless submarine warfare techniques.

Andrea Doria – 1956

In July 1956, the Italian ocean liner SS Andrea Doria carried more than 1,700 passengers and crew members on a normal trip from Italy to New York. In extremely foggy conditions, the Andrea Doria and the Swedish ship Stockholm collided on July 25, off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Below the waterline, the Stockholm’s bow caused catastrophic damage by severing passenger compartments and stabbing into Andrea Doria’s side. Ten hours later, in excess of 200 feet of water, the mortally damaged Andrea Doria sank in spite of attempts to contain flooding.

Thankfully, 1,660 individuals made it out of the lifeboats. Nevertheless, 46 people died as a result of impact injuries and drowned during the intense crash.

How Cruise Ships Are Built: A 2-Year Process

1961’s Bianca C

The ship Bianca C is special since it sank twice. The first sinking occurred during World War II when a German-operated passenger ferry was sunk.

Before it sank in 1961, the ship’s hull was lifted and converted into a cruise liner.

With more than 600 passengers and crew, the Italian cruise liner Bianca C sailed from Grenada to Italy overnight on September 22, 1961. An explosion in the engine room at midnight caused a fire that swiftly spread throughout the ship.

The captain gave the order for the staff and passengers to leave the burning ship as smoke filled the halls. As other ships raced to help, liferafts and lifeboats were lowered into the murky tropical waters. While the majority of passengers safely evacuated the Bianca C, one staff member unfortunately perished in the explosion. However, the crew and all other passengers made it out safely.

1979 Angelina Lauro

In March 1979, Costa Lines acquired the aging Italian ocean liner Angelina Lauro. When the new cruise line was chartering the ship, it caught fire while berthed in Saint Thomas.

After burning for a few days, the ship was declared completely destroyed. The fire did not claim any lives.

1986’s MS Mikhail Lermentov

Around 1,000 guests and crew perished when the Soviet cruise ship Mikhail Lermentov struck rocks and sank off the coast of New Zealand on February 16, 1986. During the frantic evacuation, the chief electrical engineer sadly drowned, although no passengers were lost.

In a matter of hours, rescue ships and aircraft safely evacuated everyone else on board the sinking ship before it submerged beneath the water. A subsequent investigation found that inadequate navigation had caused the enormous ship to veer dangerously near the rocky reef in low light, rupturing a huge hole in the hull and quickly flooding the liner.

1986’s SS Admiral Nakhimov

On our list, SS Admiral Nakhimov has the most intriguing tale. The ship has sunk three times in total.

It served as a hospital ship for Germany during World War II before being lost.

The ship was turned up to the Soviet Union as payment for reparations. The Germans had hidden mines in the ship’s hull, which detonated and caused the ship to sink a second time, despite Soviet attempts to retrieve its hull.

On August 31, 1986, the SS Admiral Nakhimov sank for the third and last time. In the Black Sea, close to the Strait of Kerch, the Soviet passenger liner and the bulk freighter Pyotr Vasev collided. Admiral Nakhimov’s hull sustained a huge hole from the accident, which quickly caused the ship to flood.

When the electricity went out, the evacuation process became disorganized due to a lack of lifeboats and inadequate leadership. The Admiral Nakhimov sank after capizing in thirty minutes. Sadly, more than 423 people perished.

1988’s MV Jupiter

The British roll-on/roll-off ferry MV Jupiter and the tanker Phoenix II collided on June 21, 1975, as the two were traveling from Dover to Zeebrugge across the English Channel. The accident caused catastrophic flooding by rupturing open the car deck of the MV Jupiter.

The majority of the 585 passengers and crew were evacuated as the Jupiter began to list alarmingly. Tragically, two passengers—a teacher and a student—as well as two crew members perished.

1988 Achille Lauro

As the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro sailed off Somalia on November 30, 1994, a destructive engine room fire broke out and swiftly got out of control. Tragically, during a nocturnal emergency evacuation, two passengers perished.

Rescue ships and aircraft were able to successfully evacuate all remaining passengers and crew from the burning liner. The ship sank following two days of fierce firefighting.

An engine room explosion was found to be the cause of the safety systems’ deactivation.

MTS Oceanos – 1991

The Greek cruise liner Oceanos sank off the coast of South Africa on August 3, 1991, as a result of severe waves that broke a ventilation pipe. It’s thought that a poor repair made the pipe susceptible to impacts.

A broken ventilation pipe was to blame for the severe flooding. The captain and a few other crew members left the ship as soon as they realized it was sinking.

Amazingly, the entertainment crew stepped up and assisted guests in getting off the sinking ship. Over the following two days, nearby vessels saved all 571 people.

Sun Vista (1999)

The Sun Vista, a cruise liner from Malaysia, capsized in the Malacca Strait on August 8, 1999, due to extreme listing caused by an engine room fire that took off power. The well-trained crew quickly boarded lifeboats with all of the passengers and crew after making a call for assistance from nearby ships.

SeaBreeze (2000)

A catastrophic mechanical failure caused the cruise ship Seabreeze I to swiftly sink on December 17, 2000, when it was sailing about 225 nautical miles off the coast of Virginia. The 21,000 GT, 9-deck passenger ship had just been purchased by Cruise Ventures III, who was traveling from Halifax to Charleston when the catastrophe occurred.

According to reports, the boiler broke away, seriously injuring the engine room of the ship and resulting in significant flooding. The captain yelled “abandon ship” as the 40-year-old Seabreeze quickly began to take on water, requesting that the 34 crew members be rescued right away.

There was a lot of suspicion surrounding the sinking since some people thought it was intentional. The old Seabreeze had a $20 million insurance policy even though its scrap value was probably about $5–6 million.

The vessel capsized in international seas. Maritime authorities questioned Panama’s thoroughness and were dismayed when the ship, which was flying the flag of another country, sank in international waters. This placed Panamanian jurisdiction over the probe.

The captain’s decision to abandon the ship rather than try to salvage it also raised suspicion.

Rescuers from the US Coast Guard thought it was extremely unusual that the ship could sink that quickly. The captain insisted on a full evacuation instead of asking for salvage tugs, which shocked the Coast Guard.

Britannis (2000)

The Britanis experienced a leak in the ship’s rear while en route to an Indian scrapyard. The boat’s owners let it sink after determining that fixing the leak would be too expensive.

The boat was being pulled by tug boats with no one on board. Additionally, no one was hurt in the incident.

2007’s MS Sea Diamond

Sea Diamond sank on April 5, 2007, after going off course and hitting coral near Santorini. When the ship lost power and listed, the crew quickly rescued nearly all 1,195 passengers.

Tragically, two passengers perished in the sinking. The damaged Sea Diamond had submerged in 500 feet of water by the afternoon.

The captain was first accused of veering dangerously near to shore during the investigation; however, it was later found that the area’s maritime charts were erroneous. The boat came aground 131 meters from shore, while the reef was shown on the map as 57 meters.

2007’s MV Explorer

The cruise ship MV Explorer struck an iceberg early on November 23, 2007, causing it to sink off the coast of Antarctica. The iceberg tore open the ship’s hull, resulting in catastrophic flooding.

The well-trained crew quickly evacuated all 154 passengers and crew members onto lifeboats as the crippled ship lost power and leaned precariously close to King George Island. A great emergency reaction saved every life in the dramatic sinking in icy Antarctic waters.

After a five-hour drift on the lift rafts, MS Nordnorge recovered all 154 survivors.

2012’s Costa Concordia

On January 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia cruise ship was wrecked off Giglio Island, Italy. Leaving Civitavecchia in Lazio, the ship, carrying 4,252 people from all over the world, struck a reef during an unofficial salute to local islanders. The Costa Concordia crashed off the Italian island of Giglio on January 13, 2012, killing around 4,252 passengers and crew. A 951-foot cruise liner veered off course and approached too closely.

The impact that ripped a 160-foot gash in the hull led to significant listing and partial sinking.

Despite the ship’s lifeboats, helicopters, and ships, 34 people died in the chaotic aftermath.

Captain Francesco Schettino caused the incident by carelessly deviating from the course. Authorities convicted him of manslaughter and he is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence.

2016’s Ocean Dream

After the owner of the cruise ship went bankrupt in 2015, the Ocean Dream was abandoned without a crew or maintenance personnel at Laem Chabang, Sri Racha, Thailand. In February 2016, the abandoned ship overturned and sank in shallow waters off the coast.

There were unsuccessful attempts to raise the sunken ship. The authorities decided to disassemble and demolish the Ocean Dream on location instead of refloating it. By the end of 2019, the disaster’s visible remnants had been disassembled and salvaged, leaving only the bottom hull of the wreck on the seafloor.

2020’s Orient Queen

The cruise ship Orient Queen suffered terrible damage 1,000 feet away from the big 2020 explosion that tore through Beirut’s dock. The strong blast wave severely damaged the Orient Queen’s hull, which also caused fires to spread, killing two crew members and injuring seven others.

The abandoned cruise ship capsized where it was parked, terminating its 40-year cruise career over the following 48 hours. It was not possible to salvage it.

Royal Caribbean Cruises, History, Destinations and Itineraries

Ambassador Cruise Line: Ownership and History

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk in the Past 100 Years?

Home » How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk in the Past 100 Years?

Last updated on January 11th, 2024 at 10:24 am

Cruises are one of the safest options for vacations, but in the past 100 years there have been some incidents with cruise ships sinking . Here are some notable ones in the past 100 years.

Titanic (1912) The most famous cruise ship sinking in history, the Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg.

Empress of Ireland (1914) This large passenger liner sank after colliding with a Norwegian cargo ship, the Storstad, during foggy weather.

Lusitania (1915) For a few months before her sinking, the Lusitania was the largest passenger ship in the world. A casualty of WWI, she was hit by a torpedo from a German U-boat off the south coast of Ireland.

Britannic (1916) Sister ship of the Titanic, during WWI she struck a German naval mine off the coast of a Greek island and sank in less than an hour.

Princess Mafalda (1927) When a propeller shaft broke and damaged the hull of the ship, the Princess Mafalda sank off the coast of Brazil.

Saint Philibert (1931) A smaller cruise ship, the Saint Philibert sailed mainly in the Loire River and the French coastline. She sank in bad weather, but was also overloaded with twice her capacity on board.

Georges Philippar (1932) Unfortuanlety, this ocean liner sank on her maiden voyage. There was an electrical fault that sparked and set wood paneling on fire causing her to sink near Italian Somaliland.

SS Morro Castle (1934) A fire on board would disable the ship as it burned through the electrical cables and hydraulic lines that steered the ship. Her captain had died the evening before of an apparent heart attack. The burning ship drifted ashore in the shallow waters off Asbury Park in New Jersy, USA.

Empress of Britian (1940) Another victim of war, The ship was bombed from above in WWII when she was off the coast of Ireland. She was hit by two 550lb bombs.

Andrea Doria (1956) Struck by another ship, the Stockholm, the Andrea Doria began to list at once. This made most of the lifeboats inaccessible. However, because the ship sank slowly there were fourty six people killed, but 1660 passengers and crew were saved by rescue ships.

Bianca C (1961) The Bianca has the dubious distinction of being sunk twice. As a passenger ferry, it was scuttled by the Germans in WWII. When she was sold to Costa Lines and refitted as a cruise ship, she sank for the second time when there was an explosion in the engine room.

Angelina Lauro (1979) This ship caught fire in port at Saint Thomas. The ship burned for several days and was a total loss. While being towed to a scrapyard later that year, the Angelina Lauro sank.

MS Mikhail Lermentov (1986) On a cruise from Sydney that was on a two-week itinerary to New Zealand, the ship hit some rocks while sailing past Cape Jackson.

SS Admiral Nakhimov (1986) While operating cruises in the Black Sea, this ship collided with a freighter. They had communicated with the freighter’s captain who had assured the SS Nakhimov that they would be able to avoid a collision.

MV Jupiter (1988) This Greek-registered ship conducted cruises around the Mediterranean. She sank just 40 minutes after leaving Piraeus with a study cruise. There were 391 British schoolchildren and 84 adults on the ship, along with 110 crew. One child, one teacher and two crew died.

Achille Lauro (1988) The Achille Lauro had several unfortunate events including a hijacking, two collisions with other ships and four onboard fires. The last fire sank the ship off the coast of Somalia.

MTS Oceanos (1991) This ship, sailing from Greece, sank from excessive flooding that was caused by freak waves. It is believed that the waves broke a ventilation pipe that had not been correctly repaired and caused the flooding to be severe. To their shame, the captain and some crew abandoned the ship. It was the entertainers on the ship who gave alarm and guided passengers to safety. The captain and crew members were later convicted.

Sun Vista (1999) The sun set on this ship due to an engine room fire. The fire cut all power to the ship’s operating mechanisms and she sank in the Strait of Malacca.

SeaBreeze (2000) The boiler in the ship broke off and damaged the ship. This happened in 30-foot seas, which caused the ship to take on water and capsize. The ship had no passengers on board as she was headed into port for engine repairs.

Britanis (2000) While being towards a scrapyard in India, this ship began to take on water and list. As there was no one on board, the list was not corrected. The tugboat towing Britianis cut the ship free and it capzied and sank off the coast of Cape Town.

MV Explorer (2007) A small cruise ship, the MV Explorer was the first cruise ship that was specifically used for cruises to the Antarctic Ocean. She struck an iceberg and sank. Her passengers and crew made it to the lifeboats and were rescued after drifting for five hours.

MS Sea Diamond (2007) Striking a reef 430 feet from shore, the Captain was blamed and jailed for this sinking. The sea charts he was using were incorrect, and had stated that the reefs were 187 feet from shore off the island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea.

Costa Concordia (2012) In modern history, the Costa Concordia is the most famous cruise ship that has sunk. It struck an underwater rock off the coast of Tuscany. The Captain was also blamed for taking the ship off course and too close to the shore line. He was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Eastern Star (2015) This Chinese river cruise ship was caught in a storm as she was sailing to Chongqing. The ship sank in just 50 feet of water, but only 12 people of the 456 onboard survived.

Ocean Dream (2016) This ship has many owners and about half a dozen names. After having been abandoned in Thailand for over a year, she sank when she capsized.

Orient Queen (2020) The Orient Queen would sail from Beirut to the eastern Mediterranean. While in port, with no passengers on board, the ship sank after there was a huge ammonium nitrate explosion at the port. Other ships also in port were damaged, but the Orient Queen was the only one to sink.

How Often do Cruise Ships Sink?

Whether you’ve seen the Titanic, heard about Costa Concordia, or are thinking of booking a cruise, one of the most common questions new cruisers ask to assess their safety is how often cruise ships sink.

To give you a quick insight into how often cruise ships sink, we list below the vessels that have sunk and then go over each in more detail so you get a full understanding of the situation and the likelihood of a cruise ship ever sinking again.

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

16 cruise ships have sunk since 1912, which was the year the Titanic sank.

The first 6 sinkings up to 1956 were technically all ocean liners rather than cruise ships, but many people think of them as the same because they both can carry thousands of passengers.

See the post was the Titanic a cruise ship for a look at the key differences, some of which made ocean liners more likely to sink than a modern-day cruise ship.

Of the 16 cruise ship sinkings, one was a Chinese River cruise ship, and another was an Estonian cruiseferry, so not technically a cruise ship, but still similar in many ways with the capacity for carrying hundreds of passengers.

Of the ocean-going cruise ships, not all sunk while out at sea. In some instances, they didn’t even have passengers onboard.

Depending on what angle you are asking the question, the below table of cruise ship sinkings should help you find your answer.

Cruise Ship Sinkings Since the Titianic (1912 )

The table below details 16 cruise ships of various cruise vessel types that have sunk since the Titanic in 1912.

We have included vessel type, as arguably it said some of the vessels weren’t technically cruise ships, but we think most people think of the Titanic as a cruise ship, so we have included it and other similar ocean liners.

Considering there are more cruise ships than ever on the seas today, it’s clear that not many cruise ships have sunk in recent times.

How Many Cruise Ships Sink a Year?

With 16 cruise ship sinkings from 1912 to 2022, we can determine that a cruise ship sinks every 6 years 10 months.

On average, that works out as a lot less than 1 cruise ship a year. Just 0.15% of a cruise ship, to be precise.

The answer to this question will vary depending on your chosen timeframe, vessel type, and the reason for sinking.

For example, do you want to include ocean liners and a cruiseferry and do you want to include cruise ships that were empty and on the way to being scrapped?

When Was the Last Time a Cruise Ship Sunk?

The last time an ocean-going cruise ship sank was in 2012, when the Costa Concordia hit a reef off the coast of Italy. Thirty-two people died in the incident. 4200 were rescued.

The sinking of the Costa Concordia is probably the most familiar cruise ship people think of when they ask this question. Although the cruise ship only partially sank, it did not become completely submerged beneath the surface of the water.

Since 2012 there have been no other recorded sinkings of ocean-going cruise ships.

Although the almost empty moored Orient Queen cruise ship sank in 2020 when it was damaged in a huge explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, it capsized that same night. Two crew members died.

How Often Do Cruise Ships Sink?

Thankfully the answer is very rarely, but there have been a few notable instances where cruise ships have met with accidents leading to sinking.

From the table, we can see that in 110 years, 16 cruise ships have sunk. This means, on average, 1 cruise ship sinks every 6.8 years.

However, in more modern times, since 2000, only 4 cruise ships have sunk while out at sea, an average of once every 5.5 years.

It does depend on what type of cruise ship you are considering and the situation in which it sank, at sea or empty at the port, destroyed in an explosion (Orient Queen) or awaiting to be scrapped anyway (Belofin-1 ).

Thankfully, when you think of the number of cruise ships launched into the water and currently sailing oceans, rivers, and great lakes all over the world cases like these are rare. Cruise ships have become much safer over the years and much less likely to ever sink.

As you can see, it’s very rare for a cruise ship to sink, but it does happen on occasion. In most cases, the cause is weather-related or due to hitting an obstacle like a reef or iceberg. However, there’s always the chance of a rogue wave event, which has been suspected of sinking other ship types, but thankfully not a cruise ship.

So now that we’ve answered the question of how often cruise ships sink, let’s take a more in-depth look at each of the four major instances where this unfortunate event has happened.

Well-Known Cruise Ships That Sunk

Here’s a look at some of the most famous (or infamous) cases of cruise ships sinking.

The Titanic is, without a doubt, the most famous cruise ship to ever sink. The vessel hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage in 1912 and went down, taking over 1,500 passengers and crew with it, partly because it did not have enough lifeboats for all passengers.

At the time, the Titanic was the largest and most luxurious ship ever built. It was meant to be an unsinkable vessel, but of course, we all know now that no ship is truly unsinkable.

The sinking of the Titanic is a tragic story that has been told time and time again. It’s one of the most famous maritime disasters in history and has been the subject of numerous books, movies, and TV shows.

4 years later in 1916, the Titanic sister ship, the HMHS Britannic , which had been turned into a hospital ship, was famously sunk by a German mine.

Some people might question, was the Titanic a Cruise Ship ? Technically it was an ocean liner, but because it carried thousands of passengers and is thought to be a cruise ship by many, we have included it.

Costa Concordia

In the past, many ships that sank 100 or so years ago were ocean liners and nothing like the mega-cruise ships carrying thousands of passengers at a time.

The Costa Concordia was a much more recent example of a cruise ship sinking of the large modern-day design many of us know and love.

The vessel hit a reef off the coast of Italy in 2012 and capsized, killing 32 people.

The Costa Concordia was carrying 4,229 passengers and crew at the time of the incident. Thankfully, most people were able to evacuate the ship before it sank.

The captain of the Costa Concordia was later convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years in prison. One year of that sentence was for leaving the ship early instead of being the last to leave as per one of the duties of a highly-paid cruise captain salary .

In 1994, the MS Estonia sank in the Baltic Sea after hitting a storm, killing 852 people.

The MS Estonia was a cruise ferry carrying 989 passengers and crew at the time of the incident. It was traveling from Tallinn, Estonia to Stockholm, Sweden, when it hit a storm and started taking on water.

The MS Estonia quickly sank, and only 137 people were able to be rescued from the frigid waters. It is considered one of the deadliest maritime disasters of the 20th century.

Dongfang zhi Xing ( Oriental Star or Eastern Star )

The Dongfang Zhi Xing (translated as Oriental Star or Eastern Star ) was a Chinese river cruise ship that capsized in 2015 during a heavy storm. 442 people were killed in the incident.

The Dongfang zhi Xing was carrying 454 passengers and crew at the time of the accident. Only 12 people were able to be rescued from the ship.

The cause of the capsizing was determined to be a severe storm that caused the ship to lose stability and tip over .

Other Cruise Ships That Sank

Prior to 1991, only ocean liners, like the Titanic and cruiseferries had sunk.

Since the year 1991, there have been 8 cruise ship sinkings, or partial sinkings (not including the cruiseferry MS Estonia)

Excluding Costa Concordia and Dongfang zhi xing, which we covered above, there have been 6 other cruise ship sinkings.

MTS Oceanos (1991)

The Oceanos was a French-built Greek-owned cruise ship that sank off the coast of South Africa in 1991. The vessel started taking on water after a series of leaks in the hull.

The ship had a capacity of 550 passengers and 250 crew.

All passengers and crew were successfully evacuated from the ship before it completely sunk. No one was killed or injured in the incident.

However, the captain and some crew members were later arrested and convicted of negligence for fleeing the ship while passengers were still on board.

Sun Vista (SS Galileo Galilei) (1999)

The SS Sun Vista was a cruise ship that caught fire and sank in 1999. The fire started in the vessel’s engine room while it was sailing from Malaysia to Singapore.

All 1,090 passengers and crew were evacuated from the ship before it sank. No one was killed but some people were injured in the incident and needed hospitalization.

Sun Vista was the name at the time of the sinking. The ship was originally built as the ocean liner SS Galileo Galilei and later converted to a cruise ship.

Passengers reportedly sang music from the Titanic movie to keep their spirits up. ( Source ).

MS Sea Diamond (2007)

The MS Sea Diamond was a Finnish cruise ship that sank off the coast of Santorini, Greece, in 2007. The vessel hit a volcanic reef and started taking on water.

The cruise ship had a capacity of 1537 passengers, with 1,195, mostly American and Canadian onboard at the time of the incident.

All passengers and crew were evacuated from the ship before it completely sunk. 2 people were killed in the incident.

This short video captures the cruise ship sinking in its final moments.

SS SeaBreeze (2000)

The SeaBreeze cruise ship sank off the coast of North Carolina in December 2000. This was allegedly due to a boiler breaking off and damaging the ship and the engine room flooding.

Coast guard rescuers at the time did not expect the ship to sink and thought it could be towed to shore by tug boats, but the captain demanded everyone be extracted from the ship as soon as possible.

Subsequently, the ship sank in Panamanian waters, which was potentially convenient as any investigation would have expected to have been much less stringent than those carried out by American investigators had it sunk in very nearby American waters.

There was much suspicion around the sinking because the scrap value of the ship was estimated to be around $5 to $6 million, which was much less than its insurance payout value of $20 million.

The cruise ship had a capacity of 840 passengers and 400 crew.

At the time of the incident, there were 34 people all onboard who were all extracted to safety.

Belofin-1 (SS Monterey ) (2000)

The Belofin-1 had recently been sold for scrap and was meant to be being towed to India, but went via Mexico from Ukraine in 2000 when it sank near just over 90km from Cape Town, South Africa.

The vessel started taking on water and listing, so the tug boats cut here free and allowed how to sink.

