Tourist endure slow tug aboard busted cruise ship
(CNS): The Carnival Triumph cruise ship, which was crippled by an engine-room fire in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico more than four days ago, was limping towards Mobile, Alabama Thursday evening at what was described as an agonizingly slow pace for the passengers on board the 893 foot ship. Pulled by a tugboat, the ship was expected at the US port around midnight as miserable passengers continued to face food shortages, overflowing toilets, dirty conditions, foul odours and dangerously dark passageways. More than 4,200 passengers and crew suffered another misfortune during the day on Thursday when a towline snapped, bringing the vessel to a dead stop.
The towline was replaced and the crawl resumed but officials said it would take passengers up to five hours to get off the ship, before they contemplated their land travel troubles to finally get back home. The 14-story ship must also negotiate a tricky, shallow shipping channel, and was expected to be the largest cruise liner to ever dock in Mobile
The ship left Galveston, Texas, a week ago and CNN footage has shown the frustrations of passengers on board since the ship got stuck in the Gulf of Mexico with signs of "Help" hanging from their cabin rooms. As the vessel drew within cell phone range, passengers vented their anger to the US media.
Disgusted by the foul air and heat on the lower decks, many passengers hauled mattresses and bed sheets onto the top deck and slept there, even staying put in a soaking rain. As the ship approached the coast, a slew of Carnival workers removed the bedding and took it downstairs. Passengers said that the cruise line was trying to cover up the chaos and mess on board since the engine failure.
The company disputed the accounts of passengers who described the ship as filthy,saying employees were doing everything to ensure people were comfortable. Carnival didn't immediately respond to questions about the illnesses reported by some passengers. Terry Thornton, senior vice president for Carnival Cruise lines, said they received an extra generator that allowed them to serve hot food.
Category: World News
Man I felt for these people! Imagine us after Ivan, but at least we had the benefit of getting away from the stench if need be. These people had no where to go for four days! Yuck! But the benefit in this am sure was, a lot of new friendships were formed.
God has way with things my friends. Remember this did start because of a FIRE. One of the worst things that could happen on board a ship in the middle of the gulf. This is truly a blessing no one was killed. And what I especially felt good about was, how theCREW were praised highly by all interviewed! Carnival should ensure these people are all recognized and given great bonuses! They are really the ones that ‘saved’ Carnival!
Carnival tickets should be cheap after this is they ever make any business at lmao!
Braca
Carnival blew it. From the time of the incident they should have canceled one of their many sailings and sent a ship to rescue the stranded passengers. Allowing regularly scheduled cruises to depart when this crisis was occurring is disgusting and purely profit motivated. The passengers should never have had to endure the salvage efforts.
….um…what do you suggest, sending tenders between ships in the open sea? This was the safest resolution to the matter. From what I have seen on the news, the crew did a fantastic job in the circumstances.
Sometimes things happen, and you have to make the best of it.
Cayman…lets get some positive publicity here for a change..
CIG make an open offer to the people who suffered this to bring them down on Cayman airways for a week, off season, airfares paid, hotels at summer discount package prices and let them spend their compensation here, it will not just be the USD500 talked about, they will get a lot more, and rightly so.
If that was a very public offer the publicity in the USA and beyond would be great for Cayman as the place that cares..and generate lots of revenue dollars off season and fill hotel rooms when we need it most.
Cost-lets say 50% take up (not all will take it up for sure)-1300 people. Airfares at cost from USA, say USD350 pp (picked what seems like a reasoanable figure)= 445,000.
Hotel income say average USD 200 per night x 7x 1300= USD1,820,000
Tax revenue from hotel tax = 20%= USD364,000
Local income from money spent say USD100 pp per day= 100x7x1300= 910,000
Tax revenue on spend (import duties), say average 20%= USD182,000
If above figures anywhere near correct this could actually do a great service to those that suffered, promote Cayman big time, earn some money for CIG as well as put nearly USD2.7m into the economy.
I am probably nuts, but it would look very good as well as making some financial sense too..
That is a very foolish comment to make. Who in there right mind would even think of or want to transfer over 4000 passengers out in the middle of the ocean! Obviously you have never been in the middle ot the Gulf of Mexico before to know of the danger that would create to each passenger
They do it in GT harbour every day.
Exactly right. Carnival controlled their immediate costs, and in doing so, probably will incur far more loss and damages. $500?? Insulting.
Refund, Travel, $500, and free future cruise credit – not a bad settlement for some of these passengers that are reported to have paid around $30/night for their tragic cruise. Over 900 of the 4000 did not even have a passport or travel document. Carnival over-extended on their bet on mega-liners and are scrambling with maintenence and occupancy on sister fleet. They'll let anyone ride at any cost just to fill the boats.
Boy them American passengers gonna sue Carnival…
Hope its not Carnival thats going to build our dock…
Carnival has a disclaimer on their tickets that says you can't sue for emotional turmoil and anguish. I feel they were satisfactorily compensated – every1 was refunded the full amount paid for their cruise plus and extra $500.00 and they all got cruise credits to use in future equal to the value of what they paid initally. No one died so they should just be grateful. Shit happens.
I would not think that a paltry $500 would come close to compensating people for having a precious vacation ruined in that manner. If any of the passengers were European then the disclaimer won't work anyway.
If you think that has ever stopped an American from filing a law suit you are sorely mistaken… there are millions of dollars to be made and even if the passengers don't realise it the vulture-lawyers most certainly do.
Shit happens all right and the enforceability of the release will be tested
“Shit” sure did happen on that cruise.
Emotional injury accompanying actual phsical injury resulting from Carnival negligence is recoverable under the terms of the ticket. One can envision many injuries and illness resulting from unsanitary conditions and food, falling down in the dark, slipping in water on the floor, fights with drunk passengers, not enough to eat, heat stroke, etc.–that could be accompanied by emotional injury in the circumstances onboard. Moreover, most places will not enforce a contractual release of liability for injury that is obtained prior to the event, ie you can't validly give a person permission to harm you in the future (other than assuming the risk in certain ultra hazardous activities like auto racing.)
A competent USA lawyer can shred any disclaimer signed, arguing the passenger signed with "reasonable expectations"….blah blah. Happens every day.
This reminds me of the UDP government and how agonizingly long it it taking for May and elections to arrive.
The Carnival cruisers had to put up with less crap.
…and will receive some kind of compensation.