Cruise ship passengers sometimes get to see spectacular sites that nobody planned for.
Maybe your ship comes across a pod of whales playing in the open ocean or maybe you get to see the Northern Lights. In some cases, you know to look for these things, but, on occasion, a cruise ship may come across something completely surprising.
Carnival Cruise Line shares 2 new fees many passengers must pay
Related: Carnival Cruise Line shares 2 new fees many passengers must pay
That could be something terrifying like a damaged ship needing rescue at sea, or a planned event gone wrong. Passengers on Carnival Cruise Line's Mardi Gras, sailing out of Galveston, Texas, knew that Elon Musk's SpaceX had a launch planned for Thursday, Jan. 16.
What they did not know is that launch would go terribly wrong.
Fox8 New Orleans had the stunning video that could be seen from the cruise ship.
SpaceX Starship breaks up in the sky above the Carnival cruise ship Mardi Gras on Thursday that was supposed to soar across the Gulf of Mexico from Texas. 📸: CNN pic.twitter.com/BjD2RP1vOV
— FOX 8 New Orleans (@FOX8NOLA) January 17, 2025
Carnival Mardi Gras passengers see SpaceX disaster
The SpaceX rocket, a 400-foot ship that's the world's largest rocket, launched from the southern tip of Texas on a test flight early Thursday evening.
"The booster made it back to the pad for a catch by giant mechanical arms, only the second time in Starship history. But the engines on the still ascending spacecraft shut down one by one, and communication was lost 8 1/2 minutes into the flight," the Associated Press reported.
Elon Musk tried to downplay the accident.
"Preliminary indication is that we had an oxygen/fuel leak in the cavity above the ship engine firewall that was large enough to build pressure in excess of the vent capacity. Apart from obviously double-checking for leaks, we will add fire suppression to that volume and probably increase vent area. Nothing so far suggests pushing next launch past next month," he shared on X, formerly Twitter.
More than 38.4 million people saw Musk's post on the platform that he owns.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise).
Have questions about booking a cruise? Schedule a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner Postcard Travel Planning.
The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring SpaceX to investigate the incident.
"The ship's explosion had some real-world impact beyond creating a dramatic sky show," according to the FAA. While no injuries have been reported, the agency "is working with SpaceX and appropriate authorities to confirm reports of public property damage on Turks and Caicos," FAA officials wrote in an emailed statement to Space,com.
Are you taking a cruise or thinking about taking one? Visit our Come Cruise With Me website to have all your questions answered.
