Safety on cruise ships is top of mind for many after more than 1300 people had to be evacuated off a boat near Norway this weekend.

Global Affairs Canada says 15 Canadians were on the ship, one of whom was injured.

The Viking Sky issued a mayday call as bad weather hit and engine problems caused the ship to drift toward the rocky shore.

About 20 people were injured and hundreds were picked up by helicopter.

On Sunday, in light of the dramatic rescue, a Manitoba woman shared her own cruise ship mishap story with CTV News.

Michele Sobering set off on her first cruise in 2008 from Miami, but ran into trouble before the ship docked at its Mexican destination.

"Part way through you heard this bang," she said from her home in Lac du Bonnet.

Sobering said one of the ship's motors failed, the boat stopped sailing smoothly, and it was forced to take a new route.

"We had to go through Nassau, Bahamas so they could get parts to repair this motor so it could continue on, and then we wondered how quick of a repair is this, and is this going to happen again," she said.

Sobering is thankful she didn't need be evacuated during her cruise and said she would take another one, but the risks are not far from her mind.

She said it would make her more comfortable knowing the ship was in good working order.

The evacuation near Norway has left her wondering how often cruise ships encounter mechanical problems.

"It's not like they can make an emergency landing and everybody can get off. You’re out in the middle of nowhere and at the mercy of however they can get you off the ship".

‘MARINER’S WORST NIGHTMARE’: NAVAL ENGINEERING PROFESSOR

"They came close to a major major disaster," said Richard Burke who is a naval engineering professor at Military College, State University of New York.

Burke believes The Viking Sky, which was about two years old, could have had an electrical or fuel transfer problem.

He mechanical failures are common in power plants everywhere, but not this bad.

"Normally you would lose one engine and would be fine, you would still be moving safely. To totally lose power in bad weather is every mariner’s worst nightmare," he said.

"The farther out you go from warm calm waters, the more likely you are to encounter bad weather, unlike this situation, it may be safe, it's not going to be comfortable.

‘TREAT THIS AS A ONE OFF’: TRAVEL WRITER

Former travel agent Ron Pradinuk turned travel writer said overall cruise ships are a safe and enjoyable way to see the world.

"I would honestly treat this as one off," he said.

"When you have the storm and the engine if that's going to happen, that's double trouble and who can anticipate that".

Pradinuk said the best way to prepare for a cruise is to have proper health insurance in case of injury.