With Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine continuing to strengthen in the western Caribbean, it is no surprise that more cruise ships are beginning to divert away from the storm’s influence. Two Carnival Cruise Line ships have already made changes, and more may be on the way.
First, Carnival Valor is unable to call on Cozumel, Mexico on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 as planned because the port was closed ahead of the storm. Instead, the ship is now enjoying a day at sea as she makes her way back toward New Orleans.
The 5-night voyage began on Saturday, September 21, and there is no expected change to her return to Port NOLA on Thursday, September 26.
Likewise, Carnival Paradise is also unable to visit Cozumel on Tuesday, and instead is diverting to Costa Maya as an alternative for her 5-night Western Caribbean itinerary.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador John Heald conveyed these changes via his popular Facebook page, spreading the word so all guests are aware of the adjustments. He also noted that other ships are not yet impacted by the storm.
“There are no further changes to any cruises at the time of me writing this, however our Chief Communications Officer Chris and his team will keep updating you via text alert, emails, and I will share the news here as well,”Heald confirmed at approximately 4 a.m. Eastern time.“We will of course always keep you safe.”
Storm-related changes are often last-minute decisions, as cruise lines try diligently to preserve the original itineraries guests booked. While this is not always possible, particularly during hurricane season, safety is always the first priority.
Fortunately, cruise ships are easily able to change route and divert away from rough weather, ensuring a smoother, more comfortable, and safer journey for everyone onboard, even if it may not be the planned itinerary.
Due to the position and track of the developing storm, the port of Cozumel is likely to remain closed at least through Wednesday, September 25 as well. This would impact the itineraries for Carnival Breeze as well as Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas.
MSC Cruises’ MSC Seascape was also planned to be in Cozumel on Wednesday, but that ship has already changed itineraries and will be visiting alternative ports of call for her 7-night sailing instead.
Storm Update
As of the Tuesday morning 8 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine has not yet developed enough to be an official storm, but that development is expected later in the day.
The system currently has maximum sustained winds of 35 miles per hour (mph), just below the 39 mph threshold to be an official tropical storm. Higher gusts are also being recorded. When the system strengthens, she will be given the name Helene.
“Strengthening is expected during the next few days, and the system is forecast to become a hurricane on Wednesday and continue strengthening on Thursday as it moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico,”the forecast discussion from NHC Forecaster Berg read.
Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine
While it can be challenging to predict a storm’s path, intensity, and impact several days in advance, current forecasts do indicate that Helene will pass through the Yucatan Channel on Wednesday before turning northeast.
The storm is likely to become a major hurricane before making landfall late on Thursday – a Category 3, even possibly a Category 4. Landfall is expected in the “big bend” area of northern Florida, but could be anywhere from Panama City Beach to Tampa.
Hurricane watches are already in effect in the potential landfall area of western Florida, with tropical storm watches extending even further along the coast.
This week, all cruise travelers sailing in the Western Caribbean should be prepared for itinerary changes and stay in close contact with their cruise line for updates and alerts.
It may be officially fall now, but guests aboard Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas experienced mid-summer temperatures recently following a power failure onboard the Oasis-class ship that impacted the air conditioning system on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.
While the power loss did not last long, it did impact a variety of systems, including fire doors, water pumps, and elevators. Most systems returned to normal once the power was restored, but the air conditioning system did not restart normally.
“While the power was restored and affected systems reconnected, the full function of our air conditioning did not come back online,”the ship’s captain said in a shipboard announcement.“This has caused an increased temperature around the ship. Our technical team is of course working full speed to get this resolved with the full support of our shoreside experts.”
Guests were asked to assist with temperature regulation until the full air conditioning could be restored.
“While we work on getting this resolved, I will kindly ask that you keep doors to the exterior closed, so we minimize the amount of hotter and more humid air to enter the ship. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter,”the captain continued.“I’m terribly sorry for the discomfort this is causing and I do thank you for your patience while we are working hard on getting this resolved.”
Other systems were restored more quickly after the power outage, and it was only Utopia of the Seas‘ air conditioning that continued to have problems for several hours as the system was fully restored.
To be clear, air conditioning in some areas of the ship was functioning normally, while other areas – particularly closer to outer doors leading onto the open decks – felt warmer than typical.
At the time, Utopia of the Seas was enjoying a 4-night Bahamas and Perfect Day cruise, having departed Port Canaveral on Monday, September 16. On the day of the outage, the ship was enjoying a day at sea on her way to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private destination in the Bahamas.
As the ship’s propulsion was not significantly impacted, there were no delays in the itinerary either for the ship’s visit to CocoCay on Thursday, September 19 or her return to Port Canaveral on Friday, September 20.
Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Justin Kozemchak)
It is possible that massive power use by thousands of guests on such large ships could be triggering some malfunctions that lead to outages, though this is speculation only and Royal Caribbean has not offered any official reason for the outages.
