Cruise Captain Removed After Failing Alcohol Test at Belgium Waterway Checkpoint

You don’t expect a cruise captain to be the person failing a breath test.

But that’s what happened during a joint inspection on one of Belgium’s busiest waterways, where authorities found the skipper of a river cruise ship carrying 106 passengers was over the legal alcohol limit.

He was removed from duty immediately, and another qualified officer took over so the sailing could continue.

Police Remove River Cruise Captain After Alcohol Test

The inspection took place near the Albert Canal during a coordinated enforcement operation involving Belgian and Dutch authorities.

Belgian police said, “In total, 9 vessels and 1 river cruise ship were inspected. All active crew members took a breathalyzer test.”

Police added, “The skipper of a river cruise ship carrying 106 passengers tested positive for alcohol. His boating license was immediately revoked.”

Local reporting in Belgium said the checkpoint took place on Tuesday, June 9, between Genk and Hasselt. Another sober crew member then took over so the ship could continue safely.

What the Alcohol Limits Are in Belgium

Belgium’s alcohol limits are stricter for professionals than they are for recreational operators.

For recreational boat operators, the legal limit is 0.5 g/l of blood or 0.22 mg/l of exhaled breath. For professional operators, including people in charge of commercial vessels, the limit drops to 0.2 g/l of blood or 0.09 mg/l of exhaled breath.

This involved the person in command of a passenger vessel with more than 100 people on board.

No injuries or collisions were reported, but the risk is obvious. If something goes wrong on the water, the crew has to react fast, and the captain sets the standard for everyone else.

The Ship Still Hasn’t Been Named

Authorities have released only a few details about the vessel.

So far, all that has been confirmed publicly is that the ship was traveling from Antwerp in Belgium to Maastricht in the Netherlands and that it is Swiss-owned.

That has led to plenty of guesswork over which ship it may have been. One possible match is Viking Kvasir, which was scheduled to sail from Antwerp to Maastricht in early June as part of a longer Antwerp-to-Amsterdam itinerary.

Viking Kvasir is Swiss-flagged and can carry up to 190 guests, which means 106 passengers on board would be possible.

Still, no cruise line or ship has been officially linked to the case, so the vessel’s identity remains unconfirmed.

Why This Stands Out in Cruising

Cases like this are rare.

Cruise lines usually keep very tight alcohol rules for officers and crew because they’re responsible for passenger safety at all times. Many operators use very low blood alcohol thresholds for working crew, and crew members are often barred from drinking within a set number of hours before duty.

That’s why this story stands out so much. A passenger having one too many is one thing. The captain doing it is a very different level of concern.

In most cruise operations, being impaired while on duty would be treated as a serious safety issue and could lead to immediate dismissal.

A Busy Waterway With Regular Checks

The Albert Canal is one of Belgium’s main inland shipping routes, carrying heavy commercial traffic as well as passenger vessels.

Because of that, checks like this aren’t unusual. Authorities regularly carry out compliance and safety inspections on the canal, especially in busy sections.

This time, one of those routine checks uncovered something most passengers probably never imagine when they board a cruise: the person at the helm had been drinking.

For everyone on board, the good news is that officials stepped in before the voyage continued.

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