Celebrity Constellation Loses Power Mid-Voyage Between Ravenna and Rome – 2 August 2025

On 2 August 2025, the cruise ship Celebrity Constellation, operated by Celebrity Cruises (Royal Caribbean Group), experienced a temporary loss of both hotel and propulsion power while sailing from Ravenna to Rome on an 11-night Mediterranean voyage. The vessel drifted at low speed approximately 25 nautical miles east-southeast of Crotone, Italy, for roughly two hours during the early morning hours, leaving 2,170 passengers without air conditioning, ventilation, lighting, and functioning restrooms.

Power was restored after approximately two hours, and the ship regained cruising speed and reached Messina, Sicily on schedule. No injuries or critical equipment damage were reported, and the itinerary continued without changes.

The power loss occurred just after 3:00 a.m. local time while the vessel was sailing in the Ionian Sea. During the blackout, emergency lighting and communication systems remained operational. The ship drifted at 1–2 knots, far below its standard 24-knot cruising speed. Partial power was restored after approximately two hours, with hotel and navigation services gradually improving. Guests were served cold meals during the outage, and conditions were reported as overheated after just one hour without ventilation.

Passengers

• 2,170 onboard at the time of the power loss.

Fatalities

• None reported.

Injuries

• None reported.

Rescued

• All 2,170 passengers remained onboard; no evacuation was required.

Technical teams aboard Celebrity Constellation acted quickly to restore power and communicated with guests throughout the disruption. A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean Group stated that backup generators sustained navigation and basic safety systems during the outage, though these do not support full hotel operations such as galley use or HVAC systems. The vessel regained full operational capability and continued its scheduled itinerary without changes.

The ship reached Messina, Sicily on schedule and continued its 11-night Mediterranean voyage. No itinerary changes were reported. The incident highlighted operational challenges that aging cruise vessels can face, particularly in warmer climates where passenger comfort is sensitive to ventilation loss.