Utopia of the Seas is the cruise line’s sixth Oasis-class ship and only entered service with her maiden voyage just two months earlier, on July 19, 2024. The 236,473-gross-ton vessel can welcome 5,668 travelers at double occupancy and is also home to 2,290 international crew members.
How to Respond in a Power Outage
A power outage can seem like a scary situation on a cruise ship, but emergency generators often keep critical systems fully operational even if guest amenities may be temporarily shut off.
Passengers should remain calm during any power outage and immediately take steps to conserve power, such as unplugging any chargers or other electronics so they will not have an impact on the power system as it restarts.
If guests are in their staterooms, closing curtains over windows or balcony doors can help keep the room cooler until air conditioning resumes.
Finally, listening to any announcements will provide further instructions and keep guests informed about the situation until any difficulties are resolved and their cruise vacation can resume as planned.
Royal Caribbean has announced big news, but not the kind that cruise guests will want to hear. Less than a year after her inaugural sailing, Royal Caribbean’s flagship and the world’s largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, is cancelling an entire sailing for “unplanned maintenance.”
Guests booked on the September 28, 2024 departure only received the unfortunate and disappointing news just days before embarkation, with little explanation as to why the 248,663-gross-ton vessel must be removed from service.
“We are currently conducting unplanned maintenance onboard Icon of the Seas,”the email notification announced.“While our crew is working hard to address this as quickly as possible, there is still some work that needs to be done over a few days while the ship is docked. As a result, we’ll be cancelling our upcoming September 28 2024, sailing.”
The now-cancelled cruise was to have been a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary visiting Mahogany Bay, Costa Maya, and Cozumel, as well as Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas.
The ship will now remain docked in Miami while undergoing the unplanned maintenance, though Royal Caribbean does not detail the nature of the repairs.
Typically, ships are only removed from service outside of a dry dock schedule when major systems, such as propulsion or safety systems, require urgent repairs.
The ship’s current sailing, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary that departed PortMiami on Saturday, September 21, is also impacted. The ship will not be visiting St. Thomas on Wednesday, September 25 as planned, and rumors are swirling that the ship may also miss the call to St. Maarten on Tuesday, September 24.
Satellite tracking data does show the massive vessel on course for St. Maarten, however, but she is not moving at her top speed of 22 knots (25 miles per hour). Instead, the ship is making just 15-17 knots (17-20 mph).
It is not unusual, however, for a ship to travel at slower speeds during days at sea when there is plenty of time to reach the next port of call, and this may not indicate any propulsion or engine difficulties. Authorities onboard the ship have also confirmed that the call to St. Maarten will take place as scheduled.
Guests booked on additional future sailings of Icon of the Seas have also received notifications about the “unplanned maintenance” and when the ship should be resuming normal sailing.
“As you may have heard, we are currently conducting unplanned maintenance onboard Icon of the Seas,”the notification confirmed.“These repairs are underway, and we are confident they will be completed in time to resume normal itineraries by our October 5, 2024 sailing. At this time, our sailing will proceed as planned. As we get closer, we’ll provide you with updates on our progress.”
Travelers on those future sailings will be understandably nervous that the “maintenance” may not be completed as quickly as planned and additional cruises could be cancelled. It is important for guests to stay in close communication with Royal Caribbean so they can be provided with timely updates and options as necessary.
All guests should note that while the cruise line has not offered a detailed explanation of the maintenance, the letter delivered to guests onboard does offer some reassurance.
“Rest assured, although we’re performing maintenance, the ship is safe and seaworthy,”the notice confirmed.
There is no indication that any entertainment, restaurant, or hotel operations are at all impacted and all the ship’s features appear to be functioning as anticipated.
It should be noted that the cruise line has not confirmed whether this maintenance is related to power outages aboard the vessel earlier this year that temporarily disrupted onboard operations.
Generous Compensation Offered
For guests impacted by these changes, the cruise line is offering generous compensation for the onboard adjustments (for the September 21 sailing) as well as the cancellation (for the September 28 sailing).
First of all, travelers already onboard will have an extra day at sea now that St. Thomas is cancelled, giving them even more time to enjoy all the features, amenities, and venues the tremendous ship has to offer.
Furthermore, all guests will receive an onboard credit equivalent to one day’s cruise fare on their SeaPass account. Any remaining credit at the end of the cruise will be refunded after the sailing.
Similarly, any pre-paid Royal Caribbean shore tours for St. Thomas will be automatically cancelled and refunded, also as onboard credit.
Icon of the Seas Departing PortMiami (Photo Credit: Deutschlandreform)
Guests on the now-cancelled sailing are receiving even more generous compensation due to the loss of their cruise vacation. All travelers are getting a 100% refund, including not only the cruise fare but also all pre-paid packages and add-ons as well as taxes and port fees.
