Celebrity Reflection accidents and incidents

16 April 2021Boat Rescue

Following Saint Vincent Island's volcano eruption, the USA's Overseas Security Advisory Council released a natural disaster alert, offering voluntary evacuation for US citizens on the island. The humanitarian mission was coordinated by the US Embassy Bridgetown (Barbados) and assisted by RCG-Royal Caribbean Group (via the Celebrity Reflection ship).

All evacuees aged 2 years and older had to provide a negative rapid COVID test (taken within 24 hours of boarding) and to complete a health questionnaire before boarding.

The departure from Kingstown (St Vincent) was on April 16. The operation started at 7 am, Celebrity Reflection departed at 1 pm, and arrived in Philipsburg (St Maarten) on April 17 (at 7 am). The "voyage" between Kingstown and Philipsburg was free, excluding potential hotel-travel-flight arrangements from St Maarten.

18 October 2019Coast Guard Medevacs

On October 18, 2019, a 73-year-old female passenger was medevaced from the cruise liner navigating approx 80 km (50 mi) west of Palma (Mallorca Island, Balearic Spain). For the operation, the Spanish coastguard (SASEMAR / Salvamento Marítimo) dispatched a rescue helicopter (Airbus Helicopters H215 / fka Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma). The elderly woman was airlifted from the ship and flown to Son Espases Hospital Universitari in Carretera de Valldemossa (north of Palma de Mallorca).

The incident occurred during 12-day Western Mediterranean cruise (itinerary Oct 12-24) roundtrip from homeport Barcelona to Valencia, Alicante, Gibraltar, Malaga, Marseille, Villefranche-sur-Mer (Nice), Livorno, Civitavecchia-Rome, and Naples.

27 May 2019Coast Guard Medevacs

On May 27, 2019, a male passenger was medevaced from the liner navigating off Carlingford coast (County Louth, Ireland) en-route from Dublin to Norway. The man was airlifted from the ship by a Rescue 116 coastguard helicopter team and flown to Drogheda, from where he was ambulanced to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.

The incident occurred at the beginning of 8-day "Norwegian Fjords Cruise" (itinerary May 26 - June 3) roundtrip from homeport Dublin (Ireland) to Norway (Alesund, Bergen, Geiranger, Olden) and Northern Ireland (Belfast).

16 October 2018Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On October 16, 2018, at ~11:30 pm, a 36-year-old male crew (Ukrainian) was reported missing and presumably overboard. The ship was navigating in Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean), en-route from Mykonos to Rhodes. At ~5 am (Oct 17), the Hellenic Coast Guard (Greece) conducted a search and rescue operation, joined by the cruise liner and other vessels in the area. The body was not found.

The incident occurred during 10-day Italy and Greek Isles cruise (itinerary Oct 12-22) roundtrip from homeport Civitavecchia-Rome to Messina (Sicily), Valletta (Malta), Mykonos Island, Rhodes Island, Santorini Island, Piraeus-Athens, and Naples.

November 2017Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

In November 2017, CDC reported on itinerary Nov 17-27), a Norovirus outbreak (gastrointestinal illness) infected 173 passengers (out of 3034, or 5,7%) and 3 crew (out of 1240, or 0,2%). All sick suffered from Norovirus symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea) and were quarantined to their cabins. The ship was on 10-day Southern Caribbean cruise roundtrip from homeport Fort Lauderdale (Florida) to St Kitts, Barbados, St Lucia, Martinique, and Antigua.

20 April 2017Coast Guard Medevacs

On April 20, 2017, a 47-year-old male passenger in “medical distress” was medevaced (airlifted) by USCG helicopter (MH-65 Dolphin) and transported to San Juan City Hospital (Puerto Rico). The ship was approx 55 km (35 mi) north of San Juan Puerto Rico and en-route from St Kitts Island back to homeport Miami.

2016Other Incidents

(itinerary changes) For the whole 2016, Celebrity Cruises canceled the Reflection ship’s visits (overnights) to call port Istanbul Turkey. The changes were due to the Salipazari Port (Galataport) construction project. The development of Istanbul’s cruise port Galataport was completed in 2018.

07 July 2014Structural and Technical Issues

On July 7, 2014, during 10-day Eastern Mediterranean cruise from homeport Civitavecchia-Rome (Italy), mechanical problems (unspecified issue) forced the vessel to spend an overnight in Civitavecchia. The embarkation was delayed until July 5, and the ship left port at 3 pm. The incident caused itinerary change – call port Messina (Sicily Italy) was dropped.

As compensation, all passengers received US$200 per cabin in onboard credit, plus US$50 credit for a 3rd and 4th passenger.

July 2014Crew / Passenger Crimes

(sexual / law news) On July 23, 2015, a 20-year-old male passenger (of Scottish origin) was charged with sexually assaulting a female passenger on the ship in July 2014. He and the young woman (a student from England) met at a bar on the ship. He spiked her beverage, then assaulted her and tried to rape her.

28 July 2013Crew / Passenger Crimes

On July 28, 2013, a female passenger (of British origin) was robbed ashore while the ship was docked in call port Naples Italy. The robbers – two brothers of Italian origin (aged 24 and 36) – were on a scooter and were soon apprehended by the police. They have targeted the woman for wearing an expensive Rolex watch (worth ~EUR 12,000). The watch was returned to the woman. During the incident, she was injured and later treated at the ship’s infirmary.

19 November 2012Propulsion / Power Loss

On November 19, 2012, the newly launched cruise vessel experienced a technical problem during the Transatlantic repositioning cruise from Europe to Florida. The voyage started in Barcelona Spain. After leaving call port Malaga Spain, the scheduled stay in the Canary Islands (call port Tenerife) was dropped and the ship proceeded directly with the Atlantic Ocean crossing to Caribbean and Florida (Port Everglades).