Second cruise in a day canceled after power problem

Just hours after Princess Cruises abruptly canceled a sailing due to a mechanical problem with one of its ships, rival Celebrity is bringing an early end to a voyage due to a mechanical issue of its own.

The 2,138-passenger Celebrity Millennium has been stuck in Ketchikan, Alaska since Sunday due to a problem with one of its two propulsion units, and a fix has yet to be found, the line says.

“Our engineers, along with expert consultants from the motor’s manufacturer, and our marine operations team in Miami, have continued working around the clock to resolve the mechanical issue on board Celebrity Millennium,” the line says in a statement sent to USA TODAY. “Regrettably, as of this time, they have been unable to find a satisfactory solution that would enable the ship to continue with its sailing.”

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This is the third straight voyage of the Celebrity Millennium that has been affected by a mechanical problem. The 91,000-ton vessel limped into the port of Seward, Alaska on Aug. 9 several hours behind schedule after experiencing an electrical issue with one of its two propulsion motors. It underwent three days of emergency repairs, resulting in the cancellation of every port call on the ship’s subsequent sailing. Passengers on that voyage received complete refunds and a credit toward a future cruise.

Celebrity says passengers on this week’s sailing also will receive a full refund as well as a credit for a future cruise. The line is arranging charter aircraft to fly passengers home from Ketchikan on Wednesday and has sent 30 members of its guest services team to the ship to assist with the process.

“We are deeply sorry that we were unable to deliver the Celebrity cruise vacation that our guests anticipated,” the line says in the statement.

The Celebrity Millennium was on a seven-night Alaska cruise that began Friday in Vancouver, B.C.

The mechanical issues on the Celebrity Millennium come nearly six months after a string of technical problems on Carnival ships left many Americans questioning the reliability and safety of cruise ships.

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