A cruise on the Celebrity Infinity was cut short after a fire onboard caused a complete power outage in the early morning hours as the vessel approached the coast of Greece. The 25-year-old ship had to be towed to the port of Piraeus, forcing passengers to disembark a day ahead of schedule.
The incident left passengers without essential services such as running water, lighting, and air conditioning for several hours. Celebrity Cruises has since issued compensation to the affected guests for the disruption at the end of their one-way sailing from Barcelona.
Key Takeaways
- The Celebrity Infinity experienced a fire and subsequent power failure near Piraeus, Greece.
- Passengers reported a loss of all essential services, including lights, water, and toilets.
- The cruise ended one day early, with the ship being towed to port.
- Celebrity Cruises provided compensation for hotel, flight changes, and incidental expenses.
- This is the second fire-related incident for the ship in less than a year.
Early Morning Blackout at Sea
Passengers aboard the Celebrity Infinity were alerted to a serious situation around 3 a.m. when the ship suddenly lost all power. The outage occurred as the vessel was sailing toward its final destination in Athens, concluding a trip that began in Barcelona.
An onboard announcement of "bravo, bravo, bravo," a standard maritime code for a fire or other serious incident, was reportedly heard by guests. The power loss was comprehensive, disabling lighting, running water, and the ability to flush toilets. Elevators and air conditioning systems also became non-functional, leaving the ship dark and without climate control.
One passenger described the experience as unsettling, with the ship adrift in darkness until assistance arrived. The complete failure of onboard systems highlighted the severity of the incident, which was later attributed to a small fire.
Tugboats and an Abrupt End to the Voyage
With the ship disabled off the Greek coast, several tugboats were dispatched to assist. The vessels carefully towed the Celebrity Infinity to the port of Piraeus, where the cruise was officially terminated one day earlier than planned. The ship was scheduled to begin its Mediterranean season from Athens.
Compensation for Disruption
In response to the early end of the cruise, Celebrity Cruises provided a compensation package to passengers. The company offered to cover hotel costs and flight-change fees incurred by the altered schedule. Additionally, each guest received a $100 credit for incidental expenses. The cruise line also issued prorated refunds for the final day's usage of Wi-Fi and beverage packages.
The focus for the crew and port authorities was ensuring all passengers could disembark safely once the ship was securely docked. The premature end marked a disruptive conclusion to what was supposed to be the final, relaxing leg of the journey.
A Pattern of Technical Issues
This incident is not the first of its kind for the Celebrity Infinity. In July of last year, the ship experienced a similar fire and power outage while docked in Turkey. That event forced the cancellation of the remaining port calls on its scheduled itinerary and took the ship out of service for several days for repairs.
The vessel, which entered service in 2000, has a documented history of technical difficulties, particularly with its propulsion systems. Between 2001 and 2006, the ship underwent six separate dry docks to address these recurring problems.
The propulsion issues were not unique to the Infinity. The problems were widespread across its Millennium-class sister ships, leading Celebrity's parent company to file a $300 million lawsuit to recover the significant costs associated with the faulty pod propulsion units.
The latest incident raises new questions, especially as it occurred just a few weeks after the ship completed a nine-day drydock maintenance period in January of this year. The timing of the failure so soon after a service overhaul is a point of concern. At present, it is unclear how this event will impact the ship's upcoming Mediterranean sailings.
