Sixteen passengers and crew were injured on a cruise from Sydney after the vessel encountered rough waters and dramatically tilted on its side.
The cruise ship Crown Princess was on a two-week round trip when it hit strong winds after changing course close to Milford Sound, a famous fjord on New Zealand’s South Island.
Video footage shows staff scrambling to grab breakfast dishes and plates rolling down the kitchen as passengers battled to stay upright at the buffet.
The on-deck swimming pool can be seen spilling over as the ship tilted with pots and pans crashing onto the kitchen floor and perfumes toppled from shelves in the gift shop.
The cruise line said that 13 passengers and three crew members sustained minor injuries during the incident, as Crown Princess tilted.
According to New Zealand outlet Stuff, the captain told guests that the ship had been hit by a 75-knot wind, which briefly increased the vessel's speed, and tilted the boat by 14 degrees.
One passenger told 9News: “I was walking along doing my lap and all of a sudden I realised the boat was on an angle, and I had to hang onto the back.”
Another added: “The tables and chairs went flying across the room, a girl went sliding on her chair.”
The ship, which has a capacity for 3,090 passengers, did not suffer any structural damage during the heavy winds on the third day of its voyage.
Princess Cruises said that the ship's safety was “at no point” compromised, and the crew responded “quickly to correct the situation.”
It told Cruise Hive in a statement: “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 stabilising.”
The Independent has contacted Princess Cruises for comment.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