The ship was previously known as the SS Monterey and had a capacity for 701 passengers and 360 crew.

MV Explorer (2007)

The MV Explorer was a small Liberian cruise ship and the first of its kind to sail the Antarctic waters.

The ship had departed from Argentina, attempting to follow the route of 19th-century explorer Ernest Shackleton through the Drake Passage,a route well known for its rough seas.

The vessel sank in early November 2007 after hitting an iceberg which made a gash in the hull, allowing water to enter.

The ship had a capacity for a total of 104 passengers and 54 crew.

On the day of the incident 154 passengers, guides and crew were successfully evacuated from the ship before it sunk.

There were no fatalities or injuries as a result of the incident.

The video news report below shows photos of the listing ship and passengers being rescued.

Orient Queen (2020)

The Orient Queen was a Spanish cruise ship that was berthed in Beirut, Lebanon, at the time of a huge explosion of a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the port.

The ship suffered severe damage and capsized that night before partially sinking.

It was quite small by modern standards, with a capacity of 370 guests.

Two crew members were killed.

How Many Carnival Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

Carnival is one world’s largest cruise lines, but since it has existed, only one of its vessels has ever sunk, the Costa Concordia in 2012.

Although Costa is an Italian cruise ship company, it is owned by Carnival Corporation.

From its fleet of Carnival brand cruise ships, none have ever sunk or capsized.

There have been less serious incidents, such as in 2010, the Carnival Splendor had to be towed to port after an engine room fire disabled the vessel.

A more recent and well-known incident was that of a fire on Carnival Triumph, since renamed Carnival Sunshine. The ship was left stranded and without power after the generator caught fire.

Infamously the incident led to the ship being referred to as “the poop cruise” because raw sewage backed up onto the passenger decks and passengers had to use plastic bags as a makeshift solution. It’s no wonder they renamed it.

Why Don’t Cruise Ships Tip Over or Sink?

There are many reasons why a cruise ship sinking is such a rare event, and that’s because of how they are designed.

Although many modern-day cruise ships look top-heavy, with relatively small proportions of the ship underwater , it’s no surprise people wonder if a cruise ship can tip over .

They are designed to have a low center of gravity, with most of the weight at the bottom of the ship . A wide, stable hull and other stabilizing factors, such as ballast tanks, stabilizing fins, and bilge keels, keeps a ship upright in even the roughest of sea conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cruise ships have sunk in the last 5 years.

In the last 5 years since 2017, only one cruise ship has sunk, the Orient Queen, which was damaged in a port explosion in Lebanon.

How Many Royal Caribbean Ships Have Sunk?

There have been no recorded instances of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship sinking.

Has a Disney Cruise Ship Ever Sunk?

No Disney cruise ships have ever sunk or capsized.

Conclusion: What Can We Learn From These Incidents?

While it’s certainly tragic when a cruise ship sinks, it’s important to remember that these incidents are rare.

The Titanic is the most famous example of a cruise ship sinking, but it happened over 100 years ago.

The Costa Concordia, MS Estonia, and Dongfang zhi Xing are more recent examples, but they are still relatively rare.

When you compare the number of cruise ship passengers to the number of incidents, it’s clear that cruising is a safe way to travel.

Of course, no one wants to be on a ship that sinks, so it’s important to do your research before booking a cruise. If you are concerned, check the ship’s safety record and ensure it meets all required safety standards.

Cruising is a great way to see the world and is generally very safe.

What is the Draft of a Cruise Ship? (and Why Does it Matter?)

How Many Doors on a Cruise Ship? (Yes, I Counted)

A Comprehensive List of Sunk Cruise Ships and Their Maritime Tales

Introduction

Imagine setting sail on a luxurious cruise ship, ready to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The salty sea breeze in your hair, the sun glistening on the horizon, and the promise of adventure on the high seas.

For many of us, a cruise vacation represents the epitome of leisure and luxury. However, lurking beneath the surface of this perfect image is a fascinating and, at times, unsettling history of cruise ships that have met an unfortunate fate.

Don’t worry, it’s an extremely unusual incident, and even if it does occur, this era’s safety systems ensure that most, if not all, passengers and crew are entirely safe.

While cruising is considered one of the safest modes of travel, the chronicles of maritime history are sprinkled with stories of shipwrecks, lost treasures, and unsolved enigmas.

Has a cruise ship ever gone down?

You would love to know that thankfully, very few cruise ships have actually sunk in modern history. Today’s cruise ships are designed to endure severe weather.

Furthermore, cruise lines actively monitor the weather in order to avoid storms wherever feasible. Having said that, you’ve probably wondered how many cruise ships have sunk at some point.

If river cruise ships and ocean liners are included, around 20 or more cruise ships have sunk over our recent 100 years of history.

Arranging Royal Caribbean Ships: From Newest to Oldest

Carnival cruise director’s schedule for 2024-2025, carnival cruise ships ranked by size along with visual comparison chart.

We will be looking at some of the incidences and to your surprise, almost over 2,000 people have died in these occurrences, with ships sinking before 1940 accounting for more than half of the deaths. Many of the occurrences resulted in no deaths.

Let’s check out the list of sunken masters of the waters.

1. April 1912, Titanic

The Titanic’s sinking became a headline not for its cinematic adaptation but stands out as one of the deadliest as it accounted for over 1500 deaths.

On her maiden voyage across the Atlantic, she collided with an iceberg that resulted in a tragic incident. The deadliest maritime tragedy was caused by to insufficient number of lifeboats for the passengers.

In addition, there was a limited chance of survival for those without lifeboats in the waters where the ship went down. This haunting story taught a lesson emphasizing the value of safety precautions when sailing.

2. May 1914, Empress of Ireland

Two years after the Titanic’s tragic sinking, a similar incident happened in May 1914. The ship called Empress of Ireland with 1500 passengers, collided with the Norwegian ship Storstad. Despite sighting each other, dense fog made it worse for them.

1,012 passengers and crew members died in this horrific tragedy, and the Empress of Ireland was sadly only four journeys away from making its 1,000 successful voyages.

The story of this ill-fated liner serves as a reminder of the dangers and uncertainties that travelers and sailors can encounter on the high seas.

3. May 1915, Lusitania

The Lusitania, a cruise ship launched by Cunard Line in 1906, once held the prestigious title of the world’s largest passenger ship. However, its fate took a tragic turn during World War I.

For nine successful years, the Lusitania completed 201 transatlantic journeys. Yet, on its 202nd voyage from New York to Liverpool, disaster struck when a German U-boat torpedoed the ship off the southern coast of Ireland.

The ferocity of the explosion and the rapid tilting of the ship allowed for only six lifeboats to be launched. As a result, 1,198 passengers and crew members lost their lives, while 764 fortunate individuals managed to survive.

The sinking of the Lusitania remains a black chapter in maritime history, a poignant reminder of the perils faced during wartime travel on the high seas.

4. November 1916, Britannic

Originally intended to be a passenger ship, the Britannic, one of the Olympic Class ocean liners operated by White Star Line, was converted into a hospital ship during World War I.

A German naval mine in the Kea Channel caused tragedy in November 1916, as the ship sank in under 55 minutes. About thirty people were casualties, although most passengers got out alive.

5. October 1927, Principessa Mafalda

Built in 1909 and named for Princess Mafalda of Savoy, the Italian cruise ship Principessa Mafalda suffered tragedy in 1927.

The ship sustained structural damage when it sank while traveling between Argentina and Italy as a result of a major propeller shaft failure. Sadly, 314 of the 1,252 passengers and crew members who were involved in the tragedy died.

6. June 1931, Saint-Philibert

In 1931, tragedy struck when a tiny cruise ship collapsed and drowned off the coast of France, killing nearly 500 people and leaving only eight survivors. The ship ran summertime cruises along the French coast before the catastrophe.

The accident was caused by a number of things, including overloading the aircraft with twice as many people on board as was planned and extremely inclement weather.

7. May 1932, Georges Philippar

A modern French ocean liner tragically sank on its inaugural voyage because of an electrical problem. Faulty high-voltage wiring and a broken light switch caused a fire that killed 54 people.

To avoid delays in construction, quality concerns about the vessel were ignored. Improved onboard electrical safety measures were put in place after the event, including installing more dependable circuit breakers and switching to a different current type.

8. 1934 , SS Morro Castle

The SS Morro Castle was launched in 1930 and was designed especially to make regular sailings between the US and Cuba.

However, due to a tragic incident in 1934, the ship sank due to a fire caused by the electrical cables and hydraulic lines used for steering the ship.

In this accident,137 people lost their lives and the crew was blamed who handling the emergency badly.

9. October 1940, Empress of Britain

Two phases of the great ocean liner Empress of Britain’s death occurred during World War II. After being attacked from above on October 26, German U-boats sunk it on October 28.

Thankfully, 416 crew members, 2 gunners, and 205 passengers—the majority of the passengers and personnel—all safely escaped the vessel. Still, 45 people lost their lives in the catastrophe.

10. July 1956, Andrea Doria

Even though it was tragic, the Andrea Doria accident brought to light important improvements in ship safety since the Titanic accident. It listed on one side after hitting Stockholm, making it more difficult to approach the lifeboat.

But as the ship sank gradually, the crew was able to use their improved communication and rescue skills to save 1,660 passengers and crew members. The next day’s sinking was not the cause of the casualties; rather, it was the collision.

11. October 1961, Bianca C

Because the Bianca C sank twice, it has a special place in nautical history. During World War II, German soldiers destroyed the passenger ferry that it was originally intended for.

Following its salvage, Costa Line—the forerunner of Costa Cruises—refurbished it and gave it the new name Bianca C.

But calamity struck again in 1961, this time due to an explosion in the engine room that caused it to sink again. Thankfully, everyone on board survived the incident save for one crew member.

12. 1979 September, Angelina Lauro

With a storied past, the Angelina Lauro began service as a passenger ferry in 1939 and later became a hospital ship during World War II. It was reborn as a cruise ship in 1972.

But tragedy struck in 1979 when it caught fire in Saint Thomas port, while Costa Lines was in charge. Days passed with no casualties, but the ship was declared irreparable. Then, on the way to a scrapyard, it capsized fatally.

13. February 1986, MS Mikhail Lermentov

In 1982, the large ship MS Mikhail Lermentov, which was owned by the Soviet Union’s Baltic Shipping Company, became a cruise liner.

Tragic events occurred in 1986 while on a two-week exploration cruise from Sydney to Cape Jackson, which is close to Wellington.

Not about twenty minutes after the last passenger was saved, the ship completely sank, despite the quick response that saw the majority of the 372 passengers and 348 crew members evacuate into lifeboats. Pavel Zagladimov was sadly the only crew member to die in the tragedy.

14. August 1986, SS Admiral Nakhimov

The ship’s incredible history includes three separate sinkings! It was submerged and eventually came into the possession of the Soviet Union after being used by the Nazis as a hospital ship during the war.

The ship sank again in spite of attempts to raise it, only to rise again. 423 of the 1,234 people on board perished in the collision with a freighter that occurred in 1986 while it was conducting cruises in the Black Sea.

15. August 1991, MTS Oceanos

Three years after the MV Jupiter catastrophe, which claimed four lives, the Greek ship MTS Oceanos met her awful end in 1991.

The ship sank as a result of excessive water entering the vessel from suddenly big waves breaking a badly fitted pipe. Thankfully, all 581 passengers and the crew made it out alive.

The entertainers warned and helped guests to safety, however, the captain and a few other crew members were judged to be at fault for leaving the ship.

16. December 1994, Achille Lauro

Before joining MSC Cruises, the MS Achille Lauro was originally ordered by a Dutch business. The trip was turbulent and filled with catastrophes like fire, explosions, and hijacking.

Tragically, it caught fire and sank off the coast of Somalia on December 2, 1994. Two people lost their lives during the evacuation, which involved 979 passengers and crew members.

17. May 1999, Sun Vista

Before changing her name to Sun Vista in 1997, the ship was operated by Celebrity Cruises for seven years under the name SS Galileo Galilei.

Two years later, tragically, an engine room fire caused it to sink, leaving all power disconnected.

Thankfully, all 1,090 passengers and crew members disembarked safely and without incident thanks to contemporary safety requirements.

18. October 2000, Britanis

In 2000, the British transferred ownership of the vessel from Chandris Lines to AG Belofin Investments with the goal of dismantling it in India.

But as it traveled, it started to listen and absorb water. The only option was to let it capsize and sink off the coast of Cape Town since there was no personnel on board to deal with the problem.

19. 2000 , SeaBreeze

The SeaBreeze was launched in 1958 and is owned by Costa Cruises primarily. Later the ownership was transferred to Premier Cruises in 1983.

In the year 2000, the ship sank due to the breaking off boiler that caused sufficient damage to sink the ship.

As per reports, it is believed that it was an intentional incident to claim for insurance money and had received $20 million as compensation. When the ship sank, only 34 crew members were on board and all were rescued.

20. April 2007, MS Sea Diamond

After twenty years of service, the MS Sea Diamond—originally ordered by Birka Line as the Birka Princess—was transferred to Louis Hellenic Cruise Lines. But catastrophe struck in 2007 when it became stuck on the rocks of Santorini.

Even though it was later found that incomplete charts had contributed to the tragedy, the captain still had to deal with the fallout.

Although more than 1,000 passengers and crew members were amazingly saved, the loss of two French passengers—who are believed to be dead—remains a sobering reminder of the human cost of the ordeal.

21. 2007 , MV Explorer

The MV Explorer was a small cruise ship launched in 1969 and had many owners till her last date. in her life, launching first in 1969.

She became the first cruise ship specifically that went across Antarctic Ocean. Unfortunately it also became the first ship to sink there too.

In 2007, it collided with an iceberg and 91 passengers, 54 crew and 9 expert guides had to take lifeboats to save their lives. After five hours of the nightmare everyone was rescued by the MS Nordnorge.

22. January 2012, Costa Concordia

Frequently compared to its historical forerunner, the Titanic, the Costa Concordia represents a contemporary symbol of maritime catastrophe.

After the ship sank because it sailed too close to Tuscany, 34 people died—passengers, crew, and members of the salvage team—out of the 4,252 people that were on board, the majority of them were more than 3,200 passengers.

The captain, Francesco Schettino, was found guilty and sentenced to sixteen years in prison for the fatal incident.

23. June 2015, Eastern Star

A Chinese river cruise ship called “Dongfang Zhi Xing” operated on its usual course down the Yangtze River until an unfortunate incident occurred in 2015.

It was destroyed by a strong storm while traveling from Nanjing to Chongqing, foundering in shallow water that was just 15 meters deep.

Only 12 of the 456 people on board made it through the ordeal; the remaining 442 passengers and crew perished. The passengers, who were mostly old, faced immediate disaster when the ship quickly capsized.

Better severe weather communication procedures were consequently put in place for river excursions, and the Chinese government found that 43 people were held accountable for management carelessness.

24. February 2016, Ocean Dream

There is nothing like the history of the Ocean Dream. Norwegian Cruise Line had originally ordered the Seaward, but due to building issues, the purchase was canceled.

The ship was later purchased by P&O, who renamed it the Spirit of London. It sailed the world under different names and ownerships.

It finally met its demise in 2016, drowning in Thailand following a year of abandonment. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the incident.

25. August 2020, Orient Queen

The Abou Merhi Group in Lebanon owned the Orient Queen, which sailed from Beirut to explore the enchanted eastern Mediterranean, including stops in Turkey and Greece.

Sadly, in 2020, the ship sank while parked in port due to a massive explosion caused by ammonium nitrate that rocked the port.

Sadly, the event claimed the lives of two crew members. Orient Queen was the only cruise liner to sink, however, several other vessels in the port suffered damage.

Set out on an elegant cruise journey, where you are set for amazing adventures as the sun shines down on the horizon and the ocean breeze tousles your hair.

Although cruising is associated with the epitome of luxury and leisure, it has an intriguing and often unsettling past.

Modern safety precautions guarantee the safety of both passengers and crew, even in the rare event of an accident.

Maritime mythology abounds with stories of shipwrecks, missing wealth, and mysteries, even though cruises are still one of the safest modes of transportation.

For those of you who may have been scared about setting foot on a cruise ship, take heart. The numbers reveal that ship sinkings are exceedingly uncommon, and robust safety measures stand as stalwart protectors.

With these reassurances, you’re now free to embark on a splendid cruise holiday without a worry in sight.

FAQ’s

1. what is the probability of a cruise ship to sink.

Ans – The probability of a sinking ship is very low. In the last 50 years, 11 cruise ships sank while on a voyage. It is neither easy nor accurate to predict this condition.

2. What is the reason behind cruise ship not sinking?

Ans – The way these ships are built they are meant to remain upright and the inbuilt ballast tanks protects the ship from sinking.

The advanced navigation systems and safety mechanisms, along with expert and trained crew has made the journey on cruise safe and fear free.

Get Cruise-Smart! Join our Crew for Tips, Tricks, and Sea-sational Tales. Subscribe Now!

Email address

Royal Caribbean Ships from best to worst

A Comprehensive Comparison of Carnival Cruise Ships 2023

Carnival Cruise Director’s Schedule for 2024-2025

How Expensive Is Cruise Travel?

The Meaning Behind Pink Flamingos

Username or Email Address

Remember Me

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

February 15, 2024
Cruise Ships

Cruising is often seen as the perfect getaway, filled with exciting activities and opportunities for relaxation. It is usually seen as a safe way of traveling, though you still may have wondered: How many cruise ships have sunk?

In the past 100 years, approximately 24 cruise ships have sunk. The causes and impacts of these incidents vary, including wartime activities, accidents, and severe weather conditions. In some cases, ships sank only while being towed.

In modern times, cruise ships rarely sink, thanks to strict safety rules, ship stabilizers, modern technology to help avoid rough seas, and regular practice drills for emergencies. These advancements have significantly improved the safety and reliability of cruise travel, making incidents of sinking exceedingly rare.

Cruise lines have implemented numerous precautions to enhance passenger safety. Advanced weather tracking systems, improved life-saving equipment, and rigorous safety protocols are now standard. Continuous crew training in emergency response and evacuation procedures further ensures that cruising remains one of the safest forms of travel.

But, there have still been some cases where cruise ships have gone down due to bad weather , mistakes by people, or problems with the ship itself.

In this article, we’re going to look at these rare events, talking about how many cruise ships have sunk, what led to these sad moments, and how they’ve helped make cruise ships safer today.

List of Cruise Ships That Have Sunk Throughout History

Here is a list of cruise ships that have sunk throughout history, including ocean liners, as they are considered early versions of modern cruise ships. The list is organized chronologically, from the earliest to the most recent sinkings.

Titanic (1912)

Although not technically a cruise ship in the modern sense, the Titanic was designed to be the largest and most luxurious ship of its time, a hallmark of today’s cruise ships. Its April 1912 inaugural voyage ended in tragedy, and it is now one of the most renowned maritime disasters in history.

On the night of April 14, 1912, four days into its journey from Southampton to New York City, the Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean. The collision caused the ship’s hull plates to buckle inwards along its starboard side and opened five of its sixteen watertight compartments to the ocean. Despite being touted as “unsinkable”, the Titanic was fatally damaged. The ship’s design allowed it to stay afloat if two compartments were flooded, but not more. As water spilled from one compartment into the next, the fate of the Titanic was sealed.

The sinking of the Titanic was a horrifying event, marked by acts of heroism and tragic loss. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, more than 1,500 lost their lives, making it one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. The ship also didn’t have enough lifeboats, which made the situation much worse.

The aftermath of the Titanic disaster led to many changes in maritime safety practices. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) was formed in 1914 to ensure that ships would be equipped with adequate lifeboat space for everyone on board, among other safety measures.

Sinking date: April 14, 1912 Deaths: 1,517 Survivors: 705 Maiden voyage: April 10, 1912 Length: 883 ft. (269 m) Original capacity: 2,453 passengers

RMS Empress of Ireland (1914)

The sinking of the RMS Empress of Ireland is one of the most tragic maritime disasters in history. On May 29, 1914, the Empress of Ireland, a Canadian Pacific steamship, collided with the Norwegian collier SS Storstad in the Saint Lawrence River, near Pointe-au-Père, Quebec, Canada. The Empress was on her 96th transatlantic voyage, heading from Quebec City to Liverpool, England, with 1,477 passengers and crew aboard.

The collision occurred in the early hours, under a thick fog. The Storstad, carrying a load of coal, struck the Empress of Ireland on her starboard side, causing a gaping hole. The impact was devastating; the Empress began to sink rapidly, making many of the lifeboats unusable. Panic ensued as passengers and crew scrambled to escape the rapidly sinking ship. In less than 15 minutes, the Empress of Ireland sank into the cold waters of the Saint Lawrence River, claiming the lives of 1,012 people. Only 465 people survived the disaster.

Sinking date: May 29, 1914 Deaths: 1,012 Survivors: 465 Maiden voyage: June 29, 1906 Length: 574 ft. (175 m) Original capacity: 1,542 passengers

RMS Lusitania (1915)

The RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner and one of the world’s largest and fastest passenger ships at the time. During World War I, on May 7, 1915, it was sunk by a German U-boat (submarine) off the southern coast of Ireland.

The Lusitania was en route from New York City to Liverpool, England, carrying 1,959 passengers and crew, along with a significant amount of cargo. Despite warnings from the German Embassy, the Lusitania set sail on what would be its final voyage.

On the afternoon of May 7, the German U-boat U-20 fired a single torpedo at the Lusitania, which struck the starboard side of the ship. The explosion and a second internal explosion caused the Lusitania to sink in just 18 minutes, resulting in the deaths of 1,198 passengers and crew.

The sinking of the Lusitania caused an international outcry, particularly in the United States, where 128 American citizens were among the dead. The German government justified the attack by alleging that the Lusitania was carrying munitions and other contraband, making it a legitimate military target. This claim was partly substantiated.

Sinking date: May 7, 1915 Deaths: 1,197 Survivors: 761 Maiden voyage: September 13, 1907 Length: 787 ft. (240 m) Original capacity: 2,198 passengers

HMHS Britannic (1916)

The HMHS Britannic, the third and largest of the Olympic-class ocean liners, was a sister ship of the RMS Titanic and RMS Olympic. Designed with luxury and safety in mind, the Britannic was launched just before the outbreak of World War I and was used as a hospital ship during World War I. It was on a mission to transport wounded soldiers from the Middle East back to Britain when it sank.

On the morning of November 21, 1916, while navigating through the Aegean Sea, near Greece, the Britannic struck a mine believed to have been laid by the German submarine U-73. The explosion caused severe damage to the starboard side of the ship. The Britannic began to flood rapidly and sank within 55 minutes of the explosion.

The evacuation was chaotic. Lifeboats were launched prematurely by panicked crew members, and some were sucked into the ship’s propellers, resulting in many casualties. Despite this, the majority of the 1,066 people on board were saved.

Today, the Britannic remains on its side at the bottom of the Aegean Sea. The wreck was discovered in 1975 by Jacques Cousteau and has since been explored by numerous expeditions. The sinking of the Britannic, while not as well known as the Titanic disaster, remains one of the greatest maritime tragedies of World War I.

Sinking date: November 21, 1916 Deaths: 30 Survivors: 1,036 Maiden voyage: December 23, 1915 Length: 882 ft. (269 m) Original capacity: 489 passengers

MS Georges Philippar (1932)

The MS Georges Philippar was a French ocean liner named after Georges Philippar, a prominent figure in the French shipping industry. The ship was part of the fleet of Messageries Maritimes, a major French shipping company. Its design was cutting-edge for the time, featuring luxurious accommodations and advanced safety features.

