summer. Some of them were hit by boats too. Right Whales.

Poor animal may have been sleeping. And I suppose ship radar couldn't warn in time to avoid?

One can occasionally see flocks of birds, but to see a whale, it would have to be in mid breech (out of the water).

And the amount of time it takes to turn/stop a 900 foot ship is too long....

Sonar. I knew better but was being a dumbass. (Acoustics in my hubs speciality.)

Cruise ships, unlike commercial fishing vessels, don't rely on acoustic sonar, despite the fact that low frequency sonar can detect objects underwater at great distances.

Besides, it's well-known that use of active sonar can lead to mass strandings of marine mammals. The poor animals are killed one way or another by human activities.

A cruise ship isn't maneuverable enough to avoid a whale and would be as likely as not to turn into it.