norway cruise ship 2019

Viking Cruises engine failure off Norway coast prompts rescue operation for 1,300 people on board

The ship regained power on Sunday morning after 479 were rescued.

Rescue helicopters battled severe winds on Saturday in an attempt to airlift more than 1,300 people off a Viking Cruises' ship that issued a distressed call after an engine failure off the coast of Norway.

Of the over 1,300 stranded, 915 were passengers on the Viking Cruises' ship called The Viking Sky, Norway's Rescue Coordination Centre told ABC News.

After hundreds were airlifted, Viking Cruises announced Sunday the ship had regained power and was continuing on to Molde, Norway. Viking said 436 guests and 458 crew remained on board as it returned to port. Another 479 passengers who were airlifted by helicopter will be flying home, the cruise company said.

The initial mayday was received by the agency at 2 p.m. Saturday local time, a Viking spokesman said. The cruise ship was close to shore and had one engine working and one anchor holding.

The ship can house 930 guests and was built in 2017, according to the company's website.

(MORE: Woman who fell off cruise ship rescued after treading water for 10 hours: 'I am very lucky to be alive')

"Our first priority was for the safety and well-being of our passengers and our crew, and in close cooperation with the Norwegian Coast Guard, the captain decided to evacuate all guests from the vessel by helicopter," the spokesman said in a statement.

Four helicopters were involved in the operations to remove passengers, the agency said.

Twenty people suffered minor injuries on the ship, Viking said.

"Throughout all of this, our first priority was for the safety and wellbeing of our passengers and our crew," Viking said in a statement. "We would like to thank the Norwegian Redningssentral and the Norwegian emergency services for their support and skill displayed in managing the situation in very challenging weather conditions."

Danny and Judith Bates were among those rescued on Saturday.

"Very frightening. We went up on a helicopter with a sling, the two of us together and it was quite scary," Danny Bates told Eurovision.

His companion, Judith Bates said, "I felt surely, they have everything under control, it’s all going to be OK. So we just take this as an unexpected adventure."

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Viking said it made every attempt to keep passengers and their families updated during the process.

(MORE: Cruise employee rescued by different ship day after falling overboard)

The ship's next departure, scheduled for March 27, has been cancelled.

ABC News' Chris Donato, Mark Osborne and Alex Faul contributed to this report.

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Norwegian safety body criticizes cruise ship that nearly ran aground in 2019 storm

FILE - The cruise ship Viking Sky arrives at port off Molde, Norway, Sunday March 24, 2019, after it issued a mayday call following engine problems in heavy seas off Norway’s western coast. A cruise ship carrying more than 1,370 people set sail along Norway’s often wild western coast despite storm warnings, forcing a major evacuation by helicopter, should never have left harbor, Norwegian officials said Tuesday, March 19, 2024, adding it could have developed into “the worst disasters at sea in modern times.” (Svein Ove Ekornesvag/NTB scanpix via AP, File)

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A cruise ship at the center of a dramatic evacuation off north Norway five years ago should never have left port because it was not up to safety standards, officials said Tuesday, adding that it could have developed into one of the worst disasters at sea in modern times.

In a report, the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority upbraided the Viking Sky, saying it was ”a ship’s length from running aground.”

The ship left the northern city of Tromsoe carrying almost 1,400 people, despite storm warnings. It was headed for Stavanger in southern Norway when it had engine problems amid a storm on March 23, 2019, and issued a mayday call.

The ship anchored in heavy seas to avoid being dashed on the rocks in an area known for shipwrecks. Passengers saw a large wave crashing through glass doors and knocking people across the floor of an area where they had been instructed to gather.

Nearly 480 passengers were winched off the ship by helicopter despite high winds in a daring rescue operation . The captain then decided to halt the evacuation, and about 900 people were still on board when the ship limped into the Norwegian port of Molde on its own engines.

Dozens of people were injured during the ship’s harrowing ordeal, including 36 who were admitted to hospitals.

Norwegian authorities immediately launched a probe into the accident, which concluded Tuesday that the ship was unprepared to sail in rough seas.

“The accident was caused by insufficient lubricating oil in all of the operating diesel generators’ lubricating oil sump tanks, in combination with pitching and rolling in rough seas,” investigators wrote. “The investigation has identified operational, technical, and organisational safety issues that in different ways contributed to the blackout.”

“As Viking Sky did not comply with the applicable safety standards, it should not have departed Tromsoe under the prevailing circumstances,” the report said.

There was no immediate reaction from operator Viking Ocean Cruises.

Watch CBS News

Cruise ship carrying 1,300 passengers forced to evacuate off Norway

Updated on: March 23, 2019 / 6:58 PM EDT / CBS/AP

A cruise ship with engine problems sent a mayday call off Norway's western coast on Saturday, then began evacuating its 1,300 passengers and crew amid stormy seas and high winds in a high-risk helicopter rescue operation. The Norwegian newspaper VG said the Viking Sky cruise ship ran into propulsion problems as bad weather hit Norway's coastal regions on Saturday.

