A Royal Caribbean cruise ship, the Serenade of the Seas, is currently stranded in Vancouver after suffering an engine failure shortly after departure, leading to lighthearted comparisons with the infamous Netflix documentary about the Poop Cruise.

Local resident Marcia McNaughton has been keeping her social media followers updated on the situation. The cruise was set to embark on a seven-day journey to Alaska, leaving Vancouver on a Sunday. However, disaster struck just 45 minutes after departure when an engine blew, forcing the ship to return to port.

“Omg!!! Believe this!!!! [Our] cruise ship just broke down… blew an engine… turning around to Vancouver! You [can’t] make this [sh*t] up!!!!,” she posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on July 6.

According to McNaughton, passengers boarded the Serenade of the Seas at Canada Place and were just past Bowen Island when the captain announced the engine failure. The cruise line had to dispatch a tugboat to bring the vessel back to port safely.

Upon arrival at around 6 p.m. on Sunday, the ship became docked at Canada Place. However, due to customs regulations, passengers were unable to disembark, leading to an unusual situation. Despite the inconvenience, McNaughton remarked that everyone onboard was handling the delay relatively well, with many patrons opting to visit the ship's bar. “I mean, everybody’s frustrated for sure,” she noted. “Most people that we spoke to that are American are not happy because they’re far away from home. For us, we’re local, so it’s not the worst thing on the planet.”

As the hours passed, McNaughton sought ways to pass the time, indulging in the buffet and enjoying drinks. However, she expressed concerns about the communication from Royal Caribbean, describing it as “spotty.” A promised 12 p.m. update on Monday turned into a later announcement that mechanics were on board and believed the issue might be resolved soon.

However, just a few hours later, the captain informed passengers that the ship might not leave until the next day. “Urgh, captain just said we may not leave until tomorrow... can’t get off the boat... they cancelled Sitka stop... of course, we have a tour booked! Anyone know how we get these things refunded??” McNaughton tweeted, reflecting the growing frustration among passengers.

This mechanical glitch has resulted in changes to the cruise itinerary, with the ship now set to skip its planned stop in Sitka, Alaska. Instead, Juneau will be the sole destination. McNaughton also revealed that a crew member had mentioned a similar engine issue occurred the previous week, raising concerns about the ship's maintenance.

Comments on her posts revealed a mix of humor and concern, with many referencing the Netflix documentary Trainwreck: Poop Cruise, which chronicles the harrowing experience of passengers on a Carnival cruise in 2013 during which they were left without plumbing or power. “Good thing you were close to home and not in the middle of the ocean. Could’ve had another poop-filled cruise Netflix documentary lol,” joked one user.

Despite the challenges, McNaughton reassured her followers that the situation onboard was under control. “Everything’s 100 percent OK right now,” she stated. “If we end up on a poop cruise… I’m from Ladner, I’m close to home. I will jump off this thing and swim home,” she humorously added, lightening the mood amidst the uncertainty.

The Daily Hive has reached out to Royal Caribbean and the Port of Vancouver for more detailed information regarding the incident and will provide updates as more details emerge.

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