Power Outage Leaves Celebrity Constellation Adrift Off Italian Coast
A brief but disruptive power outage aboard the Celebrity Constellation left more than 2,000 passengers in the dark early Saturday morning as the cruise ship drifted without propulsion off the southern coast of Italy. The incident occurred just after 3:00 a.m. local time, approximately 25 nautical miles southeast of Crotone, in the Ionian Sea.
According to Celebrity Cruises, the vessel experienced a "temporary loss of power," affecting both propulsion and hotel operations, including lighting, air conditioning, toilets, and other key amenities. The outage lasted for nearly two hours before partial power was restored and the ship resumed its course toward Messina, Sicily, where it docked on Sunday.
Several passengers took to social media during the blackout, describing the conditions as “hot and uncomfortable.” Without functioning ventilation, the ship’s interior quickly became stuffy, and dinner service was reportedly limited to cold meals. “We’re just floating,” one guest posted on Reddit. “No power, no AC, no toilets. People are sweating and frustrated.”
The Celebrity Constellation is currently on an 11-night sailing from Ravenna to Rome, with scheduled stops in Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, and southern Italy. The itinerary has not been officially altered following the incident, and no injuries or serious medical issues were reported.
Built in 2002, the Celebrity Constellation is a Millennium-class vessel with a capacity of over 2,100 guests and 1,000 crew. Though the exact cause of the outage has not been confirmed, maritime experts note that cruise ships are equipped with emergency backup generators designed to restore basic functionality in case of such failures.
This is the second technical issue to affect the Celebrity fleet in recent weeks. Earlier this summer, Celebrity Beyond faced propulsion problems that forced a series of itinerary changes and service delays. The recurring issues have prompted some passengers and analysts to raise questions about maintenance schedules and the readiness of older ships in the fleet.
In a statement, Celebrity Cruises assured guests that “the safety and comfort of our guests and crew is always our top priority” and that a full investigation is underway. The cruise line added that it would continue to monitor systems onboard and provide assistance to any affected guests.
As the Atlantic hurricane season intensifies and cruise itineraries grow more complex, the incident aboard the Celebrity Constellation serves as a reminder of the critical importance of reliable onboard systems and rapid response protocols in ensuring passenger safety at sea.