Police in the western county of Moere og Romsdal said the ship managed to anchor in Hustadvika Bay, between the western Norwegian cities of Alesund and Trondheim, so the evacuations could take place. 

Rescue teams with helicopters and boats were sent to evacuate the cruise ship under extremely difficult circumstances. 

Norwegian authorities said they were forced to divert two of five helicopters rescuing the crew and passengers to help another ship that experienced a seizure in the storm. They were diverted to assist the nine person crew of the Hagland Captain cargo vessel. Both boats are trying to avoid being dashed on the rocky coast.

Norwegian public broadcaster NRK said the Viking Sky's evacuation was likely to be a slow and dangerous process, as passengers needed to be hoisted from the cruise ship to the five available helicopters one by one. By 6 p.m. local time, some 100 people had been rescued. 

Authorities told NRK that a strong storm with high waves was preventing rescue workers from using life boats or other vessels in taking passengers ashore.

"It's a demanding exercise, because they (passengers) have to hang in the air under a helicopter and there's a very, very strong wind," witness Odd Roar Lange told NRK at the site.

According to the cruisemapper.com website, the Viking Sky was on a 12-day trip that began March 14 in the western Norwegian city of Bergen. The ship was visiting the Norwegian towns and cities of Narvik, Alta, Tromso, Bodo and Stavanger before its scheduled arrival Tuesday in the British port of Tilbury on the River Thames.

The Viking Sky, a vessel with gross tonnage of 47,800, was delivered in 2017 to operator Viking Ocean Cruises.

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Viking Sky reaches port with 900 still onboard after dramatic rescues

Norwegian cruise ship was reportedly 100 metres from rocks after rough seas struck

A stricken luxury cruise liner from which hundreds of passengers were airlifted to safety has been towed to port in Norway , as it emerged that the ship narrowly escaped running aground, causing a major disaster.

About 900 passengers and crew were still onboard the Viking Sky when it arrived at the port of Molde on Norway’s west coast on Sunday afternoon. Five helicopters had earlier winched 479 people to safety as huge waves tossed the ship around.

Twenty people were treated for injuries including broken bones, cuts and bruises, rescuers said.

Social media footage showed chairs, large pot plants and other furniture on the ship rolling across the floor and crashing into walls. Parts of the ceiling were falling down on to passengers as the ship swayed heavily. Passengers were wearing orange life vests as waves broke down doors and windows and cold water poured over their feet.

The cruise liner was only 100 metres away from striking rocks in shallow waters when it finally managed to turn.

“It was very nearly a disaster. The ship drifted to within 100 metres of running aground before they were able to restart one of the engines,” police chief Hans Vik, who heads the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre for southern Norway, told TV2. “If they had run aground we would have faced a major disaster.”

Among the passengers from Britain, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia were Derek and Esther Browne. The couple, from Hampshire, said the “whole boat was swaying, it was very rough” before they were airlifted to safety.

Derek Browne told BBC Radio 5 Live: “We had a few people on stretchers, several with cuts, two with broken limbs, but fortunately we were all right. We were airlifted on to the helicopter, which was quite a frightening experience.”

The ship had started struggling with engine problems in bad weather off Norway’s western coast on Saturday afternoon, in an area known for its rough, unpredictable waters. It reportedly issued a mayday call when it started drifting towards the rocky shore. Police said the crew managed to anchor off the coast near the town of Ålesund.

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The evacuations took place in extremely difficult conditions. Norwegian media reported gusts of up to 38 knots (43 mph) and waves over 8 metres (26ft) in an area known for its rough, frigid waters.

The Norwegian public broadcaster NRK said the Viking Sky’s evacuation was a slow and dangerous process, as passengers needed to be hoisted one by one from the cruise ship to the five available helicopters.

“I was afraid. I’ve never experienced anything so scary,” Janet Jacob, among the first group of passengers evacuated to Molde, told NRK. She said her helicopter ride to safety came amid strong winds “like a tornado”, prompting her to pray for the safety of all aboard.

An American passenger, John Curry, told NRK he was having lunch when the cruise ship started to shake. “It was just chaos. The helicopter ride from the ship to shore I would rather not think about. It wasn’t nice,” he told the broadcaster.

NRK said one 90-year-old-man and his 70-year-old spouse on the ship were severely injured, but did not say how it happened.

The Viking Ocean Cruises chairman, Torstein Hagen, told the Norwegian newspaper VG the events were “some of the worst I have been involved in, but now it looks like it’s going well in the end and that we’ve been lucky”.

The British embassy in Oslo tweeted: “We are in touch with the Norwegian authorities and staff from the British embassy will be deploying to Molde to help any British people who require our assistance.”

Evacuations were halted while the ship was making its way back to port. It was expected to arrive on Sunday afternoon.

The area where the ship encountered problems, known as Hustadvika, is notoriously difficult to navigate. The shallow, 10-nautical-mile section of coastline is known for its many small islands and reefs.

“Hustadvika is one of the most notorious maritime areas that we have,” Odd Roar Lange, a journalist specialising in tourism, told NRK.

