Alaska Cruise Line Cancels Voyage After Ship Suffers Damage From Iceberg Hit

The Norwegian Cruise Line canceled an Alaska sailing trip on Tuesday, June 28, after one of its ships was damaged after hitting a small iceberg over the weekend near Alaska’s Hubbard Glacier.

The Norwegian Sun was originally set to carry about 1,976 passengers but the damage sustained from the weekend voyage altered their vacation plans.

On Saturday, the Norwegian Sun was reportedly sailing toward Hubbard Glacier but under foggy conditions. It ended up plowing low-lying chunks of ice, characterized as a growler.

For those who may not be aware, a growler is a type of very small iceberg that only rises a meter or less above the waterline and is often difficult to see from the bridge of a ship.

A video of the incident was posted on social media, courtesy of Goldenpropeller.com. The chunk of ice was reportedly similar in size to that of a bus.

As a result of this incident, the ship ended up skipping its visit to Hubbard Glacier. A subsequent Sunday call was scheduled for Skagway, Alaska, and sailed directly to nearby Juneau, Alaska, for an assessment of damage to the exterior of the vessel.

After the assessment was made, it was found that the vessel needed to undergo repairs at its home port in Seattle before it would be able to resume the operation of its set Alaska cruises.

“The ship was given clearance by the United States Coast Guard and other local maritime authorities to return to Seattle at reduced speed,” Norwegian said in an official statement. “All guests currently onboard will disembark in Seattle as originally planned.”

No injuries were reported from the weekend incident. Passengers only had the chance to visit Sitka and Icy Strait Point before the trip was cut short.

Passengers affected by the development will receive a full refund of their fare plus a future cruise credit in the amount of 100% of what they paid.

Also, passengers on the ship’s next sailing, which was scheduled to begin June 30, will receive a full refund plus a future cruise credit in the amount of 50% of what they paid, as well as up to $300 per person in reimbursements for any airline cancellation or change fees they incur.