Cruise Ship Passengers Evacuated After Celebrity Cruises Runs Aground

A cruise ship owned by Celebrity Cruises had been evacuated after it ran aground on Tuesday night. According to reports, the emergency happened at Celebrity Xpedition but there were no injuries.

Celebrity cruise line updated that Celebrity Xpedition faced the issue while sailing regular itinerary in the Galapagos.

It said, “all guests and crew are safe, and we have no reported injuries.”

The update also said all the 46 guests booked under its cruise deals had been shifted to a nearby vessel and its sister ship, Celebrity Flora will pick them up soon.

“We are unaware of any environmental impact at this point but will continue to check closely. We are assessing the ship’s condition and will update as needed,” per cruise news.

Celebrity Xpedition was on a seven-day Galapagos sail that started on November 2.

The Galápagos Islands are a string of volcanic archipelagos situated 600 miles west of the Ecuadorian mainland and is famous for Galápagos tortoises.

The celebrity cruise line did not announce its next sailing. It was unclear whether the upcoming sailing will be canceled or passengers will be offered an alternative plan on cruises they booked.

Celebrity issued an update on Wednesday afternoon that said Celebrity Xpedition is safe, and the “ship is afloat and safely at anchor.”

Refund offered

Celebrity cruise while regretting the inconvenience caused to guests said it would give a 100 percent refund for the disrupted sailing and extend full credit for a future Celebrity cruise vacation.

According to celebrity news, the company has not received any environmental damage report and it said further inspection was on and the ship's condition is also being evaluated.

Introduced in June of 2004, the Celebrity Xpedition can carry 48 passengers and crew. Xpedition was under renovation in 2018 and only a few months ago, the ship resumed service with enhanced suite services.

Noting the significance of Xpedition’s refurbishment, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises said it reinforced the “company’s commitment to the Galapagos Islands.”

Royal Caribbean’s new Alaska ships

Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean International announced three new ships for the 2021 Alaska cruise season. In a statement, the cruise line said ships Ovation, Radiance, and Serenade of the Seas will be in the Pacific Northwest.

Royal Caribbean ships will offer seven-night itineraries and sail from Seattle, Vancouver, and Seward. The ships will also showcase Royal Caribbean’s spa staterooms.

It said the brand-new lineup of balcony accommodations “will allow guests to relax in between adventures” and they can enjoy various amenities including priority spa reservations, lush bedding, tranquil décor, snacks plus priority boarding and embarkation.