The Viking Sky was on a 12-day trip that began on 14 March in the western Norwegian city of Bergen, according to the cruisemapper.com website. It was visiting the Norwegian towns of Narvik, Alta, Tromsø, Bodø and Stavanger before its scheduled arrival on Tuesday in Tilbury on the River Thames.

The Viking Sky, a vessel with gross tonnage of 47,800, was delivered in 2017.

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Viking Sky: Why things went wrong, what happened and what's next?

The cruise was a two-week ‘in search of the northern lights’ voyage, starting and ending in tilbury, article bookmarked.

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Viking Cruises says “All passengers and crew are safe” after one of its cruise ships finally docked in a port on the coast of Norway.

Hundreds of cruise passengers, many of them elderly, experienced a nightmare evacuation after the ship, Viking Sky , was battered by extreme weather and its engines stopped working.

The emergency raises many serious questions.

What was the ship, and where was she sailing?

The vessel was the two-year-old Viking Sky . She was carrying 915 passengers and 458 crew, making her a relatively small cruise ship.

The cruise was a two-week “In Search of the Northern Lights” voyage, starting and ending in Tilbury in Essex.

This was the last cruise in the first winter for the Viking Cruises itinerary.

When the plans were unveiled, the cruise line’s chairman, Torstein Hagen, said: “No other cruise line can show guests this part of the world like we can. Norway’s landscapes in the winter are truly magnificent.

“I am pleased to offer this exclusive opportunity for our guests to explore my homeland.”

The basic price for the cruise was around £4,000, or about £300 per person per day, making it a relatively expensive voyage.

“Onboard, guests find serene Scandinavian spaces, where every room is beautiful and functional, quiet and filled with light,” the company says.

When and where did things start going wrong?

Viking Sky had sailed from the “turnaround port” of Tromso in Arctic Norway in the evening of Thursday 21 March. It is believed she was sailing direct to Stavanger in the southwest of the country, missing out a planned call in Bodo in northern Norway. She was due to arrive at Tilbury on Tuesday 26 March.

The shipping forecast for the planned voyage was for gale-force winds and very rough seas.

Mayday was declared at 2pm on Saturday afternoon, 23 March. The company says: “ Viking Sky experienced a loss of engine power off the coast of Norway near Molde.”

Unable to make progress or steer, the ship was hit by extreme waves, with passengers’ belongings thrown around their cabins.

An emergency was declared. Passengers put on life jackets and went to the muster stations. It was at one of these locations that a huge wave smashed windows, with a large inflow of water that swept a number of passengers off their feet and caused injuries, including broken limbs.

World news in pictures

What was the response.

A helicopter evacuation began, with the injured, wet and cold passengers winched off the ship individually and taken in batches of 15 to 20 to the nearby city of Molde.

By 10.30am, 479 passengers had been airlifted from the vessel.

The vessel finally docked under its own power in the port of Molde at 4.30pm, local time.

Viking Cruises says: “Currently we understand 20 people suffered injuries as a result of this incident, and they are all receiving care at the relevant medical centres in Norway, with some already having been discharged.

“Throughout all of this, our first priority was for the safety and wellbeing of our passengers and our crew.

• Drifting Norway cruise ship evacuated after engine failure

“We would like to thank the Norwegian Redningssentral and the Norwegian emergency services for their support and skill displayed in managing the situation in very challenging weather conditions.

“We would also like to thank the local residents who throughout the whole process have been extremely supportive and hospitable.”

British residents with concerns about passengers on board can call 07585 779 853 or 0208 780 7900.

What is happening to the passengers?

“Passengers will be flying home starting tonight,” says the cruise line.

The nearest international airport to Molde is at Alesund, about 50 miles by road. But at least two departures to Oslo on Sunday evening have been cancelled, and the cruise line is likely to organise extra flights.

Will they get compensation?

Undoubtedly. It remains to be seen how much, and whether it will be in cash or vouchers for future travel on Viking.

In addition, injured and/or distressed passengers may mount legal claims, probably in a class action.

What is likely to happen to the vessel?

Viking Sky will stay in port in Molde while repairs are carried out. Her next voyage, from Tilbury to Germany and Scandinavia, due to depart on Wednesday 27 March, has been cancelled.

“We do not anticipate any additional cancellations at this time,” Viking Cruises says.

Are these difficult waters?

Yes, they can be – but many thousands of British travellers take cruises along the Norwegian coast each year.

Most of them are aboard the Hurtigruten , the coastal ferry service that connects coastal communities but also takes tourists.

What is the official advice for this part of the world?

The Foreign Office has specific advice for Arctic travel (though at the time of the emergency Viking Sky was about 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle.

It says: “The most popular way of visiting the Arctic is by ship. As some areas of the Arctic – specifically the more northerly and remote regions – can be uncharted and ice-covered, you should check the previous operational experience of cruise and other operators offering travel in the region

“You should also consider the on-board medical facilities of cruise ships and talk to cruise operators as appropriate, particularly if you have a pre-existing medical condition.”

