Oceania’s Riviera Skips Haines After Winds Thwart Docking
Officials discussed a reversed docking approach and offered a tug from Skagway, about an hour away, as gusts at the dock felt near 40 miles per hour.
Oceania Cruises’ Riviera left Haines, Alaska, without docking Wednesday morning after strong winds repeatedly pushed the ship out of position during berthing attempts around 7 a.m. The 1,250-passenger vessel also ruled out anchoring and tendering guests ashore while a gale warning remained in effect for northern Lynn Canal.
Weather-related docking failures are relatively unusual in Haines, which more often receives ships diverted from nearby Skagway when conditions prevent calls there.
Wind disrupts repeated docking attempts
Riviera made several approaches to the borough’s cruise ship dock but could not remain close enough for its lines to be secured. Harbormaster Henry Pollan said passengers, including some wearing bathrobes, watched as the crew tried to bring the ship alongside.
“Generally they’re not going to quit before they try a little bit,” Pollan said.
The 66,084-gross-ton Riviera was built in 2012 and refurbished in 2022. The ship is about 785 feet long, with approximately 800 crew members. Wind pushed it toward the Small Boat Harbor during the maneuver.
Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska port manager Leslie Ross said officials discussed approaching with Riviera’s starboard side against the dock, reversing the normal arrangement. The agency also offered to dispatch a tug from Skagway, roughly an hour away, to hold the ship against the berth while its lines were secured.
Ross estimated that gusts at the dock felt close to 40 mph, although the NOAA forecast called for gusts of 25 mph. Lynn Canal’s narrow geography and steep surrounding terrain can funnel and accelerate winds along the waterway.
“It was a really smart move on their part,” Pollan said of the crew’s decision to stop.
Anchoring posed additional risks
Anchoring away from the dock would have required passengers to transfer aboard tender boats. Pollan said strong winds can cause anchors to drag through the soft, muddy bottom near Haines, sometimes requiring ships to retrieve and reset them.
The anchorage is also close to the town’s wastewater outfall and an undersea electrical cable. A dragging anchor could damage that infrastructure, while waves would make tender trips uncomfortable and complicate passenger transfers at the borough’s uncovered float.
“They are colossal machines,” Pollan said. “You know, there’s a thousand different ways to break something.”
All ships scheduled for Skagway that day docked successfully, Ross said.
Similar conditions previously stranded passengers
In a Sept. 17 incident about a year earlier, roughly 250 Holland America Line passengers were temporarily stranded ashore after Nieuw Amsterdam moved to Lutak Inlet for shelter. Conditions had been calm when the guests disembarked, but gusts later reached 49 mph in town.
Nieuw Amsterdam returned several hours later to retrieve the passengers after waiting out the stronger winds.
See current Riviera fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.