On its maiden voyage from Marseille to the Far East, tragedy struck in the Gulf of Aden, near the coast of Yemen. During the night, a fire broke out onboard, quickly spreading through the ship. Despite the crew’s efforts to contain it, the fire overwhelmed the ship’s safety measures. The passengers and crew faced a chaotic and desperate situation as the flames engulfed the liner.

The disaster led to significant loss of life, with many passengers and crew members perishing in the fire or drowning after abandoning ship. Investigations into the sinking of the MS Georges Philippar focused on the cause of the fire, which was believed to have started in a cargo hold, possibly due to improper storage of flammable materials.

Sinking date: May 16, 1932 Deaths: 41 Maiden voyage: May 16, 1932 Length: 543 ft. (165 m) Original capacity: 1,000+

SS Morro Castle (1934)

The SS Morro Castle was an American ocean liner that sank on September 8, 1934. The ship, which was named after the Morro Castle fortress that guards the entrance to Havana harbor, was en route from Havana, Cuba, to New York City when it caught fire and burned. This led to the deaths of 137 passengers and crew members out of the 549 people on board.

The fire began in the early hours of the morning under mysterious circumstances. The ship’s highly flammable materials helped the fire spread. The disaster was worsened by a lack of leadership following the death of the ship’s captain, Robert Wilmott, from an apparent heart attack the day before the fire. This left the crew without clear command and coordination, contributing to the chaotic evacuation and rescue efforts.

As the Morro Castle burned, it drifted closer to the shore, eventually grounding itself near Asbury Park, New Jersey. On March 14, 1935, the ship was being towed to a scrapyard when it supposedly sank and was then refloated. Though it is disputed whether or not it really sank.

Sinking date: March 14, 1935 (disputed) Deaths: 137 Survivors: 412 Maiden voyage: August 23, 1930 Length: 479 ft. (146 m) Original capacity: 3

RMS Empress of Britain (1940)

The RMS Empress of Britain, a majestic ocean liner of the early 20th century, met its tragic fate on October 28, 1940. While serving as a troopship during World War II, the vessel was torpedoed by a German U-boat off the coast of Ireland. The sinking of the Empress of Britain remains one of the most significant maritime disasters of any war.

The ship was en route from Liverpool, England, to Halifax, Nova Scotia, carrying nearly 2,000 passengers and crew, including military personnel, civilians, and refugees. In the darkness of the early morning hours, the U-32 fired two torpedoes at the Empress of Britain.

Despite efforts to save the ship, the Empress of Britain began to slowly sink. Within 30 minutes of being hit, the ship succumbed to the icy waters of the North Atlantic, sinking beneath the waves. 45 passengers and crew ended up perishing in the tragedy.

Sinking date: October 28, 1940 Deaths: 45 Survivors: 578 Maiden voyage: May 5, 1906 Length: 761 ft. (232 m) Original capacity: ~800

SS Andrea Doria (1956)

The SS Andrea Doria was an Italian ocean liner that launched in 1951. It was considered a symbol of Italian national pride and post-war recovery.

On the night of July 25, 1956, while en route to New York City from Genoa, Italy, the Andrea Doria collided with the MS Stockholm, a Swedish ocean liner, in heavy fog off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Despite having radar, the ships misinterpreted each other, leading to the catastrophic collision. The impact was devastating, tearing a huge hole in the side of the Andrea Doria and causing it to list severely to starboard.

Thanks to the efforts of the crew, nearby ships, and improved safety standards, nearly all of the Andrea Doria’s passengers and crew were saved. Unfortunately, the ship sank the following morning, about 11 hours after the collision.

Sinking date: July 26, 1956 Deaths: 51 Survivors: 753 Maiden voyage: January 14, 1953 Length: 701 ft. (214 m) Original capacity: 1,241 passengers

Angelina Lauro (1979)

Angelina Lauro, previously known as the MS Oranje, was a Dutch passenger ship that served as a hospital ship during World War II and later as a cruise ship. Launched in 1939 and operated initially by the Netherlands Lines, it was requisitioned by the Australian government during the war.

Post-war, it resumed passenger service, and faced a notable collision in 1953, which severely damaged its bow. The ship was sold to Lauro Lines in 1965 and Costa Lines in 1977. In 1979, while docked in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands , a fire led to its total loss. The ship later sank in the middle of a storm while being towed to a scrapyard.

Sinking date: September 24, 1979 Deaths : 0 Maiden voyage: 1939 Length: 656 ft. (200 m) Original capacity: 740 passengers

MS Mikhail Lermontov (1986)

The MS Mikhail Lermontov, originally launched in 1972, was a Soviet ocean liner that was converted into a cruise ship. On the 16th of February, 1986, the MS Mikhail Lermontov had a tragic accident that led to its sinking.

While navigating the Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand, under the guidance of a local pilot, the ship struck rocks near Cape Jackson. The impact tore open the hull, and the MS Mikhail Lermontov sank within hours. At the time of the disaster, the cruise ship was carrying hundreds of passengers and crew on a cruise from Sydney, Australia, to New Zealand.

After the MS Mikhail Lermontov sank in 1986, both New Zealand and Soviet investigators looked into the accident and found that the pilot, Captain Don Jamison, was at fault. They pointed out that he chose a risky path that was too shallow. The investigators questioned his judgment, with a New Zealand official stating, “why he decided to guide the ship over a passage that he actually knew was too shallow, I don’t think he’ll ever be able to answer.”

Sinking date: February 16, 1986 Deaths: 1 Maiden voyage: May 28, 1973 Length: 578 ft. (155 m) Original capacity: 1,334 passengers

MV Jupiter (1988)

The MV Jupiter was a Greek-registered cruise ship that tragically sank on October 21, 1988, just 40 minutes after leaving the port of Piraeus, Greece. This ship was originally launched on February 19, 1961, as Moledet, serving the Zim Israel Navigation Company Ltd before being sold to Epirotiki Line in September 1970 and renamed Jupiter.

On the fateful day, the Jupiter had 391 British schoolchildren and 84 adults on a study cruise, along with a crew of 110 on board. The disaster resulted in the deaths of one pupil, one teacher, and two Greek crew members. The sinking occurred after the Jupiter collided with the Italian freight ship Adige, which tore a hole in the ship, causing it to sink.

Sinking date: October 21, 1988 Deaths: 4 Maiden voyage: March 19, 1974 Length: 218 ft (66 m) Original capacity: 531 passengers

MTS Oceanos (1991)

The MTS Oceanos was a Greek-owned cruise ship that was launched in 1952. On August 4, 1991, the ship became flooded and sank in severe weather off South Africa’s eastern coast.

The Oceanos set out from East London, South Africa, heading towards Durban, carrying 571 passengers and crew. The ship encountered rough seas and strong winds as it sailed along the Wild Coast. The disaster began to unfold when a leak in the engine room led to the failure of the power systems, leaving the ship without pumps to remove incoming water.

As the situation worsened, the ship’s captain abandoned the ship. This act of cowardice became one of the most talked-about aspects of the disaster. Fortunately, the entertainment staff, led by guitarist Moss Hills, took charge of the evacuation, proving instrumental in coordinating the rescue efforts. They used the ship’s radio to make distress calls, which were answered by nearby ships and helicopters.

The rescue operation was remarkable for its success under adverse conditions. All 571 people on board were saved, with no loss of life, thanks to the efforts of the South African Air Force and a Dutch cargo ship.

Sinking date: August 4, 1991 Deaths: 0 Survivors: 571 Maiden voyage: 1953 Length: 502 ft. (153 m) Original capacity: 550 passengers

MS Achille Lauro (1994)

The MS Achille Lauro was an Italian ocean liner most notorious for its hijacking by the Palestine Liberation Front in 1985. The ship met a tragic end when it sank in 1994 in the Indian Ocean. Originally built in 1947 as the MS Willem Ruys by the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd, it was named after Achille Lauro, an Italian businessman and politician, when it was purchased by the Lauro Line in 1965. The ship had an eventful career, serving as both a passenger liner and a cruise ship, traveling to many destinations around the world.

The end of the MS Achille Lauro came on November 30, 1994, while it was sailing off the coast of Somalia in the Indian Ocean. A fire broke out in the engine room and spread throughout the ship. Following the evacuation, the fire continued to rage uncontrollably, and the ship eventually succumbed to the damage.

The MS Achille Lauro eventually sank on December 2, 1994. Thankfully, most of the passengers and crew were evacuated safely, though the tragedy resulted in the loss of two lives.

Sinking date: December 2, 1994 Deaths: 2 Maiden voyage: December 2, 1947 Length: 630 ft. (192 m) Original capacity: 900 passengers

Sun Vista (1999)

The Sun Vista, originally an ocean liner named the SS Galileo Galilei, was a cruise ship that met its fate on May 20, 1999. The ship was in the Strait of Malacca, near Malaysia, when a fire broke out in the engine room. Despite efforts to control the fire, it spread rapidly throughout the ship.

The evacuation process involved more than 1,000 passengers and crew members, who had to abandon the ship and were rescued by lifeboats. The operation was carried out under challenging conditions but, fortunately, resulted in no loss of life.

Following the evacuation, the Sun Vista eventually sank in the early hours of May 21, 1999. The sinking of the Sun Vista was a significant loss in the cruise industry, marking the end of a ship that had served for almost 40 years.

Sinking date: March 23, 1963 Deaths: 0 Survivors: 1,090 Maiden voyage: May 21, 1999 Length: 702 ft. (214 m) Original capacity: 1,750 passengers

MS World Discoverer (2000)

The MS World Discoverer was a small cruise ship designed for navigating through polar waters, offering its passengers the unique experience of exploring some of the most remote areas of the world. Built in 1974 by Schichau Unterweser in Bremerhaven, West Germany, the ship was initially named BEWA Discoverer and was later renamed World Discoverer to reflect its mission of global exploration. The ship had a double hull, so it could safely navigate through ice-packed regions.

On April 30, 2000, the World Discoverer struck an uncharted reef in the Sandfly Passage, a narrow stretch of water in the Solomon Islands. The impact caused severe damage to the ship’s hull, leading to the immediate risk of sinking. The captain managed to beach the vessel nearby reef to prevent it from completely sinking and helped evacuate the passengers and crew.

Following the partial sinking, the MS World Discoverer became a subject of salvage operations. However, due to the remote location and the difficulty in accessing the wreck, the ship was never fully salvaged and remains stranded at Roderick Bay of the Nggela Islands, with a 46 degree tilt.

Sinking date: April 30, 2000 Deaths: 0 Maiden voyage: 1973 Length: 289 ft. (88 m) Original capacity: 137 passengers

MS Sea Diamond (2007)

The MS Sea Diamond was a cruise ship that sank off the coast of Santorini, Greece, in April 2007, leading to the deaths of 2 people. The incident occurred when the ship struck a reef and began taking on water. Despite efforts to control the flooding, the ship was evacuated within hours of the collision. The evacuation process, although chaotic, was largely successful, with most passengers and crew being safely transferred to rescue boats and taken to the island.

Two passengers, a Frenchman and his daughter, were reported missing and later presumed dead, marking a somber note in the otherwise successful evacuation effort. The loss of lives cast a shadow over the incident and led to questions about the ship’s safety procedures. The Greek authorities later launched an investigation into the causes of the sinking.

The sinking of the MS Sea Diamond caused severe environmental pollution. The ship contained large quantities of fuel and hazardous materials, posing a serious threat to marine life in the area. There were some efforts to contain and mitigate the environmental impact, though it’s not certain how effective they were.

Sinking date: April 5, 2007 Deaths: 2 Survivors: Over 1,590 Maiden voyage: April 22, 1986 Length: 469 ft. (143 m) Original capacity: 1,537 passengers

MV Explorer (2007)

The MV Explorer, a Liberian-registered cruise ship built in 1969, gained infamy for its sinking in 2007 under dramatic circumstances. This vessel wasn’t an ordinary cruise ship; it was specifically designed for educational voyages in the Antarctic Ocean.

On November 23, 2007, the MV Explorer encountered trouble in the Bransfield Strait near the South Shetland Islands. The ship struck an iceberg, causing a fist-sized hole in the hull and leading to rapid flooding and the sinking of the ship. Despite the crew’s efforts to manage the situation, the damage was irreparable, and the decision was made to abandon ship. Remarkably, all the passengers, crew, and guides were saved. They waited for hours in the lifeboats until they were rescued by the Norwegian cruise ship MS Nordnorge.

The sinking of the MV Explorer serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of sea travel, especially in the perilous and icy waters of the Antarctic. The Liberian Bureau of Maritime Affairs carried an investigation into the sinking in 2009. The report found that there might have been an underestimation of the risks posed by icebergs in the vessel’s path.

Sinking date: November 23, 2007 Deaths: 0 Survivors: 154 Maiden voyage: 1969 Length: 239 ft. (73 m) Original capacity: 104 passengers

Costa Concordia (2012)

Perhaps the most well-known modern day maritime disaster is the partial sinking of the Costa Concordia. The large cruise ship struck a rock off the coast of Isola del Giglio, Italy, during a maneuver close to the island. This resulted in a large, 160 ft. (50 m) gash in its hull. The Costa Concordia then began to take on water and eventually tilted on its side, leading to a chaotic and panicked evacuation process.

The disaster resulted in the deaths of 32 people, who lost their lives due to various causes, including drowning and injuries sustained during the evacuation. Despite the tragic loss of life, there were many survivors, with over 4,200 people managing to escape the sinking ship. This included passengers from around the world and crew members, who faced harrowing conditions as they sought to flee the tilting vessel.

The captain of the Costa Concordia, Francesco Schettino, was heavily criticized for his actions during and after the collision. He was accused of bringing the ship too close to the shore in a maneuver known as a “salute,” and then abandoning the ship before ensuring that all passengers and crew were safely evacuated. His actions led to criminal charges, including manslaughter.

The ship remained partially submerged off the coast of Giglio for more than two years before a complex salvage operation successfully re-floated the ship so it could be towed away for scrapping.

Sinking date: January 13, 2012 Deaths: 32 Survivors: Over 4,200 Maiden voyage: July 14, 2006 Length: 951 ft. (290 m) Original capacity: 3,700 passengers

Oriental Star (2015)

The sinking of the Oriental Star, also known as the Eastern Star, remains one of the most tragic cruise ship sinkings in recent times. On the evening of June 1, 2015, the Oriental Star was cruising through the waters of the Yangtze River in China when disaster struck.

As the cruise ship navigated the Yangtze River, it encountered a severe storm, including torrential rain and strong winds. These extreme weather conditions caused the ship to capsize suddenly, catching its passengers and crew off guard.

The Oriental Star, which was carrying 456 people onboard, mostly elderly tourists, was overwhelmed by the force of the storm. Within minutes, the ship had turned completely on its side, leaving only a small portion of its hull visible above the water. At the time of the sinking, most of the crew and passengers were asleep. Rescue efforts were immediately launched, with emergency responders and local authorities trying their best to save as many lives as possible.

Tragically, the majority of those onboard the Oriental Star did not survive the disaster. Only 12 passengers and crew members were rescued in the hours and days following the sinking. The final death toll numbered 442, making it one of the deadliest cruise ship sinkings in history.

After the sinking, Chinese authorities launched an investigation to find the cause and see if anyone was at fault. In the end 43 people were punished, though the Chinese media heavily censored the event so many details are unknown.

Sinking date: June 1, 2015 Deaths: 442 Survivors: 12 Maiden voyage: February 1994 Length: 251 ft. (76.5 m) Original capacity: 534 passengers

Orient Queen (2020)

The Orient Queen was a cruise ship owned by Abou Merhi Cruises, under which it sailed primarily in the Eastern Mediterranean. The tragic sinking of the Orient Queen occurred in August 2020, as a direct consequence of the massive explosion in the port of Beirut.

On the 4th of August, a large quantity of ammonium nitrate stored at the port detonated, resulting in one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions in history. The blast caused widespread damage throughout the city of Beirut, killing over 200 people, injuring thousands, and causing extensive property damage.

The Orient Queen, which was moored in the port of Beirut at the time of the explosion, suffered severe damage due to the shockwave and the subsequent flooding. The impact of the explosion was so significant that it led to the ship partially sinking. The event resulted in the loss of two lives among the crew members aboard the ship. The explosion also damaged other ships nearby..

Sinking date: June 27, 2020 Deaths: 2 Maiden voyage: 1989 Length: 423 ft. (129 m) Original capacity: 300 passengers

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk? – FAQ

When was the last time a cruise ship sank?

The last recorded sinking of a cruise ship was the Orient Queen in 2020. The ship sank as a result of the massive explosion that occurred in the port of Beirut, Lebanon, on August 4, 2020. This tragic event was caused by the detonation of a large quantity of ammonium nitrate stored at the port.

The blast was so powerful that it caused significant damage across a large portion of the city, including the port area where the Orient Queen was docked. The force of the explosion inflicted critical damage to the vessel, ultimately leading to its sinking.

What are the odds of a cruise ship sinking?

The odds of a cruise ship sinking are approximately 1 in 273,000, or about 0.00037%, indicating an extremely low probability. This calculation is based on the assumption of 300 cruise ships each conducting 50 sailings annually over the last 50 years, with only 11 ships sinking during this period.

Despite the significant number of sailings—amounting to 750,000 over half a century—the safety record of cruise travel remains exceptional, emphasizing the rarity of such incidents amidst the millions of passenger experiences.

Why don’t cruise ships sink?

Cruise ships are designed with buoyancy and stability in mind, allowing them to float despite their massive size. This is primarily due to their hulls, which are large and hollow, creating a displacement effect that pushes water away, ensuring that the weight of the water displaced is equal to or greater than the weight of the ship. This principle, known as Archimedes’ principle, is key to keeping ships afloat.

Additionally, cruise ships are compartmentalized into watertight sections, which can be sealed off in the event of a breach in the hull, preventing water from filling the entire ship and maintaining buoyancy. Modern cruise ships also incorporate advanced stability technologies and are meticulously designed and tested to ensure they remain upright and stable, even in rough seas.

What was the largest cruise ship that sank?

The Costa Concordia is considered the largest cruise ship to have capsized and sunk. This tragic event occurred on January 13, 2012, when the ship struck a reef off the coast of Isola del Giglio, Italy, leading to a significant breach in its hull. The ship eventually partially sank near the island’s shore. At the time of the incident, the Costa Concordia was among the largest cruise ships in operation, measuring about 114,500 gross tons, with a length of 952 feet (290.20 meters) and a capacity to carry 4,232 passengers and crew.

Final Words

Cruise ship sinkings are very rare, especially considering the vast number of ships that sail the world’s oceans every year.

The cruise industry has seen significant advancements in technology and the implementation of strict safety protocols. These measures, coupled with international regulations, contribute to making cruising a safe form of travel.

Modern ships are equipped with state-of-the-art navigation systems, emergency response procedures, and construction standards that exceed what was available in the past. So these days, the chance of your cruise ship sinking is extremely low.

Adam Stewart

Adam Stewart is the founder of Cruise Galore. He is a passionate traveler who loves cruising. Adam's goal is to enhance your cruising adventures with practical tips and insightful advice, making each of your journeys unforgettable.

How Often Do Cruise Ships Sink?

By: Author David Chapman

Posted on Last updated: February 21, 2024

Categories Health & Safety , LEARN

Modern cruise ships are engineered to withstand the toughest conditions and offer the utmost safety and reliability. Nevertheless, people may wonder how often do cruise ships sink.

The short answer: It’s rare. In the last 50 years, a ship has sunk during the course of a cruise less than once per decade.

Nevertheless, while it rarely happens, we can all easily think of terrible disasters where it did happen – such as the century-old disaster of the RMS Titanic or the decade-old capsize of Costa Concordia. So, how often do these modern marvels of the sea meet a similar fate? The best way is to dive into the history of known cruise ship sinkings to understand the probability of it happening to today’s state-of-the-art vessels.

How Often Do Cruise Ships Sink? It’s Rare!

Cruise ships are some of the largest and most luxurious vessels on the water and are designed to be safe and reliable. However, it is not uncommon for cruise ships to encounter problems at sea; in some cases, these problems can lead to the ship’s sinking. Over the past 100 years since the RMS Titanic sank in 1912, only 18 cruise ships and some ocean liners have been publicly known to have sunk. And, over the past 50 years , only four cruise ships have sunk while navigating on a cruise .

To fully understand the rarity of a cruise ship sinking, let’s examine the known causes of these disasters, beginning with the iconic RMS Titanic.

Exploring Past Sunk Cruise Ships – RMS Titanic In 1912 To Orient Queen In 2020

The RMS Titanic was a luxurious passenger liner known for its grandeur and advanced safety features. Even though the Titanic was an ocean liner rather than a cruise ship , it was the largest ship of its time and was thought to be unsinkable due to its watertight compartments. However, on April 15, 1912 , the Titanic struck an iceberg, broke in half, and sank in the North Atlantic Ocean, resulting in the loss of over 1,500 lives.

The Titanic disaster profoundly impacted the maritime industry and sparked significant changes in how ships were designed and built. One major factor that contributed to the number of lives lost during the sinking was the lack of enough lifeboats on board.

The ship was carrying only enough lifeboats for about half of the passengers and crew, which proved to be a tragic oversight when the ship began to sink.

As a result of the Titanic disaster, new regulations were put in place to ensure that all passenger ships, including cruise ships, were required to carry sufficient lifeboats for passengers and crew on board. Additionally, new safety standards were implemented to improve ships’ design and construction, including stronger materials and more watertight compartments.

Fortunately, since 2020, no confirmed cruise ship capsizing or sinking has occurred. The last one was the Orient Queen suffering no crew or passenger casualties, which sank due to a nearby ammonium nitrate explosion while moored.

Below is a list of some available records of cruise ship sinkings since the iconic Titanic .

Comparing 20th To 21st Century Maritime Disasters

The tale of two disasters – the Titanic and the Costa Concordia – highlights the importance of ship design in terms of safety. When the Titanic collided with the iceberg in 1912, it tore a 300-foot gash in the ship’s hull, sending freezing water flooding into the base of the vessel.

This caused the back of the ship to tilt upward, leading to a catastrophic breakage that made it harder to evacuate. The lack of lifeboats was also a major factor in the high death toll of over 1,500 people, making it one of the worst peacetime maritime disasters in history.

Fast forward to 2012, and the Costa Concordia disaster (now more than ten years ago) off the coast of Italy provides a modern-day equivalent. When the cruise ship struck a rock reef, it tore a 16-foot gash in the hull around 25 feet below sea level. The ship began flooding, the engines and generators went offline, and it began to sink.

However, the ship’s design allowed it to lean heavily to its side and sink much more slowly, allowing the crew to initiate a hasty evacuation. Thanks to a sufficient supply of lifeboats, they evacuated the passengers over six hours, ultimately resulting in a death toll of 34 people. Most of these deaths were caused by the ship tilting and passengers falling into the water.

Three people were even rescued from the ship over 24 hours after the incident, thanks to the slow sinking of the vessel. While the Costa Concordia disaster was one of the worst maritime disasters of the 21st century, it was nowhere near as catastrophic in terms of loss of life as the disasters of the 20th century.

When you compare modern cruise ships to Titanic-era ships , you can readily see that safety has improved considerably. As demonstrated in the table shown above by the low number of cruise ships to sink in recent history, modern vessels are generally better equipped to survive a disaster than their predecessors. And as you saw, the number of lives lost had decreased to nearly zero.

