Everyone’s safe and sound now – and on dry land –but it’s a vacation that 4,000 people who took a Carnival cruise probably don’t consider a “triumph.”
It was supposed to be a four-day luxury cruise, from Texas to Mexico and back.
The Carnival Triumph cruise ship was in the Gulf of Mexico on Feb. 10 when a fire broke out in the engine room.
There were 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew members on board.
The fire disabled the 14-story luxury liner’s engines and power generators.
That shut down the ship’s refrigeration, air conditioning and toilets.
The ship drifted at sea for five days, with no way to heat up food or flush the toilets. The ship was eventually towed to a dock in Mobile, Alabama.
A lack of fresh water, baby formula and clean washrooms were probably the biggest problems for the passengers. That, and boredom. Some of the passengers joined in on sing-a-longs and impromptu comedy shows to amuse themselves.
As the washrooms became dirtier and the un-air-conditioned cabins became stuffier, many passengers opted to sleep in the hallways or outside on the decks.
One passenger told the Washington Post it was like camping at sea.
Supply ships managed to deliver ice and food to the cruise ship while it was drifting.
While some passengers were on the phone to news reporters telling them how awful the situation was, other passengers were wondering what all the fuss was about.
Passenger Kirk Draut, and his wife, Patty, told the Washington Post they watched movies and live music shows and ate hot meals like cheeseburgers and sausages. They posted some pictures of their meals on Facebook.
Passengers have been offered their money back for the cruise, plus an extra $500 and a free flight home.
They were also offered credit for another cruise.
Some passengers are suing the cruise line, saying they knew the ship’s engines had problems. The passengers also say the company chose to tow the ship to a far-off port when a closer (but more expensive) one was available.
One expert told Reuters news agency that the $500 deal is probably the best passengers could expect to get, even if they win the lawsuit.