Norwegian Star Towed Back To Port After Engine Failure

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Norwegian Star’s latest cruise to Iceland got off to a dramatic start when the ship lost power just hours after leaving New York City.

Norwegian Star NCL

But thanks to fast action by the crew and assistance from tug boats, the issue was resolved without any delay to the itinerary.

The 91,740-gross-ton cruise ship departed Manhattan Cruise Terminal at 4 pm EST on Saturday 12th July 2025, with up to 2,348 passengers onboard for a 14-night Transatlantic sailing.

But within hours, the ship suffered a technical propulsion failure that left it without air conditioning, running water, or thrust – drifting in the Hudson River.

Tug boats were immediately dispatched to assist the ship back to Pier 88, where the issue was quickly identified and repaired.

“On July 12, 2025, the ship departed New York City at its scheduled departure time of 4:00 p.m. As a result of a technical propulsion issue, the captain made the decision to return to the port with the assistance from two tugboats,”

“After further inspection, the issue was quickly resolved by the time the ship returned to port.“

NCL statement

The vessel resumed its journey shortly after 12:30 am on Sunday 13th July, with no impact to the planned sailing, including the first port of call in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which the ship reached on 14th July as planned.

Propulsion Issues Not New for Norwegian Star

While the exact cause of the latest failure has not been disclosed, Norwegian Star has a long history of propulsion-related issues, dating back to 2003, and appearing in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Many of those earlier problems were attributed to the ship’s Azipod propulsion system, which is used by several Norwegian Cruise Line vessels.

It is not yet known if Azipod played a role in the most recent incident.

Despite the rocky start, cruise tracking data shows the ship sailing normally and on schedule.

The itinerary features stops in Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia; Prince Edward Island; Nuuk and Paamiut, Greenland; and Isafjordur, Akureyri, and Grundarfjordur, Iceland, before ending the voyage in Reykjavik on 26th July 2025.

Power Outages: Cause for Concern?

This summer has seen several notable power issues onboard cruise ships.

In June, MSC Orchestra suffered an outage after a small fire, while Celebrity Infinity was stranded for multiple days in Kusadasi, Turkey, due to a similar problem.

While rare, these incidents have raised passenger concerns, especially with the recent popularity of cruise-themed documentaries like Netflix’s Trainwreck, revisiting the infamous “Poop Cruise” aboard Carnival Triumph.

That said, experts stress that serious power failures remain uncommon, and cruise lines today are far better equipped to handle disruptions.

Ships now carry backup generators, advanced diagnostics, and trained engineers onboard to manage emergency repairs swiftly.

Cruise ships also have multiple channels for outside assistance, including satellite communication and Starlink internet, which ensures constant contact with shore teams and emergency services if needed.

So while Norwegian Star’s incident was certainly an inconvenience, the situation was handled effectively – and for passengers onboard, the adventure continues as planned.

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