On October 18, 2023, Silversea Cruises’ Silver Spirit experienced engine trouble and had to be towed to the Port of Piraeus, Greece. The ship suffered damage to one of its main engines, making maneuvering and propulsion difficult. It was approximately 8.6 miles southeast of Aegina Island when the issue occurred. The ship was en route to Piraeus, finishing a 7-night roundtrip sailing. The 581 guests and 404 crew members onboard were safe, and there were no interruptions to onboard services or safety systems.
It is not yet known if the engine difficulties will impact the next cruise, an 11-night roundtrip sailing from Athens with port visits in Turkey, Greece, and Crete. The itinerary may also be adjusted due to tensions in the region. Depending on the nature of the engine problems, upcoming cruises might need to be cancelled for emergency repairs or a dry dock. The ship’s last roundtrip cruise from Athens is scheduled for October 18, 2023, after which it will reposition to Dubai.
Engine problems are not uncommon for cruise ships, as they run their engines continuously for various purposes. The impact of engine difficulties can range from minor adjustments to port visits to more significant changes or even the need for a dry dock. Updates on Silver Spirit’s condition and any resulting impact will be released in the future.
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