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Cruise Ship Near Norway With Nearly 1,400 Passengers Is Being Evacuated

By Mihir Zaveri and Sandra E. Garcia

• March 23, 2019

A cruise ship with nearly 1,400 passengers and crew members lost engine power in heavy winds and more than 25-foot waves near the coast of Norway on Saturday, injuring several people and prompting a painstaking, hourslong evacuation, the authorities said.

The evacuation of the ship, the Viking Sky, began around 2 p.m. local time and stretched through the darkness into the early morning. At 4 a.m. local time, only 280 of the 1,373 people on board had been removed, according to officials with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Southern Norway , which was conducting the operation.

When helicopters reached the ship, rescue personnel were lowered to remove passengers by winch one at a time, in wind speeds of more than 45 m.p.h. Filled with 10 to 15 people, the helicopters then returned to land.

Hundreds of other people wearing life jackets , meanwhile, waited on board, in a dramatic scene captured by photos and videos shared on Twitter.

The images showed the Viking Sky listing in the midst of whipping winds and white-capped waves. Water could be seen rushing onto the ship and furniture sliding from one side to another.

[Update: Viking Sky cruise ship stranded off Norway limps toward shore after hundreds evacuated.]

“The evacuation is very slow,” Alexus Sheppard, who had been waiting to be evacuated for six hours, said in an interview from aboard the ship.

“The ship is rocking and rolling but at anchor,” she said. “Everyone is calm, except when we get rolled by a big wave.”

A spokesman for Viking described the injuries as not life-threatening but did not answer questions seeking more information. The spokesman said the Sky was not sinking, despite photos and videos showing water on the ship.

“The people on board the ship are safe, though it’s not a pleasant cruise for them any longer,” said Per Fjeld, a spokesman for the rescue center. “Those who are on the ship, there’s no real hurry. They are not in any danger or anything like that.”

The crew on the 47,800-ton ship, which was traveling from Tromso to Stavanger in Norway, sounded a mayday around 2 p.m. local time near the city of Molde. Mr. Fjeld said that at that time, only one of the ship’s four engines was working.

The majority of the passengers were American, said Eirik Walle, rescue coordinator for the center.

It was not immediately clear what caused the cruise ship to lose power. But it did so in a particularly dangerous part of the Norwegian coastline called Hustadvika, Mr. Walle said.

“Its reputation is fierce,” he said.

Mr. Walle said that for a period of time, the ship was close to one mile away from the shore, and without power, it could have drifted dangerously close to rocks on the coastline. The crew threw down anchors, but for some time, they struggled to catch on the ground, Mr. Walle said. Eventually, they caught.

Mr. Fjeld said that as of Saturday evening, the coastline was no longer a danger.

“That was a situation that was rather critical from the start, but it managed to move away from the dangerous part of the coast,” he said.

The Viking spokesman said the Viking Sky was “proceeding on its own power.” Mr. Fjeld said that three of the ship’s four engines were working and that the ship was slowly moving south, away from the coastline.

Mr. Walle said he expects that the ship will eventually be towed to a harbor. Then the helicopter rescues will stop.

“That will take several, several, several hours,” he said. “That depends on the weather.”

People who had been flown off the ship were being put up in hotels, and Viking would arrange return flights for all guests, the spokesman said.

“We are working closely with the relevant authorities and all operational procedures were followed in line with international regulations,” the spokesman said. “In addition, Viking has dispatched an operational task force, including the company’s owner, to Molde.”

Mr. Fjeld said the heavy winds and poor weather also led a cargo ship to sound a mayday, and rescuers had to pluck nine people from that ship on Saturday.

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Cruise ship reaches Norway port after near disaster, dramatic rescues

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Passengers Rescued From Disabled Cruise Ship Off Norway's West Coast

Wynne Davis

The Viking Sky cruise ship sent out a mayday call on Saturday after encountering engine problems amid high seas and strong winds. Frank Einar Vatne/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

The Viking Sky cruise ship sent out a mayday call on Saturday after encountering engine problems amid high seas and strong winds.

A cruise ship off Norway's western coast was evacuating its 1,300 passengers after losing power and issuing a mayday call on Saturday.

Helicopters and boats were helping with the evacuation, which is expected to continue for many hours, The Associated Press reported .

The Viking Sky, operated by Viking Ocean Cruises, was experiencing engine problems, the Norwegian newspaper VG reported . At the time, the cruise ship was also encountering high seas and strong winds, the newspaper said.

The ship is in Hustadvika bay, an area that, as Reuters reported , is known "for fierce weather" and "shallow waters dotted with reefs."

The Norwegian government is studying whether to "build a giant ocean tunnel through a nearby mountain to improve safety" in the bay, according to the news agency.

After the crew was able to restart one engine, police say, the Viking Sky moved farther offshore and dropped anchor. So far, only about 100 people have been evacuated, according to the AP.

Correction March 23, 2019

An earlier version of this story misspelled Hustadvika as Hustadsvika.

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Evacuation of passengers has ended as cruise ship travels to Norway port

By Eliza Mackintosh and Kendall Trammell , CNN

Evacuation of passengers has ended as cruise ship travels to port

The evacuation of passengers from a cruise ship off the western coast of Norway has come to an end as the vessel safely makes its way to Molde harbor, Viking Ocean Cruises said in a statement.

