Passengers onboard Celebrity Infinity are “flocking” to leave their stranded cruise ship in Kusadasi, Turkey, after the ship experienced further power outages.
Celebrity Infinity is currently stranded in Kusadasi after a small fire, reportedly in the engine room, causing a complete power blackout. Because of the ship’s power issues, the cruise line said they had no choice but to cancel remaining ports on the 7-night Greek Isles itinerary.
According to firsthand accounts shared on Reddit, guests staying on Celebrity Infinity Decks 8 and 9 woke up this morning to discover their cabins had lost power. While electricity was restored relatively quickly in some areas, passengers say it was the final straw after days of ongoing technical issues.
Supposedly, hundreds of passengers are now attempting to board a ferry to the Greek island of Samos to escape the looming uncertainty.
Celebrity Infinity is a Millennium class ship built in 2000, and she is currently one of the smallest and oldest ships in Celebrity Cruises’ fleet.
Frustration grows onboard among stranded guests
With many guests frustrated by the power issues on Celebrity Infinity, passengers are finding alternative plans to disembark the ship entirely.
One cruiser reported that roughly 200-300 guests are disembarking the ship in Turkey rather than remaining onboard. In fact, the Reddit user shares that there is a possibility the ship will actually need to be tugged back to Athens, Greece.
“We’re getting the hell out of dodge, cutting our losses and bailing now,” the Reddit user shared.
Additionally, the cruiser shared that many passengers are using their 50% refundable cruise credit to pay for hotel stays on the Greek islands instead of waiting for Celebrity to arrange alternative transportation.
Because of the incident, Celebrity Cruises offered guests a 50% refund for refundable onboard credit and 50% for a future cruise credit, to be used within a year. However, many are calling for the cruise line to provide a 100% refund for the inconvenience.
Guests describe a chaotic scene at the Kusadasi cruise terminal
The Reddit post continues to detail how disembarking Celebrity Infinity was “a little chaotic” while the small terminal attempted to process hundreds of frustrated guests.
According to the Reddit user, the ship only released passengers at 7 a.m. for the 8:45 a.m. ferry to Samos, leading to confusion at the small Turkish ferry terminal. Cruise guests were reportedly unsure about passport control requirements, with dozens detained by customs, and many failing to obtain both Turkish arrival and departure stamps.
“The result is stressed out port staff trying to juggle hundreds of tourists being jostled back and forth. Detained by customs for reasons they don’t understand, running around this small ferry terminal with dozens of bags everywhere,” wrote the Reddit user.
They added, “300 tourists on a ferry that probably usually carries a couple dozen. Increasingly this whole thing is like scenes from a comedy movie. I’m learning to embrace the chaos.”
Other passengers onboard have opted to stay with the ship but are making backup plans in case Celebrity Infinity remains stranded.
One cruiser shared that they had booked the ferry to Samos for a day trip, but they cancelled at the last minute due to passport concerns. Instead, they joined a boat tour visiting bays near Samos, which avoided immigration concerns.
Many are praising the crew while criticizing Celebrity Cruises
Several commenters praised the ship’s crew for handling the situation as best as possible under the circumstances, while criticism was directed at Celebrity’s corporate communication and lack of clear updates.
“Apparently us being docked here caused other ships to miss port, and Celebrity also had to apply for last-minute visas for hundreds of passengers, all at their own expense,” shared one passenger who spoke to ship staff.
Meanwhile, upcoming Celebrity Infinity guests are growing increasingly concerned about the fate of their future itinerary. “I better start making a plan B for my cruise on [Celebrity] Infinity next month,” wrote a Reddit user booked on the August 9th sailing.
As of now, it remains unclear whether Celebrity Infinity will continue its scheduled itinerary to Piraeus, Greece, or require towing back to port. Passengers continue to await official updates from Celebrity Cruises on the ship’s operational status and further compensation for disrupted travel plans.
What happened to Celebrity Infinity?
While docked in Kusadasi, Turkey, on July 7, 2025, Celebrity Infinity experienced an electrical fire, reportedly in an engine room or switchboard area. The incident caused a power outage that left parts of the ship without electricity for several hours, affecting cabins, air conditioning, elevators, and communications.
Guests described the situation as uncomfortable and chaotic, especially with temperatures reaching over 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the Turkish port.
Although power was eventually restored, additional technical problems were discovered during overnight testing. As a result, Celebrity Infinity remained docked in Kusadasi for an extended stay to complete repairs.
Due to the ongoing issues, the ship canceled scheduled visits to Mykonos and Kavala. Celebrity Infinity is expected to conclude its cruise in Athens as originally scheduled on July 12, 2025. At the time of publication, no changes have been made for future itineraries on Celebrity Infinity.
Guests on the ill-fated voyage received 50% off their cruise fare in the form of refundable onboard credit. Each stateroom also received anywhere from $200 to $600 for the incident. In addition, 50% of the cruise fare will be issued as a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) to use within the next year.
