Has any cruise ship sank?

Within the last 111 years, over 20 cruise ships and ocean liners have sunk.



While modern cruise travel is exceptionally safe, several high-profile sinkings have occurred throughout history. The most infamous recent disaster is the Costa Concordia, which struck a rock and capsized off the coast of Isola del Giglio, Italy, in January 2012, resulting in 32 deaths. Other notable examples include the MS Sea Diamond, which sank off the coast of Santorini in 2007, and the MTS Oceanos, which went down in a storm off South Africa in 1991 (miraculously with no loss of life). In 2026, the industry is still shaped by the lessons of the Concordia, which led to stricter "muster drill" regulations requiring safety briefings before the ship even leaves the dock. While the term "sinking" often brings to mind the Titanic (a trans-Atlantic ocean liner), many true cruise ships have met their end due to navigational errors, fire, or severe structural failure. However, with advanced satellite navigation and redundant safety systems, a total loss of a cruise ship remains an extremely rare "black swan" event in the multi-billion dollar global tourism industry.

People Also Ask

Cruise ships can and have tipped over, but it is extremely rare. One of the most notable incidents was the capsizing of the Costa Concordia in 2012, which resulted in the deaths of 32 people. The accident was attributed to human error and resulted in many changes within the industry, particularly in bridge management.

MORE DETAILS

The only way that it could happen is if the ship were in extreme weather and positioned sideways to a 70- to 100-foot wave that would have the potential of rolling it over, Bolton said. I guarantee you're never going to be in those kinds of waves anyway, he said.

MORE DETAILS

In calm waters, ships often can be towed safely to the nearest shore. In rough seas, other options would be considered. Abandoning ship really is a last resort, as moving passengers from one ship to another on the open sea can be dangerous, particularly in inclement weather. As is ordering passengers into lifeboats.

MORE DETAILS

The sinking of the Costa Concordia: 10 years later The Italian cruise ship ran aground off the tiny Italian island of Giglio after striking an underground rock and capsizing.

MORE DETAILS

There were 3,328 guests and 1,159 crew members on board when it crashed, none of whom were injured and all safely disembarked, according to Princess Cruises. The Ruby Princess cruise ship hit Pier 27 while docking Thursday morning, July 6, 2023, in San Francisco.

MORE DETAILS

Are cruise ships safe? Let's cut right to the chase: Yes, cruise ships are generally safe as long as you use common sense and remember that vessels are not impervious to accidents, illness or people who just don't know how to behave.

MORE DETAILS

The worst such accident—indeed, the deadliest civilian maritime disaster in history—occurred on December 20, 1987, when the passenger ferry MV Doña Paz collided with the oil tanker MT Vector in the Tablas Strait, roughly 110 miles (180 km) south of Manila.

MORE DETAILS

According to research compiled by the Daspit Law Firm, cruise ships have the lowest rate of deaths per billion passenger miles with 0.08. Compare that to 11.9 for rail travel, 3.3 for cars and trucks and 0.8 for commercial air, and traveling on the seas is a relatively safe venture.

MORE DETAILS

Modern ships are welded, so the plates would not burst apart. They would be bent, deformed, but probably not fractured. If they were pieced, the gash would be much less than the hole in the Titanic's side. Modern ships are “ double hulled”.

MORE DETAILS

Costa Concordia disaster, the capsizing of an Italian cruise ship on January 13, 2012, after it struck rocks off the coast of Giglio Island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. More than 4,200 people were rescued, though 32 people died in the disaster.

MORE DETAILS

Royal Caribbean has never had a ship sink. The captain makes sure to keep the ship out of dangerous situations (bad weather etc.).

MORE DETAILS

Thanks to chest-high railings surrounding the passenger decks, it's very difficult to fall from a cruise ship – but people do.

MORE DETAILS

Some of the engines are always running, since the ship always needs power. Most of them are off in port, since we don't need propulsion (unless it's a tender port) and power demand is low due to most people being off the ship.

MORE DETAILS

A possible forced stay at sea: If the storm proves too formidable, the ship may need to hunker down and ride it out at sea. A slim chance of sinking: It's an unnerving thought, but the possibility exists. If the ship takes too much damage, it could go down.

MORE DETAILS