Celebrity Constellation Stranded for Hours by Power Outage in Mediterranean

Ravenna, Italy – The Celebrity Constellation, a cruise ship carrying 2,170 passengers, lost power off the southern Italian coast, leaving it adrift in the Mediterranean for two to three hours. The incident occurred during an 11-night sailing from Ravenna to Rome, causing discomfort for guests as air conditioning and lighting were cut off while power was restored.

“One hour in and it’s HOT,” one passenger reflected on social media, sharing concerns that it might resemble past incidents known as ‘poop cruises.’ Despite the uncomfortable conditions, which included cold food served for dinner, many guests complimented the crew for their handling of the situation.

The power outage was confirmed by Royal Caribbean Group on Saturday, although they did not specify the cause. They mentioned they resolved a “technical issue” and emphasized that they were in communication with the passengers throughout the ordeal. While only emergency lighting was available, guests were fortunate to maintain cellphone access, remaining close to the Italian coastline.

After drifting at a slow pace of 1-2 knots, the ship had its power restored. The Celebrity Constellation, launched in 2002, had been heading towards Messina, Sicily, with additional scheduled stops in Naples and Livorno before concluding the voyage in Civitavecchia on August 8.

This incident follows a recent propulsion issue with a different Royal Caribbean ship, the Celebrity Beyond, which was rerouted to the Bahamas for emergency repairs. Passengers aboard the Constellation expressed their hope for a smoother sailing for the remainder of their cruise.