On Sunday, February 10, a Carnival cruise ship was heading back from the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula to Galveston, Texas, when a fire broke out in the engine room leaving the ship without power and stranded in the ocean. The ship had set sail on Thursday, February 7, and was expected back on Monday, February 11.
Not only could the ship not sail back to port, but 3143 passengers and 1086 crewmembers were left with a lack of running water, little electricity, and many more problems.
While the ship was waiting for tugboats to carry it back to land, many passengers were experiencing what they said to be a “nightmarish” situation. Because of the foul air and heat in the lower decks, many passengers had hauled mattresses and bed sheets onto the top deck to sleep there, even when it was pouring rain and the floors were covered with sewage.
The passengers were initially given cold cuts like turkey and vegetable sandwiches but had to wait in lines for as long as four hours to receive them. Although the conditions were terrible, with cold showers, no working bathrooms, little food, and long waits, many passengers described the crew as being very helpful and comforting throughout the whole time. For many of the passengers the worst part was that they did not know how long passengers had to endure their time aboard.
Around midday Thursday, February 14, the cruise ship was making its way to Mobile, Alabama, when the towline snapped and the vessel was brought to a dead stop. Luckily the towline was quickly replaced and the trip to port was resumed.
The ship docked late Thursday in Alabama leaving the passengers with the options to take a bus straight to Galveston, Texas, to retrieve cars parked at the ship’s departure port, take a bus back to New Orleans to stay at a hotel before a charter flight home or have family or friends pick them up in Mobile.
Carnival has cancelled many more planned cruises. Additionally, passengers are supposed to get a full refund and discounts for future cruises and also $500 in compensation.