Cruise Ships Rocked by Biggest Earthquake to Hit C...

The largest earthquake to hit Cuba in almost 150 years struck off the coast of Mantua, and the shaking was felt by cruises all through South Florida, in addition to elements of Mexico and the Caribbean.

Based on america Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 6.1 earthquake occurred on June 8, 2026, at round 2 p.m. EDT, within the Gulf of Mexico (or Gulf of America).

“The June 8, 2026 magnitude 6.1 earthquake close to the west coast of Cuba occurred as the results of reverse faulting at a shallow depth of 26 km,” USGS confirmed.

“The earthquake occurred beneath the Gulf of America throughout the North America plate. An intraplate earthquake, this occasion occurred 400-450 km north of the closest energetic plate boundary between the North America and Caribbean Sea plates,” USGS added.

Based mostly on the information, the epicenter was decided to be 65 miles west-northwest of Mantua, a city in Cuba’s western Pinar del Río province.

Per seismologists, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 or increased has not hit Cuba in additional than 100 years.

“That is the most important instrumentally recorded earthquake within the Gulf of America since 1950, and one in every of solely six magnitude 5 or bigger earthquakes to happen throughout the Gulf since 1950,” USGS famous.

“In 1880, an earthquake of roughly M6.0 occurred close to San Cristobal, Cuba and was felt in Florida. The 1880 earthquake led to experiences of constructing damages and fatalities in Cuba,” the group continued.

Fortunately, Cruise Hive has not seen any experiences of injury to infrastructure in Cuba or elsewhere on account of the June eighth quake.

Shaking Felt Mid-Voyage

Clearly, the sizable quake was felt all through Cuba, with some cruisers feeling the rumble onboard their cruise ships.

“A few of you might have heard that an earthquake occurred close to Cuba. Our cruise ship was virtually proper over it when it struck. The ship shook laborious,” one cruise guest shared.

“Many individuals on the higher decks have been frightened and a few thought they need to go to their muster stations. The ship’s captain got here on the intercom a couple of minutes later and defined that we had skilled an earthquake and that the ship was not broken,” they recalled.

The visitor didn’t specify which ship they’re onboard, however cruise tracking data showed Margaritaville at Sea’s Islander and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Escape crusing close to the epicenter on the afternoon of June 8.

Stories of shaking additionally got here from as far west as Cancun, Mexico, and the Riviera Maya, which is the place Cozumel and Costa Maya are situated.

No cruise ships have been docked in Cancun, however Cozumel hosted Disney Future, Carnival Jubilee, and Carnival Breeze through the quake. Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas have been in Costa Maya.

Shaking Impacts Florida Cruise Ports

Moreover, the shaking was felt at a number of of Florida’s major cruise ports, together with PortMiami, Port Canaveral, and Port Tampa Bay.

“The Metropolis of Miami is conscious of a magnitude 6.1 earthquake that occurred off the coast of Cuba,” the town stated in a statement to CBS News. Ensuing seismic exercise was reportedly felt in a number of areas all through the town, prompting a number of requires service.”

Seven ships have been in PortMiami through the earthquake for turnaround days, together with Freedom of the Seas, Marvel of the Seas, Resilient Girl, Norwegian Getaway, MSC Seaside, Carnival Dawn, and Carnival Conquest.

Three extra ships have been in Port Canaveral, together with Utopia of the Seas, Disney Want, and Carnival Glory. Final however not least, yet one more Carnival ship, Carnival Paradise, was docked in Tampa Bay when the shaking started.

Cruise Passengers Shouldn’t Fear

Even when there are aftershocks, that are widespread with earthquakes of this measurement, cruise friends shouldn’t be frightened. Cruise ships are designed for stability and float deep within the ocean, which permits them to simply soak up the seismic shock.

When at sea, cruise ships are additionally secure from potential tsunamis, which often turn out to be damaging solely as soon as they attain the shallow ocean flooring close to the coast.

For instance, a part of the Caribbean was positioned beneath a tsunami advisory after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake shook the Cayman Islands in February of 2025.

However on this case, Cruise Hive confirmed that there isn’t a earthquake-related tsunami threat and the Florida cruise ports stay secure.

“There isn’t any tsunami hazard for the U.S. east coast, the Gulf of America states, or the jap coast of Canada,” the National Tsunami Warning Center posted.

“Based mostly on earthquake data and historic tsunami information, the earthquake shouldn’t be anticipated to generate a tsunami,” the company continued.

Cruise operations have continued usually each at sea and on the locations the place shaking was felt.