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Royal Caribbean passenger shares tense moments during Alaska tsunami alert
Passenger Erin Dietrich recalls tense moments aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise as a tsunami warning hit Alaska.
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Erin Dietrich, who was recently onboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas, has opened up about her experience on the cruise when the tsunami warning was issued near Alaska. Although there was no damage to the ship, the warning added an unexpected wave of tension to what was meant to be a peaceful journey along the Alaskan coast.
“Everyone back home was texting and messaging about the tsunami warning, so I was totally freaked out but trying to play it cool for the kids,” she told People magazine.
Erin Dietrich recalls tense moments
Erin Dietrich and her husband Scott were with their four kids, preparing for dinner aboard the Quantum of the Seas, when a tsunami warning sent waves of concern across the ship. The alert, issued after a powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s coast on July 29, affected areas from the US West Coast to Japan, Hawaii, and Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.
Though the Dietrichs are used to hurricanes back home in Myrtle Beach, being at sea during such an alert was “a totally different experience”, especially while en route to Alaska.
“My 16-year-old and 13-year-old obviously knew what was going on, so they were panicking. My 8-year-old was scared, but we just tried to keep them busy and not really talk about it," she expressed. While trying to keep her kids calm, Erin recounted how she took them to the ship’s kids club, only to find other parents equally shaken. “People were just kind of frantic in panic mode,” she added.
Tsunami scare at sea
As per People, at 8.52 PM (local time) nearly four hours after news of the tsunami warning broke, Erin began recording the cruise captain’s first announcement. “We are currently monitoring the tsunami advisories… Your well being and safety remain our top priority,” he assured passengers.
While the night was windy and the pools and decks remained closed, operations stayed largely normal. “But we were out at sea, which supposedly, people say is one of the safest places to be out on a ship,” Dietrich said.
By July 30, the family was en route to Sitka. A tsunami advisory still remained for Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.
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On July 30, the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska urged boat operators to head at least 180 feet deep into the sea. The advisory warned against "shallow water, harbors, marinas" due to the risk of strong currents and hidden or floating debris that could be dangerous.
FAQs
Q1. What happened on the Royal Caribbean cruise near Alaska?
A tsunami warning was issued while the ship was at sea, leading to concern among passengers.
Q2. Was anyone hurt during the tsunami alert?
No injuries were reported.
Q3. What did the cruise captain say?
The captain assured everyone that their safety was a priority and that the situation was being closely monitored.