Travelers are also receiving a 100% future cruise credit in the value of their cruise fare that can be used for any future Royal Caribbean sailing.
Refunds and future cruise credits will be processed automatically, but may take some time to be available to travelers based on individual financial institution processing.
If guests have booked flights through Royal Caribbean for the September 28 sailing, those flights will be automatically refunded. The cruise line will also provide up to $200 per guest for domestic US travel and $400 for international travel to cover any independent flight changes or cancellation fees.
At this time, there is no indication that additional cruises will be impacted, but all upcoming Icon of the Seas guests should closely monitor the ship’s progress and stay alert for possible changes.
Environmental activists from Extinction Rebellion once again prevented cruise ship operations when, along with Stop Croisières, they brought France’s Marseille cruise port to a standstill on September 21, 2024.
Blocking the entrance to the port with a chain of canoes to protest pollution caused by large cruise vessels, the demonstration targeted MSC Cruises’ MSC World Europa, AIDA Cruises’ AIDAstella and Costa Cruises’ Costa Smeralda.
The port was blocked from 6:30 a.m., preventing all three ships from docking for three hours before police arrived.
The protest with more than 20 activists coincided with European Heritage Days, an annual event celebrating Europe’s cultural heritage with free access to historical sites, monuments, and landmarks.
“Nothing justifies the maintenance of these absurd, energy-intensive and toxic floating cities,”Stop Croisières, which translates to Stop Cruises, said in a statement. “Our air, our seas, and our health are not up for negotiation.”
The blockade affected the MSC Europa, the sixth-largest ship in the world. The 215,863-gross-ton ship that can accommodate 6,850 passengers was arriving for a scheduled call during a 7-night Western Mediterranean voyage.
The 185,010-gross-ton, 6,554-passenger Costa Smeralda’s 7-night roundtrip journey from Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy was also blocked.
Ironically, the 2,194-passenger, 71,300-gross-ton AIDAstella, arriving during a 16-night Portugal and France itinerary, is sailing a roundtrip voyage from Palma de Mallorca, Spain, which has also been a site of protests this year.
In July, thousands of protestors took to the streets in a demonstration against mass tourism.
Cruise Ships Impacted by Protesters in Marseille (Photo Credit: Stop Croisières)
According to the activists in Marseille, the recent action was meant to draw attention to cruise ship emissions, which they claim contribute to air and sea pollution, damage marine life, and impose health risks on residents of port cities like Marseille.
Protests Continue As Ships Ramp Up Sustainability Efforts
The Port of Marseille Fos is the busiest port in France and the fourth busiest port in the Mediterranean. Between 2022 and 2023, the city saw cruise ship passenger arrivals increase from 1.5 million to 2.5 million.
The increase prompted residents to file a legal complaint over pollution in the port, citing regular breaches of European Union pollution limits.
A study by the non-governmental organization (NGO) Transport & Environment, released in June of that year, found that, in 2022, cruise ships operating in European waters emitted over 8 million tons of carbon dioxide.
Marseille anticipates more than 600 cruise ship calls and 2.3 million passenger arrivals in 2024. Until Barcelona launched its first system in July 2024, it was the only Mediterranean port to offer a shore-to-ship power supply to cruise ships.
Protesters Blocking Cruise Ship in Marseille, France (Photo Credit: Stop Croisières)
The protests in Marseille are the latest in a series of demonstrations in European port cities. Extinction Rebellion activists, for example, blocked Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas, as well as Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Mariner from entering ports in Amsterdam in July and August.
In northern France, Stop Croisières and Extinction Rebellion united in July 2024 to block ships from entering the Brittany port of Concarneau.
Despite protestors’ claims, MSC World Europa utilizes shore power plug-in connectivity to reduce carbon emissions in port. It also uses liquified natural gas (LNG), a cleaner fuel alternative, and offers an advanced wastewater treatment system that is above regulatory requirements.
Its operator, MSC Cruises, has worked to reduce carbon emissions by 35% since 2008 and has set a goal of becoming net-zero emissions by 2050.
Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises, both owned by Carnival Corporation, are also working toward zero emissions by 2050, as well as having 100 percent of their fleets utilize shore power.
Illness can be a fact of life for some cruise travelers, from simple seasickness to overindulgence to contracting a cold or other communicable disease.
While most outbreaks are small enough that they aren’t very noticeable, when greater numbers of passengers and crew members report symptoms, it becomes classified as an official outbreak.
The ship’s current sailing is a 30-day roundtrip US and Canada sailing that departed from Southampton on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. Various ports the ship has already visited include St. Johns, Boston, and New York, with destinations like Halifax and Sydney yet to come.
A total of 87 passengers have thus far reported symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, along with 11 crew members. In total, this amounts to 98 of the 2,758 people onboard the ship – 1,959 guests and 799 crew members.
