Norwegian Sky accidents and incidents

10 March 2024Crew / Passenger Crimes

On March 10, 2024, three passengers disembarked Norwegian Sky in Road Harbour (Tortola Island BVI) but failed to re-board before the ship returned to its homeport in Dominicana.

The missing tourists (Colombian nationals) comprised one man (Jean Carlo Ospina Cano) and two women (Pamela Mesa Escobar and Yesica Yojana Marin Ramirez).

BVI's Department of Immigration and the Royal Virgin Islands Police issued a public advisory with the missing persons' photographs, urging individuals with information regarding their whereabouts to assist in the search.

The incident occurred at the end of the 14-day "Caribbean - Barbados, Curacao and Aruba Cruise" (itinerary Feb 26 - Mar 11, roundtrip from La Romana) visiting destinations in Dominicana (Catalina Island), the Netherlands Antilles (Willemstad/Curacao, Oranjestad/Aruba, Kralendijk/Bonaire), Grenada (St Georges), the Grenadines (Kingstown/Saint Vincent Island), Barbados (Bridgetown), St Lucia (Castries), Dominica (Roseau), Antigua (St John's), St Kitts (Basseterre), St Maarten (Philipsburg) and the British Virgin Islands (Tortola).

June 2019Other Incidents

Following the US Government (June 3, 2019)-issued USA to Cuba travel ban, NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line modified all NCL Sky and NCL Sun ships itineraries with planned visits to Havana. On all deposited bookings, travel agencies' commissions were protected and distributed by June 30, 2019. All pre-purchased through NCL Havana tours/excursions were automatically refunded (to passenger’s onboard account).

All Cuba bookings (departures through and including Sept 2, 2019) received 50% refund (of the fare paid) plus 50% future NCL cruise credit (valid for voyages through December 31, 2021. Refunds for June-July-August 2019 cruises were processed by July 31, automatically applied to the original form of payment.

Cuba bookings on departures after September 2, 2019, were automatically canceled, with refunds automatically applied to the original form of payment. To all affected customers, NCL offered  20% discount (off the current fare paid) on new future cruises booked by August 5, 2019, and leaving no later than December 31, 2020.

04 July 2018Coast Guard Medevacs

On July 4, 2018, a 79-year-old male passenger (suffering chest pains) was medevaced off the ship close to Cuba.  NCL Sky notified USCG Key West station soon before leaving Port Havana. They dispatched an MH-65 helicopter crew from Air Station Miami to the ship, approx 100 km (65 ml) southwest of Key West FL.

The elderly man (Miguel Negron) and a crew nurse were airlifted and flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital (Miami FL). The incident occurred during 4-day Cuba and Bahamas cruise (itinerary July 2-6) roundtrip from homeport Miami to Havana (overnight) and Great Stirrup Cay.

28 June 2018Crew / Passenger Deaths

On June 28, 2018, a female passenger drowned on Great Stirrup Cay (NCL's Bahamas private island). The woman (Chinese) was discovered unresponsive and floating in the waters off the island around 11 am. According to the Berry Island Police report, she removed from the water and CPR was rendered. The body was then transported to Bullock's Harbour Community Clinic, where she was pronounced dead.

The incident occurred during 4-day Cuba-Bahamas cruise (itinerary June 25-29) roundtrip from homeport Miami to Havana (overnight) and Great Stirrup Cay.

September 2017Other Incidents

Cruise itinerary Sept 8-11 (a 3-day Bahamas from Miami to Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay) was cancelled due to hurricane Irma. All cancelled bookings received 100% future NCL cruise credit. All booked shore excursions were fully refunded. Next scheduled itinerary (Sept 11-14 / 4-day Miami to Havana Cuba and Great Stirrup Cay) was also cancelled.

31 August 2016Crew / Passenger Crimes

(sexual, law news) On August 31, 2016, was filed a lawsuit in Florida against NCL Norwegian Cruise Line for passenger sexual assault. A female passenger (of US origin, Georgia resident) was allegedly trapped in a storage room and raped by one of the ship’s bartenders.

After trapping her, the man locked the door, pushed her head down towards his penis and told her to, quote, “be a good girl”. According to the woman’s statement of claim, the bartender singled her out since the 5-day Bahamas cruise (Miami to Freeport and Nassau) started, “piling her with alcohol” and probably drugging her last drink. Once she became disoriented, he brought her to the service room (accessible only by crew members) and locked the door. Even though she screamed and begged, he refused to let her out. Soon after, the woman blacked out.

