Some guests sailing aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America found themselves unexpectedly stranded ashore in Hilo, Hawaii this past Tuesday, following an emergency evacuation triggered by a tsunami warning.
The situation unfolded after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck east of Petropavlovsk, Russia, prompting the State of Hawaii to declare a state of emergency and initiate port closures. As a result, the Pride of America was required to depart Hilo two hours ahead of schedule: at 4 p.m. local time instead of the originally planned 6 p.m.
While the abrupt departure surprised guests, Norwegian Cruise Line acted under official emergency orders. In such situations, remaining at sea is considered far safer than staying docked. Tsunamis at sea consist of fast-moving, long-wavelength waves, but their danger increases dramatically as they approach shallow coastal waters.
According to NCL, all passengers were notified via SMS before the ship’s departure and advised to follow local safety procedures, including seeking higher ground. Guests on NCL-organized shore excursions were taken directly to a designated safe zone — a local high school in Hilo — where they were provided with refreshments and support.
Some travelers also chose to stay overnight in area hotels. Fortunately, the tsunami did not make landfall in Hilo, and the warning has since been lifted. However, Hilo Harbor must undergo a safety inspection before ships can return.
An NCL spokesperson told Travel Agent Central that the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities are scheduled to assess the port in the early morning hours of July 30. Once cleared, stranded guests will be able to reboard Pride of America.
NCL Statement
We provide today’s NCL statement in its entirety:
“On July 29, 2025, the State of Hawaii declared a state of emergency and issued a tsunami warning following an 8.8-magnitude earthquake east of Petropavlovsk, Russia. As such, in response to local emergency procedures and to prioritize the safety of our guests and crew, Pride of America was required to depart Hilo, Hawaii immediately. The ship departed at 4 p.m. local time, two hours ahead of its scheduled departure time of 6 p.m.
“Before departure, all guests were notified via SMS and advised to seek higher ground and follow instructions from local authorities if they were unable to return to the ship in time for its departure. Guests participating in NCL shore excursions were brought directly to a local high school, a designated safe location in Hilo, where refreshments were provided for their comfort and well-being.
“As a precaution and due to the temporary port closure, Pride of America has remained at sea, a safer location in situations such as this.
“The tsunami warning has since been lifted, allowing for the affected ports to gradually reopen. Hilo Harbor, however, requires a safety assessment before it can receive clearance from local authorities and the U.S. Coast Guard. This assessment is scheduled to take place in the early morning of July 30, 2025, local Hawaii time, at which point our guests will reboard the ship.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as they become available.”
Good Outcome
The good news is that the tsunami did not materialize for Hilo and the warning was lifted. Now, it appears Pride of America’s guests could be back aboard soon.
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