Celebrity Solstice accidents and incidents

17 May 2022Crew / Passenger Deaths

On May 17, 2022, a 40-year-old female passenger was reported overboard while the ship was navigating in Alaska’s Inside Passage (upper Lynn Canal, en route from Juneau to Skagway), approx 30 km / 20 mi west of Juneau.

The incident was reported by the Captain at ~3 am Alaska time (11:00 UTC) after reviewing an onboard camera that showed the woman going over the railing of her cabin's balcony.

For the search and rescue operation in the Lynn Canal (near Eldred Rock), the USCG deployed the cutter Chandeleur (from CG Sector Juneau) and an MH-60 Jayhawk (rescue helicopter from CG Air Station Sitka). The cruise liner deployed crewed lifeboats to assist the search.

The operation was suspended on the same day, after searching for ~9 hours. The estimated survival time was 6.19 hours, based on the woman’s age and water and air temperatures. At the time of the accident, Juneau's air temperature was 51 F (11 C) while Lynn Canal's water temperature was 41 F (5 C).

Celebrity Solstice was operating the 7-day "Alaska Dawes Glacier Cruise" (itinerary May 13-20, roundtrip from Seattle) with call ports Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria (BC Canada).

On May 20th, Alaska State Troopers announced the woman's name - Selena Pau Pres, from Houston Texas. The body was never found.

April 2020Other Incidents

On April 3, the shipowner RCCL (Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd) announced plans to use its Australia-based vessels to repatriate most of their staff-crew by transporting them to their home-countries - Indonesia, Philippines and China, and to India (via charter flights from Indonesia and Philippines). Three RCI Australia ships (Ovation, Spectrum, Voyager) were at the time anchored off Australia's coast. The 3 cruise liners were scheduled to carry a total of 2584 people - embarked (via tender boats) from all 5 RCCL-owned ships (Celebrity Solstice, Ovation, Radiance, Spectrum, Voyager).

From Radiance OTS to Spectrum OTS were transferred ~600 crew. Spectrum OTS was planned to arrive in Bali Indonesia (April 16, to disembark 261 Indonesians), in Manila Philippines (April 22, to disembark 577 Filipino) and in Shanghai China (May 11, to disembark 522 Chinese). From Bali Indonesia, RCCL arranged charter flights to repatriate 299 Indian nationals.

Crew from Celebrity Solstice were transferred to Ovation OTS (204 Indian, 182 Indonesian, 13 Chinese) and Voyager OTS (382 Filipino). Ovation OTS headed to Bali Indonesia (planned arrival April 19) to disembark 239 Indonesians. Voyager OTS also loaded some of the Ovation's crew (880 Filipino, 13 Chinese) and headed toward Manila Philippines (planned arrival April 25) to disembark a total of 1232 people, plus 438 Indian nationals (charter flights to India).

Celebrity Solstice departed Australia on April 4.

March 2020Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

(Coronavirus) On April 2, 2020 (following the debarkation in Sydney NSW Australia on March 20), the NSW health authorities reported 11 confirmed cases of former Celebrity Solstice passengers who tested positive for COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

On March 20, an elderly man from Auckland NZ (former Celebrity Solstice cruiser) was tested Coronavirus-positive. The man joined the ship in Auckland (March 10) and disembarked in Port Chalmers (Dunedin NZ). On March 23, Tasmania reported an infected former cruiser (disembarked in Sydney). On March 26, Western Australia reported an infected elderly man (Perth resident) died at Joondalup Health Campus.

On April 4, the cruise liner ship left Australia passenger-free (carrying only staff-crew). The affected voyage was a 10-day New Zealand to Australia cruise (itinerary March 10-20) from Auckland to Sydney, with call ports Tauranga (Mar 11), Picton (Mar 13), Akaroa (Mar 14), Dunedin (Mar 15), Fiordland NP (Mar 16) and Eden NSW (Mar 19 / cancelled).

As of April 8, with the ship were linked a total of 20x Coronavirus patients (including 1 death).

