Key Aspects:
- The US Coast Guard evacuated a passenger sailing on Pacific World.
- The guest was suffering from septic shock, a life-threatening condition.
- The ship was sailing off the coast of Kauai at the time.
Just nine days into a 107-day Global Voyage, a guest onboard Pacific World was evacuated from the ship as it sailed near Kauai, Hawaii.
Pacific World is owned by Peace Boat, a Japan-based line that operates education- and cultural-focused world cruises roundtrip from Yokohama.
The ship’s captain called the US Coast Guard’s Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu at about 8:40 p.m. on December 21, 2025, asking for the medical evacuation of a 61-year-old woman suffering from septic shock.
The 2,010-guest ship was sailing roughly 90 miles from Kauai, en route to an overnight port call in Honolulu on December 24 and 25, 2025.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes sepsis as the body’s extreme response to an infection. The life-threatening condition can result from any infection.
It is not clear how the passenger developed sepsis, but her illness was so serious that onboard medical staff determined treatment could not wait until the ship docked in Honolulu.
The Coast Guard dispatched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, on the island of Oahu, evacuated the passenger, and transported her to Honolulu’s Queen’s Medical Center. The guest was said to be in stable condition, according to the Coast Guard report.
Pacific World Sails Culture-Focused Voyages
Pacific World departed on her global journey from Yokohama on December 15, 2025. Honolulu was the first port of call, followed by several South Pacific destinations. The ship will reach Easter Island on January 9, 2026, and circumnavigate South America to Rio de Janeiro before continuing on to Africa.
Destinations on the itinerary include South Africa and Madagascar before the ship returns to East Asia and, eventually, Yokohama, on March 31, 2026.
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The ship is the former Sun Princess, owned and operated by Princess Cruises. Built in 1995, the ship was sold to Peace Boat in 2020 and renamed Pacific World.
Pacific World’s voyages are focused on education and culture, offering itineraries that visit World Heritage sites and provide onboard enrichment programs such as guest educators and lecturers, and culture-inspired events.
The ship has departures of 105- to 109-day world cruises scheduled through November 2027, all originating in Japan.
When the Coast Guard Comes to the Rescue
While medical evacuations are not common on cruise ships, they do happen from time to time across the globe.
A recent emergency situation developed on December 11, 2025 onboard Celebrity Cruises’ 2,910-guest Celebrity Apex.
The ship was sailing near Arecibo, Puerto Rico, during an Eastern Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral when an emergency call was placed to the US Coast Guard. A 65-year-old guest with multiple serious medical problems needed evacuation to a hospital.
In that case, an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Borinquen, in Puerto Rico, responded and handled the rescue.
Sometimes the Coast Guard is called upon to assist in challenging conditions. In July 2025, a 71-year-old female guest needed to be airlifted from Carnival Legend as the ship sailed about 120 miles off the coast of Oregon — while a tsunami warning was in effect.
Emergency crews from Air Station Astoria, in Warrenton, Oregon, responded and evacuated the guest from the 2,124-guest ship.
