Alaska Group Demands Royal Caribbean Slow Cruise S...

Alaskan officers are calling for Royal Caribbean to make a significant coverage change within the wake of a latest incident in Alaska.

Cruise Hive just lately reported that the 168,666 gross ton Ovation of the Seas arrived in Seward, Alaska on June 19, 2026 with a deceased fin whale on her bow.

In response to this occasion, Alaska’s Middle for Organic Range is looking for accountability and alter.

“I’m infuriated that this supersized cruise ship hit an endangered whale in such a horrific method,” stated Cooper Freeman, Alaska director on the Middle for Organic Range. “Royal Caribbean should be held accountable for this ugly demise and take rapid motion to keep away from this occurring once more.”

In a letter addressed to Royal Caribbean Group Executives, together with President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Worldwide, Michael Bayley, in addition to Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, Jason T. Liberty, the group urged the cruise business large to undertake a coverage of decreasing its ships’ pace to 10 knots in identified whale habitat areas.

“The most effective obtainable science establishes that vessel pace is the only most essential issue affecting each the likelihood of a whale strike and the lethality of that strike.” the letter reads. “Adopting 10 knots as a compulsory pace restrict to your cruise ships will subsequently higher shield massive whales from struggling lethal ship strikes…”

The group has lengthy fought for legally mandated pace reductions in such areas, and at present has a pending lawsuit in opposition to the U.S. Coast Guard for failing to guard whales in transport lanes.

No official response from Royal Caribbean has been issued.

The Aftermath of the Incident

The incident occurred on the ultimate day of Ovation of the Seas’ one-way, 7-day Alaskan cruise that departed from Vancouver, British Columbia on June 12, 2026.

As soon as the ship was docked, the carcass was initially lined by a tarp till correct measures might be taken to soundly relocate the stays.

Within the rapid aftermath, many speculated on how such an incident may have occurred and whether or not the whale was killed by the Quantum Class ship, or by pure causes, making contact with the ship autopsy.

Preliminary necropsy findings by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, working with Alaska SeaLife Middle revealed that the whale in query was pregnant, and had suffered blunt pressure trauma to the backbone, ribs and jaw, in step with a ship strike.

As an endangered species, it’s unlawful, beneath the Marine Mammal Safety Act and the Endangered Species Act to kill a fin whale, even unintentionally. 

That being stated, based on the Middle for Organic Range, ship strikes are the main reason for demise for endangered whales, which their letter to Royal Caribbean additionally highlights.

Federal investigations are at present underway for the June 19 incident. It’s unknown what penalties, if any, Royal Caribbean could face because of this.