08 October 2019Coast Guard Medevacs

On October 8, 2019, the Royal New Zealand Coastguard dispatched a rescue helicopter to meet the cruise liner and medevac a male crew. The ship left Bay of Islands (NZ) at ~5:30 pm. The rendezvous with the aircraft was at ~7:30 pm. The helicopter landed on the Helideck, picked the man and left at ~8:30 pm for Auckland NZ.

The incident occurred at the end of the 18-days Alaskan relocation cruise (itinerary Sept 23 - Oct 11) from Honolulu (Hawaii) to Sydney (NSW Australia) with call ports Lahaina (Maui Island), Papeete (Tahiti Island), Bora Bora Island, Auckland and Bay of Islands.

20 July 2019Propulsion / Power Loss

On July 20, 2019, soon after leaving homeport Seattle WA and while en-route to Ketchikan AK (halfway between Edmonds WA and Kingston WA), the liner experienced a power failure and had to return back to homeport. According to the USCG, the vessel suffered power outage that resulted in temporary loss of propulsion, steering and electricity. No injuries or danger to passengers/crew were reported. Soon the power was restored, but at reduced cruising speed, the ship returned to Seattle for inspection. The blackout was caused by a misfire of one of the main diesel engines.

The accident occurred at the beginning of 7-day Alaska Glacier Cruise (itinerary July 19-26) roundtrip from homeport Seattle WA to Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria (BC Canada).

30 May 2018Coast Guard Medevacs

On May 30, 2018, a 61-year-old female passenger (suffering heart attack) was medevaced from the ship off Noyes Island (Alexander Archipelago, Southeast Alaska). The woman was airlifted by a Jayhawk helicopter crew (dispatched from Coast Guard Station Sitka AK) and transported to Ketchikan AK.

The ship was on a 7-day roundtrip from Seattle "Alaska Tracy Arm Fjord Cruise" (itinerary May 25 - June 1) and en-route from Skagway AK to Victoria BC (Canada).

09 February 2018Coast Guard Medevacs

On February 9, 2018, a 78-year-old male passenger (needing emergency surgery) was medevaced from the ship off the coast of New Zealand, approx 260 km / 160 mi west of Milford Sound. The elderly man was airlifted by an Otago rescue helicopter, which had to make a 6-hour roundtrip, stopping to refuel in Manapouri (South Island NZ).

The ship was on 14-day Sydney to Auckland cruise (itinerary Feb 3-17) and en-route from Hobart Tasmania to Fiordland National Park NZ.

November 2017Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

In November 2017, NZ news media reported a Norovirus outbreak during a 12-day cruise) itinerary Oct 30 – Nov 11) from Sydney Australia to Auckland New Zealand. The illness affected a total of 213 passengers and crew (from a total of 3985).

Note: When the itinerary doesn’t include US cruise ports, the ship is not required to report to CDC, thus no official report would be issued.

22 February 2017Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

On February 22, 2017, during a shore excursion in New Zealand, the tour bus with 31 cruise passengers collided with a car. After the collision, the bus plunged into a steep gully, approx 50 m (170 ft) down the road bank.

The accident occurred in the afternoon, on a narrow road outside Christchurch NZ. Two of the passengers were critically injured and airlifted to Christchurch Hospital. Eight other suffered serious injuries and were transported by an ambulance. The rest of the passengers were reported with minor or no injuries, treated at the scene and transported to Akaroa. The Christchurch-Akaroa road was closed for ~2 hours.

During the accident, the ship was docked in call port Akaroa NZ, on 12-day Auckland to Sydney cruise (itinerary Feb 17 – Mar 1).

22 November 2016Crew / Passenger Deaths

On November 22, 2016, two deaths were reported in New Zealand during excursions ashore.

The first accident happened at ~11.30 am in Waikato, on Highway 29 near Te Poi. This was a head-on crash of a Mazda car with a tourist bus (full with Celebrity Solstice passengers), in which, unfortunately, the car driver died. No dead or injured passengers were reported.

At ~12 noon, a 71-year-old female passenger died in an accident during cycling tour in Tauranga. The elderly woman (Carol Ann MacMillan, of US origin) was hit by a truck at the intersection Te Awanui Drive and Mirrielees Road. During both accidents, the cruise ship was docked overnight in Tauranga (Bay of Plenty).