Rescue teams airlifted 479 people from the vessel after it was stranded in stormy seas Saturday with 1,300 passengers and crew on board.

The Viking Sky cruise ship, which regained engine power on Sunday morning, is traveling to Molde accompanied by two supply ships and one tug assist vessel. There are 436 guests and 458 crew still remaining on the ship.

Twenty people sustained injuries on the vessel, which was being tossed about by wind and waves, Viking Ocean Cruises said. All are being treated at medical facilities in Norway, or have already been discharged.

"Throughout all of this, our first priority was for the safety and well-being of our passengers and our crew," Viking Ocean Cruises said in a statement, thanking Norwegian emergency services and local residents for their support.

The next sailing, which was scheduled to embark on March 27, has been canceled.

Evacuated passengers treated for bruising, broken bones, cuts

The Norwegian Red Cross, which was treating passengers from the stricken cruise ship at an evacuation center in Hustadvika, on Norway's western coast, said that they were seeing injuries including bruising, broken bones and cuts.

More than 400 people rescued from stranded cruise ship

From CNN's Zahid Mahmood

Rescuers have evacuated 418 people by helicopter from the Viking Sky cruise ship, a day after the vessel was stranded in rough seas off Norway with 1,300 passengers and crew on board.

“There are at least two or three helicopters still rescuing people from the cruise ship but there is only one helicopter in operation at one given time because of the weather,” a spokesperson from Norwegian rescue services (HRS Southern Norway) told CNN.

“They work in rotations because it is not possible to hoist people from two helicopters working at one time.”

Passengers aboard the stricken ship say the vessel is being tossed about by wind and waves as they continue to await rescue .

Three of the ship's four engines are now working, and tug boats are trying to move the ship to shore.

Americans airlifted from cruise ship describe frightening scenes on board

Two American passengers who were airlifted off the Norway cruise ship told CNN affiliate Dagbladet about the frightening scene on board.

"Furniture would slide across the room, slide back and with it came people and glass. It was a very dangerous situation frankly," Jan Terbruegen said.

Speaking at the Scandic Hotel Alexandra, where many of the evacuated passengers are staying, Terbruegen described seeing the ship drifting toward rocks before being evacuated.

"We could see that we were getting blown in toward some rocks. That was the most frightening thing I think. But luckily that wasn't our destiny," Terbruegen said.

Beth Clark, another American passenger, said she was hoisted 100 feet in the air onto a Coast Guard helicopter from the ship. She praised the Norwegian Coast Guard, Viking Sky crew and others for help with the evacuation efforts.

Ship is now moving at a 'slow pace,' Joint Rescue Centre for Southern Norway says

The stranded Norway cruise ship has restarted with three of four engines now working, Joint Rescue Centre for Southern Norway spokesman Per Fjeld tells CNN.

The ship is moving at a slow pace and the evacuation operation is still going as planned, he says.

Two tug boats are attempting to pull the ship to shore, but there is no estimated time on how long it'll take, Fjeld says. 

Passenger waiting 15 hours for rescue says, 'we need off this ship!'

A passenger aboard the Viking Sky cruise ship wrote on Twitter that he has been waiting 15 hours to be evacuated from the stranded vessel.

"We need off this ship!" Ryan Flynn shared on Twitter along with a video of passengers wearing orange life vests.

Flynn also said that the ship "continues to pitch and roll" and called the conditions "miserable."

But another passenger, David Hernandez, had a rosier outlook. "Crew has been fantastic keeping everyone calm and fed," he wrote on Twitter.

The cruise ship was headed toward Stavanger

Passengers were on a 12-day Northern Lights cruise that departed from Bergen, Norway on March 14. The ship was visiting different Norwegian towns and cities before arriving at its final destination of London Tillbury, England on March 26. 

The Viking Sky left Tromso on March 21 at 10:20 p.m. local time, according to Marine Traffic . It's estimated time of arrival at Stavanger shows March 24 at 1 p.m.

What we know about the Viking Sky cruise ship

Here's what we know so far about the Viking Sky cruise ship that is evacuating 1,300 passengers and crew:

• It's owned by Viking Ocean Cruises
• It was built in 2017
• It can hold maximum of 1,443 passengers and crew
• It has six engines, four diesel and two electric

Here are the phone numbers for questions about any passengers

The Joint Rescue Centre says the evacuation from the Viking Sky cruise ship is proceeding with caution.

Rescuers are facing waves of about 6-8 meters (roughly 19-26 feet) high, a spokesperson said .