Why Don’t Modern Cruise Ships Sink As Often?

When people buy tickets for a cruise, they’re not just looking for a vacation – they’re also buying safety and peace of mind. They want to know that their needs will be taken care of and that they will be safe for the duration of the trip. And cruise ships are designed with this in mind. These floating resorts are built to withstand all sorts of rough conditions that would have sunk ships of the past.

But it hasn’t always been this way. During the heyday of sea travel, it was fairly common for ships to be lost at sea due to rough weather, enemy attacks, or collisions with icebergs. However, the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and the RMS Empress of Ireland in 1914 made it clear that something needed to change.

These were both sturdy ships and were ocean liners built for long-distance travel. But to achieve this reliability, they sacrificed maneuverability. They would be rock-solid if everything went according to plan, but there was little hope of saving the voyage if something went wrong.

Today, however, cruise ships are a different story. These vessels are typically made of lighter materials and are much more agile, allowing them to navigate rough seas easily.

Cruise Ship Stability: What Keeps Them Afloat?

Have you ever wondered how cruise ships manage to stay afloat despite their massive size and seemingly top-heavy design? This is often a big topic of discussion, and the answer lies in the careful balance of weight distribution and stability.

When you board a large cruise ship, you are stepping onto a floating resort with thousands of staterooms, dozens of restaurants, and endless recreation opportunities. Yet, despite all these amenities, cruise ships remain stable and steady on the water despite their weight.

This is thanks to a combination of factors, including the ships:

Machinery’s placement
Stabilizer fins use
Modern navigation systems

So how does it all work? First, it’s important to understand that only a small portion of the ship is actually below the waterline. This means that most of the weight is concentrated above the water, making the ship appear top-heavy. But the ship’s design actually works in its favor, pulling down on the water to provide balance and stability.

The key to this balance is the ship’s center of gravity. While the goal is to keep the center of gravity as close to the ship’s middle as possible, this is not always possible due to the weight of the ship’s engines and other machinery. As a result, ships usually have a heavier bottom half than a lighter top half to compensate for this.

What Happens If An Obstacle Is Unavoidable?

Cruise ships will do their best to take detours to avoid rough weather in the event of a storm at sea. But sometimes, a storm comes on fast and hard, and the ship must rely on more than just its center of gravity to stay afloat. That’s where the design of the ship’s hull comes into play.

Cruise ships have rounded edges on the bottom of the hull, which makes it easier for the ship to roll with the waves and then return to its original position. They also have several ballast tanks, which are water-filled tanks that provide additional stability and distribute the load evenly. These features help the ship handle rough seas in a way that older ships could not.

Of course, no system is perfect, and cruise ships are not invincible. They typically have less hull strength than ocean liners but are equipped with better radars to avoid obstacles like icebergs. If a cruise ship were to hit an iceberg, it could potentially cause serious damage to the hull.

Are Cruise Ships Failsafe?

There is no possible closer answer than the word “almost.” While the Costa Concordia disaster in 2012 was a shocking reminder that no vessel is invincible, modern cruise ships are designed with safety in mind. From advanced navigation systems to sturdy hulls and ballast tanks, these ships are built to weather even the roughest of storms.

And in the rare event of a catastrophic disaster, cruise ships have enough safety features in place to allow for a safe evacuation.

As to the ship’s safety, you can rest assured that cruise ship designers have done everything in their power to keep you and your fellow passengers safe.

Closing Thoughts

While cruise ships have sunk or encountered a disaster in the past, the likelihood of your ship sinking is close to minuscule. Modern ship design and protocols are in place to prevent things like weather and obstacles from ruining your cruise or endangering passengers onboard.

David Chapman

Contributor

Keep up with the latest cruise tips and insights! Follow us on Pinterest:

How Often Do Cruise Ships Sink?

This article may contain affiliate links .

“How often do cruise ships sink?” is a question that frequently crosses the minds of potential cruisers as they contemplate embarking on a voyage across the sea.

Cruise ships, renowned symbols of vacationing and exploration, annually transport millions of individuals across the globe. However, fears regarding their safety, often fueled by infamous maritime disasters and dramatic depictions in films, lurk within the consciousness of many travelers.

1 How often do cruise ships actually sink?
2 What are the main causes of cruise ships sinking?
3 How safe are modern cruise ships compared to those from the past?
4 What precautions are taken to prevent cruise ships from sinking?
5 How are cruise ships designed to withstand rough seas?
6 What happens when a cruise ship sinks?
7 How many people have died from cruise ships sinking?
8 What is the survival rate when a cruise ship sinks?
9 Are there any notable historical incidents of cruise ships sinking?
10 What is the largest cruise ship that has ever sunk?
11 What are the most common misconceptions about cruise ships sinking?
12 How does the law deal with cruise ship sinking incidents?
13 How are passengers compensated after a cruise ship sinking?
14 Are certain routes or destinations more prone to cruise ship sinking incidents?
15 How does climate change impact the risk of cruise ships sinking?
16 Should You Be Worried?

This comprehensive article aims to address these concerns, offering in-depth insights into the safety regulations, construction aspects, legal considerations, and historical events related to cruise ship sinkings.

How often do cruise ships actually sink?

Cruise ship accidents can make headlines around the world due to their dramatic and often tragic nature. However, the reality is that cruise ship sinkings are relatively rare events.

According to data from 2011 to 2020, an average of about 2-3 passenger ships (including ferries, which constitute a significant proportion) have sunk each year globally. It is important to note that this number does not solely represent cruise ships, which have an even lower frequency of sinking.

What are the main causes of cruise ships sinking?

While the sinking of a cruise ship is rare, when it does occur, it can usually be attributed to one or more of the following reasons:

Bad Weather: High winds, heavy seas, and storms can lead to structural stress or flooding.
Grounding: Hitting a submerged object or running aground can cause a rupture in the hull.
Fire: Fires on board can lead to evacuations, and in extreme cases, loss of the vessel.
Equipment Failure: Faulty equipment or design can lead to catastrophic failure.

How safe are modern cruise ships compared to those from the past?

In terms of safety, modern cruise ships are far superior to their predecessors. Several advancements have made today’s ships safer:

Design and Construction: Modern cruise ships are designed with compartmentalization, which can prevent water from flooding the entire ship in case of a breach in the hull.
Technology: Today’s ships are equipped with advanced navigation and weather prediction technology to avoid dangerous situations.
Safety Regulations: Enhanced safety protocols, regular safety drills, and strict regulatory inspections have significantly improved safety.
Life-saving Equipment: There is a legal requirement for modern cruise ships to have enough lifeboats for everyone on board.

These factors have contributed to the decrease in the frequency of cruise ship sinkings over the past century.

What precautions are taken to prevent cruise ships from sinking?

The cruise ship industry takes a multitude of precautions to prevent ships from sinking. Here are some key measures:

Design: Cruise ships are designed with a focus on stability and buoyancy. They are built with compartments that prevent water from flooding the entire vessel if the hull is breached.
Training: Crew members undergo rigorous training to handle emergency situations including potential sinking.
Inspections: Regular inspections are performed to ensure all systems are functional and any necessary repairs are made promptly.
Technology: Modern navigation and weather tracking technologies help ships avoid dangerous conditions that could lead to sinking.
Safety Drills: Regular safety drills are conducted to ensure passengers know what to do in case of an emergency.

These measures are fundamental to the cruise ship industry’s safety operations. Each of these components contributes to creating a secure environment for passengers and crew members aboard cruise ships.

How are cruise ships designed to withstand rough seas?

Cruise ships are engineering marvels specifically designed to withstand the challenging conditions of the sea. Some crucial elements of their design include:

Hull Design: Cruise ship hulls are built with steel and designed to be both strong and flexible to cope with rough seas. The shape of the hull is also crucial – the V-shaped hulls are excellent at cutting through waves, reducing resistance and maintaining stability.
Stabilizers: Modern cruise ships are equipped with stabilizers – wing-like protrusions that extend from the sides of the ship to reduce roll in heavy seas.
Ballast Tanks: These are specially designed tanks that take in or release seawater to adjust the ship’s weight and maintain its balance.
Bilge System: This system pumps out any water that might accumulate in the ship, preventing excessive weight and potential capsizing.
Weather Monitoring Systems: Modern cruise ships are equipped with sophisticated weather monitoring systems that provide real-time weather updates, helping the crew navigate away from potential storms.

What happens when a cruise ship sinks?

When a cruise ship begins to sink, a series of critical actions are taken:

Emergency Alarm: An alarm is sounded throughout the ship to alert passengers and crew.
Instructions: The crew provides instructions over the public address system. These instructions typically guide passengers to muster stations where they’re given life jackets and prepared for possible evacuation.
Evacuation: If necessary, the captain will give the order to abandon ship, and passengers and crew will board lifeboats in a controlled and orderly manner.
Rescue: In many cases, coast guard services and other ships in the area will be alerted to the sinking ship and begin rescue operations.

It’s important to note that every incident is different, and the response may vary depending on the specifics of the situation.

How many people have died from cruise ships sinking?

The exact number of people who have died due to cruise ships sinking is difficult to determine due to the varying definitions of what constitutes a ‘cruise ship’, as well as discrepancies in historical data.

However, some notable tragedies have resulted in significant loss of life. The most infamous is likely the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, which led to the deaths of over 1,500 people. In more recent history, the sinking of the Costa Concordia in 2012 resulted in 32 deaths.

What is the survival rate when a cruise ship sinks?

Survival rates when a cruise ship sinks can vary widely based on numerous factors such as the speed at which the ship sank, the weather conditions, the proximity to rescue services, and the execution of evacuation procedures.

In general, the survival rate is quite high thanks to improved safety measures and better ship designs. For instance, despite the tragic loss of life when the Costa Concordia sank in 2012, over 4,000 people were successfully evacuated and survived, representing a survival rate of over 99%.

Are there any notable historical incidents of cruise ships sinking?

There have been several notable incidents of cruise ships sinking throughout history. Some of the most famous include:

The Titanic (1912): Perhaps the most infamous maritime disaster, the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,500 passengers and crew.
The Lusitania (1915): This ship was sunk by a German U-boat during World War I, causing 1,198 fatalities.
The Costa Concordia (2012): This modern cruise ship ran aground and capsized off the coast of Italy, resulting in 32 deaths.

Below is a table showcasing major incidents from the past, along with the reported causes:

Each of these incidents has led to significant changes in maritime safety regulations.

What is the largest cruise ship that has ever sunk?

The largest cruise ship to have ever sunk in terms of passenger capacity is the Costa Concordia. The ship had a capacity of 3,780 passengers and 1,100 crew members. It ran aground and capsized off the coast of Italy in 2012.

What are the most common misconceptions about cruise ships sinking?

Common misconceptions about cruise ships sinking include:

Cruise ships sink frequently: In reality, sinking is a rare event thanks to modern design, technology, and safety procedures.
Large waves can easily capsize a cruise ship: Modern cruise ships are designed to withstand incredibly rough seas and large waves.
If a ship sinks, everyone on board will die: Safety measures, including lifeboats, safety drills, and international rescue services, mean that even when ships sink, the survival rate is often high.

How does the law deal with cruise ship sinking incidents?

In the event of a cruise ship sinking, several areas of law come into play:

International Maritime Law: This body of law includes various conventions and treaties that regulate safety and establish liability in the event of maritime accidents.
National Law: The laws of the ship’s flag state, as well as those of the state where an accident occurs, can be relevant.
Personal Injury Law: Passengers who are injured may be able to sue for damages under personal injury law.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a United Nations agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.

How are passengers compensated after a cruise ship sinking?

Passenger compensation following a cruise ship sinking can depend on a variety of factors, including the circumstances of the incident, the terms of the ticket contract, and applicable laws and conventions.

Generally, cruise lines may be held liable for injuries, losses, or damages incurred as a result of their negligence. Compensation might cover medical expenses, lost belongings, and emotional distress.

In some cases, cruise lines may offer refunds, credit for future cruises, and additional compensation voluntarily or as part of a settlement.

Are certain routes or destinations more prone to cruise ship sinking incidents?

While cruise ship sinkings are rare and can theoretically occur anywhere, some routes and destinations may pose more risks due to factors like weather conditions, sea currents, and the presence of ice or other navigational hazards.

For example, cruising in the North Atlantic during iceberg season, or in Southeast Asia during monsoon season, could potentially increase the risk. However, cruise lines are aware of these dangers and generally take measures to mitigate them, such as altering routes or schedules.

How does climate change impact the risk of cruise ships sinking?

Climate change can potentially increase the risk of cruise ships sinking in several ways:

Sea Level Rise: Rising sea levels could lead to increased coastal flooding and the submergence of hazards that ships can collide with.
Increased Storm Intensity: Climate change can result in more intense and frequent storms, which could create more dangerous sea conditions.
Iceberg Calving: Warming temperatures can lead to increased iceberg calving in polar regions, posing navigation hazards.

However, the cruise industry is continually adapting to these changes, investing in better ship designs, advanced weather tracking technologies, and more effective safety procedures to keep passengers safe.

Should You Be Worried?

While the sinking of cruise ships makes for dramatic news headlines and blockbuster film plots, it is a relatively rare occurrence in reality.

Significant advancements in ship design, safety measures, and technology have greatly reduced the risk and increased the survival rate in such unlikely events.

Understanding the facts, being aware of the procedures, and debunking misconceptions are crucial in ensuring a safe and enjoyable cruising experience.

Climate change, however, introduces new challenges that the cruise industry must continue to adapt to in order to ensure passenger safety. Remember, awareness and preparedness can make a significant difference when venturing out on the vast expanse of the sea.

How Normal Are Cruise Mishaps?

By Stephanie Rosenbloom

May 8, 2013

Its name is Triumph, yet this year has been anything but that for the 14-year-old ship owned by Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company.

The latest news is that Carnival is seeking to dismiss lawsuits from the Triumph passengers whose ordeal this winter transfixed the nation. In case you’ve blocked out the vile details: in February a fire in the engine room shut down the Triumph’s power, propulsion, sewage and air-conditioning systems, leaving 4,200 passengers adrift for days in the Gulf of Mexico with little to eat and raw sewage seeping through the ship’s walls and carpets. Even in the home stretch — when the crippled ship was being tugged to port — a towline snapped, prolonging the rescue.

Savvy travelers have to ask: Is this normal? How many fires, power failures and other unwelcome incidents are there in the life of the average cruise ship?

Before offering some answers, let’s recount what has happened to the Triumph over the last few months.

Triumph floated around the Gulf of Mexico for five days while news of the rank conditions leaked out through Facebook, Twitter and CNN, which had a helicopter whirring around the Triumph for nonstop coverage. The notion of travelers spending their vacations trapped amid raw sewage so captured the collective American imagination that “ Saturday Night Live ” opened a show with a skit set onboard the Triumph in which a perky cruise director informed passengers that “the Superstar Karaoke Bar is now officially a toilet.”

Amazingly, the Triumph’s travails didn’t end after it finally reached port in Mobile, Ala. Early last month while undergoing repairs, the ship became unmoored in strong winds, crashed into another boat and wound up with a 20-foot-long gash in its side. Could the Triumph be more unlucky? Yes. A few weeks later explosions from fuel barges on the Mobile River forced workers on the nearby Triumph to evacuate. That incident was seemingly beyond Carnival’s control. And accidents happen on other passenger ships. But it’s worth looking closely at the Triumph because it belongs to a company that spent more last year than any other cruise line on lobbying Congress, according to the secretary of the United States Senate.

Is what happened to the Triumph normal? Obtaining answers is not easy.

“No one is systemically collecting data of collisions, fires, evacuations, groundings, sinkings,” said Jim Walker , a maritime lawyer in Miami who has attended more than half a dozen Congressional hearings about cruise ship crime and passenger safety. The reason for the lack of data is that cruise lines, while based in the United States, typically incorporate and register their ships overseas. Industry experts say the only place cruise lines are obligated to report anything is to the state under whose laws the ship operates. “The whole industry is essentially outsourced abroad,” said Mr. Walker. Or, as Senator Charles E. Schumer said in a statement after the Triumph debacle: “Cruise ships, in large part operating outside the bounds of United States enforcement, have become the wild west of the travel industry.”

Vance Gulliksen, a spokesman for Carnival, said that given that the company carries 4.5 million passengers annually, the incidents on the Triumph “are quite rare.”

“Carnival’s ships are extremely safe and we meet or exceed all regulatory standards in every respect,” he said in an e-mail. “Nonetheless, Carnival has taken the recent events extremely seriously and we want to do everything we can to prevent it from happening again.” To that end, Carnival said it has begun investing $300 million in enhancements across its fleet, including improved emergency power capabilities, and increased fire prevention and suppression systems.

Yet for the industry overall, there remains no comprehensive public database of events at sea like fires, power failures and evacuations. Neither the International Maritime Organization nor the United States Coast Guard track everything. But there is one unlikely man who does.

“It’s a Canadian professor of sociology,” Mr. Walker said, “who testifies in front of the senate.”

Ross A. Klein, an American with dual citizenship and a professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, was a longtime cruise enthusiast, spending more than 300 days at sea between 1992 and 2002. During that time, he saw that there were differences between what the cruise industry was saying about environmental and labor issues, and what he was observing.

Today, Mr. Klein is an authority on the cruise industry, having testified at hearings before the House of Representatives and the Senate about onboard crimes, disappearances and industry oversights. His Web site, CruiseJunkie.com , is a record of fires, sunken ships, collisions and other events at sea over the last few decades that have been culled from news reports and sources like crew members and passengers. There are some limits: Mr. Klein receives fewer reports about incidents in Asia, Africa and South America, therefore most of the information is about cruises in North America and Europe. And he is unlikely to learn about problems that are not reported by English speakers or English language news organizations. “I’m sure there are a lot more incidents going on that we don’t know about,” he said.

I used the statistics Mr. Klein does have — many of which were part of his testimony last year before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation — to help determine just how rare (or not) the events aboard the Triumph were. Here’s what the data reveal.

Adrift at Sea Loss of power is common, according to Mr. Klein. “It’s inconvenient,” he said. But it typically lasts no more than a few hours.

Evacuation Evacuations are infrequent, and when they do happen, they are usually done safely. Mr. Klein said that about three or four times a year there is preparation to abandon a ship, though actually abandoning it is rare. One of the most recent evacuations was in 2007, when a GAP Adventures ship called the Explorer struck ice off Antarctica and began sinking. All 154 people on board were safely evacuated. Still, even larger evacuations in the ocean are possible: in 1999 a Sun Cruises ship caught fire and sank off the coast of Malaysia, but the more than 1,000 people on board safely made it onto lifeboats and rafts.

Fire Fires are not unusual. There have been about 79 fires onboard cruise ships between 1990 and 2011, according to Mr. Klein’s data. Up until about 2006 there were usually three or four fires a year. From 2006 onward the number of fires doubled to about seven or eight a year. That increase, Mr. Klein said, is the result of a combination of better reporting (thanks, social media) and the rapid growth of the cruise industry.

Overflowing Toilets Plumbing issues are, bewilderingly, par for the course. Mr. Klein said part of the problem is that the ships use vacuum toilets and if passengers (particularly those on upper decks) flush anything down the toilet other than human waste or toilet paper, the line of pipes from the top cabins to the bottom (and usually several cabins across) stop working. But the Triumph had a bigger problem: it lost power. The resulting raw sewage put it in the rarest of ship categories — that which inspires bathroom humor by David Letterman, Conan O’Brien and Jon Stewart.

Running Aground It’s more likely that a cruise ship will run aground than sink. From 1972 to 2011, 98 cruise ships have run aground, according to Mr. Klein’s figures. On average that’s about 2.5 ships a year.

Sinking When the Costa Concordia (a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation) partly sank last year off Giglio, Italy, killing 32 people after hitting a submerged rock, it was one of the first times a cruise ship had done so since the Explorer in 2007. From 1980 to 2012, about 16 ships have sunk. They tend to be ships that sail in inhospitable waters like the Antarctic Ocean, or ships that belong to smaller lines. One of the most devastating accidents was in 1994 in the Baltic Sea, when the Estonia sank and more than 800 people died. Today, “ships don’t sink with everybody dying,” Mr. Klein said. “The chances of loss of life are pretty minuscule.”

Bottom Line So are the events that unfolded on the Triumph normal? Yes and no. “We see maybe two to four of these kinds of incidents a year, and they range in severity,” Mr. Klein said, “with the Triumph certainly being one extreme.”

“I think that what the numbers say is that things go wrong and in most cases there is no threat to physical harm,” Mr. Klein said. “In probably 95 percent of the cases, it’s purely inconvenience.”

“Just endure it as best you can,” he advised. “If something goes wrong, your attitude is what’s going to get you through it.”

And when it’s over, you can help build the public record by telling Mr. Klein all about it: [email protected].

Follow Stephanie Rosenbloom on Twitter @stephronyt .

Come Sail Away

Love them or hate them, cruises can provide a unique perspective on travel..

Cruise Ship Surprises: Here are five unexpected features on ships , some of which you hopefully won’t discover on your own.

Icon of the Seas: Our reporter joined thousands of passengers on the inaugural sailing of Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas . The most surprising thing she found? Some actual peace and quiet .

Th ree-Year Cruise, Unraveled: The Life at Sea cruise was supposed to be the ultimate bucket-list experience : 382 port calls over 1,095 days. Here’s why those who signed up are seeking fraud charges instead.

TikTok’s Favorite New ‘Reality Show’: People on social media have turned the unwitting passengers of a nine-month world cruise into “cast members” overnight.

Dipping Their Toes: Younger generations of travelers are venturing onto ships for the first time . Many are saving money.

Cult Cruisers: These devoted cruise fanatics, most of them retirees, have one main goal: to almost never touch dry land .

Winter is here! Check out the winter wonderlands at these 5 amazing winter destinations in Montana

Plan Your Trip

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk

Published: December 10, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Bernita Magill

Introduction

For many people, the idea of embarking on a cruise is a dream come true – an opportunity to relax, explore exotic destinations, and indulge in luxurious amenities. Cruises have become increasingly popular over the years, offering a unique vacation experience that combines travel, entertainment, and relaxation in one package.

However, amidst the allure of cruise ships, there is always the lingering question of safety. While the majority of cruises sail smoothly, there have been some high-profile incidents and accidents that have raised concerns about the safety of these floating cities. From historical disasters to more recent mishaps, the sinking of cruise ships has captured the public’s attention and sparked discussions about maritime safety and regulations.

In this article, we will delve into the realm of cruise ship disasters, exploring both historical incidents and more recent cases. We will examine the causes and impacts of cruise ship sinking, as well as the safety measures and regulations that have been implemented to prevent such incidents from occurring. So sit back, relax, and join us on this journey as we explore the fascinating and sometimes harrowing world of cruise ship disasters.

Historical Cruise Ship Disasters

Throughout history, there have been several notable cruise ship disasters that have left a lasting impact on the industry. These incidents serve as reminders of the potential dangers that can arise at sea, even on a seemingly resilient and well-equipped vessel.

One of the most infamous cruise ship disasters occurred in 1912 when the RMS Titanic, a British luxury liner, struck an iceberg and sank during its maiden voyage. The tragedy claimed the lives of over 1,500 people and forever changed the landscape of maritime safety. The sinking of the Titanic highlighted the need for stricter regulations, including the requirement of sufficient lifeboats for all passengers and crew.

