What was the biggest cruise ship disaster?

The sinking of RMS Titanic in April 1912 remains the worst, and the most infamous, cruise ship disaster in history. The sinking of the biggest passenger ship ever built at the time resulted in the death of more than 1,500 of the 2,208 people onboard.



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Over the past 100 years since the RMS Titanic sank in 1912, only 18 cruise ships and some ocean liners have been publicly known to have sunk. And, over the past 50 years, only four cruise ships have sunk while navigating on a cruise.

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There were 49 large ships totally lost in 2020, basically unchanged from 48 in 2019, according to latest data from Allianz. Safety & Shipping Review 2021 reports that annual shipping losses are now half of the total recorded ten years ago.

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In 2005, Seabourn Spirit was about 100 miles off the coast of Somalia when pirates fired AK-47 machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades in an attempt to highjack the ship. They failed. An April 2008 pirate attack on Le Ponant, a French luxury sailing vessel, was more successful.

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The Maritime Injury Guide reports that 19 people go missing from cruise ships yearly. While that may not sound significant, it adds up to 400 people over the last 20 years.

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The most passenger deaths occurred on Carnival Cruise Lines (29%), Royal Caribbean Cruises (12%), and Norwegian Cruise Line (10%). The highest crew member deaths occurred on Carnival Cruise Line (19%) and Royal Caribbean Cruises (19%).

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From 1997 to 1999, Sun Vista for Sun Cruises. Burned and sank in the Straits of Malacca in May 1999. From 2005 to 2009, Island Star for Island Cruises. From 2009 to 2012, Horizon for Pullmantur Cruises.

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Business Insider reports that out of approximately 500 documented incidents, 70% happened on either Royal Caribbean or Carnival ships. The report also notes that Carnival recorded nearly doubled Royal Caribbean's number — despite having fewer ships.

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