Key Aspects:
- Celebrity Beyond arrived in Freeport, Bahamas, on July 21, 2025.
- The Edge-class vessel’s propulsion issues are being repaired at the Grand Bahama Shipyard, which is jointly owned by Royal Caribbean.
- Any impact on the ship’s July 27 sailing is still unknown.
The saga continues for Celebrity Beyond after the 2022-launched cruise ship developed propulsion issues at the end of her last sailing.
After making a late arrival in PortMiami on July 20 to disembark the up to 3,260 passengers onboard, the decision was ultimately made to cancel the already delayed July 20, 2025, voyage to allow ample time for repairs to be completed.
The Edge-class ship remained in Miami, Florida, overnight on July 20 to complete an initial assessment and start repairs, but has since relocated to Freeport, Bahamas, to complete the work.
Per cruise tracking data, she sailed to the Grand Bahama Shipyard at reduced speeds of approximately 14 knots per hour and arrived at around 6 p.m. local time on July 21.
The issue at hand has still not been confirmed, but it appears to be related to one of the ship’s Azipod engines.
Videos and photographs taken by passengers show that the 140,600-gross ton ship was operating with just one engine as she inched her way back to Miami.
It’s not clear how long the repairs will take at this time, but it’s not uncommon for cruise ships to visit dry dock to allow specialists to repair or perform maintenance on the engines.
Notably, this is also the first significant propulsion issue that the ship has suffered in her three years at sea.
What Does This Mean for the Next Sailing?
At this time, there is no word on whether Celebrity Beyond’s next voyage will be delayed or cancelled.
The subsequent sailing is scheduled to embark from Miami on July 27 and sail to Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Falmouth, Jamaica; and Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.
If it is cancelled, booked passengers can expect ample compensation. Guests of the nixed July 20 sailing received full refunds, reimbursement for travel change fees, and a 100% future cruise credit for their inconvenience.
Read Also: How Big Is a Cruise Ship Engine?
But before cruisers panic, remember that Celebrity Beyond’s relocation to the Bahamas doesn’t mean she won’t make it back to Miami in time for the next voyage.
The Grand Bahama Shipyard is only 98 nautical miles from Miami, which is a trip that a fully functional cruise ship can make in as little as five hours. It will ultimately come down to how long the repairs will take.
There are shipyards in Miami that specialize in cruise ship repairs, such as RMK Merrill-Stevens and Jones Shipyard, but it’s possible that these facilities were not able to accommodate the Celebrity Cruises’ ship on such short notice.
Royal Caribbean, which owns Celebrity Cruises, is also a joint owner of the Grand Bahama Shipyard with Carnival and the Grand Bahama Port Authority.
This may have made it easier to secure a spot for the vessel, and perhaps get preferential pricing because of Royal Caribbean’s ownership status.
