What began as a sunny, relaxed cruise vacation quickly flipped into panic and chaos for hundreds of tourists when an enormous 8.8-magnitude earthquake rocked waters off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.
As tsunami warnings rippled across the Pacific, coastal communities and cruise passengers alike were thrown into sudden uncertainty.
Cruise Chaos in Hawaii
In Hawaii, scenes turned frantic. Cruise ships, alerted of incoming waves, began to leave port abruptly—some before all passengers had returned.
Social media lit up with videos of people sprinting toward ships that were already pulling away, begging not to be left behind.
One TikTok user shared their disbelief, filming others being left at the dock as their ship sailed into deeper waters.
Another holidaymaker described the confusion, shouting, and tears as stranded passengers scrambled to understand what was happening.
Passengers Caught Off Guard
Among those caught in the middle of the chaos was British tourist Rachael Burrows, who had been sightseeing on the Big Island.
She described how sudden emergency alerts turned a peaceful tour into a race against time.
Sirens sounded as warnings rolled in, urging people to flee to higher ground.
Rachael was among the lucky ones—she made it back aboard.
But she reported that around 600 others didn’t, left behind to seek safety on land as their cruise ship moved on.
Tsunami Alerts Across the Pacific
The earthquake triggered tsunami alerts across countries including Japan, Colombia, and parts of the U.S. West Coast.
In Hawaii, initial panic led to evacuations, cancelled flights, and warning sirens, though the alert was later downgraded to an advisory.
Even so, some areas in California, Oregon, and Alaska experienced noticeable wave surges.
Authorities urged people to stay away from shorelines, warning that dangerous waves could return multiple times within 24 hours—even if the first seemed mild.