This whale got wrapped around the bulbous bulb after they struck it.  Odds of that happening are pretty low but it's not unheard of.  Seems that nearly every year an Alaska cruise ship pulls into port with one.  

Question is: how many whales do they run over that are never documented?  A few wash ashore, but most probably sink.  Cruise ships can run over 30 kts.  It takes something that big a long time to slow down or turn.  To say that they 'avoid' whales in time is a joke.  I'll been out on the water plenty and seen no evidence of it.  Ships run fast at night while whales are resting on the surface and vulnerable.  How can ships see and avoid  the whales then? With the number of cruise ships in Alaska waters growing rapidly every year, and with them getting ever bigger and faster, adverse affects on our resources are growing.  

The cruise industry is huge business.  Their first priority is making money. Do casualties really matter to them?  We know the answer to that.