If you're trying to reach someone on the ship, here are the phone numbers:

• US/AU booked guests: 1-888-889-8837
• UK booked guests: 07585 779 853 or 0208 780 7900

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Norwegian safety body criticizes cruise ship that nearly ran aground in 2019 storm

The cruise ship Viking Sky arrives at port off Molde, Norway, Sunday March 24, 2019, after it issued a mayday call following engine problems in heavy seas off Norway's western coast. A cruise ship carrying more than 1,370 people set sail along Norway's often wild western coast despite storm warnings, forcing a major evacuation by helicopter, should never have left harbor, Norwegian officials said Tuesday, March 19, 2024, adding it could have developed into “the worst disasters at sea in modern times.” Credit: AP/Svein Ove Ekornesvag

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — A cruise ship at the center of a dramatic evacuation off north Norway five years ago should never have left port because it was not up to safety standards, officials said Tuesday, adding that it could have developed into one of the worst disasters at sea in modern times.

In a report, the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority upbraided the Viking Sky, saying it was ”a ship's length from running aground.”

The ship left the northern city of Tromsoe carrying almost 1,400 people, despite storm warnings. It was headed for Stavanger in southern Norway when it had engine problems amid a storm on March 23, 2019, and issued a mayday call.

The ship anchored in heavy seas to avoid being dashed on the rocks in an area known for shipwrecks. Passengers saw a large wave crashing through glass doors and knocking people across the floor of an area where they had been instructed to gather.

Nearly 480 passengers were winched off the ship by helicopter despite high winds in a daring rescue operation. The captain then decided to halt the evacuation, and about 900 people were still on board when the ship limped into the Norwegian port of Molde on its own engines.

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Dozens of people were injured during the ship’s harrowing ordeal, including 36 who were admitted to hospitals.

Norwegian authorities immediately launched a probe into the accident, which concluded Tuesday that the ship was unprepared to sail in rough seas.

“The accident was caused by insufficient lubricating oil in all of the operating diesel generators’ lubricating oil sump tanks, in combination with pitching and rolling in rough seas,” investigators wrote. “The investigation has identified operational, technical, and organisational safety issues that in different ways contributed to the blackout.”

"As Viking Sky did not comply with the applicable safety standards, it should not have departed Tromsoe under the prevailing circumstances,” the report said.

There was no immediate reaction from operator Viking Ocean Cruises.

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Oslo, Norway Cruise Ship Schedule 2019

Oslo cruise calendar 2019 provides the opportunity to search arrival and departure schedules of cruise ships arriving in port. The timetable displays dates and times the cruise ships are in this Norwegian port-of-call based on the major cruise lines itineraries. Cruise ships arriving to Oslo dock at the Akershus Fortress side. The dock has 4 piers Sondre Akershus, Vippetangen, Revierkaia, and Filipstad. All cruise ships are linked to their complete current itinerary. In order to view the next port of call just click on a specific vessel.

Please note, the information presented below is based on schedules provided by the cruise lines and as such is subject to change by the cruise operators. For creating this schedule, the itineraries of the following cruise lines have been used: Azamara Club Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Regent Seven Seas, Thomson, TUI, P&O, Aida Cruises, Costa Cruises, Princess Cruises, Cunard, Carnival Cruise Lines, Pullmantur, Crystal Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. Here you can  download cruise ship Itineraries  classified by cruise lines.

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This Norwegian Cruise sailing takes you on a bucket list adventure: What it's like aboard

F or Kylie Herd, an Australian passenger on Norwegian Dawn’s Feb. 25 southern Africa itinerary, cruising has been the best way to check places off her bucket list.

“I just go with whatever cruise line has the itinerary that I want to do at the time that I’m available. It tends to be Norwegian, and when I saw that Norwegian had all these African cruises, I just thought, ‘I’m going to spend summer in Africa,’ because it’s an amazing itinerary,” she told USA TODAY.

When it comes to cruising, most Americans probably think of bopping around the Caribbean or checking out the wilds of Alaska if they’re feeling especially adventurous, but that’s really just scratching the surface. Cruise lines are increasingly offering diverse itineraries including expedition cruises to remote parts of the globe and introductory sailings to help travelers explore countries and regions they might never visit otherwise.

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Madagascar was the real draw for months of consecutive cruises on the Dawn for Herd.

“I’ve been trying to go to Madagascar for years. I always wanted to go there way before the movies ever came out. It’s one of those places that’s really difficult to get to,” she said. “When I saw Madagascar on a cruise itinerary I was like, ‘I have to do it.’ ”

Although the Feb. 25 sailing had to skip Madagascar for logistical reasons after a delay departing Mauritius, Herd said that she was able to visit the country earlier on her trip and that it was a real highlight.

Norwegian’s Africa itineraries had various changes and missed ports throughout the season. Passenger contracts give cruise lines some leeway to alter itineraries on short notice for reasons including weather or conditions on the ground that prevent ships from reaching or being accommodated safely in a scheduled port. Such changes can be especially common in regions prone to political unrest or that lack sophisticated port facilities.

Even so, Herd said she understood why passengers who missed out would be frustrated, but she encouraged her fellow travelers to keep an eye on the positive. “I understand the disappointment. I was disappointed, too, but we’re still having a great time.”

The Feb. 25 cruise still stopped at Reunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean, which has an active volcano, as well as ports in South Africa where travelers could spot local wildlife.

Safari from a cruise

Norwegian Dawn stopped at four ports in South Africa, three of which offered safari experiences as shore excursions.

