On January 17, 2026, the luxury expedition cruise ship Scenic Eclipse II became trapped in thick pack ice in the Ross Sea, about 8 nautical miles from McMurdo Sound, Antarctica.
The US Coast Guard dispatched the USCGC Polar Star — a 75,000-horsepower heavy icebreaker and literally the only one America has — to free the ship.
And while 228 guests waited for rescue, they did what luxury cruise passengers do: they went to the observation deck and drank champagne.
How a Cruise Ship Gets Stuck in Ice
Scenic Eclipse II is an expedition ship designed for polar cruising. It has an ice-strengthened hull. It carries helicopters and submarines. It costs roughly $25,000 per person for an Antarctic voyage. This is not some budget liner that accidentally wandered into the wrong ocean.
But the Ross Sea doesn’t care how much your ticket cost. Pack ice shifted while the ship was conducting helicopter operations, and before the crew could reposition, the ice closed in. The ship was stuck fast, 8 nautical miles from open water.
Enter the Polar Star
The USCGC Polar Star is a Cold War-era beast commissioned in 1976. It’s 399 feet long, powered by diesel and gas turbine engines producing 75,000 horsepower, and it’s the only vessel in the US fleet capable of breaking through thick Antarctic ice.
The Polar Star circled the stranded cruise ship twice, carving a channel through the pack ice. Then it escorted Scenic Eclipse II four nautical miles to open water. The whole operation was captured on video — the icebreaker smashing through white sheets of ice with the sleek expedition ship trailing behind like a lost duckling.
Oh, and it happened on the Polar Star’s 50th birthday. Commissioned January 17, 1976. Rescued a cruise ship January 17, 2026. You can’t script this stuff.
The Champagne Detail
Here’s what separates a $25,000 expedition cruise from a $500 Carnival fun run: when your ship gets trapped in Antarctic ice, you don’t panic. You put on your parka, grab a flute of champagne, head to the observation deck, and watch the US Coast Guard break you free.
Multiple passengers described the rescue as “the highlight of the trip.” One called it “better than the penguins.”
Look, we’ve covered cruise ships catching fire, losing power, and getting hit by cyclones. But getting rescued by a military icebreaker while sipping bubbly in Antarctica? That might be the most cruise thing that’s ever happened.
Curious how expedition ships compare to mainstream cruise lines? Check our rankings or compare ships head-to-head.
The Facts
- Ship: Scenic Eclipse II (Scenic Cruises)
- Date: January 17, 2026
- Location: Ross Sea, Antarctica, 8 nautical miles from McMurdo Sound
- Passengers aboard: Up to 228
- Rescue vessel: USCGC Polar Star (US Coast Guard heavy icebreaker, 75,000 HP)
- How: Icebreaker circled twice to break channel, escorted ship 4 NM to open water
- Injuries: None
- Passenger reaction: Champagne on the observation deck
- Fun fact: Rescue happened on the Polar Star’s 50th birthday
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