At least sixteen people suffered minor injuries after an Australian cruise liner hit choppy waters while navigating New Zealand’s South Island last month.
Passengers aboard the Crown Princess were on a 14-day excursion from Sydney, Australia, when the ship changed course and encountered strong winds near Milford Sound on Feb. 25.
Footage from inside the ship’s kitchen showed the vessel leaning dramatically to one side, causing large batches of food to spill, sending staff running and scattering a range of cooking equipment.
Additional video shows the pool overflowing and passengers in the canteen clutching tables to avoid sliding.
Crown Princess cruise ship faces severe weather on a round trip from Sydney to New Zealand, injuring 16 people as it tilts sideways pic.twitter.com/6YSKM9tZ8n
— The Project (@theprojecttv) March 3, 2025
One man recalled the moment he realized the ship was no longer upright.
“I was walking along doing my lap and all of [a] sudden I realized the boat was on an angle,” he said.
Another female passenger said tables and chairs were flying around the canteen and that one girl slid across the room in her chair.
Meanwhile, stores on board were left in tatters, and staff were tasked with gathering merchandise strewn all over the floor.
According to reports, the ship tipped over 14 degrees for 40 seconds.
Of the 16 injured, 13 were passengers and three were crew, according to 7 News Australia.
In a statement to Cruise Hive, Princess Cruises said, “on February 25, while in Fiordland, New Zealand, Crown Princess encountered strong winds during a course change, causing the ship to briefly tilt beyond its usual movement before stabilizing. Our crew responded quickly to correct the situation, and at no point was the safety of the ship compromised.”
“Additionally, a small amount of water from the Lido Deck pool briefly entered the Horizons food court, but the area was quickly cleaned and reopened. There was no structural damage to the ship.”
The cruise ship, which holds 3,090 passengers, was not damaged and continued on to its destination following the incident, 7 News Australia reported.