While this is just 3.5% of everyone onboard, cruise ships are required to report outbreaks that surpass 3% of the passengers or crew. It is important to note, however, that the number of cases reported is a total, and not everyone reporting symptoms may be sick simultaneously.
On longer sailings such as this month-long cruise, outbreaks are more easy to recognize because some passengers may be sick just a day or two after embarkation.
Others may not exhibit symptoms until 10 days later, but still on the same voyage. This requires reporting, even though on a shorter cruise those cases would not be immediately connected.
P&O Cruises confirmed the outbreak with a statement noting the symptoms and the precautions taken onboard.
“Upon embarkation all guests were provided with an advisory notice with precautionary health measures for on board and on shore, as is standard procedure across our fleet,”the spokesperson from P&O Cruises said.“Following reports of guests with gastrointestinal symptoms, P&O Cruises swiftly implemented approved, proven and enhanced sanitisation protocols to uphold the wellbeing of everyone onboard.”
Typical protocols often include more frequent cleaning of high-traffic, public areas and surfaces, reminders for guests to practice frequent and thorough handwashing, and onboard announcements to ensure everyone is aware of the need for precautions.
The CDC does list the causative agent for the outbreak to be norovirus, a highly contagious cause of gastroenteritis that leads to stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, muscle aches, and possibly a low-grade fever. Symptoms typically begin 12-48 hours after exposure to the virus and resolve within 48-72 hours for most individuals.
Previous Cruise Ship Outbreaks
This is the seventh reported cruise ship illness outbreak attributed to norovirus in 2024, with previous outbreaks noted on Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Summit, Princess Cruises’ Sapphire Princess, Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas, Holland America Line’s Koningsdam, Cunard Line’s Queen Victoria, and Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Constellation.
Two other illness outbreaks have also been noted this year. In early April, an e. coli outbreak was reported aboard Silversea Cruises’ Silver Nova, while in May, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas reported an illness outbreak of an unknown origin.
Photo Credit: bear_productions / Shutterstock
In 2023, a total of 13 norovirus outbreaks aboard cruise ships were reported to the CDC, including a previous outbreak aboard Arcadia during a lengthy sailing from January 3 through April 14. At that time, a total of 108 guests and crew members reported symptoms.
This followed a late 2022 outbreak also aboard Arcadia with 94 reported cases. It is not unusual for more severe outbreaks to last through successive cruises, though cruise lines do take every possible precaution to limit any spread.
The 84,342-gross-ton Arcadia, part of the Carnival cruise family, can welcome 1,952 travelers at double occupancy, or up to 2,388 guests when fully booked with all berths filled. The ship currently homeports from Southampton, offering Mediterranean, Spain, Canary Island, and northern Europe itineraries, among others.
Another cruise line is enhancing its solar eclipse lineup as Princess Cruises announces a second ship will seek the darkness of 2026’s solar eclipse.
The 175,500-gross-ton Sun Princess will have a chance to experience the rare sight from the waters off southern Spain on its eclipse voyage in August 2026.
Departing from Barcelona, Spain, on August 8, 2026, the newest ship in the fleet’s original route has been altered to give up to 3,660 passengers a chance to witness the 2 hours and 18 seconds of daytime darkness expected on August 12.
In addition to watching the eclipse from the top decks, guests will be provided with Princess safety glasses and they can take part in various activities, including astronomy-themed lectures, stargazing, and solar system trivia.
“Sun Princess truly lives up to its name, offering an out-of-this-world experience with a front-row seat for a total eclipse of the sun,” said John Padgett, president of Princess Cruises.
The new solar eclipse cruise on Sun Princess offers options ranging from 7 to 21 days, with departures also available from Rome, Italy, and Athens, Greece.
The shorter version from Barcelona will include stops in Gibraltar; Cartagena, Spain, and Florence/Pisa, Italy, before concluding in Rome.
The new itinerary provides a second eclipse-viewing option aboard Princess Cruises, which will also feature Sky Princess in the Mediterranean for the event. Its 14-night voyage from Southampton, England, departing on August 8, 2026, is also available for up to 3,660 passengers.
This voyage will visit ports in France, Spain, and Portugal, including Cherbourg, France; Bilbao, Spain; and Lisbon, Portugal.
The new additions add to Princess Cruises’ original eclipse voyages in 2024, which sold out on Discovery Princess and Emerald Princess for the phenomenon that occurred across parts of Mexico, the U.S., and Canada on April 8, 2024.
Cruise Lines Chart New Routes for Solar Eclipses
The popularity of solar eclipse viewing was illustrated during the 2024 eclipse, causing major cruise lines to ensure 2026 routes put passengers in the zone of totality.
In 2026, the first time Europe will see a solar eclipse since 2019, Iceland, Greenland, the Balearic Sea and southern Spain, and parts of the North Atlantic Ocean will be in the path of totality.
