Ketchikan, Alaska – Celebrity Millennium Heads to Premature Dry Dock Due to Persistent Propulsion Problems

Celebrity Cruise Lines has cancelled the remaining Alaskan voyages as well as the California to Florida repositioning voyage for the 13-year-old Millennium. Propulsion problems have plagued the cruise ship during the month of August. Problems first started in early August which caused the ship to arrive late into Seward near the end of a seven day voyage. The Millennium remanded at port for four days repairs. On its most recent voyage problems with the population system returned shortly after leaving Ketchikan causing the vessel to return to port. There the decision was made to cancel the cruise and send the ship to dry dock in the Bahamas for repairs. Celebrity Cruises has yet to announce when the Millennium will return to service.

Freemantle, Australia – Princess Cruises Cancels Australian Voyage of the Sun Princess Due to Power Troubles

Los Angeles, California based cruise line Princess announced that it has canceled its August 20th voyage of the Sun Princess. The 18-year-old cruise ship had just finished a 30 million dollar dry dock overhaul. Princess spokeswoman Karen Candy stated the malfunction occurred in the vessel’s switchboard causing “limited onboard power hindering (the ship’s) ability to run all hotel operations.” The cruise line stated that the Sun Princess’ next voyage scheduled for September 3rd will proceed as planned.

Bartin, Turkey – Azamara Cruises Abandons Two Florida Passengers in Turkey

89-year-old Jill and Dodge Melkonian of Clearwater Florida were passengers aboard an Azamara cruise through Turkey. Dodge fell on the cruise breaking his hip. Azamara, which is owned by Miami, Florida based Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., arranged for shore side care in a remote part of the country. Unfortunately, the cruise line did not provide the passengers with any sort of liaison. No one at the hospital spoke English and, due to regional custom, women were not permitted inside. As such, Mrs. Melkonian was required to wait outside the hospital while her husband was being treated. The Melkonians’ reached out to their travel agent and U.S. Senator Bill Nelson for support. Senator Nelson was quoted as saying, “It’s outrageous that they would leave an elderly couple in a foreign country without adequate support” and “Royal Caribbean has a responsibility to take care of their passengers, even when they have to put them in a foreign hospital.” Ironically, the Melkonians’ were on a complementarily cruise because the prior cruise ship they cased on caught fire.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts – NCL Passenger with Ruptured Spleen Airlifted by Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard was called to airlift a NCL passenger off the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship early in the morning of August 21st. It has been reported the 50-year-old passenger ruptured his spleen after being struck by a kayak while on sure in Bermuda. A MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter team transported the man to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis for treatment. Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Heximer, the helicopter’s aviation survival technician stated, “It has been a busy night but we got him on the helicopter safely and on his way for medical treatment.” The injured passenger’s condition is currently unknown.