Alaska Cruise Cut Short After Problems, Passengers Refunded

Editorial Summary

Doug Parker reports on several developments within the cruise industry. A Holland America ship, the Zandam, experienced a technical issue with its port side propulsion system during an Alaska cruise. This problem forced the vessel to remain in Juneau for repairs and eventually return to Vancouver approximately 12 hours early. Consequently, passengers missed scheduled stops in Skagway and Ketchikan as well as scenic cruising in Glacier Bay. Holland America Line is providing affected guests with a 50 percent refund of their cruise fare and a 50 percent future cruise credit. In other news, the SS United States is being prepared to become an artificial reef. Following environmental cleanup in Mobile, Alabama, the historic ocean liner will be towed off the coast of Florida to be sunk, though parts of the vessel are being preserved for a museum. Additionally, the Port of Vancouver reached a milestone by welcoming its 1 millionth passenger through a facial biometric screening system. This technology has significantly reduced customs processing times and helped expedite embarkation. Finally, the report notes that cruise stocks, including Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean, saw increases during Tuesday trading.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.