Holland America's ms Noordam Comes to Aid of Sightseeing Vessel

Taking a cruise can be the vacation of a lifetime for many travelers, but one ship traveling around Alaska came to the aid of a disabled boat last week, helping its passengers and crew on board.

According to Holland America, the company’s ms Noordam was in the middle of a seven-day Alaska cruise when it came to the aid of a disabled sightseeing boat on Wednesday, June 10, near Jaw Point at Glacier Bay, Alaska.

The Noordam received a call for help at 12:35 p.m. local time and arrived on the scene to find the 79-foot sightseeing vessel Baranof Wind having mechanical issues. The Holland America Line ship lowered a tender into the water and brought Baranof Wind’s 40 passengers and one park ranger on board.

Holland America Line president Orlando Ashford released a statement about the incident:

“We are proud of the proficient response Captain van Donselaar and his team executed in assisting the passengers of Baranof Wind. Our crewmembers are highly trained to respond when needed and we were fortunate to have been nearby to provide support.”

The passengers from the sightseeing vessel were brought onboard the ms Noordam where they were served lunch. The ship made a detour to Bartlett Cove at around 5:30 p.m. local time to drop off the passengers and the park ranger before sailing to its next port of call, Ketchikan, Alaska.

While this was a great gesture by the crew and a testament to the dedication of Holland America, this is not the first time something like this has happened. As Travel Pulse’s Theresa Norton Masek reported earlier this year when two of the company’s other ships helped assist vessels in distress, the Holland America’s fleet has the ability and the compassion to help those in need.

Source: Travel Pulse