Carnival Splendor
Posted on 11/09/2010 3:57:32 AM PST by Dr. Scarpetta
One of Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines' newest ships was dead in the water Monday night, more than 100 miles off the Mexican coast, as fire damage to the engine room left thousands of passengers without hot food, working toilets, or air conditioning for their cabins.
Everyone is safe, the cruise line says, but the cruise is over as soon as the Carnival Splendor can be towed to a Mexican port.
Fire broke out in the forward engine room around 6 a.m, Pacific time, the cruise line confirmed. Guests whose rooms were near the engine room were evacuated to the Lido Deck, an upper deck that opens onto the outdoors. The fire was reported out by 9 a.m., but a re-flash occurred, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The damage is so extensive, the ship's key operating systems, including air conditioning, flushing toilets, hot meal preparations and telephones are not available.
Guests are being provided with bottled water and food items and are able to move around on the ship's upper open deck areas.
Several tow boats were heading toward the ship's location, which is about 150 miles south of San Diego. The US Coast Guard also sent ships to the area.
The 925-foot liner, carrying 3,300 passengers and more than 1,100 crew members will be towed to Ensenada, Mexico and passengers will be taken back to California, where the cruise line will help get them home.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbs4.com ...
Carnival Splendor
Remind me not to take a Caribbean cruise.
This ship is stranded off the coast of Mexico.
You would think that for a ship so expensive they would have had a little redundancy in the ship systems.
The cost for lack of it will be very high.
I’d guess it will need a good washing after a few thousand people hang it over the side for their morning constitutional.
Talk about a miserable experience. Feel sorry for the travelers.
The worst part would be 3300 people w/no toilets. Wonder what the contingency is for that? Ugh. Hope Carnival at least gave everyone free booze.
Carnival says there are 3,299 passengers onboard. It’s bad being trapped with that many people.
That’s the worst part.
It’s going to cost Carnival a bundle.
Passengers are getting food and water, but the toilets don’t work. What could go wrong? This article is probably reporting conditions better than they actually are and there is a potential for major health risk.
That free booze won’t feel so free having to hold it for a day.
I would demand to be helicoptered off that ship. No Mexico for me:(
Or send in the US Navy - No wait the whole fleet is floating around India.
Too bad, US citizens - you are on your own.
It took 3 hours to fight the fire? That seems like some fire.
Don’t these boats have fire suppression systems?
I agree.
No, it won’t...
These people are lucky it isn’t a transatlantic cruise.
Did this strike anybody besides me funny? Does "help" mean they get a $100 voucher or something?
You’d think so. The ship is only 2 years old.
Didn’t something like this happen 10 years ago to another Carnival Cruise?
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