▶ From Richard’s Bay, passengers could visit the iSimangasilo Wetland Park , home to elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, zebras and other classic African big game. The park is about an hour and a half drive from the port, and Norwegian’s shore excursion included two game drives, snorkeling and a traditional South African braai, or barbecue.

Just as cruise itineraries can sometimes be subject to last-minute changes, safaris are at the whim of wild animals. Sightings are not guaranteed, but patience and vigilance are often rewarded.

▶ In Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), Norwegian Dawn’s passengers could visit Addo Elephant National Park, also about an hour and a half drive from the port.

As the name suggests, Addo is home to a huge and docile population of more than 600 elephants. These animals often congregate around watering holes accessible from well-worn safari tracks.

Even after a strong rainfall the night before the excursion, which allowed elephants to retreat into the bush and temporarily lessen their reliance on overtaxed wells, dozens of the creatures greeted visitors coming from the ship for two-hour game drives.

▶ In Mossel Bay, passengers could also access private game reserves, which often have a higher concentration of wildlife roaming free but can include animals that are not directly indigenous to the area.

Cape Town and the winelands

There’s more to Africa than safaris, and Cape Town is an especially good place to experience metropolitan life and other kinds of outdoor activities on the continent.

South Africa’s legislative capital offers excellent hiking, a great foodie culture, beautiful (if slightly chilly) Atlantic beaches, penguins and more.

For travelers willing to explore beyond the city, South Africa’s wine country is close at hand in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, and many vineyards offer tastings and meal experiences. One Norwegian excursion took passengers to the Blaauwklippen wine estate in Stellenbosch, which is best known for its Zinfandel.

Is an Africa cruise worth it?

From a financial standpoint, a cruise around Africa can be an excellent way to explore. For American travelers, however, flights to and from the ship are often more expensive than the cruise itself.

For example, a 13-day Norwegian itinerary that begins in Cape Town on Dec. 7 and ends in Mauritius on Dec. 20 has prices that start at $899 per person for an inside stateroom, but flights can be well over $1,000 round trip. The current cheapest itinerary from Detroit, for example, is a 42-hour slog on multiple airlines via Montreal and Dubai to Cape Town. The return trip is a bit shorter, at 31 hours, also via Dubai and Montreal. That routing would cost $1,694 per person in economy as of March 18, according to Google Flights.

Logistically speaking, though, it can be much easier to book a cruise and rely on the line’s shore excursions to expand one's horizons than to coordinate one's own safari.

“With multiple diverse ports of call within one coastal continental area, our Africa voyages provide our guests the opportunity to explore lush rainforests or volcanoes, experience captivating wildlife tours, learn about the rich culture on the South African coastline, indulge in Cape Town’s incredible wine regions, and so much more,” Brian Gilroy, vice president of revenue management and itinerary planning for Norwegian Cruise Line, said in a statement to USA TODAY.

The one thing to keep in mind is that the African cruise market is less mature than the Caribbean – at many ports, there just aren’t comparable facilities to handle big ships. That doesn’t mean the cruises can’t or don’t happen, just that sometimes the operation is a little less fluid than the well-oiled Miami machine.

“Our 11- and 12-day cruises start and end in either Cape Town, South Africa, or Port Louis, Mauritius, and include an overnight stay in one of those magnificent cities, giving our guests the chance to fully explore what these regions offer. The variety of adventures our guests can experience in these destinations are endless, which makes for a truly unforgettable cruise experience," Gilroy said.

Travelers may be more likely to encounter a hiccup on their Africa cruise, but that’s all part of traveling to a new and exciting place. A missed port or an extra sea day can be a great time time to take stock, focus on the highlights, enjoy the experience of unlocking a new destination, and maybe take another sip of the wine your onboard sommelier recommended.

Just take a page out of Herd the Australian’s book. Despite some schedule changes, she said, “I’ve loved every single thing.”

The reporter on this story received access to this sailing from Norwegian. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.  

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: This Norwegian Cruise sailing takes you on a bucket list adventure: What it's like aboard

Technical Issue Onboard Norwegian’s Pride of America Leads to Itinerary Change

• April 19, 2024

The current sailing of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America is seeing significant changes due to what the cruise line called a technical issue.

“Ensuring the safety of both our guests and crew remains our top priority,” Norwegian said in a statement sent to guests onboard.

“Despite our best efforts to maintain our original itinerary, unfortunately, on April 16, 2024, a technical issue impacted our departure from Hilo, Hawaii, leading to the cancellation of our scheduled visits to Kona, on April 17, 2024, and Nawiliwili, Kaua’i, on April 18, 2024,” the company continued.

“Our dedicated team, in collaboration with local experts, worked diligently to resolve the issue and provide updated information as soon as it became available. We sincerely apologize for any confusion caused by this fluid situation and are pleased to confirm that the issue has now been resolved,” Norwegian Cruise Line added.

AIS data shows that the Pride of America finally left the port of Hilo on Thursday morning, after three days docked.

According to Norwegian Cruise Line, before ending the current cruise in Honolulu on April 20, 2024, the 2005-built vessel is set to make a shortened visit to Nawiliwili.

