Cruise Ship Gets in Hot Water, Fined for Scenic Sail By That Got Too Close
The passengers were marveling recently at the wonderful views from the deck of the luxury cruise ship Silver Ray as the captain maneuvered the ship to view the coastal treasures of Italy. While everyone thought it was a spectacular scene as the vessel approached the famed Faraglioni rock formations off Capri, local environmentalists fumed, and one took out their smartphone to film the sail by.
The 54,700 gross ton cruise ship Silver Ray, operated by Royal Caribbean’s Silversea Cruises, turned out to be violating the maritime regulations of Italy. The ship, which is 801 feet (244 meters) in length and was introduced in 2024, has a draft of approximately 6 meters (20 feet). It accommodates 728 passengers catering to their every need in luxury.
With clear, warm skies and calm seas, the captain thought it would be a spectacular vision for the passengers to see the craggy rock formation that rises over 300 feet above sea level. They filmed the sail by and posted it online. From shore, an amateur photographer also caught the sail by.
The Italian authorities reviewed the videos and checked the AIS signal for the cruise ship. They confirmed it had come within 500 meters (1,650 feet) of the rock structure. That was a failure to maintain a minimum distance under Italian regulations. As a result, the ship was fined €1,032 (about $1,100). The captain was also issued a formal reprimand by the Italian Coast Guard.
While it seems minor, the authorities highlighted the incident 15 years ago when the Costa Concordia also decided to do a sail by. The cruise ship hit an uncharted rock and became a total loss. A total of 32 people died, although 4,200 were saved in a miraculous effort, and it caused reforms to maritime law and how Carnival Corporation manages all its cruise ships.
The Italian environmentalists pounced on this incident using it as an opportunity to call for more restrictions around the formation and the creation of a larger marine reserve. They highlighted that the previous efforts have resulted in developments, including the spotting of a rare monk seal, which was photographed in the preserve areas. They are also demanding that buoys be put out around the formation to prevent other ships from wandering into the area, either intentionally, like the Silver Ray, or unintentionally.
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