NCL Breakaway suffers steering hitch outside New York
A cruise ship returning to New York after a Caribbean cruise had to be towed to port after getting stuck on the Hudson River.
A Coast Guard tug vessel towed the 4,500 passenger Norwegian Breakaway to its Manhattan homeport after apparent steering and propulsion problems.
It caused a three-hour delay in docking as the Coast Guard waited for suitable tide conditions.
Norwegian Cruise Line spokeswoman AnneMarie Mathews called it a minor glitch – only a "small, technical maintenance item on one of the two azipods."
The ship was returning after a seven-day cruise of the Bahamas and Florida.
It is the ship’s first major technical hitch since coming into service almost exactly a year ago and this week celebrates the first anniversary of its launch.
Passengers described the scene as "a little chaotic" as people waited in line for hours to disembark with tempers boiling over and scuffles breaking out.
The line also released a statement advising passengers that the following Bermuda voyage, scheduled for departure Sunday at 2pm, would be delayed by three hours.
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