“We are eager to resume our journey around the Big Island, committed to making the remainder of your time with us as relaxing and enjoyable as possible,” the company said.

Due to multiple modifications and as a genuine acknowledgement of the inconvenience caused, Norwegian added, passengers will receive a $200 non-refundable onboard credit per stateroom, in addition to a Future Cruise Credit (FCC).

The FCC will be equivalent to 20 percent of the paid fare for the current cruise and can be used towards any of Norwegian’s published itineraries scheduled through December 31, 2025.

Pre-purchased excursions for the cancelled ports of call are also being fully refunded, Norwegian Cruise Line added.

“We sincerely hope that, despite the points raised, you have found enjoyment during your time onboard with us, and that Norwegian Cruise Line continues to be your preferred cruise line for your next vacation,” the company concluded.

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Norwegian cancels more than a dozen cruises on 7 ships in 2025

Norwegian Cruise Line canceled more than a dozen cruises on seven ships.

The sailings were scheduled to take place in 2025. The changes “are a result of varied events including the ongoing situation in the Red Sea and Israel, modified dry dock schedules for ship enhancements, a full ship charter, and lastly, to accommodate the demand for shorter close-to-home voyages to the Bahamas,” according to a spokesperson for the line.

The following itineraries were canceled:

• Norwegian Spirit: Jan. 21, 2025
• Norwegian Jade: Feb. 20 through and including March 24, 2025
• Norwegian Sky: April 19 through and including June 5, 2025
• Norwegian Star: May 17 through and including June 9, 2025
• Norwegian Viva: May 18 and 27, and Sep. 20 and 29, 2025
• Norwegian Pearl: Oct. 15, 2025
• Norwegian Epic: Nov. 1 and 11, 2025

“We are committed to providing exceptional vacation experiences, both aboard our ships and by taking our guests to some of the most sought-out destinations around the world,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “While we try to maintain original itineraries as much as possible, at times modifications are made to optimize the itinerary, enhance the guest experience or accommodate certain circumstances.”

Your cruise was canceled: Now what?

Guests whose cruises were impacted were given full refunds of their fare and a 10% discount in the form of a future cruise credit. The credit can be used on any of Norwegian’s published itineraries through Dec. 31, 2025.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings to Hold Conference Call on First Quarter 2024 Financial Results

MIAMI, April 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH) (together with NCL Corporation Ltd., “Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings” or the “Company”) announced today it will report first quarter 2024 financial results on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time with a conference call and webcast to discuss results at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

The conference call will be webcast via the Company’s Investor Relations website, https://www.nclhltd.com/investors. A replay of the webcast will be available here on the Company’s website for 30 days following the call.

About Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH) is a leading global cruise company that operates Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. With a combined fleet of 32 ships and approximately 66,500 berths, NCLH offers itineraries to approximately 700 destinations worldwide. NCLH expects to add 13 additional ships across its three brands through 2036, which will add approximately 41,000 berths to its fleet. To learn more, visit www.nclhltd.com.

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A group of cruise passengers stranded off the coast of Africa spent 6 days chasing the ship to get back on

• Eight passengers chased their cruise ship around Africa for six days.
• Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed the passengers re-embarked in Senegal on Tuesday.
• They were stranded in São Tomé and Príncipe and missed a chance to re-embark in Gambia.

A group of passengers left stranded on a small African island after missing a boarding deadline finally managed to rejoin their cruise ship on Tuesday after chasing it for almost a week.

On March 27 a private tour overran, causing eight passengers to miss the Norwegian Dawn's 3 p.m. all-aboard time by over an hour, a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed via email to Business Insider.

The passengers found themselves stuck on São Tomé and Príncipe , an island nation of some 220,000 people off West Africa, in what the cruise line called a "very unfortunate situation."

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Despite the efforts of São Tomé and Príncipe Coast Guard to ferry the passengers to the ship in tender boats, the group was unable to reboard and had to turn back to land, according to the ABC affiliate WPDE.

The first attempt to get the guests back on the ship occurred on Monday, when they hoped to re-embark at a port in Banjul, Gambia, some 1,800 miles from São Tomé and Príncipe.

However, "adverse weather conditions, as well as tidal restrictions" meant that the ship could not dock safely, a spokesperson for the cruise line said.

As a result, the guests had to chase the ship to Dakar, Senegal — a distance of some 100 miles further — for another attempt to re-embark on Tuesday.

Norwegian said it helped the passengers by facilitating their visas, and would pay them back for the trip from Gambia to Senegal.

Jill Campbell, one of the passengers, told NBC News that she and her husband traveled through seven countries in 48 hours to catch up with the ship.

It wasn't clear exactly what route they took.

The couple had considered not rejoining the ship, believing that Norwegian Cruise Line had fallen short in a '"basic duty of care," Campbell told NBC News.

But, six days after being left behind in São Tomé and Príncipe, the cruise line confirmed the eight passengers, including the Campbells, finally re-embarked in Senegal on Tuesday.

Watch: Stowaways survive 14 days at sea clinging to a ship rudder

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