Has a Cruise Ship Ever Hit a Tsunami?

By Anna Duncan

Cruise ships have been known to sail through some of the world’s most dangerous waters, so it stands to reason that a cruise ship could potentially hit a tsunami. While it may seem unlikely, it is not impossible for a cruise ship to be caught in the path of a tsunami.

A tsunami is an ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption. The wave can be as small as a few inches or as large as several hundred feet, and can travel at speeds of up to 500 miles per hour. Tsunamis can also travel vast distances, making them difficult to predict and giving them the potential to cause destruction along coastlines.

The risk of a cruise ship hitting a tsunami is low due to the fact that most cruise ships are equipped with sophisticated navigational systems that allow them to detect and avoid dangerous weather conditions. However, this does not guarantee that the ship will always be able to avoid a tsunami if one were to arise without warning.

In 2009, the Celebrity Millennium Cruise Ship was traveling from San Diego, California in the Pacific Ocean when it encountered what was described as “a wall of water”. The wave was over 30 feet high and threatened to capsize the ship which had more than 2,000 passengers on board at the time.

Luckily, the captain managed to steer clear of danger and no one was injured during the incident. It is believed that this wave was caused by an underwater landslide rather than an earthquake or volcano—meaning that it may have been too small for navigational systems on board the ship to detect before it struck.

Conclusion

It is possible for a cruise ship to hit a Tsunami although it is unlikely due to sophisticated navigational systems used on modern ships. In 2009, Celebrity Millennium Cruise Ship encountered what appeared to be a Tsunami but thankfully managedto avoid disaster.