Princess Cruises Solar Eclipse (Photo Courtesy: Princess Cruises)
Among the offerings available to guests are itineraries by Princess Cruises’ sister cruise lines operated by Carnival Corporation. Carnival Cruise Line, for example, will offer its first-ever solar eclipse cruise aboard Carnival Legend.
The 11-night journey departing from Dover, England, on August 9, 2026, will include stops in France, Spain, and Portugal, positioning the ship at sea on August 12 for the viewing.
Holland America is providing several eclipse-viewing sailings, including a 13-night Mediterranean Solar Eclipse itinerary aboard the ms Oosterdam, which departs from Lisbon on August 9, 2026, and offers and eclipse viewing from Alicante to Barcelona.
Longer options include a 28-night “Scandinavian Solar Eclipse” journey from Dover and a 35-night “Voyage of the Vikings” from Boston. Both are offering overnight stays in key ports and onboard eclipse programming.
P&O Cruises is also offering two eclipse sailings, with Ventura embarking on a 14-night Spain and Portugal voyage on August 7 and the adults-only Arcadia sailing on a 16-night itinerary from Southampton to Iceland on August 4.
Cunard is also offering eclipse voyages, including a 14-night westbound transatlantic crossing aboard Queen Mary 2 that departs from Southampton on August 4 and positions guests in Reykjavik for the eclipse. The cruise line’s Queen Anne and Queen Victoria ships will also host eclipse cruises.
Finally, Seabourn is offering two luxury eclipse sailings, including a 13-night West Ireland Gems itinerary departing from Dover on August 8 and a 9-night Spanish Gems voyage from Barcelona on August 6. Both sailings will feature onboard astronomy programming.
While the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season has technically passed, a new storm system is developing in the western Caribbean that has the potential to impact a number of cruises in the coming days.
Rather than wait until the last minute for potential changes, MSC Cruises has already adapted the current sailing for MSC Seascape to ensure the best possible cruise experience. Most of the ports have been changed to keep the ship well out of the potential storm’s area of influence.
“We regret to inform you that we must revise our itinerary due to the overnight development of a tropical depression in the Western Caribbean Sea, which has a high probability for gradual development during the next several days,”the letter delivered to guests’ staterooms explained.
“For safety reasons, due to the adverse weather conditions that are forecasted in the ports of call of our original itinerary … we have changed the itinerary.”
MSC Seascape departed Miami, Florida on Saturday, September 21, 2024 for her 7-night Caribbean and Bahamas sailing. The ship was to have visited Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, as well as Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the cruise line’s private island in the Bahamas.
Ocean Cay is the only port of call to remain the same on the revised itinerary, and the ship will still be there for her last stop of the sailing on Friday, September 27.
Now, MSC Seascape will be in Grand Turk from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, September 23 (the day originally planned for Jamaica), then in Puerto Plata from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 24 (which was to have been the day in Grand Cayman).
Wednesday, the ship was supposed to visit Cozumel, but that day, it will now be a day at sea. On Thursday, September 26, MSC Seascape will dock in Nassau from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. On the original itinerary, that day was to have been at sea.
Guests were informed of these changes on the first full day of the sailing, a day at sea. While some travelers will understandably be upset that all but one of the original ports of call are now cancelled, safety is always the first consideration.
“We have had to implement this itinerary change due to reasons that are beyond our control and to ensure your comfort, safety, and wellbeing, which is our number one priority,”the letter concluded.
All pre-booked excursions arranged through MSC Cruises will be automatically refunded to travelers’ onboard accounts, and new tours through the ship’s Shore Excursions desk on Deck 6 in the ship’s Atrium.
Tropical Depression Update
The tropical depression, which was upgraded to Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 on Monday morning, has been developing between Belize and Jamaica for several days. Maximum sustained winds are now recorded at 30 miles per hour, just 9 miles per hour beneath the threshold for an official tropical storm.
The storm is expected to continue strengthening and is likely to become a tropical storm by Tuesday morning, and a hurricane by Wednesday morning as it passes the Yucatan Peninsula.
The projected track has the storm heading first northwest and then north, gradually turning slightly northeast as it moves into the northern part of the Gulf of Mexico.
Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine
The storm – which will likely become Hurricane Helene – may be as strong as a Category 3 hurricane when it makes landfall later this week, probably on Thursday, September 26.
While there is great uncertainty in storm predictions several days away, various models are agreeing more and more that landfall is likely to be made somewhere in the Florida panhandle.
In the meantime, other Western Caribbean cruises are likely to be impacted over the next few days, and the homeport of Mobile, Alabama, may also be affected depending on the storm’s exact track and size as it makes landfall.
Travelers booked on any Western Caribbean sailing this week should stay in close contact with their cruise line for potential itinerary changes, delays, and other updates.
