Celebrity Equinox Drifts From Buenos Aires Pier After Lines Snap
The incident underscores how volatile summer weather on the Río de la Plata can disrupt cruise turnarounds, spotlighting the need for ports and lines to harden docking procedures as ships grow larger.
Celebrity Equinox’s 14-night New Year’s sailing from Buenos Aires was delayed after the ship’s mooring lines failed during embarkation on Saturday, December 20, 2025, allowing the vessel to drift away from the pier and make contact with nearby structures.
Mooring lines failed as winds strengthened during embarkation
Passenger accounts and local reports from Buenos Aires said the ship shifted out of alignment at the berth as weather conditions deteriorated. Weather reports cited in the available information indicated winds that were earlier around 10 miles per hour rose to roughly 20 to 25 miles per hour, with gusts reaching the upper 30s (including reports of gusts up to 37 miles per hour), alongside rain and stormy conditions.
As the wind increased, one or more mooring lines broke. The bow swung outward from the dock and the stern shifted toward the pier, resulting in contact with the pier structure. Passengers also described the vessel rubbing alongside a refueling tanker positioned nearby, with photos and video shared on social media showing a long visible mark along the ship’s side.
Gangway dropped into the water and boarding paused
During the movement, the embarkation gangway pulled away from the dock and fell partially into the water while remaining attached to the ship. Videos and images posted online showed the gangway partially submerged and hanging against the ship’s side.
One passenger described it as a “Crazy situation,” while another post described the gangway as hanging against the ship with its outer end in the water. Boarding was halted, and guests waited in the cruise terminal while the ship was resecured and access equipment was addressed.
Tugboats assisted and operations resumed after a 2–3 hour delay
Passengers said tugboats were dispatched quickly after the ship began drifting. Tug assistance helped stabilize the vessel and bring it back into docking alignment so port operations could safely resume.
Embarkation delays were widely reported at about two to three hours, as the gangway situation was resolved and checks were carried out before the voyage continued.
Departure pushed to Sunday, shortening the first port call
Celebrity Equinox did not depart Saturday evening as scheduled. The ship remained docked overnight and departed on Sunday, December 21, at about 11:00 a.m. local time, based on passenger reports and satellite tracking referenced in the available information.
The delayed sailing affected the ship’s first call in Montevideo, Uruguay, roughly 125 miles from Buenos Aires across the Río de la Plata. Passengers indicated the call was delayed and time in port was reduced rather than canceled. One schedule cited in the available information had Montevideo planned from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday before the timing changes.
What is known about damage and injuries
No injuries were reported among passengers, crew members, or port personnel, according to cruise line officials and passenger accounts included in the available information. The ship carries about 2,850 passengers and more than 1,200 crew members.
Online images prompted questions about whether the hull damage was cosmetic or more serious. One social media comment read, “Hopefully it’s just the paint and there’s no structural issues.” In the available information, there was no official detail about the extent of damage beyond what could be seen in passenger-shared images. Separately, passenger accounts described the visible marking as a long scratch after contact with the refueling tanker.
Itinerary remains in place beyond early timing adjustments
Beyond the modified timing early in the cruise, there were no confirmed itinerary cancellations in the available information. The 14-night Patagonia and Antarctica-region voyage is scheduled to include stops associated with the Falkland Islands, Cape Horn, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, Puerto Madryn, and Punta del Este, and it is set to conclude back in Buenos Aires on January 3, 2026.
Ship details, next deployments, and the absence of an official statement
Celebrity Equinox is a Solstice-class cruise ship of about 122,000 gross tons (reported as 121,878 gross tons in the available information). The ship is scheduled to remain homeported in Buenos Aires through March 2026, then reposition to Europe for summer sailings with homeports that include Barcelona and Civitavecchia. It is expected to return to South America in December 2026.
No official statement from Celebrity Cruises or Buenos Aires port authorities was included in the available information regarding inspection results, the incident response, or the extent of hull damage.
Similar mooring-line incidents cited elsewhere
While uncommon, mooring-line failures have been reported in other wind-related incidents in recent years, sometimes involving gangways dropping and temporary pauses in passenger movement. Examples cited in the available information included MSC Seascape at Ocean Cay in May 2025, MSC Sinfonia in Syracuse in January 2024 (while out of guest service), Queen Mary 2 in Civitavecchia in August 2023, and Norwegian Prima in Zeebrugge in July 2023.
Celebrity Equinox has since sailed from Buenos Aires following the overnight delay, and the voyage remains scheduled to return on January 3, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Was anyone injured when Celebrity Equinox drifted from the pier in Buenos Aires?
No injuries were reported among passengers, crew members, or port personnel in the available information. The ship carries about 2,850 passengers and more than 1,200 crew members.
What caused the incident during embarkation?
The available information attributed the ship’s movement to rapidly changing weather and strong wind gusts that placed strain on the mooring setup. As conditions worsened, one or more mooring lines broke, allowing the ship to drift out of alignment at the berth.
Why did the gangway fall into the water?
When the ship shifted away from the pier after the mooring-line failure, the embarkation gangway pulled free of the dock and dropped, remaining attached to the ship while partially submerged. Boarding was paused while the vessel was resecured and access equipment was addressed.
How much damage was reported, and did officials confirm inspection results?
Passenger-shared photos and videos showed a long visible mark along the ship’s side after it rubbed alongside a refueling vessel near the pier. However, no official statement in the available information confirmed inspection results or detailed the extent of damage beyond what was visible in images.
Did the delay change the cruise itinerary?
The ship remained in Buenos Aires overnight and departed on Sunday, December 21, around 11:00 a.m. local time, which reduced time at the first call in Montevideo, Uruguay. Beyond that early adjustment, there were no confirmed itinerary cancellations in the available information, and the sailing is still scheduled to return to Buenos Aires on January 3, 2026.
