Propeller Breakdown on AIDAperla: Port Canceled After Incident in Lisbon

Bild: wikipedia.de
On March 19, 2026, the cruise ship AIDAperla experienced an unexpected incident in the port of Lisbon. During routine preparations for departure, a heavy mooring line became entangled in the ship's propeller. The departure maneuver had to be aborted immediately, as the vessel was no longer safely maneuverable. For safety reasons, the captain ordered an unplanned overnight stay in the Portuguese capital.

Specialized industrial divers had to be called in to free the engine. However, due to the strong tidal currents in the Tagus estuary, a night dive was too dangerous. The crew had to wait until the next morning for slack water. By midday on March 20, the line was successfully removed, and the AIDAperla was able to continue its journey with a delay of about 16 hours.

This massive loss of time forced the cruise line to make a tough but necessary decision: to save the schedule of the transatlantic crossing, the next planned stop in Porto-Leixões was completely canceled. Only by skipping this port could the ship make up for the lost time and set a direct course for Northern Spain. A delayed arrival in Porto would have disrupted the entire remaining itinerary.

The plan worked: by March 21, the AIDAperla was safely and punctually moored in the Spanish port of La Coruña. From there, the regular route will continue toward Cherbourg and ultimately to the final destination of Hamburg. For the missed shore leave in Porto, the cruise line typically offers affected passengers compensation, such as onboard credit.

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