Cruise guests regularly book tours to enjoy a safe, enriching experience while in a port of call. It can be incredibly scary, then, when a tour goes wrong with an accident, as happened earlier this month for guests while they were exploring Skagway, Alaska.
On Friday, September 6, 2024, a tour bus carrying 24 passengers overturned after the driver suffered a medical emergency. The accident happened in a remote area of the South Klondike Highway, approximately 35 miles outside of Skagway, near the Yukon Suspension Bridge, where there is no cell phone coverage and radio communications are limited.
The bus was a tour from a cruise ship and therefore may have been carrying passengers from several lines, as is common for port of call tours. It is unclear whether the tour was arranged through an individual cruise line or independently organized.
The Skagway Fire Department received the emergency call at approximately 3:00 p.m. and responded immediately. Due to the remote location, however, two additional buses nearby were able to respond first, providing aid and communications relays to emergency personnel. Passengers on the bus with medical training also began triage to assist those injured in the accident.
“Skagway Fire would like to thank the two Holland America Princess motor coaches for being the true first responders to this accident and acting without hesitation,”read a statement from the Office of the Fire Chief Emily Rauscher.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police also responded to the incident, providing additional support as needed.
A total of 12 passengers were injured. Depending on the severity of their injuries, they were transported either to Skagway or Whitehorse General Hospital for further treatment. A helicopter was on site, but was not needed to airlift any passengers or the driver.
The highway remained closed for approximately three hours, causing the annual Klondike Road Relay to be delayed and several legs of the race cancelled.
While some injured guests did remain hospitalized for several days for observation, no fatalities or severe injuries were reported. The driver is also reported as recovering well.
The exact ship the cruise passengers were from has not been identified, nor have the identities of the injured parties been released in order to preserve their privacy.
Photo Credit: Georgy Sukhanov / Shutterstock
Skagway is one of the more popular destinations for Alaska cruises and is visited by a number of cruise lines. On September 6, four vessels were in port: Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jewel, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Spirit, Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess, and Viking Cruises’ Viking Ocean.
Are Tours Safe?
While cruise tours are generally safe and an excellent way to more deeply delve into the culture, history, and uniqueness of each port of call, accidents can always happen.
This might be due to a medical emergency as happened in this instance, or due to a mechanical failure such as a tire blowout or other situation like a car crash or severe weather.
Booking tours through one’s cruise line ensures that if an accident occurs, the cruise ship will be notified of the incident and will make every effort to assist guests in returning to the vessel so they don’t miss their ship.
While independent tours will try to be in contact with the cruise line as well, they may not be as successful and cruise lines are under no obligation to wait for a delayed tour to return.
Thinking of taking a trip with Celebrity Cruises in the near future? Yes, Celebrity Cruises isn’t really known for having some of the biggest cruise ships in the world among its fleet.
However, the newer Celebrity ships can certainly hold their own, and even some of the cruise line’s older ships still offer a lot to love. And we even have a list of all the ships by age too!
Here’s what you need to know about all 17 vessels in the Celebrity fleet, including size, passenger capacity and special features.
Set to launch in November 2025, as the fifth in the Edge class. As many of Celebrity Cruises’s ships have increased in size over the years, with each new ship, Celebrity Xcel is likewise bigger and better than the last ship to join the fleet, Celebrity Ascent. The vessel brings a new evolution to the class.
Celebrity Cruises promises that the ship will offer an enhanced The Retreat, a new restaurant by renowned Chef Daniel Boulud, an expanded Rooftop Garden and Resort Deck, a redesigned Grand Plaza, and more!
The ship will be able to run off three different types of fuel, including methanol, a first for Celebrity Cruises. The ship is being built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The keel-laying ceremony took place at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France in June 2024.
Launched in November 2023, Celebrity Ascent took Celebrity Cruises and the Edge class to new heights — literally. The vessel feature 17 decks, nearly 200 more staterooms and suites than past Edge-class ships, and larger special spaces like The Retreat.
The ships’ Edge Staterooms with Infinite Verandas are 23% larger than Solstice-class veranda staterooms, and the ship’s Iconic suites are the largest suites in the entire fleet. Celebrity Ascent offers more than 30 food and beverage experiences, too.
Celebrity Ascent was built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.
Gross Tonnage: 141,420 GT
Length: 1,073 ft.
Passenger Capacity: 3,260
Crew Capacity: 1,400-plus
Celebrity Beyond
Celebrity Beyond Docked in St. Kitts (Photo Credit: SKNIS)
Launched in April 2022, Celebrity Beyond shares many of its features with newer ship Celebrity Ascent, and the two likewise share both a builder (Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France) and the same size.
This Edge-class ship introduced the cruise line’s AquaSky suites and features more than 30 food and beverage options. Celebrity Byond is also well known for having one of the most famous cruise ship captains on social media, Captain Kate McCue!
