It was supposed to be a dream voyage, but for the 3,080 passengers aboard the Crown Princess, it turned into a 40-second nightmare as the luxury cruise ship tilted a staggering 14 degrees, tossing people and furniture like rag dolls.
Passengers who set sail from Sydney on the 14-day journey around New Zealand were caught off guard on February 25 as the vessel hit rough waters near Milford Sound. Without warning, a violent wind gust—measuring a staggering 86 mph—slammed into the ship, forcing it into a sudden, terrifying tilt.
‘It felt like the ship was sinking’
In chaotic footage captured from the ship’s galley, kitchen staff were seen desperately clinging to counters as plates, cutlery, and food went flying. Dish racks toppled, the tiled floors became a sea of broken porcelain, and one of the pools overflowed onto the deck, sending passengers scrambling for safety.
“The tables and chairs went sliding across the room, and a girl went sliding on her chair over towards the pool,” a stunned passenger recounted.
Another passenger, who had been exercising at the time, described the moment as pure panic. “Walking along, doing my lap, and all of a sudden the boat was on an angle,” he recalled. “I had to hang on for dear life.”
Panic on deck as glass shatters
Inside the ship’s sixth-floor dining room, passenger Martin Wise said he felt the dramatic shift moments before chaos erupted. “I felt the boat starting to slant and tip. Then it leaned over quite a bit, moving at high speed, and we could see the sea looking dangerously high from the restaurant windows,” he told Stuff.
Shops onboard suffered extensive damage—glass cases shattered, luxury handbags were thrown to the floor, and display racks collapsed. Meanwhile, terrified guests rushed back to their cabins, clinging to walls and railings to avoid being thrown over.
Thirteen passengers and three crew members sustained minor injuries during the ordeal.
‘An 8.5 on the fright scale’
Wise, a seasoned cruiser, described the experience as a near-catastrophe. “On a frightening scale, I’d put it at 8.5 to 10,” he said. “This is our seventh Princess cruise, and nothing like this has ever happened before.”
The ship’s captain quickly addressed the shaken passengers, explaining that the intense wind gust temporarily increased the ship’s speed, causing the severe tilt. Princess Cruises later assured that “the safety of the ship was never compromised,” and the Crown Princess sustained no structural damage.
Despite the harrowing experience, many passengers remain undeterred. “It was terrifying, but we’ll still cruise again,” one traveler admitted.
The ship, now back on course, is expected to complete its journey and return to Sydney on March 8. But for those onboard that fateful day, the memory of a cruise tilting dangerously close to disaster will be hard to forget.