Narrative:

Started as a normal ILS approach to runway 11 at aruba. Briefed approach and noted the company page warning of possible ship activity on approach path to runway 11. No notice was given by approach or tower controller of ships when approach clearance was given or when we checked in with the tower. We were cleared for the ILS Z to runway 11. Had the airport in sight at about 15 miles on final and had intercepted glide path and localizer. We then entered cloud layers. While in the clouds the tower notified us of a cruise ship making way across the final and asked if we had it in sight. We replied we did not. We remained in the clouds for the next few minutes and the controller twice more asked us. Once we broke out we saw the ship (a rather large cruise ship) just about to enter the approach path corridor. We reported the ship in sight and continued the approach. It took a few moments to decide whether or not the ship would clear the final before we landed. At about 1100 feel MSL I decided the ship would be a conflict and told the first officer to ask for a 360 degree turn to allow the ship to exit the area. The tower approved the request. I then started a right 360 degree turn on the autopilot and used altitude hold at 1100 MSL and retracted the gear but left the flaps at 3. I executed the turn back to final and re-intercepted the localizer and glide path; received a landing clearance; and continued to a normal landing. The cruise ship had exited the approach path as we completed the turn. There is no way to complete that approach safely if a ship of that size is in the approach path. It seems to me the tower had no idea the ship would be moving across the approach path until it actually did so. We had no forewarning of a ship in the area. It would be much safer if the tower had held us at the outer marker; at a higher altitude; to allow the ship to transit the area. I assume he did not do so because there was either a lack of communication between the ship and the tower or he had forgotten the ship was moving across the approach path. There appears to be a need for better communication between ships; ATC; and the pilots.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air carrier Captain reported executing a 360 degree turn on final at TNCA at about 1100 MSL when ATC was late advising them of a cruise ship crossing the approach path.

Narrative: Started as a normal ILS approach to RWY 11 at Aruba. Briefed approach and noted the company page warning of possible ship activity on approach path to RWY 11. No notice was given by approach or tower controller of ships when approach clearance was given or when we checked in with the tower. We were cleared for the ILS Z to RWY 11. Had the airport in sight at about 15 miles on final and had intercepted glide path and localizer. We then entered cloud layers. While in the clouds the tower notified us of a cruise ship making way across the final and asked if we had it in sight. We replied we did not. We remained in the clouds for the next few minutes and the controller twice more asked us. Once we broke out we saw the ship (a rather large cruise ship) just about to enter the approach path corridor. We reported the ship in sight and continued the approach. It took a few moments to decide whether or not the ship would clear the final before we landed. At about 1100 feel MSL I decided the ship would be a conflict and told the F/O to ask for a 360 degree turn to allow the ship to exit the area. The tower approved the request. I then started a right 360 degree turn on the autopilot and used altitude hold at 1100 MSL and retracted the gear but left the flaps at 3. I executed the turn back to final and re-intercepted the localizer and glide path; received a landing clearance; and continued to a normal landing. The cruise ship had exited the approach path as we completed the turn. There is no way to complete that approach safely if a ship of that size is in the approach path. It seems to me the tower had no idea the ship would be moving across the approach path until it actually did so. We had no forewarning of a ship in the area. It would be much safer if the tower had held us at the outer marker; at a higher altitude; to allow the ship to transit the area. I assume he did not do so because there was either a lack of communication between the ship and the tower or he had forgotten the ship was moving across the approach path. There appears to be a need for better communication between ships; ATC; and the pilots.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.