Launched in April 2020 and built by STX France, Celebrity Apex is an Edge-class ship, but it’s slightly smaller than the two newest Edge-class ships, by about 10,000 GT. That said, it still offers big differences in size when comparing the ship to the previous Solstice class of ships. For example, the Edge Staterooms with Infinite Verandas offer bathrooms that are 10% larger than what you’ll find on Solstice-class ships.
In total, the ship offers just over 1,400 staterooms and suites. It also boasts 17 dining venues, and a tech-heavy theater that introduced all-new production shows and programming exclusive to Celebrity Apex. The ship also introduced the Craft Social pub to the cruise line, as well as a reimagined Eden space.
Gross Tonnage: 130,818 GT
Length: 1,004 ft.
Passenger Capacity: 2,910
Crew Capacity: 1,320
Celebrity Edge
Celebrity Edge Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Peter Titmuss / Shutterstock)
When Celebrity Edge entered service in December 2018 as the very first Edge-class ship, it came with some pretty cool features. It introduced The Retreat, aka Celebrity Cruises’ VIP area, for suite guests only.
In cabin categories, it debuted the Edge Stateroom with Infinite Veranda, an option that creates indoor-outdoor living spaces made possible by state-of-the-art technology, as well as the Iconic Suite and Edge Villas. Other new features included the Rooftop Garden. The ship was built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
Celebrity Reflection, when it debuted in October 2012, was the last ship in the Solstice class. It has recently been renovated, in October 2022. The ship is the largest of the Solstice class, and was built by Meyer Werft. Over 14 decks, the ship offers just over 1,500 staterooms.
While this ship was considered fairly contemporary when it originally launched, with the industry’s growing number of spectacular mega ships from various cruise lines, Celebrity Reflection is now relatively ho-hum.
Gross Tonnage: 125,366 GT
Length: 1,041 ft.
Passenger Capacity: 3,480
Crew Capacity: 1,293
Celebrity Silhouette
Celebrity Cruises Silhouette Ship (Photo Credit: Peter Titmuss)
Built by Meyer Werft and debuted in July 2011, Celebrity Silhouette is slightly smaller than Celebrity Reflection, but right on par with Solstice-class sister ships Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Equinox and the class’s lead ship Celebrity Solstice. The ship received renovations in 2020, as part of the Celebrity Revolution modernization initiative. It’s scheduled for more renovations in November 2024.
The ship offers 1,451 staterooms, 14 dining venues and features that were originally introduced on Edge-class ships, but then were later added to older ships, such as The Retreat and Craft Social.
The middle Solstice-class ship, Celebrity Eclipse debuted in April 2010 and, like Celebrity Silhouette, was also refurbished in 2020. Before that, the ship, which was built by Meyer Werft, received another refurbishment in 2015.
Despite being the same size as Celebrity Silhouette by gross tonnage, the ship can hold fewer overall guests (at double occupancy) and has one less deck, for a total of 13. It has fewer staterooms, too, for a total of 1,426.
Built by Meyer Werft and introduced in August 2009, Celebrity Equinox has been updated with renovations and dry docks occurring in 2014, 2019 and 2024. As such, if you’re looking to sail on a Celebrity Solstice class ship soon, opt for either Celebrity Equinox or Celebrity Silhouette, both of which are the most recently updated.
Gross Tonnage: 121,878 GT
Length: 1,041 ft.
Passenger Capacity: 2,852
Crew Capacity: 1,290
Celebrity Solstice
Photo Credit: Ian Dewar Photography / Shutterstock
The lead Solstice-class ship, Celebrity Solstice debuted in November 2008 after delivery from Meyer Werft. The ship introduced quite a few features to the Celebrity Cruises cruise line, including the line’s first Lawn Club and hot glass show.
Other ship highlights included the Celebrity iLounge, with an Apple retail area, and the Cellar Masters wine bar. Refurbishments took place in 2016 and 2021.
Gross Tonnage: 121,878 GT
Length: 1,041 ft.
Passenger Capacity: 2,852
Crew Capacity: 1,250
Celebrity Millennium
Photo Courtesy: Celebrity Cruises
When Celebrity Cruises ordered both Celebrity Millennium and Celebrity Infinity from builder Chantiers de l’Atlantique, the ships were intended to be smaller than they actually ended up being.
When the aptly named Celebrity Millennium debuted in July 2000, it was the very first Celebrity Cruises ship following Celebrity Cruises’ merger with Royal Caribbean Group.
Celebrity Millennium distinctively featured a special electric COGES power plant (the first cruise ship in the world to do so). It also debuted with a unique restaurant that featured elements taken from the RMS Olympic, the Titanic’s sister ship. Today, Celebrity Millennium is the oldest ship in the Celebrity Cruises fleet.
Celebrity Constellation is the newest ship in Celebrity Cruises’ oldest class, the Millennium class. Launched in May 2002, the ship was renovated most recently in April 2024, but also received refurbishments in 2020 and 2017.