Another significant cruise ship disaster took place in 1956 when the SS Andrea Doria, an Italian ocean liner, collided with the MS Stockholm off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts. The crash resulted in the deaths of 46 people and caused the Andrea Doria to sink. This incident led to improvements in shipbuilding and navigation technology, as well as the adoption of international collision avoidance regulations.

Fast forward to the 21st century, and we encounter the Costa Concordia disaster in 2012. This Italian cruise ship ran aground and partially capsized off the coast of Giglio Island, resulting in the loss of 32 lives. The incident, caused by human error, brought attention to the importance of crew training, emergency procedures, and responsible navigation.

These historical cruise ship disasters have served as important milestones in the development of maritime safety protocols. They have prompted the industry to prioritize the implementation of robust safety measures, technology advancements, and stricter regulations to ensure the well-being of passengers and the prevention of future incidents.

Modern Cruise Ship Incidents

While cruise ship disasters from history have left a lasting impact on the industry, modern times have also seen their fair share of incidents and accidents that have garnered media attention and raised concerns about cruise ship safety.

One noteworthy incident occurred in 2013 when the Carnival Triumph experienced an engine fire that left the ship adrift in the Gulf of Mexico for several days. Passengers endured deplorable conditions with limited power, food, and working toilets. The incident highlighted the importance of backup systems and emergency response protocols to prevent such situations from escalating.

In 2019, the Viking Sky found itself in a treacherous situation off the coast of Norway when it experienced engine failure during rough seas. The ship was at risk of drifting onto the rocky shore, and over 1,300 passengers had to be airlifted to safety. This incident shed light on the importance of preparedness for adverse weather conditions and the need for effective evacuation procedures.

The COVID-19 pandemic also had a significant impact on the cruise industry. In early 2020, several ships were plagued by outbreaks of the virus, leading to quarantines, cruise cancellations, and a worldwide halt in cruise operations. These incidents highlighted the need for enhanced health and safety measures, including extensive testing, onboard medical facilities, and comprehensive sanitation protocols to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

While modern cruise ship incidents may not have resulted in the catastrophic loss of life seen in historical disasters, they have brought attention to various safety concerns, including mechanical failures, adverse weather conditions, and health crises. The lessons learned from these incidents have contributed to ongoing efforts to improve safety measures, emergency protocols, and overall preparedness in the cruise industry.

Causes of Cruise Ship Sinking

The sinking of a cruise ship can occur due to various causes, ranging from natural disasters to human error. Understanding these factors is crucial in developing safety measures and protocols to prevent such incidents. Let’s explore some of the common causes of cruise ship sinking:

1. Collisions: Collisions with other ships, icebergs, or even submerged objects can lead to a cruise ship sinking. Poor visibility, navigational errors, or equipment failures can contribute to these accidents.

2. Grounding: When a cruise ship runs aground, it can cause significant damage to the vessel’s hull, potentially leading to its sinking. This can happen due to navigational errors, shallow waters, or unexpected changes in tides or currents.

3. Mechanical failures: The failure of key systems onboard, such as propulsion, steering, or power generation, can compromise the safety and stability of the ship. Mechanical failures can result from equipment malfunctions, poor maintenance, or inadequate inspections.

4. Fire: A fire onboard a cruise ship can rapidly escalate, jeopardizing the safety of passengers and crew. Fires can be caused by electrical faults, fuel leaks, or incidents in the ship’s galley or engine room.

5. Extreme weather conditions: As cruise ships encounter various weather conditions, severe storms, hurricanes, or rogue waves can pose significant risks. The force of the waves or strong winds can affect the stability of the vessel, potentially leading to capsizing or sinking.

6. Human error: Mistakes made by crew members or officers, such as navigation errors, lack of proper training, or failure to follow established protocols, can contribute to cruise ship sinking incidents. Human error can also include inadequate evacuation procedures or delayed response to emergencies.

It is important to note that while these causes can lead to cruise ship sinking, the occurrence of such incidents is rare. The cruise industry has implemented strict safety regulations and protocols to minimize the risks associated with these causes. Regular inspections, crew training, and advanced technologies are employed to ensure the safety and stability of modern cruise ships.

By understanding the causes of cruise ship sinking, the industry can continue to improve safety measures, training programs, and technological advancements to prevent and mitigate the potential risks associated with these causes.

The Impact of Cruise Ship Sinking

Cruise ship sinkings can have far-reaching impacts that extend beyond the immediate loss of life and the monetary damages. These incidents can affect various stakeholders, including passengers, crew members, cruise lines, and the broader tourism industry.

For passengers and crew members directly involved in a sinking, the impact is profound. Lives may be lost, injuries sustained, and trauma experienced. The emotional and psychological toll can be long-lasting, leading to a fear of traveling at sea and a loss of confidence in the cruise industry.

Cruise lines themselves face significant financial and reputational consequences following a sinking incident. The cost of search and rescue operations, legal settlements, and insurance claims can be substantial. Additionally, the negative publicity and public scrutiny can result in decreased bookings and revenue. Rebuilding public trust and restoring the reputation of the cruise line may take years.

The broader tourism industry can also feel the effects of a cruise ship sinking. Local economies relying on cruise tourism may suffer a downturn in revenue, as port visits and tourist activity decline. This impact can trickle down to businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and shops that depend on cruise passengers for their livelihood.

Governments and regulatory bodies often respond to cruise ship sinkings by strengthening safety regulations and implementing stricter oversight. This can lead to increased compliance costs for cruise lines, as well as the need for additional safety measures, equipment upgrades, and crew training. While these steps are necessary to prevent future incidents, they can also impose financial burdens on the industry.

Despite the negative impact of cruise ship sinkings, the industry has shown resilience and a commitment to enhancing safety measures. Cruise lines have invested in new technologies, improved emergency response protocols, and implemented rigorous inspections and safety audits to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

It is crucial for both cruise lines and regulatory bodies to continue prioritizing passenger safety, crew training, and ongoing improvements in emergency response procedures. By doing so, the negative impact of cruise ship sinkings can be minimized, and the industry can continue to provide enjoyable and safe vacation experiences for travelers.

Safety Measures and Regulations

The cruise industry has made significant advancements in safety measures and regulations to prevent cruise ship sinkings and ensure the well-being of passengers and crew members. These measures are continually evolving to address emerging risks and enhance the overall safety of cruise ships.

1. International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations: The IMO, a specialized agency of the United Nations, sets international standards and regulations for the safe operation of ships, including cruise vessels. These regulations cover areas such as construction standards, stability requirements, emergency drills, and crew training.

2. SOLAS Convention: The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is a treaty that outlines minimum safety standards for passenger ships, including cruise ships. SOLAS covers various aspects, including structural integrity, fire protection, lifesaving equipment, and navigation safety.

3. Improved construction standards: Cruise ships are now built to adhere to strict construction standards that ensure their structural integrity. These standards encompass the design of the hull, stability systems, and the incorporation of redundant safety features to mitigate the risks of grounding, collisions, and mechanical failures.

4. Enhanced emergency response and evacuation procedures: Cruise lines have implemented comprehensive emergency response plans to address a range of potential incidents. These plans outline procedures for crisis management, passenger evacuation, and coordination with local authorities and rescue agencies.

5. Crew training and drills: Crew members undergo extensive training to handle emergency situations effectively. Regular drills, including fire drills and abandon ship exercises, ensure that crew members are well-prepared and can respond promptly in case of an emergency.

6. Advanced navigation and safety technologies: Cruise ships are equipped with state-of-the-art navigation systems, including radar, sonar, and GPS, to ensure accurate positioning and collision avoidance. Additionally, the incorporation of safety technologies such as fire detection and suppression systems, advanced life-saving equipment, and improved communication systems enhances the overall safety of the vessel.

7. Independent inspections and audits: Cruise ships undergo regular inspections and audits carried out by recognized classification societies and flag states. These independent assessments verify compliance with safety standards and regulations, ensuring that ships meet all necessary requirements.

8. Enhanced health and sanitation protocols: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has prompted the implementation of additional health and sanitation measures. Cruise lines have implemented comprehensive sanitization procedures, increased medical facilities and staffing, and adopted testing protocols to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

The implementation of these safety measures and regulations across the cruise industry demonstrates a commitment to passenger safety and the prevention of cruise ship sinkings. While no system can completely eliminate all risks, continuous improvement, training, and adherence to these standards are crucial for maintaining a safe and enjoyable cruising experience.

Famous Cruise Ship Sinking Cases

Throughout history, there have been several high-profile and memorable cruise ship sinking cases that have captured worldwide attention. These incidents serve as reminders of the potential risks and challenges faced by cruise ships on the open seas. Let’s explore some of the most famous cruise ship sinking cases:

1. RMS Titanic: Arguably the most well-known cruise ship sinking of all time, the RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, after hitting an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean. The tragedy claimed the lives of over 1,500 people, making it one of the deadliest maritime disasters in history. The sinking of the Titanic sparked significant changes in maritime safety regulations and highlighted the need for sufficient lifeboats and improved communication systems.

2. Costa Concordia: In 2012, the Costa Concordia, a luxury Italian cruise ship, ran aground off the coast of Giglio Island, Italy. The ship partially capsized, resulting in the loss of 32 lives. The incident was attributed to the captain’s error and deviation from the predetermined route. The salvage operation to remove the wreck was one of the most challenging and expensive in maritime history.

3. MV Wilhelm Gustloff: During World War II, the MV Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk by Soviet submarine torpedoes in the Baltic Sea. The German ship was serving as a refugee vessel, carrying thousands of civilians fleeing the advancing Soviet forces. The sinking resulted in the deaths of an estimated 9,000 people, making it the deadliest sinking in maritime history.

4. Sewol Ferry: In 2014, the South Korean ferry Sewol capsized and sank, claiming the lives of 304 passengers, mostly high school students. The incident was attributed to overloading, improper storage of cargo, and the crew’s negligence. The tragedy led to significant reforms in South Korea’s maritime safety regulations and raised awareness of the importance of passenger safety and emergency preparedness.

5. MS Estonia: The MS Estonia, a passenger and car ferry, sank in the Baltic Sea in 1994 during a storm. The exact cause of the sinking remains debated, but it is believed that the failure of the ship’s bow visor led to a rapid influx of water. The incident resulted in the loss of 852 lives, making it one of the deadliest European shipwrecks in modern times.

These famous cruise ship sinking cases serve as sobering reminders of the potential hazards that can befall even the most modern and well-equipped cruise ships. They highlight the importance of stringent safety measures, crew training, and adherence to regulations in order to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

The history of cruise ship sinkings is marked by both tragic disasters and lessons learned. From the infamous sinking of the RMS Titanic to more recent incidents like the Costa Concordia, these events have shaped the cruise industry’s commitment to safety and the well-being of passengers and crew members.

Advancements in technology, improved regulations, and extensive training programs have significantly enhanced the safety measures employed by cruise lines. International organizations such as the IMO and conventions like SOLAS have played crucial roles in setting and enforcing standards that address the various risks faced by cruise ships.

While no industry is immune to unforeseen events, the cruise industry has demonstrated resilience and a dedication to continuous improvement in safety measures. From strengthened construction standards to enhanced emergency response procedures, the focus is on mitigating risks and ensuring the safety of all onboard.

Famous cruise ship sinking cases serve as reminders of the importance of these safety measures. They have motivated the industry, regulatory bodies, and governments to collaborate and implement necessary changes to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

As travelers, it is essential to be aware of safety protocols when embarking on a cruise. Familiarize yourself with emergency procedures, follow directions from crew members, and make note of evacuation routes. Cruise ship companies strive to prioritize passenger safety, and by being informed and prepared, passengers can enjoy their voyages with peace of mind.

Through ongoing collaboration, technological advancements, and a commitment to safety, the cruise industry will continue to thrive and provide unforgettable experiences for travelers worldwide. By learning from the past and investing in the future, cruise ships can navigate the seas with confidence and maintain their status as one of the most popular vacation choices.

Privacy Overview
Strictly Necessary Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

10 Major Cruise Ships And Passenger Vessels That Sank

The Titanic might seem the worst passenger ship accident. However, many historic cruise ships met the same fate, though they were not as famous as the RMS Titanic. The earliest cruise ships were constructed in the 1850s but gained prominence after the World Wars ended when vacationing on the seas seemed attractive.

Cruise ships were also constructed before that and targeted the affluent section of society. Also, cruise voyages in the 19th and 20th centuries were fraught with many dangers compared to present-day journeys, which have become relatively safer, thanks to advancements in maritime technologies.

However, one commonality remains. Cruise voyages are as thrilling and exciting as they were in their bygone days. This article will enlighten you about the 12 major cruise ships that sank.

1. The Unfateful RMS Titanic

The most infamous cruise ship accident has to be the RMS Titanic. The Olympic-Class Ocean liner was owned by White Star Line and built in Northern Ireland. It was the largest passenger ship of its time, designed by Thomas Andrews, capable of carrying over 3000 people.

It was called unsinkable due to its 16 watertight compartments that could be closed in case of a collision. Sadly, the ship sank from Southampton to New York on its first voyage. It hit a massive iceberg in April 1912, near Newfoundland, Canada, and drowned three hours later, consuming 1500 of the 2208 people onboard. The chilly waters of the North Atlantic killed everyone from hypothermia before help could arrive.

Directed by James Cameron, the movie released in 1997 immortalized the ship disaster. The Titanic was almost 270 m long and 28.042 m broad. It had nine decks and a gross tonnage of 46,328 tonnes. It was equipped with only 20 lifeboats, enough for 1,178 passengers. Had there been more life crafts, precious lives could have been saved.

2. The Mighty, Costa Concordia

Costa Concordia sank due to a small mistake of the captain and one of the officers. It was a magnanimous passenger ship containing 17 decks, a three-storeyed theatre, swimming pools, gymnasiums, restaurants, and much more. The ship could accommodate over 4000 people.

According to investigation reports, the vessel hit an underwater rock when it sailed pretty close to the shore of Isola del Giglio island on 13 January 2012. Captain Francesco Schettino closed the computer navigation alarm since he thought he could navigate the waters himself. Unfortunately, he left his glasses in his cabin, and the damage had been done by the time he got them.

The vessel capsized and sank near Tuscany. Despite the six-hour rescue operation, 34 people died. What’s shocking is that the captain abandoned the ship while 300 passengers were onboard, despite the Coast Guard Officer’s attempt to dissuade him. He was convicted of manslaughter and got a 16-year prison sentence in 2017.

3. The Graceful, MS Estonia

Cruise ferry MS Estonia was struck amidst bad weather in the Baltic Sea, which led to its demise. The ship was built in 1980 by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. It was known by many names like Viking Sally and Wasa King before 1993. It sank while sailing from Tallinn to Stockholm in September 1994.

According to reports, it sank as its bow door locks couldn’t open during the storm, with strong winds lashing at a speed of 35 to 45 miles per hour. Hence, the ship tilted to the starboard side and later drowned completely due to excessive flooding on the car deck. The ship surged in an hour and took 852 people to the seabed. Only 137 passengers survived and were rescued.

MS Estonia was 155.43 m long and 24.2 m wide, with a 5.5 m draught and 15,598 gross tonnages. It had 9 decks and 10 lifeboats which were not enough for 2000 people. It could also carry over 410 cars.

4. RMS Lusitania

The German attack on Cruise Ship RMS Lusitania in 1915 was one of the main reasons behind the entry of the US into the First World War. It was hit as a naval vessel since it also contained military weapons for Britain.

Military Submarine U-20 attacked the cruise while traveling to Liverpool from New York. Launched in 1906, the vessel was constructed by Jon Brown and Corporation and operated by Cunard Company.

The humongous steamship was the largest and most luxurious vessel at that time. It measured almost 240 m lengthwise and 27 m breadthwise, with a 10.2 m draft. The 31,550-tonne ship had 10 decks and a maximum sailing speed of 26.3 knots. It could easily carry 2160 people and over 800 crew. When it sank, 1201 people lost their lives, most Americans.

5. SS Andrea Doria

The SS Andrea Doria went down not because of rough seas or striking an iceberg or underwater formations. Instead, it collided with another passenger vessel called Stockholm due to misreading the radar. Hence, it is remembered as the world’s major radar-caused collision. The incident could not be averted as thick fog barred visibility.

The disaster occurred in July 1956 off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, when the liner was sailing to New York. Hit under the starboard bridge, it was engulfed by waves after 11 hours which gave nearby vessels enough time to respond to its SOS call. Over 50 people died, mostly due to the impact, and over 1650 were rescued.

Owned by Italian Line, it was constructed for a whopping 30 million US dollars. The 212 m long ship had 10 decks and powerful steam turbines, enabling it to attain a maximum speed of 23 knots.

6. SS Eastland

This passenger ship used for touring killed 844 people while it was docked in a port on the Chicago River on 24 July 1915. The vessel rolled over to its starboard side and submerged in water, trapping most passengers inside. It is one of the greatest ship accidents recorded in the history of the Great Lakes.

The accident occurred while the 2500 people were embarking on the vessel, preparing to cruise through Michigan. The possible causes of this disaster were structural flaws in its design, overloading, and inadequacy of the ballast tanks.

Later it was salvaged and handed over to the US Navy, which restored and modified it. It became a gunboat called USS Wilmette and was used for training. It was scrapped after the second world war ended.

It was launched in 1903 by the Michigan Transportation Company. the 275 m long cruise ship was equipped with 11 lifeboats and 37 life rafts. t had a top speed of 16.5 knots.

7. RMS Empress of Ireland

Ocean Liner Empress of Ireland was carrying 1477 passengers when it struck another Norwegian vessel, the 6000-tonne Storstad, due to poor visibility in the Saint Lawrence River. More than 1000 people died in May 1914, the second biggest cruise disaster of the period, following the Titanic incident.

The cruise ship followed the North Atlantic route between Liverpool and Quebec. Though it contained 42 lifeboats, only four could be launched in water as it tilted on her starboard side, causing panic and chaos onboard the ship. The harsh cold and the inability to close its watertight doors and portholes worsened the situation.

The 168 m long and 20 m broad cruise ship was launched in 1906. t was owned by the Canadian Pacific Steamship company and designed by Francis Elgar. Mirfield Shipping and Engineering were responsible for her construction.

It had 14,191 gross tonnages, two steam engines, and propellors, providing a top sailing speed of 20 knots.

8. SS Admiral Nakhimov

The collision of the cruise ship SS Admiral Nakhimov with the bulk carrier Pyotr Vasev was due to the carelessness of both the vessels’ captains. T e captain of the bulk ship failed to respond to the warning signals issued by the cruise ship. H was not present on the bridge when the vessel hit each other at 5 knots.

The cruise ship disaster occurred in 1986 in Tsemes Bay near Novorossiysk port when the vessel was en route to Sochi. I was carrying 1234 passengers, of which 423 died due to the collision and its aftermath.

Initially named SS Berlin II, the cruise liner operated on the Crimean-Caucasian route. It was built by Bremer Vulkan and owned by Norddeutscher Lloyd.

The majestic ship had an overall length of 174 m, a 21 m beam, and 17,054 gross tonnes. It could conveniently accommodate 1125 passengers and over 300 crew members. It had a cruising speed of 16 knots.

9. SS Morro Castle

Cruise vessel SS Morro Castle was burned and sank in September 1934, claiming the lives of over 135 passengers and crew members. A total of 318 passengers and 239 crew were aboard the ship on its journey from Havanna to New York.

The accident occurred as the fire spread from its library to the decks and cabins, engulfing the superstructure in flames. I was aggravated by the ship’s decor, which was made of wood and other flammable material. The fire could not be controlled due to rough weather, incapable staff, and the ship’s design.

Only 12 lifeboats could be launched out of the several available on board. The decks burned the feet, and passengers leaped into ocean swells. The ship was abandoned by afternoon and the survivors were taken to the New Jersey Coast.

Interestingly, the previous evening, the ship’s captain, Robert Wilmott, died suddenly. T e Chief Officer took command and was worried about a strong northeast wind and dark clouds.

The exact cause of the fire remains a mystery; however, an overheated funnel and electric circuitry are blamed. T ose related to the incident, also speak of arson by a crew member.

It was owned by Agwi Navigation Co. and constructed in 1930. T e 155 m long cruise ship could carry 489 people apart from 240 crew at a speed of 20 knots.

10. Saint-Philibert

A small cruise ship sailing from Loire River, near the French coast, met with tragedy in June 1931. T e ship was carrying 500 people, mostly workers, and their children, from Nantes port. I exceeded its carrying capacity by 80 percent. T e danger was doubled when it encountered raging seas and rough weather, which was not precedented as it was the summer season.

The captain and crew members panicked as there was nothing to be done. O t of the 500 people onboard, only 8 survived the horrific accident. T e violent storm forced passengers to take shelter near machinery casings, which tilted the ship to its starboard side and it ultimately capsized when struck by a gigantic wave.

The ship was not equipped to face bad weather, and the captain and crew were not experienced. Appropriate communication equipment was also missing onboard the vessel.

A trial was conducted in 1933, the victims’ families lost the case, and the ship’s owners were set free without any penalties. The cruise vessel was 32 m long and 6.4 m broad with a gross tonnage of 189 tonnes.

About Author

Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.

Daily Maritime News, Straight To Your Inbox

Join over 60k+ people who read our daily newsletters

By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to Marine Insight Daily Newsletter

" * " indicates required fields

Marine Engineering

Marine Engine Air Compressor Marine Boiler Oily Water Separator Marine Electrical Ship Generator Ship Stabilizer

Nautical Science

Mooring Bridge Watchkeeping Ship Manoeuvring Nautical Charts Anchoring Nautical Equipment Shipboard Guidelines

Explore

Free Maritime eBooks Premium Maritime eBooks Marine Safety Financial Planning Marine Careers Maritime Law Ship Dry Dock

Shipping News Maritime Reports Videos Maritime Piracy Offshore Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) MARPOL

WAIT! Did You Download 13 FREE Maritime eBooks?

Sign-up and download instantly!

We respect your privacy and take protecting it very seriously. No spam!

WAIT! Did You Download 12 FREE Maritime eBooks?

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk? [& How Often]

Whether you are about to embark on a cruise ship or have watched movies like the Titanic, a question that might pop into your head is how many cruise ships have sunk and how often this happens.

There have been many deadly cruise ship incidents in maritime history that shocked the world. From the Titanic to Costa Concordia, many cruise ships have sunk in the past.

If this is your first sailing or exploring maritime history, you will have many questions.

In this article, I will share the list of cruise ships that have sunk in the past and how often this happens. Finally, if something unfortunate happens, you will also see if modern-day cruise ships have enough safety measures.

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

Since 1900, only 16 cruise ships have sunk. This includes ocean liners and river cruises as well. The Costa Concordia is the biggest cruise ship to sink in the last 100 years. But no sinking was as severe and deadly as the Titanic’s .

If cruise ships, ocean liners, and river cruises are considered, the number will be well over 16.

Not all cruise ships were sunk when they were sailing. Many cruise ships, ocean liners, and river cruises were sunk while being towed or berthed.

For example, the latest cruise ship sinking of Orient Queen was when the ship was berthed in Beirut. Since the ship had no passengers onboard, only two crew members were killed in the event.

Ship sinking is very rare, and when it happens, not many lives are lost, as all leading modern-day cruise ships are equipped with safety measures like lifeboats and other facilities to save every passenger and crew onboard.

Only three times in the last 50 to 60 years have passengers lost their lives.