2016Other Incidents

August-October 2016, the cruise ship’s schedule was affected by the closure of NCL's private island Great Stirrup Cay (Bahamas) for refurbishment. The ship’s itinerary program was changed by replacing the private island with Nassau and Freeport, during the whole refurbishment period (August 25 through October 20, 2016).

26 January 2010Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

On January 26, 2010, while the ship was docked in call port Freeport (Grand Bahama), 2 passengers suffered injuries ashore in a bike crash incident. It occurred at ~10 am when their motorcycle was hit by a car on one of the Queens Highway’s U-turns. The injured passengers (64-year-old woman and 63-year-old man) were transported by an ambulance to Rand Memorial Hospital.

27 August 2009Crew / Passenger Deaths

On August 27, 2009, a male passenger drowned on NCL’s private island Great Stirrup Cay (Bahamas). The man was walking on rocks together with his wife when he slipped and fell into the sea. The conducted extensive search found and recovered the body.

The accident occurred during the second leg of 4-day Bahamas cruise (itinerary Aug 24-29) roundtrip from homeport Miami to Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay.

17 April 2009Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On April 17, 2009, at ~3 am, a 39-year-old male passenger fell overboard. When the incident occurred, the ship was approx 60 ml / 100 km north of Nassau Bahamas on a 3-day cruise from homeport Miami. Passengers witnessed the man jumping in the water.

The conducted by the ship search operation was later assisted by Royal Bahamas Defense Force assets, plus two other cruise liners – the fleet mate Norwegian Pearl and the Royal Caribbean ship Monarch of the Seas. At nightfall, the search and rescue were called off, failing to find the body.

February 2005Sea Pollution

(Pride of Aloha) In February 2005, the NLC America-operated ship was reported for water pollution in Hawaii (USA). The vessel discharged ~70 tons of treated wastewater into Honolulu Harbor, thus violating the company's agreement with Hawaii. It allows vessels such discharges when they are located at least 1 ml / 1,6 km away from the coast and while navigating at min speed 10 mph / 11 kph.

28 August 2004Other Incidents

(Pride of Aloha) On August 28, 2004, the NLC America-operated ship was reported for issues with the cabin service, onboard cleanliness and product quality. As compensation, all passengers received a 50% gratuity refund. Future NCL cruise booking discount was offered to past passengers only.

May 2003Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

May 2003, CDC reported on two consecutive voyages (May 17-24 and May 24-31), Norovirus outbreaks (gastrointestinal illness spread) affected a total of 145 passengers and 25 crew. All sick suffered from Norovirus symptoms (vomiting, diarrhoea) and were quarantined to their cabins for 48 hours. Data on the passengers and crew total numbers on those sailings (and the percentage of ill passengers) is no longer available.

May 2002Ship Listing

In May 2002, while passing near Strait of Juan de Fuca (USA-Canada border), the vessel’s autopilot failed. The computer error resulted in a sharp sudden turn and severe listing. This incident resulted in 78 injured passengers.

21 May 2001Ship Listing

On May 21, 2001, near the mouth of Juan de Fuca Strait (USA-Canada border between Washington and British Columbia), the ship’s autopilot system failed, resulting in a severe listing. The incident caused serious interior damages, among which swimming pools sloshed out, lots of dishes and glassware broken. The onboard infirmary reported over 70 injured passengers.

24 September 1999Ship Grounding

On September 24, 1999, during Canada New England cruise (Boston to Quebec City), the liner run aground on a sandbar near the confluence of St Lawrence and Saguenay rivers. The location was on Rouge Island Banks, where it listed 5,2 degrees to portside. The initial plan was all passengers and some crew to be evacuated. However, the high tide helped the vessel to free itself. The accident resulted in substantial hull damage, but no one was injured. The ship then returned to Quebec City for drydock repairs and taken out of service for over a month. As a result, 3 of the scheduled New England cruises were canceled.

Note: Most ship grounding accidents (when the marine vessel’s hull impacts the seabed) happen at lower cruising speed since the ships operate in known to be shallow waters. Such incidents usually result in stranding (with or without significant hull damages). However, if the hull is breached, the result would be flooding, which may compromise the vessel’s stability and safety. The well-known example of such a tragic accident is the Costa Concordia sinking after hitting a rock in January 2012.