NCL Cruise Ship Pulled Free After Grounding

A Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. luxury liner carrying thousands of passengers that ran aground while trying to leave a port in the Dominican Republic on Monday has managed to free itself after hours of being stranded.

The Norwegian Escape hit the channel bed as it was departing Puerto Plata on Monday afternoon, according to a company spokesperson. Tugs had been employed to free it most of the afternoon and evening, according to social media posts. Passengers posted the cruise ship, one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s biggest liners at 1,069 feet, was refloated after midnight, local time. 

Guests and crew were safe, and the ship wasn’t damaged, according to the spokesperson. Operations and services onboard also continued as scheduled.

Passengers on the ship, which originally departed out of Orlando, Florida, said the crew had been trying to extricate the vessel unsuccessfully for several hours into the night. 

Norwegian operates a seven-day Caribbean cruise that departs Florida on Saturdays and stops in Puerto Plata, or Silver Port, for passengers to take a cable-car ride to the peak of Mount Isabel de Torres before setting off for St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Built in 2015, the Norwegian Escape carries a maximum of 4,266 passengers and 1,733 crew. According to local media reports, it’s currently carrying 3,223 guests and 1,618 crew.(Updates with ship freeing itself in first paragraph.)

Oanh Ha and Tim Smith , With assistance from Michael Sin. © 2022 Bloomberg L.P.

P & O Cruises receives Adonia

Image result for p&o adonia

P&O Adonia

In April 2015, launched Carnival Corporation with large appearance topical social cruise brand Fathom . The unusual for the Carnival Group company offered from Miami / Fl . alternating, “effects-based” cruises in the Dominican Republic and later to Cuba to.

Those in charge of the group decided that for the cruises of Fathom Adonia use. The smallest ship of P & O Cruises , another Carnival offshoot offers, maximum 710 beds. Carnival’s marketing campaigns in the US have identified around a million people who want to be socially engaged during their holidays by working on economic and environmental projects. And these were the offers of the shipping company.

P & O Adonia

P & O Adonia © P & O Cruises


From April of 2015 to the Adonia took from Miami seven-day trips to Amber Cove . This is the main retreat port in the north of the Dominican Republic near Puerto Plata. For three days, the guests were invited to take part in various activities for the benefit of the local population. Fathom cooperated locally with two local social organizations, which received a share of the proceeds from the sale of cruises. In the current year it was announced that Cuba would be started as a further destination.

At the end of November 2016, Carnival’s sources indicated that the special socially responsible activities of the company would be terminated with effect from June 2017. An official Carnival statement was not available. – Now it is official: P & O informs that the Adonia back to the P & O fleet controls. There she is, the third P & O Adults-only ship called ” Discovery Itineraries company”. These “discoveries” bring guests to small, fancy destinations and places as well as unique cities and new cultures. The destinations to be discovered are located around the Mediterranean Sea, Iceland, the East Atlantic and the Caribbean.

The travels of Adonia in 2017 are now bookable. 

Amber Cove, Carnival’s new port in the D.R., nears opening date

Amber Cove is scheduled to welcome its first ship on Oct. 6.

PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic — The new Amber Cove port on the north coast of the Dominican Republic is rapidly coming together a little more than a month before the first ship is scheduled to arrive on Oct. 6.

The port, being developed by Carnival Corp. and a local partner, already has a 1,280-foot pier, a bus and taxi staging area, cabanas and the finished shells of bars, restaurants and shops.

Landscaping is being planted and the interiors of the structures are ready for build-out.

About 350,000 guests from eight Carnival Corp. brands are expected to use the facility in 2016. About half will come from Carnival Cruise Line, which will use Amber Cove year-round.

The 25-acre project cost $85 million to develop. About half of the space is devoted to a transportation hub. Six acres along the shore have been reclaimed from the bay. There is a large pool area, but no beach on the port property. Carnival will offer multiple beach excursions.

A total of 44 tours have been developed with a wide range of styles. Amilcar Cascais, vice president for tour operations at Carnival, said he expects tour participation of upwards of 60% initially because guests will be curious about the new destination. Participation is typically in the 30% to 50% range.

The pier, with a channel dredged to 36 feet, is capable of handling two of the largest ships in the Carnival fleet at once, although initially only one ship at a time will dock there.

Amber Cove is named for the amber mines in the interior near the port. There will be an amber wall art installation that will feature a caiman embedded in it.

The northern coast of the Dominican Republic last received regular cruise calls 30 years ago, and the 300,000 residents of the area are excited to see the project nearing completion, said Julio Almonte, vice minister of tourism for the Dominican Republic. He said the country’s president visited the site two months ago to show support.

“The future of Puerto Plata is this project,” Almonte said.