In short, cruise ships are designed and built, so they don’t sink that easily, and if something unfortunate happens, there are enough safety measures to save the maximum number of lives.

How Often Do Cruise Ships Sink?

As 16 cruise ships have sunk in the last century, we can assume a ship sinks every 6 years. But since most of the sinkings do not involve passengers onboard, major casualties are rarely reported.

The numbers differ slightly depending on the type of vessel you are referring to, like cruise ships, river cruises, and oceanliners.

The maritime industry has learned a lot from previous ship wreckages and sinking, resulting in building modern-day cruise ships with a rare chance to sink.

One thing to note is that most cruise ships were sunk when there were no passengers onboard, avoiding many casualties.

In short, a ship is sunk only once in 6 to 8 years, and major casualties are reported only once in 20 years.

List Of Sunken Cruise Ships Till 2023

The table below summarizes the list of all cruise ships that sunk in the last century.

Note: The table above includes cruise ships, ocean liners, river cruises, and cruise ferries.

When Was The Last time A Cruise Ship Sank?

The last cruise ship to sink was Orient Queen on August 4, 2020. The ship sank due to the ammonium nitrate explosion while it was at its berth. Since the cruise ship was moored at its berth, no passengers were onboard. But the event killed two crew members and several people injured.

2,775 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut exploded, damaging many vessels docked at the port, including the Orient Queen. 218 people were killed, and thousands were injured during the event.

On top of all that, $15 billion worth of property was damaged.

Major Cruise Ships That Sank

Let’s now take a look at all the cruise ships that ever sank and the cause of the sinking.

The Titanic is an oceanliner .

Titanic needs no introduction. Everyone knows about the Titanic sinking on its maiden voyage in 1912.

The Titanic started its journey from Southampton, England, and on its way, it collided with an iceberg and sank completely. The vessel cracked in half before sinking and hitting the ocean floor.

The RMS Titanic was an ocean liner operated by White Star Line.

This tragic incident killed 1,500+ passengers and crew on board. Since the water temperature was too low , people could not survive on the water for longer. Furthermore, it’s said that the Titanic didn’t have enough lifeboats for all passengers.

The famous movie Titanic is based on the true story of the Titanic sinking.

Reference: Wikipedia

RMS Empress of Ireland

The RMS Empress of Ireland, aka Empress of Ireland, sank on May 29, 1914, after colliding with a Norwegian collier ship Storstad.

At the time of its sinking, the RMS Empress of Ireland was carrying about 1,500 passengers onboard.

The vessel collided with the other one due to foggy weather conditions affecting visibility.

This maritime disaster took the lives of 1,012 passengers and crew members onboard.

HMHS Britannic

The sister ship of the Titanic and Olympic, HMHS Britannic, or His Majesty’s Hospital Ship Britannic, sank in 1916 after striking a mine.

On November 21, 1916, an explosion happened inside the ship, causing water to let into the watertight compartments.

As time passed, water entered the open portholes on the starboard side . Soon after the water entered the ship, the engine stopped. In about 55th minute, the HMHS Britannic sank. This incident only killed 30 people.

MS Estonia sank in the Baltic Sea in 1994 after hitting a storm. The vessel was sailing from Estonia to Sweden.

The sinking of MS Estonia killed 852 people. The cruise ferry was carrying about 989 people, including passengers and crew.

Out of the 989 people, only 137 people survived.

Costa Concordia

Costa Concordia was the major modern-day cruise ship to sink while on its journey with thousands of passengers and crew onboard.

Costa Concordia hit a reef off the coast of Italy on January 13, 2012. The ship sailed too close to an island, causing the ship to hit an underwater rock, causing the watertight compartments to flood.

At the time of sinking, Costa Concordia was carrying about 4,229 passengers and crew members. This event killed 32 people. This includes 5 crew, 2 salvage team members and 27 passengers.

Later, the captain was found guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced to 16 years of imprisonment.

Principessa Mafalda

Principessa Mafalda was sunk in 1927, killing 314 people, which includes both passengers and crew members.

The vessel’s propeller shaft broke, damaging the hull, and causing the ship to sink mid sea. The incident took place on the coast of Brazil.

Principessa Mafalda is an Italian cruise ship based in Argentina.

Georges Philippar

Georges Philippar is yet another vessel that sank on its maiden voyage. The French ocean liner was returning after the voyage to Yokohama.

The sinking of Georges Philippar took the lives of 54 people.

A fire broke out in one of the cabins in the Georges Philippar, after a faulty light switch ignited.

Andrea Doria

In 1956, the sinking of Andrea Doria resulted in the death of 46 passengers and crew members.

While returning, Andrea Doria was hit by a cruise twice the size, causing the ship to sink. The ship sank gradually, allowing more than 1100+ people to escape.

It is said that the people who lost their lives in this event were because of the direct collision with the other ship. The ship only sank completely a day after the collision.

The collision made a good number of lifeboats inaccessible.

The boiler of the SeaBreeze broke off, causing the ship to sink in 2000. The cruise was owned by Costa Cruises and was transferred to Premier Cruises in 1983.

During the incident, only 34 crew members were on board, and luckily no one was injured as everyone was evacuated easily.

Come controversy exists claiming the sinking of SeaBreeze was intentional to claim insurance. The cruise was already out of business and would fetch $6 million as scrap value. But it was insured for $20 million.

An engine room fire made the Sun Vista sink on May 2, 1999. Even though the entire ship sank, no major casualties nor deaths were reported.

The fire in the engine room cut all the power supply, making the ship sink.

Sun Vista also known as SS Galileo Galilei. The cruise was later bought by Sun Cruises and renamed Sun Vista.

MV Jupiter sank on October 21, 1988, just 40 minutes after leaving the Greek port of Piraeus. The event killed 4 out of the 381 schoolchildren and 84 adults.

Soon after leaving the Greek port of Piraeus, MV Jupiter got struck by a freight ship, the Adige. The collision resulted in a massive hole in the port side of MV Jupiter, letting water in.

Soon after the incident, the ship sank vertically and stern in 82 meters.

The Britanis cruise ship was out of business and was being headed to a scrap yard in India. On the way, the ship developed a heavy leak in the aft section.

The repair for fixing the leak was too costly, and she was allowed to sink.

Since no one was inside the cruise ship and it was tugboat, no casualties were reported.

Orient Queen

Orient Queen is the latest cruise ship to sink completely. The ship was berthed at the Port of Beirut. The ship sank after a huge ammonium nitrate explosion at the port. Along with Orient Queen, some other ships docked at the port also suffered major damages.

Abou Merhi Grou owned Orient Queen.

Eastern Star

Eastern Star is a river cruise officially known as Dongfang zhi Xing that sank in 2015. On its way back to Chongqing, the river cruise caught in a storm and completely sank in a few hours.

The tragic incident took the lives of 442 people out of the 456 people on board the ship. Only 12 people survived.

The crew wasn’t aware of the severe weather condition, causing the deadly tragedy taking the lives of 442 people.

Later after a thorough investigation, more than 40+ people were punished for flaws in the company management.

MTS Oceanos

MTS Oceanos sank on August 3, 1991, after a severe leakage in a ventilation pipe flooded the cruise.

The repairs to the waste disposal system of the MTS Oceanos were not completed before its voyage. This caused the ventilation pipe to burst open and start letting water inside the compartment.

Soon the engine room of the vessel was flooded, and she eventually sank.

All 581 passengers and crew members survived the sinking of MTS Oceanos.

How Many Cruise Ships Sink a Year?

As 16 cruise ships have sunk in the last 100 years, we can say a ship sinks in every 6 to 8 years.

But cruise ships sinking is a rare event as modern day cruise ships are well built and designed not to sink or top over even in extreme conditions.

If you look at the years in which cruise ships sank, you will see a gradual decrease in the frequency and number towards the modern age.

A cruise ship takes all the measures to make the ship not sink, and even if something unfortunate comes along the way, there are enough lifeboats , jackets, etc, to rescue people.

How Do Cruise Ships sink?

In most cases, cruise ship does not sink at all. The vessels are designed in such a way as to handle extreme tides and waves. She will keep floating even in rough weather conditions.

But if the cruise ship collides with external obstacles like rocks, icebergs, etc., they may sink. When a vessel hits an iceberg or rock, the watertight compartments will get flooded, eventually letting water in and sinking the ship completely.

So, unless the ship hits an iceberg or rock, it won’t sink at all.

Modern-day navigation systems in cruise ships are well equipped to avoid any possible obstacles including icebergs, rocks, coral reefs, other vessels, and more.

How Many Carnival Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

Only one carnival cruise ship has sunk in history, the Costa Concordia. The Costa Concordia is a cruise ship from Costa, an Italian cruise company owned and operated by Carnival Corporation.

Even though the Costa Concordia cruise ship does not come directly under Carnival cruises, it is still part of the Carnival Corporation.

In short, no Carnival brand cruise ships have sunk or capsized.

Even though no Carnival cruise ships have sunk, there have been a couple of instances where the vessel’s engine shut down after a fire broke out, and the ship got stranded for many hours.

A fire on the Carnival Triumph cruise ship’s generator made her stranded for hours before being fixed. After the event, the cruise line renamed it Carnival Sunshine.

How Many Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

No Royal Caribbean cruise ships have sunk or capsized.

How Many Disney Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

No Disney cruise ships have ever sunk in the past. The history is clear for the Disney cruise line.

Amazing World Cruises

A World of Endless Travel Possibilities.

Glamorous Gustavia 2024 Seven Seas Navigator December 13-23, 2024
Colorful Caribbean Shores Seven Seas Grandeur March 5-19, 2025
Play My Cruise
Cruise Preferences Tell us about your cruise preferences and we’ll recommend the perfect voyage for you.
Africa Cruises
Alaska Cruises
Antarctica Cruises
Arabian Gulf Cruises
Asia Pacific Cruises
Australia Cruises
Bahamas Cruises
Canada Cruises
Caribbean Cruises
Central America Cruises
Eastern Europe Cruises
Galapagos Cruises
Hawaii Cruises
Japan Cruises
Mediterranean Cruises
Mexican Riviera Cruises
Northern Europe Cruises
Panama Canal Cruises
Repositioning Cruises
South Pacific Cruises
Transatlantic Cruises
World Cruises
Meet Our Agents
2024 World Cruises
2025 World Cruises
2025 Cunard Queen Anne World Cruise
2026 World Cruises
Travel Blog

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk in History?

Book Your Next Amazing Cruise with Travel Leader, Jeffrey Cleary

Modern cruise ships are incredibly safe. Not only is it in the best interests of the cruise lines themselves to invest in safer and less sinkable ships, but international safety standards demand that all cruise ships adhere to strict design standards.

With that said, tragedy does happen. If you have ever wondered how many cruise ships have sunk in history, we have the answers you are looking for. Today, we are going to take a look at these rare yet tragic events. We will cover some of the most famous sinkings in the cruise industry’s history and explain how frequent these events are in the modern era.

If you’re ready to learn about these tragic maritime events, let’s dive in.

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk Throughout History?

While sinkings of large vessels are rare, these events are even more infrequent when discussing cruise ships. Over the past 100 years, there have only ever been 24 full-size cruise ships that have sunk.

In some of these cases, the sinking occurred while the ship was being towed for repairs or when the ship was on its way to a scrapping yard ; many times, the ship was operating as a warship when the sinking occurred.

It is also worth noting that most of these sinking events also took place before 1940, showing improved safety features and how innovations in ship design have reduced the likelihood of cruise ships sinking in modern times. Here, in chronological order, are the 24 cruise ships that have sunk in history :

1. April 1912: Titanic

Perhaps the most infamous cruise ship sinking took place on April 14, 1912, when the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg ; it was completely underwater in roughly two hours. Unfortunately, there weren’t enough lifeboats on the ship, and most passengers did not survive. The Titanic sinking resulted in over 1,500 deaths.

2. May 1914: Empress of Ireland

The Empress of Ireland was carrying nearly 1,500 passengers when it collided with the SS Storstad from Norway due to fog that limited visibility. In total, 1,012 people were killed.

3. May 1915: Lusitania

When the RMS Lusitania belonged to the Cunard Line, it was the world’s largest passenger ship. On May 7, 1915, a U-boat hit the Lusitania with a torpedo near the Ireland coast. The ship went down quickly, and the crew only launched six lifeboats. Around 1,200 people died.

4. November 1916: Britannic

Britannic , the sister ship of the Titanic and another ship called the Olympic. She was supposed to sail as a passenger ship, but World War I started, and plans changed. She served as a hospital ship and was struck by a naval mine between the Makronisos and Kea Islands of Greece. Although she sank in only 55 minutes, only 30 people died as most of those on board got onto the lifeboats and escaped.

5. October 1927: Principessa Mafalda

In 1909, the Principessa Mafalda , an Italian cruise ship, sailed between Buenos Aires and Genoa. In 1927, a broken propeller shaft damaged the ship’s hull and sank the ship off the Brazilian coast, killing just over 300 people.

6. June 1931: Saint-Philibert

On June 14, 1931, the Saint-Philibert sank off the French coast. The death toll was nearly 500; only eight people survived.

7. May 1932: Georges Philippar

Georges Philippar was a French ocean liner that sank near what is now Yemen on her maiden voyage. They considered delaying the launch due to safety concerns, but these were ignored to avoid any delay penalties. Ultimately, an electrical fault caused a fire in a luxury cabin. The ship sank, and 54 people lost their lives.

8. September 1934: SS Morro Castle

On September 8. 1934, the SS Morro Castle caught fire and ran aground while traveling to New York City from Havana, Cuba. The evening before, the ship’s captain died suddenly, and Chief Officer William Warms took command. In all, 137 people died. Many people blamed the crew. They didn’t seem to know how to handle the emergency; lifeboats could hold 408 people, but the crew launched them with fewer people on board.

9. October 1940: Empress of Britain

The Empress of Britain was a steam turbine ocean linker that carried passengers between Canada and Europe between 1931 and 1939. She was the largest, fastest, most luxurious ship traveling this route during this time. On September 2, 1939, the United Kingdom declared war on the Nazi Empire in World War II.

On November 25, the Empress of Britain was requisitioned to transport troops. She made multiple transatlantic trips carrying troops from Canada to England during her service. On October 26, 1940, the Empress of Britain was bombed, and on October 28, she was sunk by a German U-boat.

10. July 1956: Andrea Doria

While on her way to New York City, the Stockholm passenger liner collided with Andrea Doria , and the ship immediately started to list and take on water. Half of her lifeboats were underwater, which could have led to a significant loss of life, but the ship did not sink immediately.

It stayed afloat for over 11 hours. Thanks to the actions of the crew, improved communication technology, and the rapid response of nearby ships, 1,660 crew and passengers were rescued. Around 50 people died.

11. October 1961: Bianca C

The Germans first sank Bianca C during the Second World War. Workers raised her hull and refitted it as a cruise ship. On October 22, 1961, when docked near the Grenada coast, an explosion occurred in the engine room. Fires broke out onboard, and the ship sank. Nearly everyone made it off this ship. There was only one casualty.

12. September 1979: Angelina Lauro

Angelina Lauro first sailed in 1939. She was meant to be a ferry but was converted to a hospital ship during the war. When the war was over, the Angelina Lauro served as a passenger ship, cruising the world. She was sold in 1964 and refitted into a cruise ship and took her maiden voyage on March 6, 1966.

In March of 1979, the Angelina Lauro caught fire while she was docked in St Thomas. The fire continued for days, weakening the hull. The ship filled with water and sank on March 30th.

13. February 1986: MS Mikhail Lermentov

In 1972, the MS Mikhail Lermentov entered service as an ocean liner; a decade later, she became a cruise ship. The ship departed Sydney on February 6, 1986, headed for a two-week New Zealand cruise.

The MS Mikhail Lermentov struck rocks near Cape Jackson ten days into her journey. Most of the 743 passengers and crew on board escaped in a lifeboat. Paval Zagladimov, a crew engineer, was the only casualty.

14. August 1986: SS Admiral Nakhimov

In 1925, the SS Admiral Nakhimov sailed as a passenger liner called the SS Berlin. It was then a hospital ship and a passenger ship. In August 1986, the ship was involved in a collision in Tsemes Bay on the northern coast of the Black Sea. The ship sank quickly, and 423 people died.

15. October 1988: MV Jupiter

Originally named the Moledet, this Greek cruise ship first sailed in 1961. On October 21, 1988, the MV Jupiter was hit by an Italian freighter off the coast of Greece while on a two-week Mediterranean study cruise, sinking shortly after. Counting the students, crew, and adults onboard, there were about 600 people onboard. Two crew members, one teacher, and one student were killed.

16. August 1991: MTS Oceanos

The MTS Oceanos , a Greek-registered ship, sank while traveling from East London, South Africa, to Durban through rough seas. The storm got worse as the ship sailed on.

There were also some issues with the ship’s waste disposal system, and a vital ventilation pipe was broken. The pipe burst, and the ship filled with seawater. The captain and the crew abandoned the vessel. Thankfully, the entertainers on board took over the rescue efforts, and there were no fatalities.

17. September 1994: MS Estonia

The sinking of the MS Estonia (also previously named as Viking Sally) was one of history’s worst maritime disasters. The ship was sailing through the Baltic Sea when passengers and crew heard a bang followed by similar noises over the next few minutes.

Around 1:15 am, the bow visor on the front of the ship separated, the loading ramp opened, and the ship flooded. People in their cabins had a difficult time reaching the boat deck; in all, 850 people died.

18. December 1994: MS Achille Lauro

In 1965, an ocean liner called Willem Ruys was changed into a cruise ship and renamed MS Achille Lauro . The vessel experienced multiple incidents. In 1953, she collided with the Angelino Lauro, though neither ship suffered extreme damage.

In 1975, she struck a cargo ship, and in 1985, she was hijacked. Multiple explosions and fires occurred onboard in 1965, 1972, and 1981, but the last fire, in 1994, would be the one to sink her. On November 30, a fire occurred while the ship was en route to South Africa. The ship began to list, and most of the 979 people on board evacuated the next morning. Two people died, and the ship sank on December 2.

19. May 1999: Sun Vista

Sun Vista entered service in 1963 and sailed for multiple cruise lines as the SS Galileo Galilei until she sank on May 20, 1999. She served as the Meridian, the first ship for Celebrity Cruises, and became Sun Vista in 1997 when she sailed for Sun Cruises.

There was a fire in the engine room, and the ship sank in the Strait of Malacca, the main shipping channel between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. All of the people on board made it off safely.

20. October 2000: Britanis

The Britanis entered service in 1932 as the SS Monterey, an ocean liner. Eventually, in 1971, the vessel sailed for Fantasy Cruises, but Chandris, who operated Fantasy Cruises, switched its focus to another brand and stopped Fantasy Cruises operations.

Seventeen years later, in 1988, the ship was sold and renamed. Plans changed, and she was sold for scrap. The ship began leaking when heading to the scrap yard. The ship was empty, so it was allowed to capsize off the South African coast near Cape Town.

21. December 2000: SeaBreeze

This ship set sail in 1958 for Costa Cruises as Federico C. She transferred to Premiere Cruises in 1983. While sailing for them, she was renamed three times. In September 2000, Premier Cruises ceased operations, and the SeaBreeze was laid up.

Cruise Ventures III purchased her, and while traveling to Charleston, South Carolina, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, the boiler broke, causing significant damage. The ship sank near the coast of Virginia. All 34 members of the crew were saved.

22. November 2007: MV Explorer

The MV Explorer started life in 1969 as the MS Lindblad Explorer, a unique ship that sailed the Antarctic Ocean. She left for a 19-day cruise from Argentina on November 11, 2007, and crashed into an iceberg in the Bransfield Strait near the Falkland Islands 12 days later.

The iceberg caused significant damage to the ship’s hull, and water started filling it. All 153 people onboard were able to escape in lifeboats, and they were rescued by the MS Nordnorge five hours later.

23. April 2007: MS Sea Diamond

The MS Sea Diamond first sailed as the Birka Princess for Birka Line cruises. She was renamed the Sea Diamond when she was bought by Louis Cruises in 2006. In 2007, she ran aground near Santorini and eventually sank. Almost all crew and passengers escaped safely, with two people unaccounted for.

24. January 2012: Costa Concordia

The Costa Concordia entered service in 2006. She departed for a week-long Mediterranean cruise on January 13, 2012, with about 3,229 people onboard. The captain veered off course when en route to its first port, sailing close to Giglio Island off the coast of Tuscany. It hit a large rock hours after it set out to sea.

The ship sustained severe damage to its hull; it flooded and lost power, and the rudder was positioned so the ship couldn’t be steered. Everyone on board had to be evacuated, and 32 people died.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many people have died as a result of a cruise ship sinking .

In the last 100 years, just shy of 2,000 people have lost their lives as a result of a cruise ship sinking. While tragic, it is worth noting that many of these losses occurred before the 1940s.

When discussing maritime disasters involving a passenger vessel, it is only natural that the mind is immediately drawn to the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. While it is true that 1,517 lives were lost as a direct result of the sinking, it is also worth clarifying that the Titanic was not technically a cruise ship . Instead, it was a mail-carrying ocean liner.

When discussing how many cruise ships have sunk, this distinction is actually quite important. Cruise ships are designed specifically for leisure and exploration, so they return passengers to the original departure point; ocean liners, like the RMS Titanic, were designed primarily as a mode of transportation.

They carried passengers from one side of the ocean to the other in the same way that modern transatlantic flights carry passengers from North America to Europe and vice versa.

Put simply, once you remove ocean liner, cargo ship, ferry, and other types of vessel accidents from the equation, the number of cruise ships that have sunk emerges as a relatively small number.

How often do cruise ships sink?

Looking at the past 100 years, roughly one cruise ship has sunk every five years. While this may sound alarming, most of these occurred in the first half of the previous century. With that said, there have been some highly publicized cruise ship sinkings recently.

Part of why these events become such captivating international news stories has a lot to do with their infrequent nature. When you take a look just at the last 50 years, there have been a total of 15 cruise ships that have sunk. Of these, five sinkings occurred when the cruise ships were carrying no passengers.

Since 2000, only four cruise ships have sunk while at sea. These events, like the sinking of the Costa Concordia in 2012, always make international news and are very much in the public eye. Even casual observers will be familiar with these events, a testament to their rarity.

When was the most recent cruise ship sinking?

The most recent time that a cruise ship sank was in August of 2020, when the Orient Queen was severely damaged during the Beirut explosion. At the time, the ship was moored in the Port of Beirut and was not carrying any passengers.

Although two crew members were killed as a result of the explosion, things could have been much worse if the ship was fully loaded with passengers and crew. The explosion caused the ship to capsize and eventually sink. While the loss of the cruise ship was undoubtedly newsworthy, its sinking was completely due to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances.

Read Also: What Does SS Stand for on Ships?

Being caught up in an explosion unrelated to the ship itself was more just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time than a result of any fault in the ship’s design or the crew’s decision-making. This explains why the Mar Lines cruise line is involved in a lengthy lawsuit that caused the deadly explosion with the warehouse owners.

Final Words

While cruise ship accidents that result in sinking have occurred, they are incredibly rare, especially when considering the number of cruise ships that set sail each year without incident.

By studying the mistakes from the past, safety regulators and ship designers have been able to develop increasingly safe ships that keep their passengers and crew safe and dry, even in the roughest waters.

Princess Cruises Launches New Historic America Cruisetour

Carnival Crew Member Falls From Ship During Emergency Drill

What Are the Best Cruise Lines for Couples?

