Ship happens.
That, at least, is one lesson to be learned from an accident Friday at the port in Cozumel, Mexico, where one Carnival cruise ship ran into another while trying to dock. Carnival Glory, a 952-foot vessel, raked the bow of the 963-foot Carnival Legend, which had been stationary in port when its counterpart made crunching, cacophonous contact.
The Carnival Glory appeared to have sustained damage to its aft decks in the incident.
Luckily, Carnival, the world's largest luxury cruise operator, tells NPR that just six guests have reported minor injuries, nothing worse. Also lucky: A witness shot video of the incident as it unfolded.
Be warned before listening, though: Folks on the video shout some graphic language that's far saltier than the clumsy pun that leads this story.
"We are assessing the damage but there are no issues that impact the seaworthiness of either ship," a Carnival spokesperson told NPR in an emailed statement, promising that passengers' itineraries will not be affected. "We have advised guests from both ships to enjoy their day ashore in Cozumel."
For all the spectacle of the moment, passengers themselves seemed relatively unfazed.
"All of a sudden we felt the ship rock to one side and then back into place," Legend passenger Jordan Moseley told Reuters. "A few minutes later, the cruise director announced that the Carnival Glory had crashed into our ship while docking due to the high winds and rough ocean conditions in Cozumel."
Here are some more angles on the big bump and its aftermath. With more salty language — for which, given the circumstances, you may wish to forgive the witnesses.
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