Alaska Group Demands Royal Caribbean Slow Cruise Ships After Whale Death

Royal Caribbean faces pressure to adopt stricter speed limits in Alaskan waters following a fatal whale strike. The Ovation of the Seas arrived in Seward on June 19 with a deceased, pregnant fin whale lodged on her bow. Preliminary necropsy results confirmed the endangered whale suffered blunt force trauma consistent with a ship strike, making it the first documented incident of its kind for the vessel.

Alaska's Center for Biological Diversity has called on Royal Caribbean executives to implement a mandatory 10-knot speed restriction in known whale habitats. The organization argues that vessel speed represents the primary factor determining both strike probability and fatality rates. Ship strikes remain the leading cause of death for endangered whales. Federal investigators are examining the incident, though Royal Caribbean has not yet responded publicly. The Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act both prohibit whale deaths, whether intentional or accidental.

Originally reported by Cruise Hive, Calvin Musquez (June 26, 2026).