Cruise Ship Collision at Turkish Port: A Detailed Analysis

While attempting to dock in the port of Kusadasi, Turkey, Celestyal Journey accidentally crashed into the pier.

Celestyal Journey’s port call at Kusadasi, Turkey, started with a bang. The 55,877 gross-ton cruise ship hit the pier while attempting to dock on Monday, April 15, 2024. Thankfully, the damage wasn’t too serious.

As part of a series of 7-night voyages that Celestyal Journey has been offering in the Aegean Sea, the 1,260-passenger cruise ship has frequently visited Kusadasi, Turkey. However, despite the prior experience with the port, sometimes things still go wrong.

On Monday, April 15, at approximately 12 p.m. local time, the cruise ship was in the process of making a standard arrival at the port. However, this time, the crew onboard miscalculated the speed and approached the pier too quickly, resulting in the ship hitting the concrete structure with its bow bulb. Members of the 597-person crew attempted to reduce the approach by lowering the anchor but were unsuccessful in preventing the collision.

Thankfully, the crash only caused minimal damage to the ship and to the pier. The last time a ship crashed in a cruise port, which occurred in Baltimore on March 26, 2024, it resulted in significant damage and loss of life – so Celestyal Cruises is lucky this collision was minor, as it could have been much worse.

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The 3-ship cruise line has not had to alter any of its itineraries because of the incident, nor has Kusadasi Cruise Port, which has 8 berths dedicated to large vessels and is the most popular cruise port in Turkey, had any negative impact on its operations.

There were also no injuries reported by guests and crew onboard or from onlookers on the shore, which meant passengers were still able to enjoy their port day as planned. Kusadasi is a bucket-list destination for many, as it is the gateway to exploring Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient Greco-Roman cities in the world.

The Celestyal Journey, welcomed into service in 1994 and procured by Celestyal Cruises in 2023, is set for many opportunities for redemption. Anticipate many more voyages to Kusadasi, as she steadfastly provides 7-Night cruises in the Aegean Sea until the later stages of October 2024.

These trips distinguish themselves due to their operational process. While most cruises remain on one journey, these round-trip travels overlap with multiple guests embarking and disembarking from different ports, even while other voyages are in progress. For these unique journeys, you have the choice to connect with the ship in a variety of ports, including Kusadasi in Turkey; Heraklion in Crete, Greece; Piraeus-Athens, Greece; and Thessaloniki, Greece.

Despite your choice of homeport, the round-trip nature of these voyages ensures you won’t miss out on any destinations. Those ports not selected as the homeport, including Greece’s Santorini Island, Mykonos Island, and Milos Island, will remain on the itinerary.

From Mishaps to Maydays – Cruise Ship Accidents

Celestyal Journey’s final Aegean Sea cruise of the year will embark on October 19, 2024, which will be followed by a 14-day repositioning cruise beginning on October 26 from Piraeus-Athens, Greece, to Doha, Qatar.

Once the ship arrives at its new homeport, it will offer 7-night, round-trip, sailings to Khalifa Bin Salman, Bahrain; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Sir Bani Yas, United Arab Emirates; and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

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