A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Pacific coast on Wednesday triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific, activating emergency protocols for cruise ships in Hawaii, Alaska, and along the U.S. West Coast. Among the vessels impacted was Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, which was forced to depart Hilo, Hawaii, ahead of schedule—leaving some passengers behind amid the chaos.
In response to the tsunami advisory issued by the National Weather Service, the Pride of America sailed from Hilo at 4:00 p.m. local time two hours earlier than planned after the state of Hawaii declared a state of emergency. Norwegian Cruise Line said the early departure followed direct instructions from the Hawaii Department of Transportation to prioritize guest and crew safety by immediately leaving port.
While many guests onboard were notified by SMS, others were on organized shore excursions at the time. Some, including Tiffany Oliver and her daughter, were visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park when the tsunami alert sounded. Despite receiving mobile emergency alerts urging them to seek higher ground, Oliver said the tour continued to the park before turning back toward Hilo Harbor.
According to Oliver, guests on the return bus called Norwegian Cruise Line’s customer service and were initially told the ship would wait. But by 3:38 p.m., the company confirmed the ship would depart at 4:00 p.m. per local emergency directives. When the excursion group arrived back at the port at 3:55 p.m., they reportedly saw the vessel departing and the gangway already retracted.
Norwegian stated that all guests unable to return in time were advised to follow instructions from local authorities and seek safety on higher ground. Passengers on NCL-organized excursions were reportedly brought to a designated safe zone at a local high school in Hilo, where refreshments were provided.
The cruise line has not disclosed how many passengers were left ashore, nor what accommodations will be provided for their return to the ship. The Pride of America has remained at sea, in accordance with maritime best practices during tsunami threats, as vessels are safer offshore than in port during such events.