Built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, some of the ship’s newly added features include the Rooftop Terrace, Qsine restaurant and a newly revamped shopping area. The 2017 renovations also updated staterooms with automatic door locks and new bathrooms.
Gross Tonnage: 90,940 GT
Length: 965 ft.
Passenger Capacity: 2,559
Crew Capacity: 999
Celebrity Infinity
Photo Credit: RoxTravels / Shutterstock
Celebrity Cruises introduced two ships to the cruising industry in 2001. Before the Celebrity Summit, there was also Celebrity Infinity.
Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, the ship is the same size and capacity as sister ship Celebrity Summit. Like this sister ship, it also received renovations that brought it up to Solstice-class standards, with renovations taking place in 2011, 2015, 2018 and, most recently, January 2024.
Gross Tonnage: 90,940 GT
Length: 965 ft.
Passenger Capacity: 2,170
Crew Capacity: 999
Celebrity Summit
Photo Credit: Carlos Yudica / Shutterstock.com
Launched in October 2001, Celebrity Summit was the third of the Millennium class ships.
Originally built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire and refurbished in 2012, 2016 and 2019, the ship’s staterooms and public venues were upgraded to match those of the newer Solstice class, as closely as possible.
During the 2012 renovations, the ship’s overall gross tonnage and occupancy were increased to what you see today. Occupancy was also increased during the 2019 renovations, with new cabins added.
The ship made a distinction as one of the first cruise ships to be powered by environmentally friendly gas turbines.
Celebrity Flora is not your average cruise ship. Instead, this small expedition ship, debuted in June 2019, is one-of-a-kind.
Celebrity Cruises claims that Celebrity Flora was the first ship of its kind built specifically for a certain destination: the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador. The ship, built by De Hoop Shipyard in the Netherlands, offers six passenger decks and a capacity for 100 guests over 50 suites.
At the time of debut, the ship offered the largest suites sailing to the Galapagos, the first glamping experiences in the Galapagos, and the first yacht tenders in the Galapagos. The ship also featured Celebrity Cruises’ very first marina, a public sea-level space, as well as Celebrity Cruises’ very first stargazing platform.
Gross Tonnage: 5,739 GT
Length: 333 ft.
Passenger Capacity: 100
Crew Capacity: 80
Celebrity Xpedition
Celebrity Xpedition (Photo Credit: Diego Delso)
The first of Celebrity Cruises’ expedition ships, Celebrity Xpedition entered service in June 2004 (though the small ship has since been updated, in September 2018), kicking off the Xpedition class.
The ship offers 24 staterooms, two restaurants and more inclusions than what you might get on a standard cruise (think alcoholic beverages and daily shore excursions). Overall, the Xpedition class offers a more intimate sailing experience, with a greater level of care and crew attention, during all itineraries.
The smallest Celebrity Cruises ship of them all, Celebrity Xploration is likewise an expedition ship, this time only holding a mere 16 people and a crew of 12. There are three guest decks, and only eight staterooms, half with verandas and half without.
There are two dining areas, a sun deck and a lounge bar, and, as is the case with Celebrity Cruises’ other expedition experiences, you’ll enjoy more fare inclusions and a more intimate atmosphere on this small ship.
The small vessel is being sold to National Geographic along with Celebrity Xpedition and will leave the fleet in 2025.
Gross Tonnage: 319.5 GT
Length: 98 ft.
Passenger Capacity: 16
Crew Capacity: 12
What’s the Largest Celebrity Cruises Ship?
When just looking at Celebrity Cruises’ current sailing ships, the cruise line’s two most recent ships, Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent, are its largest. Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent, the most recent members of the Edge class, are both 140,600 GT and both hold 3,849 passengers.
When comparing Celebrity Ascent and Celebrity Beyond to past Celebrity Cruises cruise ships, the ships are longer and sleeker, with one additional deck, and nearly 200 more suites and staterooms. The ships’ Retreat areas are also 40% larger and the Sunset Bar is 180% larger, and there are overall more restaurants, bars and lounges to enjoy.
What’s the Smallest Celebrity Cruises Ship?
The smallest Celebrity Cruises ship is Celebrity Xploration. However, this smallest ship in the Celebrity Cruises fleet isn’t really a cruise ship in the traditional sense.
Instead, it’s a member of the cruise line’s expedition class. The small ship only carries 16 guests at a time, with a gross tonnage of 320 and a length of under 100 feet!
Are Any Larger Celebrity Cruise Ships Coming in the Future?
Yes, Celebrity expects to welcome Celebrity Xcel in 2025. While not much has been revealed regarding this future ship’s size, it’s safe to assume that it will be at least as large as sister Edge-class ships Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent, or very likely larger.
As such, that would mean that Celebrity Xcel will weigh in at greater than 140,600 GT and likely be capable of holding more than 3,849 passengers.
