A 13-night Celebrity Infinity cruise came to an early end when the vessel encountered a technical issue just before completing its itinerary.
The Celebrity Cruises ship had departed Barcelona, Spain, on February 3 and was scheduled to conclude in Piraeus (Athens), Greece on February 16. Instead, an issue popped up that disrupted travel plans for the conclusion of the sailing.
According to multiple accounts from passengers aboard posted on Reddit, trouble began in the early morning hours of February 15, when the ship suddenly lost electrical power at approximately 3:00 a.m. while it was near Piraeus, Greece.
Footage shared on social media shows tugboats pushing and pulling the ship as the crew worked to control its movement.
One passenger shared an account of the conditions on board during the power outage, describing how essential services like air conditioning, lighting and even toilets were affected. "No electric in the rooms, air con off, toilets off, Wi-Fi off," the added, recalling an announcement heard across the ship’s public address system.
The same guest said they heard an announcement for a "Bravo Bravo Bravo" alert, which is a code used on ships to warm of fire-related issues, although this hasn't been confirmed.
A letter given to passengers on the ship confirmed to the public that the ship experienced "a technical issue" while approaching Piraeus/Athens.
The cruise line did not go into specifics about what component or system failed, stating only that the onboard team was working to resolve the situation as quickly and safely as possible. "Your safety and well-being are our highest priority," the letter emphasized.
Celebrity Infinity is a 91,000 gross ton ship that can accommodate 2,170 passengers across 12 decks. The ship is 25 years old, having its inaugural sailing in 2001.
Cruise ending a day early
As a result of the unexpected shutdown, the cruise had to end one day earlier than planned.
Originally, passengers were scheduled to begin disembarking on the morning of February 16, but with the issue, passengers were "encouraged" to disembark the vessel on the 15th instead.
Celebrity offered a range of compensation packages to those affected. Every stateroom was promised a $300 reimbursement, and passengers were provided with access to free Wi-Fi in the terminal should they need to make onward arrangements.
The cruise fare for the unused final day will be refunded to guests. Onboard credits will also be provided equivalent to one day of the cruise, calculated based on the amount each guest paid for their fare.
Any prepaid packages, such as beverage, dining or shore excursions, will similarly see a one-day credit or refund applied.
Guests will also get an extra $100 per person to pay for lunch or a taxi ride to cover incidentals.
For those who needed to change flights due to the sudden end of the cruise, the line agreed to cover up to $200 for domestic flight changes and $400 for international flight changes, per person.
Next cruise cancelled
On Sunday, Celebrity informed guests booked on the following sailing that the next cruise is cancelled.
"During our previous voyage, the ship experienced a technical issue and while our experts have been working diligently, we need additional time to complete necessary assessments and repairs."
"After carefully considering all options, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel the February 16th, 2026, sailing. We sincerely apologize for this unexpected change and the disruption this causes to your travel plans."
The February 16th voyage was an 11-night sailing with stops in popular Mediterranean ports such as Mykonos, Katakolon, Iraklion (Crete), Rhodes, Limassol (Cyprus), Antalya (Turkey) and Kuşadası (Turkey).
Guests booked on this sailing will be given a full refund, plus additional compensation.
