Passengers aboard a Princess Cruises Ship, the Crown Princess, experienced a tilt as their ship encountered unexpectedly strong winds off the coast of New Zealand. The incident, which occurred last week in the Fiordland region, left 16 people with minor injuries. The tilt also created scenes of chaos as pools emptied and objects went flying across decks and dining areas.

Martin Wise, a passenger on the Crown Princess, recounted the terrifying experience to New Zealand publication Stuff. “I felt the boat starting to slant and tip. Then it lent over quite a bit and really started moving along at a high speed, and we could see the sea looking very high out of the restaurant windows,” Wise said. He estimated that the dramatic tilt lasted about 40 seconds, during which cups, glasses, and plates went “flying” around the sixth-floor dining room where he was seated.

The captain later informed passengers that the ship had been hit by winds reaching 75 knots, approximately 86 mph. These powerful gusts increased the ship’s speed and caused it to tilt about 14 degrees, far beyond its usual range of movement.

Aftermath Of The Princess Cruises Ship Tilt

Video footage posted on social media platforms showed the incident’s immediate aftermath. One clip revealed a swimming pool on the Lido Deck emptying its contents onto the deck, while another showed a kitchen in disarray with spilled food and damaged kitchenware strewn about.

@australiancommunitymedia
Cruise chaos as Crown Princess ship tilts sideways in wild NZ weather! #CrownPrincess #AustraliaToNZ #Cruise Ship Big Wave #seasick #caughtoncamera #behindthescenes Watch the moment #roughseas sent the Crown Princess sideways: shocking footage has emerged of a terrifying ordeal for passengers as an Australia to New Zealand cruise ship tilted sideways in rough seas, sending kitchen dishes flying and injuring 16 people. The Crown Princess encountered 75-knot winds mid-course change, causing chaos onboard as dishes, kitchenware, and water from the pool spilled across the ship. This video includes ACM-produced voiceover powered by AI. #injuries #travel #cruising #cruisetok #sydney #milfordsound
♬ original sound – Australian Community Media – Australian Community Media

Princess Cruises acknowledged the incident in a statement to Cruise Hive, saying, “Our crew responded quickly to correct the situation, and at no point was the safety of the ship compromised.” The cruise line also noted that a small amount of water from the Lido Deck pool briefly entered the Horizons food court, but the area was quickly cleaned and reopened.

Despite the frightening experience, many passengers, including Martin Wise, remained positive about their cruise experience. Wise, who was on his seventh Princess cruise, rated the incident as an “8.5 to 10” on a frightening scale but added, “It’s not put us off cruises.”