Carnival Spirit cruise ship, carrying 2,610 passengers, made contact with a piece of drifting ice while navigating through Tracy Arm Fjord in Alaska yesterday on September 5.
According to news reports, a prompt inspection revealed no damage to the vessel’s hull, allowing it to continue its week-long Alaskan cruise itinerary without any delays.
Cruise passenger April Futrell’s message about the incident was posted on social media, with the following:
“Good evening James! We are on the carnival spirit and hit an iceberg just outside of Sitka and Tracy arm fjord! Here’s some pictures! We are safe and after assessing for damage we are back on track headed to Skagway!”
The ship’s crew took immediate action, stopping the vessel to assess any potential damage. Another smaller boat reportedly came alongside the Carnival Spirit to assist in the inspection.
Passengers experienced a brief period of concern during the pause, according to some reports, but the situation was quickly resolved.
“The crew was very professional about the whole thing,” said one passenger, who wished to remain anonymous. “There was a bit of a commotion initially, but everything calmed down quickly once they announced it was safe to proceed.”