Safety and Response Prioritized, No Injuries from Engine Room Fire on Wilderness Discoverer Vessel in Glacier Bay National Park

by UnCruise Admin June 5, 2023

For Immediate Release

Small Ship Cruise Line, UnCruise Adventures Confirms No Injuries from Passengers and Crew from an Early Morning Engine Room Fire

JUNEAU, AK, June 5th, 2023 – UnCruise Adventures, a leading provider of small ship adventure cruise experiences, today confirmed a fire incident, contained to the engine room on the Wilderness Discoverer vessel while in Glacier Bay National Park. The incident occurred at 7:23 a.m. Alaska time, June 5^th, while seventy-eight passengers and crew were onboard.

“We are relieved to confirm that there have been no injuries resulting from the fire. Our highly trained crew promptly extinguished the fire using established emergency protocols, and CO2 was successfully deployed for everyone's safety,” shares company Owner & CEO, Captain Dan Blanchard.

In adherence to our commitment to environmental responsibility, we have conducted thorough assessments, and we are pleased to report that there are currently no discernible environmental impacts within the affected area. Local and federal authorities have been promptly notified, and we are working closely with them to ensure a coordinated response in the area.

To facilitate the seamless transfer of passengers, additional vessels from the area immediately assisted with disembarking fifty-one passengers and sixteen crew from the Wilderness Discoverer, with eleven crew remaining onboard. Our priority is to ensure the safety of all affected guests during this transition. Every effort is being made to minimize any inconvenience caused by the incident. The cruise line will be providing full refunds to all passengers affected by the incident and providing hotels and flights home for those affected. Our commitment to our guests' satisfaction remains unwavering, and our crew is working with guests and authorities to ensure expedited care.

The cause of the engine room fire is yet to be determined and an investigation is currently underway to determine the cause. We will actively cooperate with the authorities and conduct a thorough assessment.

UnCruise Adventures extends its gratitude to the swift response of emergency personnel and acknowledges the professionalism and composure demonstrated by our crew throughout this challenging situation. We are continuing to monitor this and will provide timely updates as new information becomes available to keep all stakeholders informed as the situation progresses.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact the UnCruise Adventures offices at pr@uncruise.com for the designated representative.

UPDATE: June 5th, 5:30 p.m. pacific

Smooth operations continue with local & federal authorities getting guests & crew to GBNP headquarters, where they will have flights provided home. Full refunds will be provided to all affected guests. Thank you to those who've assisted. More will be updated on Friday June 9th.

UPDATE: June 7th, 1:15 p.m. pacific

We will provide a more official update by Friday, June 9th, when we will have more solid and significant details on the cause of the fire, allowing our team to do a thorough review. Our guests and crew continue to be provided for at this time and we want to reiterate our dedication to providing ongoing support for them.

On June 5^th the Wilderness Discoverer guests were transferred to the Sapphire Princess for a period. They were then transferred to the Baranof Wind and disembarked at the park headquarters where they were provided flights home and hotels in the interim. The Wilderness Discoverer is repairable and pending more details on the extent of the areas affected by the fire is expected to still sail this season. That date is yet to be determined and more details will be provided Friday June 9th.

UPDATE: June 9th 7:35 p.m

UnCruise Adventures, a small ship cruise line, announces significant progress in addressing the recent engine room fire aboard the Wilderness Discoverer, which occurred Monday June 5th. The safety and well-being of all guests and crew continue to be the company's utmost priority. It remains that no injuries resulted from the fire or subsequent transfer of guests and crew. Vigor shipyard in Ketchikan, Alaska will facilitate the vessel's repair process. See full press release on updates here.

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Media contact:

UnCruise Adventures pr@uncruise.com

About UnCruise Adventures  

UnCruise Adventures’ is a responsible travel and adventure leader in the small boat industry. They operate boutique yachts and small boats carrying 22-86 guests on voyages in Alaska, Hawaiian Islands, Mexico’s Sea of Cortés, Prince William Sound, Columbia & Snake Rivers, Coastal Washington, Galápagos, Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, and Colombia. UnCruise Adventures has been picked as the top adventure cruise line by Cruise Critic, multiple times and Travel & Leisure readers also named UnCruise Adventures in its World’s Best Awards and its list of top 10 small ship ocean cruise line for multiple years in a row. UnCruise Adventures is a member of the Adventure Travel Trade Association and Transformational Travel Council.

Health & Wellbeing Policy

UnCruise Adventures has updated its health and safety protocols to ensure the well-being of its guests and crew onboard all vessels. As part of updated measures, the company has removed the vaccination and mask requirement for cruises. The company will continue to implement additional safety and sanitary measures to maintain a safe environment. Safe distancing is encouraged where possible and guests are asked to adhere to the onboard good citizen policy of health and wellbeing. For more information about UnCruise Adventures' updated vaccine policy and travel resources, please visit their website at uncruise.com.