- Over 900 passengers affected when Pacific Aria sailed into Category 5 Cyclone Donna in 2017.
- Settlement includes $1.2 million USD direct compensation to passengers, plus legal and administrative costs.
- Each passenger is to receive approximately $1,844 USD in refunds and compensation.
Cruises are supposed to be about luxury, relaxation, and maybe one too many trips to the buffet. What they’re not supposed to be about is holding onto your cabin for dear life while a cyclone makes your vacation look like a scene straight out of The Perfect Storm.
But that’s exactly what happened in 2017 when the Pacific Aria, a P&O cruise ship under Carnival Corporation, sailed directly into the path of a Category 5 cyclone.
The cruise industry has dealt with its fair share of controversies — like when Disney Cruise Line caused outrage over its strict costume policies — but Carnival’s disaster was on a completely different level. This wasn’t about dress codes but about hundreds of terrified passengers who were trapped at sea with nowhere to run. Now, almost seven years later, Carnival is finally paying up.
Nightmare at Sea
Back in May 2017, what was supposed to be a dreamy seven-day getaway from Brisbane quickly turned into what passengers now call a “cruise from hell.” The Pacific Aria was packed with more than 900 passengers when it found itself caught in the middle of Cyclone Donna. Everyone was forced to stay indoors as violent waves and winds pounded the ship.
Everyone was anxious and seasick, without a clue of what would happen next. Planned stops in Brisbane and New Caledonia were cancelled, and any onboard entertainment was scrapped. The only thing on the itinerary was survival.
Legal Battle and Settlement
At first, Carnival didn’t take the complaints seriously, arguing that its ticketing terms gave them the right to adjust itineraries due to bad weather. But the passengers didn’t believe it — especially since the cyclone’s path was known beforehand — and were understandably outraged, making the incident a legal problem.
Instead of spending years fighting a messy legal battle, Carnival agreed to a settlement of $2.4 million USD. Justice Roger Derrington, who oversaw the case, said the deal is likely better for passengers than a long courtroom war. Justice Derrington, in his verdict, said:
“The enjoyment of the cruise was not as desired and, generally, the cruise was a rather unpleasant experience.”
The settlement includes direct payments of $1.2 million USD, and the rest covers legal and administrative fees. Each affected traveller will also receive around $1,844 in refunds and compensation — not exactly a fortune, but at least it’s something.
The passengers knew bad weather is always a risk on a cruise, but what they didn’t understand was the decision made by the crew and wondered if the whole matter could have been avoided. Carnival still denies that it did anything wrong, but the outrage has made one thing clear: cruise lines need to adopt better risk management strategies to prevent putting the lives of many passengers in danger over something that could have been potentially avoidable.