Carnival Cruise Line Honors Military Women During Miami’s Fleet Week

St. Kitts Cruise Port: Piers, Getting Around, What’s Nearby

Carnival Cruise Line Anticipates Return to Baltimore

Jeffrey Cleary is an experienced travel advisor and cruise specialist with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in Caribbean and World cruises. With over a decade of experience in the travel industry, Jeffrey has developed a reputation as a trusted advisor for those seeking unforgettable Caribbean and/or World cruise experiences. "I bring a wealth of experience and knowledge in the cruise industry, along with real-world experience on many of the finest ships at sea. I love cruising myself, so I am often sailing (and reachable by clients) and experiencing the cruise lines first hand. I'll get to know you, your style, your ideal vacation and recommend an Amazing Cruise experience."

Dominican Republic
Riviera Maya
New York City
All Destinations >

All-Inclusive
Kid-Friendly
All Collections >

What's New
Rookie Mistakes
Luxury for Less
Destination Cheat Sheets
Travel Safety
Travel Tips
Hidden Gems
Steamy Travel
Health and Wellness Travel
All Stories >

Adults Only Travel

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

The 9 Worst Cruise Ship Disasters

The Titanic may be the most famous ship disaster, but surprisingly, it’s not even close to being the deadliest wreck that ever occurred on a luxury liner. If you’re trying to dissuade someone from taking a cruise, you should show them this list of maritime misadventures presented in no particular order. Disclaimer: The vast majority of cruises sail without incident and are safe and not filled with poop. (Oh yeah, we’ll get there.) Get your plate ready for a buffet of high-seas horror.

1. RMS Titanic

F.G.O. Stuart (1843-1923) {{PD-old}} /Wikimedia Commons

The many experts in 1912 who considered the Titanic “unsinkable” were to be proven wrong on the boat’s maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. Thomas Andrews had designed the ship to withstand head-on collisions and rammings from other ships. However, the North Atlantic Ocean iceberg that took down the vessel scraped through five of its 16 watertight compartments. The boat would have reportedly remained afloat if it had only gone through four. Like other systems at the time, the Titanic's lifeboats were designed to shepherd passengers to nearby rescue ships, not take them to shore. Unfortunately, help was many hours away in the wee hours of April 15 when the boat was going under. The poor crew organization also caused many lifeboats to leave the ship at far less than full capacity. Plus, they only had enough boats for about a third of the onboard. As a result, more than 1,500 people died — either on the ship or in the icy waters, waiting for help. A recent theory suggests a fire that started in the hull before the ship set sail weakened the vessel’s steel walls, making it susceptible to an iceberg that normally wouldn’t have caused as much damage.

2. Eastern Star’s Dongfang zhi Xing

In 2015, Dongfang zhi Xing was traveling on the Yangtze River in China when a thunderstorm struck, and the boat capsized. Ships in the area were warned that bad storms were coming and told to take precautions, but it is unclear if the Dongfang zhi Xing ever received the warnings and continued to sail. The ship was met with winds of up to 72-85 mph, and ultimately, a downburst (a strong downward wind) caused the ship to capsize and sink. Out of the 454 people on board, only 12 survived, making the total number of dead 442.

3. Carnival Cruise Line’s Triumph

DVIDSHUB/Flickr

A generator fire on Carnival Cruise Lines’s Triumph (now called Carnival Sunrise) left the ship powerless, and a late-night comedy punchline was born: “The Poop Cruise.” Without working bathrooms, passengers were forced to drop their payloads into red “hazardous waste” bags and stuff them into garbage cans left in the hall. Passengers described carpets soaked with more than two inches of raw sewage. News reports described the scene as a “shanty town” and a “new circle of hell.” One passenger reportedly called her husband and told him that their 12-year-old daughter had Skittles for breakfast. It took four days for the Triumph to be towed from the Gulf of Mexico to Mobile, Alabama, where it was possible to smell the ship from the dock. Later, 31 passengers claimed long-lasting damage, including PTSD, and sued. After the verdict, 27 of them split $118,000, many earning less than $3,000 (minus legal fees) for their troubles.

4. Costa Concordia

European Commission DG ECHO/Flickr

One of the biggest passenger ships ever wrecked, the Costa Concordia had 17 decks, six restaurants, a three-story theater, and enough room for 4,200 vacationers. On January 13, 2012, Captain Francesco Schettino agreed to a request by the ship’s chief maître d’, Antonello Tievoli, and sailed closer to Isola del Giglio than normal. Why? Tievoli, a native of Giglio, wanted to impress and “salute” local residents. Unfortunately, Captain Schettino turned off the ship’s alarm for the computer navigation system and later admitted he thought he knew the waters well enough to navigate by sight. However, the ship’s first mate testified that the captain had left his glasses in his cabin and requested them. The Costa Concordia struck an underwater rock, capsized, and sank, killing 32 passengers. Schettino’s worst maritime sin? He abandoned the ship with 300 passengers still onboard. A Coast Guard officer in contact with the ship at the time of the sinking claimed he told Schettino to get back onboard. After being convicted of manslaughter and pursuing several appeals, Schettino only started his 16-year prison sentence in May of 2017. The salvage effort (the ship was completely dismantled) was the largest effort of its kind.

5. SS Eastland

Launched in 1903, the SS Eastland was a passenger ship based in Chicago and used for tours. Although the ship had noted listing (tilting) since its inception and some measures had been taken to rectify this, the SS Eastland was still suffering from being top-heavy when boarding for a cruise in 1915. The ship was meant to sail from Chicago to Michigan City, Indiana, carrying workers from Western Electric Company’s Hawthorne Works for a picnic. On July 24, 2,572 passengers boarded, with many congregating on the open upper decks. While still docked, the ship began to list to the port side, and reportedly, at some point, more passengers rushed to the port side, causing the ship to roll onto its side completely. Despite the river’s bottom being just 20 feet below and the shore being about the same distance, a total of 844 passengers and crew members died, including 22 entire families.

6. Royal Pacific

When the Royal Pacific was first launched as a passenger ferry in 1964, it could carry 250 passengers, 91 cars, and 16 trucks. Sold and converted into a cruise ship in the late 1980s, the boat’s maiden voyage was a two-night “cruise to nowhere” from Singapore and sailed by Phuket, Malacca, and Penang before returning home. At around 2 a.m., when most passengers were asleep, the crew heard a loud bang, and the plates on the buffet table crashed to the ground. A Taiwanese trawler, Terfu 51, had accidentally rammed the ship, leaving a six-foot gash in the side. As the trawler pulled away, there was a deafening sound of metal scraping against metal. The PA system wasn’t working properly on the boat, but the safety officer ran downstairs to survey the damage. When he returned, he told everyone to put on their life jackets. Reports vary about how many passengers were impacted — most tallies number 30 dead and 70 injured. Several passengers also complained that a mix of Greek-, English- and Mandarin-speaking crew members led to few people understanding what anyone was saying.

7. SS Morro Castle

The story of the SS Morro Castle is so dreadful it’s surprising no Hollywood producer has turned the tale into a horror movie. Director Fritz Lang collaborated on a script about the tragedy, and named it “Hell Afloat” (which is a pretty apt description), but it was never made. Between 1930 and 1934, the SS Morro Castle regularly shuttled 480-plus passengers between Havana and New York. While onboard, there was no Depression to worry about and no Prohibition, which meant plenty of booze-filled partying. However, the September 1934 return sail from Cuba to the Big Apple seemed cursed. On September 7, Captain Robert Wilmott complained of stomach trouble after eating dinner and retired to his cabin, where he later died of an apparent heart attack. Chief Officer William Warms took command, and a few hours later, around 3 a.m. on September 8, a fire started in one of the storage lockers. The crew’s attempts to fight the fire were haphazard and inadequate, and soon, the blaze couldn’t be contained. Many crew members abandoned the ship, leaving confused passengers to fend for themselves in the dark, smoky hallways. Some jumped from the deck to their death in the water. Rescuers lined up on the Jersey Shore to meet the lifeboats carrying passengers. The next morning, the burning, black hull of the SS Morro Castle ran aground at Asbury Park, New Jersey. Of the 549 people aboard the cruise, 86 guests and 49 crew members died.

8. Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas

A cruise can be an oasis of calm in rough waters, but it’s also a petri dish of disease where viruses ricochet from passenger to passenger. In 2014, the Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas cruise from New Jersey to the Caribbean earned the dubious honor of being the ship with more sick passengers than any other boat trip since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention started keeping statistics more than 20 years ago. An estimated 700 passengers and crew members were sick at some point. Most cruise ship illnesses result from norovirus, that causes inflammation of the stomach and large intestines and regular trips to the “head.” If you’re wondering how to stay healthy on a cruise with sick passengers, plenty of handwashing (and avoiding ill people) is key. Bugs pass quickly through contact with ship railings, bathroom doors, and buffet food.

9. MTS Oceanos

Built by a French company and first launched in 1952, the MTS Oceanos was purchased by a Greek company in 1976. On August 3, 1991, Oceanos set sail for East London, South Africa, and headed north for Durban, led by Captain Yiannis Avranas. The ship reportedly headed into 40-knot winds and 30-foot swells, and thus, the typical sail-away outdoor deck party with British entertainers Moss and Tracy Hills was moved to an indoor lounge. The sea conditions worsened that night, leading to the ship rolling from side to side, and eventually, an explosion was heard due to a lack of repairs for the waste disposal system. This all led to the ship losing power and water filling its generator room, so the generators were shut down and the ship was led adrift. A distress call was sent and answered by numerous South African helicopters and a Dutch container ship. Shockingly, the captain and many crew members were among the first to be airlifted to shore, leaving the entertainment staff to coordinate the rescue efforts and help passengers to safety. All 571 passengers and crew members were saved by the time the ship sank nose-first into the sea.

Cruise Lines

How many royal caribbean cruise ships have sunk.

Table of Contents

History of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

Overview of Cruise Ship Safety Measures

Notable maritime incidents involving royal caribbean.

Titanic and the Connection to Royal Caribbean

Costa concordia disaster and lessons learned, the truth about sinking cruise ships, royal caribbean’s commitment to passenger safety, training and emergency drills, advanced safety technologies, common misconceptions about cruise ship safety, steps taken to prevent ship sinkings, design and construction standards, strict maintenance and inspection protocols, passenger safety tips for cruise travel, conclusion: the safety of royal caribbean cruise ships, faq: frequently asked questions about cruise ship safety, frequently asked questions, how many royal caribbean cruise ships have sunk in the past decade, what are the most common causes of cruise ship sinkings, are there any specific regions or routes that are more prone to cruise ship sinkings, how often are cruise ships inspected for safety measures, what emergency procedures are in place in the event of a cruise ship sinking, are royal caribbean cruise ships safer than other cruise lines, such as regent seven seas.

With a lifelong fascination for exploring new horizons, Alfons discovered his love for the ocean and cruising at a young age. From sailing across pristine Caribbean waters to embarking on daring expeditions to far-flung destinations, he has amassed a treasure trove of first-hand experiences in the world of cruising.

How Much Is Bingo On Carnival Cruise

How Much Do Cruise Directors Make

Alfons is the visionary leader and driving force behind Voyager Info’s success. As the Editor in Chief, he brings a wealth of experience and an unwavering passion for travel to the helm of our cruise-centric platform. With a lifelong fascination for exploring new horizons, Alfons discovered his love for the ocean and cruising at a young age. From sailing across pristine Caribbean waters to embarking on daring expeditions to far-flung destinations, he has amassed a treasure trove of first-hand experiences in the world of cruising.

Key Takeaways

A folio number on a Carnival cruise is used to manage and track expenses incurred during the cruise.
It is different from a booking number, which is used to reserve and confirm a cabin on the cruise.
Reviewing and understanding the folio statement is important to ensure accuracy of charges and to avoid any unexpected expenses.
The folio number can be used to dispute incorrect charges and seek resolution for any billing discrepancies.

Definition of a Folio Number

Importance of a Folio Number on a Carnival Cruise

How to obtain your folio number.

Visit the Carnival website and log into your account.
Navigate to the ‘Manage My Booking’ section.
Locate your booking details and find your folio number.

Linking Your Onboard Expenses to Your Folio Number

Tracking your spending with your folio number, settling your account with your folio number, benefits of having a folio number, tips for managing your folio number, common questions about folio numbers answered, final thoughts on the significance of a folio number on a carnival cruise, can i use my folio number for purchases made off the ship, what happens if i lose my folio number during the cruise, is it possible to change my folio number once it has been assigned, are there any fees associated with using a folio number on a carnival cruise, can i link multiple credit cards to my folio number for payment, what is the difference between a folio number carnival cruise and an ultra cruise on carnival.

Claire, a creative soul with an unquenchable thirst for storytelling, is an integral part of the Voyager Info team. As a dedicated writer, she weaves captivating narratives that transport readers to enchanting cruise destinations and beyond.

Claire’s love affair with writing began at an early age when she discovered the magic of words and their ability to craft worlds and emotions. Her innate curiosity led her to explore various literary genres, but it was travel writing that truly captured her heart. Drawing inspiration from her own globetrotting adventures and encounters with diverse cultures, Claire embarked on a journey to become a travel writer par excellence.

What Is Included On A Carnival Cruise

An image showcasing the vibrant outdoor deck of a Carnival Cruise ship, adorned with inviting sun loungers, a sparkling swimming pool, towering water slides, and colorful umbrellas, displaying the epitome of relaxation and endless fun

Carnival Cruise Line offers a wide range of dining options, including casual buffets, elegant sit-down restaurants, and specialty dining experiences with exquisite dishes.
The entertainment and activities on Carnival cruises are diverse and exciting, with Broadway-style shows, comedy clubs, live music performances, water parks with thrilling slides, and sports facilities for friendly games.
The accommodations on Carnival cruises are cozy and luxurious, with soft beds, elegant decor, and breathtaking ocean views. There is a range of accommodation types to choose from, all equipped with amenities for comfort.
Carnival cruises offer a variety of onboard amenities, such as spa and fitness centers for ultimate relaxation, casino and gaming areas for luck and thrill, and shops and boutiques for retail therapy. The spa and fitness center offer rejuvenating treatments, soothing massages, state-of-the-art fitness equipment, and fitness classes led by experienced instructors. The casino and gaming areas provide a wide variety of exciting games and gambling options, including classic table games and slot machines.

Dining Options

Entertainment and activities, broadway-style shows, comedy clubs and live music, water park and sports facilities, accommodations, onboard amenities, spa and fitness center, casino and gaming areas, shops and boutiques, kids and family programs, excursions and ports of call, onboard activities, nightlife and bars, nightclubs and themed bars, live music and dj performances, spa and wellness, customer service and support, what are the safety protocols and measures in place on a carnival cruise, can i bring my own alcohol on board, are there any age restrictions for the different activities and amenities on the cruise, are there any special dining options available for guests with dietary restrictions or allergies, can i bring my pet onboard a carnival cruise, what are the main differences in what is included on a disney cruise compared to a carnival cruise, what is the average age of passengers by cruise line.

An image showcasing a diverse range of passengers on different cruise ships: a family with children laughing on a water slide, a group of retirees playing shuffleboard, and young couples enjoying a sunset dinner

Setting out on an exploration across the immense sea of data, my objective is to reveal the age groups that favor cruising as their choice of holiday. This endeavor highlights the varied experiences provided by different cruise lines.

Like a tapestry woven with different threads, each line attracts a unique blend of passengers, creating a vibrant mosaic of age groups.

Carnival Cruise Line, with its playful spirit and lively atmosphere, appeals to a younger crowd, while Holland America Line exudes elegance and sophistication, drawing in a more mature clientele.

Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises cater to a wide range of ages, offering activities and entertainment for both the young and the young at heart.

Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises, on the other hand, strike a balance between relaxation and adventure, attracting passengers from various age brackets.

Join me on this enchanting journey as we explore the average age of passengers across these renowned cruise lines, uncovering the hidden patterns within the data.

The average age of passengers on Norwegian Cruise Line is around 45 years old, indicating a focus on attracting a younger crowd.
Princess Cruises caters to a diverse range of travelers of all ages, offering family-friendly experiences and a romantic atmosphere for couples.
Both cruise lines provide exceptional onboard entertainment, including Broadway-style shows, live music performances, cooking demonstrations, and art classes.
The onboard amenities of both cruise lines include luxurious spas, swimming pools, fitness centers, and facilities for passenger pampering, catering to the enjoyment and relaxation of all passengers.

Carnival Cruise Line

The average age of passengers on Carnival Cruise Line is typically lower than other cruise lines.

Carnival Cruise Line is known for its vibrant onboard entertainment and family-friendly activities, attracting a wide range of age groups.

With a focus on creating a fun and energetic atmosphere, Carnival offers a variety of entertainment options such as live shows, comedy clubs, and themed parties.

Families can enjoy activities like water parks, mini-golf, and age-specific kids’ clubs.

These offerings appeal to younger travelers, contributing to the lower average age on Carnival Cruise Line.

As we transition into the subsequent section about Holland America Line, it is important to note that while Carnival attracts a younger demographic, Holland America Line tends to appeal to a more mature audience.

Holland America Line

Holland America Line offers a sophisticated atmosphere and elegant dining experience that caters to guests seeking a refined cruise experience. With a focus on gourmet cuisine and top-notch service, passengers can indulge in a luxurious dining experience throughout their voyage.

Additionally, Holland America Line offers a wide range of enrichment programs and cultural activities, allowing guests to expand their knowledge and immerse themselves in the destinations they visit. From lectures by experts to cooking demonstrations and art classes, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Lastly, Holland America Line boasts relaxing spa and wellness facilities that provide the perfect retreat for guests looking to unwind and rejuvenate. With a variety of treatments and therapies available, passengers can pamper themselves and enhance their overall well-being while cruising.

Sophisticated Atmosphere and Elegant Dining

Indulge yourself in the sophisticated atmosphere and elegant dining of Holland America Line, where you’ll discover a world of refined cuisine and exquisite ambiance. This cruise line is renowned for its sophisticated ambiance, immersing passengers in a luxurious environment that exudes elegance. The fine dining options offered onboard are nothing short of exceptional, with a diverse selection of gourmet dishes prepared by talented chefs. From delectable seafood to succulent steaks, every meal is a culinary delight. To add a touch of sophistication to this description, let me present a table that showcases the variety of dining options available:

Now, let’s move on to the next section, where we will explore the enrichment programs and cultural activities offered by Holland America Line.

Enrichment Programs and Cultural Activities

Get ready to immerse yourself in a world of cultural activities and enrichment programs that will captivate and inspire you throughout your Holland America Line experience. Here are four incredible offerings that showcase the line’s commitment to providing a diverse range of experiences:

By offering such a wide array of enrichment programs and cultural activities, Holland America Line caters to a diverse age demographic, ensuring that passengers of all ages can engage in activities that interest them.

Transitioning into the subsequent section about relaxing spa and wellness facilities, you’ll find an oasis of tranquility where you can rejuvenate and unwind.

Relaxing Spa and Wellness Facilities

Immerse yourself in a world of tranquility and rejuvenation with Holland America Line’s relaxing spa and wellness facilities.

With a wide array of spa treatments and wellness programs, Holland America Line ensures that passengers can unwind and revitalize their mind, body, and soul.

From luxurious massages to invigorating facials, their spa treatments are designed to pamper and provide ultimate relaxation.

In addition, meditation classes are offered to help passengers find inner peace and harmony amidst the hectic pace of cruising.

By incorporating these wellness facilities and programs, Holland America Line caters to passengers who seek a holistic experience during their cruise vacation.

Transitioning into the subsequent section about ‘Royal Caribbean International’, let’s explore another aspect of the cruise experience that focuses on entertainment and recreational activities.

Royal Caribbean International

Passengers on Royal Caribbean International cruises tend to be of a certain age, adding a touch of sophistication to the overall atmosphere. With a focus on providing a diverse range of experiences, Royal Caribbean attracts passengers from all walks of life, but the average age of their passengers tends to be slightly higher compared to other cruise lines.

This can be attributed to the cruise line’s reputation for offering a wide array of activities and amenities that cater to a more mature audience. From the luxurious spa and wellness facilities to the refined dining options and entertainment choices, Royal Caribbean ensures that its passengers have a sophisticated and enjoyable experience.

As we transition into the next section about Celebrity Cruises, it is interesting to note that this cruise line also appeals to a similar demographic, but with its own unique offerings.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises offers a sophisticated and elegant atmosphere that transports you to a world of luxury and refinement. With its dedication to providing exceptional service and unparalleled experiences, Celebrity Cruises attracts a diverse range of passengers.

When it comes to the average age of passengers, Celebrity Cruises appeals to a slightly older demographic compared to other cruise lines. The average age of passengers on Celebrity Cruises is around 55 years old, reflecting the brand’s focus on providing a more refined and upscale experience. This age range aligns with the cruise line’s emphasis on cultural enrichment, gourmet dining, and world-class entertainment.

Celebrity Cruises caters to sophisticated travelers who appreciate the finer things in life.

Moving forward to the subsequent section about Norwegian Cruise Line, we delve into a cruise line that offers a different experience for passengers.

Norwegian Cruise Line

As you step aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, you are transported to a world of boundless freedom and exhilarating adventures, where every moment is a thrilling journey waiting to unfold. When it comes to the average age of passengers on Norwegian Cruise Line, the company caters to a diverse demographic. With a wide range of itineraries and activities, Norwegian Cruise Line attracts passengers of all ages, from families with children to older adults seeking relaxation and exploration. However, the cruise line is known for its vibrant and energetic atmosphere, appealing to a younger crowd. According to industry data, the average age of passengers on Norwegian Cruise Line is around 45 years old. This aligns with the cruise line’s focus on providing a dynamic and youthful experience for its guests. Moving on to the next cruise line, Princess Cruises offers a unique and captivating journey.

Princess Cruises

Embark on a majestic voyage with Princess Cruises and immerse yourself in a world of enchantment and discovery.

When it comes to the average age of passengers, Princess Cruises attracts a diverse range of travelers.

With a focus on providing exceptional onboard entertainment and amenities, Princess Cruises caters to passengers of all ages. From Broadway-style shows and live music performances to cooking demonstrations and art classes, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

The onboard amenities are equally impressive, with luxurious spas, swimming pools, and fitness centers to keep passengers pampered and active during their voyage.

So whether you’re looking for a family vacation or a romantic getaway, Princess Cruises offers an unforgettable experience for passengers of all ages.

Can children and teenagers travel on these cruise lines?

Children and teenagers can travel on most cruise lines, but there are age restrictions and youth programs available. The industry recognizes the importance of catering to all age groups, providing a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.

Are there any age restrictions or requirements for passengers on these cruise lines?

There are age restrictions and minimum age requirements for passengers on cruise lines. Each cruise line has its own policies, but typically children must be at least 6 months old to sail.

Are there any specific cruise itineraries or ships that cater to older passengers?

There are several cruise itineraries and ships that cater to older passengers. These ships offer specific onboard activities and amenities tailored to their needs, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable experience for the older demographic.

Is there any information available about the average age of crew members on these cruise lines?

The average age of crew members varies across cruise lines, and it can have an impact on the passenger experience. Younger crew members may bring a more energetic vibe, while older crew members may offer a more experienced and refined service.

Are there any specific onboard activities or amenities that are popular among passengers of a certain age group?

Popular onboard activities and amenities vary by age group. Younger passengers tend to prefer high-energy activities like rock climbing and water slides, while older passengers often enjoy more relaxed options such as spa treatments and wine tastings.

