Norwegian Sun is scheduled to resume passenger sailings this week after hitting an iceberg on Saturday, June 25, 2022, while transiting Alaska’s Hubbard Glacier.
Immediately after the impact, which was recorded by guests on board, the ship slowed down and adjusted its route to proceed to Juneau for inspection.
An ongoing cruise has been canceled and two additional cruises have been canceled as the ship is inspected and repaired.
Repairs are now complete and Norwegian Sun is ready to sail again. Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed in a statement to Sea trade that “no further cancellations are anticipated at this time”, and the ship’s next scheduled sailing – departure from Seattle, Washington on Thursday, July 14, will continue as planned.
The trip is a 7-night round trip itinerary with scheduled port visits to Ice Strait Point, Juneau, Ketchikan and Victoria, as well as a day of scenic cruising near the Hubbard Glacier.
The ship has already docked in Seattle and is waiting for guests. Without a doubt, the ship’s 906 international crew members ensure that the ship is refreshed, cleaned and fully stocked for the upcoming voyage.
Guests on upcoming sailings are unlikely to notice anything different about the vessel, as repairs have been completed and cosmetic repairs – a refreshing scraped hull paint job – are also likely to be completed.
The Sun-class ship struck the iceberg – classified as a growler, a relatively low berg of small to moderate size, roughly equivalent to a piano or pickup truck – on June 25. As much of the impact was below the waterline, the extent of the damage was uncertain and the ship required proper inspections to confirm its condition.
The hull was not punctured by the impact and the damage to the vessel was minor, but repairs were needed out of an abundance of caution.
No guests or crew were injured as a result of the iceberg impact, and services and operations on the ship were not affected.
To allow time for repairs to be completed, Norwegian Cruise Line canceled the ship’s sailings on June 30 and July 5. This helped to ensure not only that repairs could be done properly, but that all necessary supplies would be available for the most appropriate repair options.
Guests on affected sailings are being provided full refunds as well as future cruise compensation (FCC) for last-minute cancellations.
Reimbursement of airline expenses or cancellation fees was also considered, although these reimbursements had to be considered individually after guests submitted the necessary receipts or other claim documentation.
After finishing her season in Alaska in October, Norwegian Sun will first return to Miami, then New York, and finally Lisbon, where she will spend the winter offering a variety of European sailings to destinations throughout Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and the Canary Islands.
Norwegian Sun will come back to Seattle for the 2023 Alaska season in May.