On June 16, 2025, passengers in Juneau, Alaska, watched a massive cruise ship suddenly break free from its moorings during a powerful storm.

The ship was Celebrity Edge, a 1,004-foot-long vessel operated by Celebrity Cruises. It was docked in Juneau when a sudden burst of severe weather swept through the area. Strong winds and heavy rain struck the port, and the ship’s mooring lines eventually snapped.

The situation became particularly alarming because Celebrity Edge began drifting into Gastineau Channel, where several other cruise ships were nearby.

The drifting ship moved toward Carnival Luminosa, another large cruise ship that was preparing to leave Juneau. The Carnival vessel’s crew took action to move out of the way while Celebrity Edge’s crew worked to regain control of their ship. A collision was narrowly avoided.

Videos recorded by people in the area captured the enormous ship moving unexpectedly through the harbor as the storm passed over Juneau. The National Weather Service later reported that the June 16 event was a fast-moving squall line of thunderstorms, with wind gusts of more than 50 mph in the Juneau area. Some reports recorded gusts approaching 60 mph.

There is one important correction to the original story: the weather event is often described online as a “gustnado,” but the National Weather Service’s later assessment identified the event as a squall line of thunderstorms. So calling it a gustnado would be misleading.

Fortunately, nobody was reported injured and officials found no significant damage to the ship. The crew was able to maneuver Celebrity Edge back toward the dock and secure it again, allowing passengers to continue their scheduled Alaska itinerary.