It’s a sight that most cruisers dread: Watching their ship sail out of port as they sprint down the pier. But for one reason or another, missing a cruise ship is a situation that travelers could easily find themselves in.
24.03.2024 - 11:51 / insider.com / Holland America
Two crew members aboard a Holland America cruise ship died during an 'incident' in the ship's engineering space.
In a statement released by Holland America, the cruise line said the unnamed crew members had died Friday whilst the Nieuw Amsterdam liner was at the small island of Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas.
"All of us at Holland America Line are deeply saddened by this incident and our thoughts and prayers are with our team members' families at this difficult time," the statement said.
"The safety, security and welfare of all guests and crew are the company's absolute priority."
Authorities were notified and the cause of the deaths is being investigated, the cruise line said. Crew members are also being offered counseling.
Related stories
Holland America later added that the Bahamas Maritime Authority was leading the investigation.
The ship, which can carry over 2,000 people, set sail out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on 16 March for a seven-night cruise.
Cruise ships are an incredibly popular form of vacation. In 2019 alone, the global cruise industry welcomed more than 29 million passengers and in 2022, the global cruise market was valued at $7.67 billion.
Deaths on board cruise ships are rare, however.
According to reports, a total of 623 people died on cruise ships between 2000 and 2019. Of these fatalities, 66 were crew members, and 557 were passengers.
Eighty-seven percent of these deaths occurred while on the sea, while the other 13% occurred while the ships were docked. Statistics also show that 97 passengers and crew members died due to cardiac issues, 72 died due to accidentally falling overboard, and 60 died due to jumping overboard.
During the COVID-19 pandemic there were numerous outbreaks on cruise ships.
The Ruby Princess, operated by Princess Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, became infamous in 2020 as the source of many of Australia's early cases when thousands of passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney. There were 900 infections on the ship and 28 people died.
It’s a sight that most cruisers dread: Watching their ship sail out of port as they sprint down the pier. But for one reason or another, missing a cruise ship is a situation that travelers could easily find themselves in.
Andrea Zelinski
Last month, five travel advisors from four Dream Vacations franchises headed to France for AmaWaterways' Taste of Bordeaux wine cruise. The women, who describe themselves as a "tribe," didn't take the trip together just for fun: They were gathering photos, videos, experiences and memories with which to sell a partial charter of the AmaDolce's October 2025 sailing of the same itinerary.
There’s a clear trend in cruise ship design that “bigger is better”, with ships like Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas setting new passenger records and redefining the idea of a cruise vacation.
Our life is ruled by time.
Holland America Line is celebrating a pair of sustainable seafood certifications—one from the Marine Stewardship Council, and the other from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
A 20-year-old man jumped off the Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas cruise on Thursday morning while vacationing with his family.
Cruise bookings are predicted to reach record levels this year, and travelers are especially interested in luxurious sailings.
Premier tourism attraction partners with Bahamian and American students to foster environmental stewardship.
Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's new mega-cruise ship darling, was deemed a success before it was even built.
It's no small feat to keep the largest cruise ships in the world from being overrun with children.
What would you do with $91,500? If your answer is incredibly niche and something like "move onto a ship for four months while it sails to six continents," Regent Seven Seas Cruises has you covered.