29 March 2016Crew / Passenger Crimes

On March 29, 2016, a male passenger was evicted from the ship and offloaded on Isle of Pines (New Caledonia) for stealing a USD 20 watch (caught on CCTV). The island has a small airport connecting to Noumea.

14 July 2015Other Incidents

(law news) On July 14, 2015, a lawsuit was filed against Celebrity Cruises. The company was charged with ADA violation (“Americans with Disabilities Act”) for not allowing a quadriplegic male passenger (Matthew Hendrick) to join a sponsored by the company Hawaiian shore excursion (itinerary Apr 20 to May 1).

The lawsuit was filed in a Miami federal court. The disabled man tried to board a tender to go ashore but the crew didn’t allow. The man said his booking was assisted by the company’s disability specialist. He paid USD 9000 for a double-occupancy stateroom and was traveling together with a companion. The company offered him 2 free cruise vouchers (usable in the next 2 years), but he insisted not to return to its vessels until their tender boats are wheelchair-accessible.

26 October 2014Structural and Technical Issues

On October 26, 2014, during 3-night “Cruise to Nowhere” from homeport Sydney NSW Australia, an inebriated passenger deployed a liferaft canister (inflatable capsule), forcing the ship to turn around to retrieve it.

April 2013Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

In April 2013, CDC reported on voyage Apr 8 to 25, a Norovirus outbreak affected 183 passengers (out of 2849, or 6,4%) and 2 crew (out of 1188, or 0,2%). The ship was on 17-night Alaskan repositioning cruise itinerary from Sydney NSW, with 7 call ports in French Polynesia and ending in Honolulu Hawaii.

11 March 2013Other Incidents

On March 11, 2013, the ship left call port Port Chalmers (Dunedin, New Zealand) at ~7 pm with a missing male passenger. The man left some personal items in his cabins, including passport. Local police were notified about the incident. Later, he boarded the ship in call port Akaroa (South Island, New Zealand).

25 February 2013Coast Guard Medevacs

On February 25, 2013, a 22-year-old male crew suffered a cardiac problem and had to be medevaced via a helicopter. The ship was off Arnhem Land's coast (Northern Australia).

December 2011Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

November-December 2011, CDC reported on voyage Nov 28 to Dec 11, a Noro virus outbreak affected 128 passengers (out of 2730, or 4,7%) and 11 crew (out of 1211, or 0,9%). The ship was on a 14-day Caribbean cruise from homeport Port Everglades FL.

February 2011Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

January-February 2011, CDC reported on the voyage Jan 30 to Feb 6, a Norovirus outbreak (gastrointestinal illness) infected 118 passengers (out of 2839, or 4,2%) and 10 crew (out of 1227, or 0,8%). All sick suffered from Norovirus symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea) and were quarantined to their cabins. The ship was on a 7-day Caribbean cruise roundtrip from homeport Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) Florida.

18 September 2010Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

(overboard) On September 18, 2010, a 65-year-old male passenger jumped overboard (intentionally) from Deck 5 in the water, but was rescued alive. The incident occurred at ~1:30 am. After ~1 hour, the man was located and pulled out of the water. Since he was fighting the crew, he was handcuffed and expelled from the ship in the next call port Coxen Hole (Roatan, Honduras).

The investigation report said the man had a quarrel with his wife during the themed dance party at Sky Lounge & Bar (forward on Deck 5). At ~1:30 am, he removed most of his clothes and jumped off into the sea. Luckily, a crew saw the incident, threw a flashing buoy to mark the location and reported Code Oscar (“man overboard”). The ship launched 2 lifeboats. Curiously enough, the man didn’t want to be rescued and became belligerent toward the crew.

06 November 2009Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On November 6, 2009, a female crew jumped overboard in a suicide attempt (intentionally) in the water from top deck 14. The conducted by USCG search operation lasted for ~10 hours but was unsuccessful in finding the body. The ship was on Mediterranean itinerary and en-route to call port Naples Italy.