Cruise ship runs aground during Caribbean voyage

(CNN) — Simply as passengers had been feeling protected to get again on the water, a brand new downside has struck the cruise business — on this case, actually, with a 164,000-ton ship working aground within the Dominican Republic.

Norwegian Escape, a 2015-built megaship which may accommodate over 4,000 passengers, hit the seabed because it pulled away from Puerto Plata within the Dominican Republic on Monday, damaging the ship’s hull.

The remainder of the cruise has now been canceled, with passengers being evacuated at Puerto Plata, from the place they are going to be repatriated over the following two days. Vacationers will obtain a full refund on the aborted cruise, in addition to a credit score for a similar quantity to place in the direction of a future voyage.

The subsequent cruise, which was attributable to depart March 19, has additionally been canceled.

Puerto Plata was the primary cease within the seven-day cruise, which had set out from Orlando on March 12.

Passengers onboard live-tweeted the grounding, which was attributable to wind. They had been stranded in a single day, however had been refloated and returned to port at excessive tide on Tuesday morning — the place they spent two days ready to listen to what would occur subsequent because the ship was inspected.

NCL stated in a press release:

“Throughout the afternoon of March 14, 2022, Norwegian Escape made contact with the channel mattress because it was departing Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Within the early morning on March 15, the ship was refloated and returned to the dock at Puerto Plata, the place she is presently positioned.

“Whereas there may be minor harm to the ship’s hull, all company and crew are protected. The present cruise shall be shortened, and the cruise scheduled to embark on March 19 shall be canceled in order that the required repairs could be made.”

Prime picture credit score: Erika Santelices/AFP/Getty Pictures