After analyzing the data on the average age of passengers by cruise line, it is evident that each company caters to a distinct demographic.

Carnival Cruise Line, with its vibrant atmosphere and exciting activities, attracts a younger crowd, while Holland America Line appeals to a more mature audience seeking a refined and elegant experience.

Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises strike a balance between youth and sophistication, targeting a broad range of age groups.

Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises cater to individuals seeking relaxation and tranquility.

The cruise industry truly offers something for everyone, ensuring a delightful voyage for every traveler.

Affiliate disclaimer

As an affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. We get commissions for purchases made through links on this website from Amazon and other third parties.

What Makes Icon of the Seas the Ultimate Family Cruise Experience?

Unveiling the All-New MSC Seaside: a Grand Voyage From Europe to Miami

Unveiling Jo Diggs' Artistry: Fabric and Stitching in the Natural World

Unveiling Bermuda's Eerie Enigma: 10 Haunting Legends Revealed

Unveiling Royal Caribbean's Exhilarating Caribbean Escapes: Top Destinations

What Drinks Can You Bring On Princess Cruise

What Is The Weather Like On A Transatlantic Cruise In April

An image showcasing a vibrant cruise ship deck with unmistakable signage leading to the ship's communication center

How to Contact Someone on a Carnival Cruise Ship

An image showcasing a close-up of a Norwegian Cruise Line receipt, with a breakdown of gratuities and service charges highlighted

Decoding Norwegian Cruise Line’s Gratuities and Service Charges

A vibrant image capturing the essence of Carnival's cruise industry recovery

Carnival’s Cruise Industry Recovery: Challenges, Progress, and Optimistic Outlook

An image showcasing the evolution of Azamara Onward: Start with a vintage shipyard, then transform it into a luxurious modern vessel through a mesmerizing sequence of construction, renovation, and futuristic upgrades

Azamara Onward: Origins, Renovation, and Future Plans

Anthony Bourdain: Unconventional Culinary Icon and Global Influencer

the essence of Cabo San Lucas' culinary adventure with an image of a sizzling taco al pastor, topped with juicy pineapple chunks and a sprinkle of cilantro, served on a warm, handmade tortilla

Authentic Tacos and Local Delights: A Culinary Adventure in Cabo San Lucas

An image capturing the majesty of an Arctic adventure aboard Le Commandant Charcot, showcasing untouched icy landscapes, towering glaciers, and a luxurious ship voyaging through pristine waters beneath a vivid sky

Arctic Adventure: Uncharted Destinations With Le Commandant Charcot

An image of a luxurious cruise ship's art gallery, adorned with vibrant, one-of-a-kind masterpieces

Authentic Art, Exciting Auctions: The Ultimate Cruise Ship Experience!

Which Celebrity Cruise Ships Have Been Refurbished

An image showcasing a vibrant poolside scene on a Princess Cruise ship, with guests enjoying a refreshing array of drinks

How To Turn On Cruise Control Tesla Model 3

An image of a serene ocean expanse, showcasing a luxurious cruise ship gliding past vibrant pink and orange skies at sunset

How To Set Cruise Control Tesla Model Y

An image capturing a smartphone screen displaying a weather app with a picturesque cruise ship backdrop

How To Check Weather For A Cruise

An image showcasing a serene water taxi journey from the iconic canals of Venice, passing through picturesque lagoons, and arriving at the vibrant Chioggia Cruise Terminal, surrounded by colorful sailboats and a bustling waterfront promenade

How To Get From Venice To Chioggia Cruise Terminal

Film and TV

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories , we're happy to send you some reminders

Click ' OK ' then ' Allow ' to enable notifications

Real reason why Drake Passage is a 'ship graveyard' and the most dangerous sea route in the world

Drake passage is described as one of the most dangerous places on earth.

Niamh Shackleton

Drake Passage has been hailed as a 'ship graveyard', leaving many people to question why.

The passageway was discovered in 1525, and connects the Pacific Ocean to Atlantic Ocean , with the Southern Ocean located just below.

It's an impressive 620 miles wide and is incredibly deep. It's average depth is 11,150 feet, so it's safe to say if you drop something overboard, it's very unlikely you're getting it back.

Drake Passage is one of the most dangerous places on Earth (Martin Ruegner/Getty)

With it being the connecting point between three of the world's largest oceans in such a narrow space, Drake Passage can be subjected to atmospheric cyclones.

These strong winds come from the Southern Ocean which is unbroken by land, so its mighty winds can wreak havoc on the globe without encountering any obstacles.

And with wind comes waves, with some of Drake Passage's biggest waves reportedly hitting heights of 95ft .

Many sea routes are now connected by the Panama Canal, but until its opening in 1914, ships relied on Drake Passage alone, meaning hundreds of ships had to go through the world's most dangerous sea route.

To date, it's said that 800 ships have sunk in the Drake Passage, claiming hundreds of lives in the process.

These deaths date as recently as 2022 after a 'rogue wave' smashed into Viking Polaris cruise ship in Drake Passage, killing one passenger and injuring eight others.

Drake Passage's waters have so been so turbulent that those onboard ships passing through it have to eat off plates that are stuck down.

Karen Heywood, a physical oceanographer at the University of East Anglia, told National Geographic in January of this year while travelling through Drake Passage : "It’s always interesting when you go to dinner and they put sticky mats on all the tables to make sure your plates and things don’t slide around."

Professor Alberto Naveira Garabato, who has also travelled through Drake Passage by ship, said of the weather : "Suddenly you are in this icy world.

"It happens just like that - you can see the transition happening only in hours."

Drake Passage's cooler climes keeps Antartica cold (Foto4440/Getty)

But Drake Passage isn't all bad - the famous sea route is said to be good for the planet .

Why, I hear you ask? It's all down to it's cooling power, which benefits Antartica in particular.

Without a land bridge connecting the continent to South America, northern air does not easily flow south, keeping it cool.

If Drake Passage didn't break up Antartica from South America, there could been a chance that the 11.5 million square miles of ice packed around Antartica would melt which, according to research , would cause global sea levels to rise by almost 200ft.

You learn something new every day.

Topics: News , Travel , Weather , World News , Climate Change

Niamh Shackleton is an experienced journalist for UNILAD, specialising in topics including mental health and showbiz, as well as anything Henry Cavill and cat related. She has previously worked for OK! Magazine, Caters and Kennedy.

@ niamhshackleton

Choose your content:

Shocking US state law allowed husband to kill someone caught having sex with his wife under one condition

This law was on the books up until the last half century.

People are obsessed with dark serial killer horror movie with near perfect Rotten Tomatoes score

The film about a supernatural killer is streaming on prime video channel, amc+.

‘Unserious’ police department unveil new luxury cop car to 'aid recruitment' leaving people in disbelief

The miami police department have unveiled a new luxury car, which they hope will aid recruitment to the force.

Woman gets 'freaked out' after fake coworker calls police on her for not showing up to work

A woman was left shaken after a fake coworker called the police to her door.

Tribe of ‘fish people’ developed new mutant ‘sea nomad gene’ to let them dive to bottom of the ocean
Japan faces backlash as it prepares to dump Fukushima nuclear plant water into the sea
Scientists say the Gulf Stream could collapse by 2025 and cause 'catastrophic climate impacts'
Incredible video shows Dubai's artificial rain that's used to combat high temperatures

- K-town Now
Asia-Pacific
- Storm Tracker
Middle East
Map of Memorials
Entertainment
- Video Games
Europe Travel
- Quick Trips
- After Hours
Pacific Travel
The Meat and Potatoes of Life
U.S. Travel
Storm Tracker
Rewards for readers
Get Stripes
Stripes Lite
Archives/Library
Special Publications
Mobile Apps
Email Newsletters
Digital Access
Home Delivery
Marine Corps
Coast Guard
Space Force
Archive photo of the day
- Schedules Europe
- Scoreboards Europe
- Schedules Pacific
- Scoreboards Pacific
- Pacific Sports Blog
- WW II Podcast
- Military Matters
- Force for Hire
Out of Uniform
- WW II Videos
Communities
Stripes Europe
Stripes Guam
Stripes Japan
Stripes Korea
Stripes Okinawa
Our Other Websites
In Memoriam
Month of the Military Child
Best of Germany
Best of the Pacific
Letters to Santa

US calls on Iran to halt `unprecedented’ weapons transfers to Yemen’s Houthis for attacks on ships

A Houthi soldier stands on board of the Israeli Galaxy ship which was seized by the Houthis, in the port of Saleef, near Hodeidah, Yemen, Sunday, May. 12, 2024. (Osamah Abdulrahman/AP)

UNITED NATIONS — The United States called on Iran on Monday to halt its transfer of an “unprecedented” amount of weaponry to Yemen’s Houthi rebels, enabling its fighters to carry out “reckless attacks” on ships in the Red Sea and elsewhere.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told the U.N. Security Council that if it wants to make progress toward ending the civil war in Yemen it must act collectively to “call Iran out for its destabilizing role and insist that it cannot hide behind the Houthis.”

He said there is extensive evidence that Iran is providing advanced weapons, including ballistic and cruise missiles, to the Houthis in violation of U.N. sanctions.

“To underscore the council’s concern regarding the ongoing violations of the arms embargo, we must do more to strengthen enforcement and deter sanctions violators,” Wood said.

The Houthis say their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its war with Hamas in Gaza, which has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, the U.S. Maritime Administration said late last month.

Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat.

But Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special envoy for Yemen, warned the council that “hostilities continue” even though there has been a reduction in attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean as well as a reduction in the number of U.S. and British airstrikes on targets in Yemen.

He pointed to an announcement by the Houthis that they will “expand the scope of attacks,” calling this “a worrisome provocation in an already volatile situation.”

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council that the Israeli announcement on May 6 that it was starting its military operation in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, where 1.2 million Palestinians had sought safety, ratcheted up the spiral of escalation in the region “another notch further.”

“There’s no doubt that this will have an impact on the situation in Yemen’s surrounding waters,” he said, noting the Houthis’ opposition to Israeli attacks that harm Palestinian civilians.

But, Nebenzia added, “We call for a swift cessation of the shelling of commercial vessels and any other actions that hamper maritime navigation.”

He sharply criticized the United States and its Western allies, saying their “totally unjustified aggressive strikes” in Yemen violate the U.N. Charter. He said they further complicate an already complex situation and won’t improve the situation in the Red Sea.

The war between the Houthis and pro-government forces in Yemen backed by a coalition of Gulf Arab states has raged since 2014. The Houthis swept down from the mountains, seized much of northern Yemen and the country’s capital, Sanaa, and forced the internationally recognized government to flee into exile to Saudi Arabia. Since then, more than 150,000 people have been killed by the violence and 3 million have been displaced.

Fighting has decreased markedly in Yemen since a truce in April 2022, but there are still hotspots in the country

Grundberg recalled that in December the Houthis and the government “took a courageous step towards a peaceful solution” by agreeing to a series of commitments that would provide for a nationwide cease-fire, ensure desperately needed humanitarian aid, and initiate a political process to end the conflict.

But U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths reported “alarmingly high” levels of severe food deprivation across the country that are expected to worsen during the lean season for crops starting in June.

Griffiths also expressed serious concern about a rapidly worsening cholera outbreak. He cited reports of 40,000 suspected cholera cases and over 160 deaths — “a sharp increase” since last month, the majority in Houthi-controlled areas “where hundreds of new cases are reported every day.”

previous coverage

Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim 2 attacks in Gulf of Aden as Iran official renews nuclear bomb threats

Sign Up for Daily Headlines

Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets from around the world.

IMAGES

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk?
How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk? (2023)
How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk
Inside Sinking Cruise Ship
Costa Concordia: 20 Powerful Photos of the Cruise Ship Disaster and
How Many Disney Cruise Ships Have Sunk

VIDEO

Passenger ships that sunk 😔 #cruise #ship #sad #facts #foryou
15 Cruise Ships Sunk in History
Cruise Ships have the BEST Views #cruiseshiplife #stromboli #italy #cruise #cruiseshipcrew
Many cruise ships on the Themes River
Rescuing stranded cruise ships cost American millions?
Too Many Cruises Ships To Choose

COMMENTS

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk? [2024 List]
The Sinking of MV Jupiter (October 1988) The MV Jupiter, a Greek cruise ship, started sailing in 1961 as the Moledet. On October 21, 1988, it sank after leaving Piraeus, Greece. An Italian freight ship hit it. The ship had nearly 400 British students, 84 adults, and 110 crew members on a study cruise.
How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk in History?
Here, in chronological order, are the 24 cruise ships that have sunk in history: 1. April 1912: Titanic. Titanic Ocean Liner. Perhaps the most infamous cruise ship sinking took place on April 14 ...
How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk?
What are the odds of a cruise ship sinking? The odds of a cruise ship sinking are extremely low. Only 11 ocean cruise ships have sunk while on a cruise in the last 50 years. Assuming an average of 100 sailings per ship per year, and an average of 150 cruise ships in that time, that is odds of 1 in 68,000.
How many Cruise Ships have Sunk? A list of Cruise Ships that met their
There have been very few cruise ships that have sunk in the past century. Because of the safety procedures followed by the cruise liner industry, most or all of the passengers and crew survive when a cruise ship sinks. How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk. Only twenty-four cruise ships—both river and ocean liners—have sunk since 1912.
How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk in the Past 100 Years?
Cruises are one of the safest options for vacations, but in the past 100 years there have been some incidents with cruise ships sinking. Here are some notable ones in the past 100 years. Titanic (1912) The most famous cruise ship sinking in history, the Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg. Empress of Ireland (1914) This large passenger ...
How Often do Cruise Ships Sink?
From the table, we can see that in 110 years, 16 cruise ships have sunk. This means, on average, 1 cruise ship sinks every 6.8 years. However, in more modern times, since 2000, only 4 cruise ships have sunk while out at sea, an average of once every 5.5 years.
A Comprehensive List of Sunk Cruise Ships and Their Maritime Tales
If river cruise ships and ocean liners are included, around 20 or more cruise ships have sunk over our recent 100 years of history. More Read. Carnival Cruise Director's Schedule for 2024-2025. ... For those of you who may have been scared about setting foot on a cruise ship, take heart. The numbers reveal that ship sinkings are exceedingly ...
How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk?
Thankfully, very few cruise ships have actually sunk in modern history. Even so, the Titanic's sinking impacted maritime law so much that there are more than enough lifeboats for all passengers and crew onboard any given sailing. Within the last 111 years, over 20 cruise ships and ocean liners have sunk.
How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk?
In the past 100 years, approximately 24 cruise ships have sunk. The causes and impacts of these incidents vary, including wartime activities, accidents, and severe weather conditions. In some cases, ships sank only while being towed. In modern times, cruise ships rarely sink, thanks to strict safety rules, ship stabilizers, modern technology to ...
How Often Do Cruise Ships Sink?
Over the past 100 years since the RMS Titanic sank in 1912, only 18 cruise ships and some ocean liners have been publicly known to have sunk. And, over the past 50 years, only four cruise ships have sunk while navigating on a cruise.
How Often Do Cruise Ships Sink?
There have been several notable incidents of cruise ships sinking throughout history. Some of the most famous include: ... The largest cruise ship to have ever sunk in terms of passenger capacity is the Costa Concordia. The ship had a capacity of 3,780 passengers and 1,100 crew members. It ran aground and capsized off the coast of Italy in 2012.
Cruise Mishaps: How Normal Are They?
There have been about 79 fires onboard cruise ships between 1990 and 2011, according to Mr. Klein's data. ... about 16 ships have sunk. They tend to be ships that sail in inhospitable waters ...
How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk
Famous Cruise Ship Sinking Cases. Throughout history, there have been several high-profile and memorable cruise ship sinking cases that have captured worldwide attention. These incidents serve as reminders of the potential risks and challenges faced by cruise ships on the open seas. Let's explore some of the most famous cruise ship sinking ...
10 Major Cruise Ships And Passenger Vessels That Sank
This article will enlighten you about the 12 major cruise ships that sank. ... Had there been more life crafts, precious lives could have been saved. 2. The Mighty, Costa Concordia. Costa Concordia sank due to a small mistake of the captain and one of the officers. It was a magnanimous passenger ship containing 17 decks, a three-storeyed ...
How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk? [& How Often]
Since 1900, only 16 cruise ships have sunk. This includes ocean liners and river cruises as well. The Costa Concordia is the biggest cruise ship to sink in the last 100 years. But no sinking was as severe and deadly as the Titanic's. If cruise ships, ocean liners, and river cruises are considered, the number will be well over 16.
Costa Concordia disaster
MS Costa Concordia in Palma, Majorca, in 2011. Costa Concordia (call sign: IBHD, IMO number: 9320544, MMSI number: 247158500), with 3,206 passengers and 1,023 crew members on board, was sailing off Isola del Giglio on the night of 13 January 2012, having begun a planned seven-day cruise from Civitavecchia, Lazio, Italy, to Savona and five other ports. The port side of the ship struck a reef at ...
List of cruise ships
As some cruise ships have operated under multiple names, ... Ocean Cruise Lines: 1984: Sank March 1993 in Amazon' Ocean Star Pacific: Ocean Star Cruises: 1971: 23,149: ... Has been sold at auction in Ashdod, Israelfor US$4.8 million to undisclosed buyers. The ship, which is now ...
Scary Cruise Ship Facts That Will Make You Never Want to ...
The Costa Concordia partially sank off the western coast of Italy in 2012. Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images In 2013, The New York Times reported that 16 cruise ships sank between 1980 and 2012.
How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk in History?
Over the past 100 years, there have only ever been 24 full-size cruise ships that have sunk. In some of these cases, the sinking occurred while the ship was being towed for repairs or when the ship was on its way to a scrapping yard ; many times, the ship was operating as a warship when the sinking occurred.
The 9 Worst Cruise Ship Disasters
Get your plate ready for a buffet of high-seas horror. 1. RMS Titanic. F.G.O. Stuart (1843-1923) { {PD-old}} /Wikimedia Commons. The many experts in 1912 who considered the Titanic "unsinkable" were to be proven wrong on the boat's maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City.
List of shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean
A Black Swan -class sloop that was torpedoed by U-344 . / 73.017°N 3.950°E / 73.017; 3.950 ( HMS Kite (U87)) A merchant raider sunk by British warships in the Action of 16 March 1917 . An M-class destroyer that was torpedoed by U-990 about 200 nautical miles (370 km) west of North Cape, Norway.
List of ships sunk by icebergs
List of ships sunk by icebergs. A non-exhaustive listing of ships which have sunk as a result of striking ice masses of larger than "growler" or pack size (such collisions with minor ice are comparatively common, usually resulting in less damage). Note that many vessels have been lost without a trace in seas containing icebergs; these are not ...
How Many Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships Have Sunk
Cruise Line. Number of Sinking Cruise Ships. Royal Caribbean. Less than 5. Other Cruise Lines. Varies. As seen in the table, Royal Caribbean has a remarkable track record when it comes to passenger safety. They have implemented stringent safety measures and protocols to ensure the well-being of their passengers.
The World's Most Famous Cruise Ships
An obvious top choice, the RMS Titanic is famous for more than its horrific sinking in the frigid waters of the Atlantic, creating one of the deadliest commercial maritime disasters in history. At ...
Real reason why Drake Passage is a 'ship graveyard' and the most
Many sea routes are now connected by the Panama Canal, but until its opening in 1914, ships relied on Drake Passage alone, meaning hundreds of ships had to go through the world's most dangerous sea route. To date, it's said that 800 ships have sunk in the Drake Passage, claiming hundreds of lives in the process.
Orcas Sink Another Yacht Off Gibraltar
May 13, 2024, 6:48 PM PDT. A pod of orca whales feeds in the Atlantic Ocean. In the Mediterranean, a different group of orcas sank another yacht. Arturo de Frias photography. Killer whales took ...
US calls on Iran to halt `unprecedented' weapons transfers to Yemen's
Since then, more than 150,000 people have been killed by the violence and 3 million have been displaced. Fighting has decreased markedly in Yemen since a truce in April 2022, but there are still ...
Royal Marines to get six new ships which can launch drones and fire
Danielle Sheridan, Defence Editor 13 May 2024 • 10:00pm. The ships are designed to rapidly transport the Royal Marines Commando Force from sea to shore around the world Credit: Anthony Upton ...

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

The Titanic Tragedy (April 1912)

The Empress of Ireland Tragedy (May 1914)

The Sinking of the Lusitania (May 1915)

The Britannic’s Fate (November 1916)

The Sinking of the Principessa Mafalda (October 1927)

The Saint-Philibert Tragedy (June 1931)

The Sinking of the Georges Philippar (May 1932)

The Tragedy of the SS Morro Castle (September 1934)

The Sinking of the Empress of Britain (October 1940)

The Collision of Andrea Doria and MS Stockholm (July 1956)

The Story of the Bianca C (October 1961)

The Journey and End of the Angelina Lauro (September 1979)

The Sinking of the MS Mikhail Lermontov (February 1986)

The Tragic Collision of the SS Admiral Nakhimov (August 1986)

The Sinking of MV Jupiter (October 1988)

The Sinking of MTS Oceanos (August 1991)

The Sinking of MS Estonia (September 1994)

The Achille Lauro Incident (December 1994)

The Final Voyage of the Sun Vista (May 1999)

The Sinking of the Britanis (October 2000)

The Sinking of SeaBreeze (December 2000)

The Sinking of MV Explorer (November 2007)

The Sinking of MS Sea Diamond (April 2007)

The Capsizing of Costa Concordia (January 2012)

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Tragic List: Discover How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk Throughout History

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk

What percentage of cruise ships sink?

Do Cruise Ships Sink Frequently?

Are Cruise Ships Capable of Sinking?

When Did a Cruise Ship Most Recently Sink?

Why Do Ships Stay Afloat?

Overview of How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk Throughout History

1915’s RMS Lusitania

1916’s HMHS Britannic

1927’s Principessa Mafalda

1932-Georges Philippar

1934’s SS Morro Castle

Empress of Britain – 1940

Andrea Doria – 1956

1961’s Bianca C

1979 Angelina Lauro

1986’s MS Mikhail Lermentov

1986’s SS Admiral Nakhimov

1988’s MV Jupiter

1988 Achille Lauro

MTS Oceanos – 1991

Sun Vista (1999)

SeaBreeze (2000)

Britannis (2000)

2007’s MS Sea Diamond

2007’s MV Explorer

2012’s Costa Concordia

2016’s Ocean Dream

2020’s Orient Queen

Related Posts

Royal Caribbean Cruises, History, Destinations and Itineraries

Ambassador Cruise Line: Ownership and History

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk in the Past 100 Years?

RECENT POSTS

How Often do Cruise Ships Sink?

How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

Cruise Ship Sinkings Since the Titianic (1912 )

How Many Cruise Ships Sink a Year?

When Was the Last Time a Cruise Ship Sunk?

How Often Do Cruise Ships Sink?

Well-Known Cruise Ships That Sunk

Costa Concordia

Dongfang zhi Xing ( Oriental Star or Eastern Star )

Other Cruise Ships That Sank

MTS Oceanos (1991)

Sun Vista (SS Galileo Galilei) (1999)

MS Sea Diamond (2007)

SS SeaBreeze (2000)

Belofin-1 (SS Monterey ) (2000)

MV Explorer (2007)

Orient Queen (2020)

How Many Carnival Cruise Ships Have Sunk?

Why Don’t Cruise Ships Tip Over or Sink?