Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Carnival Splendor catches fire on Mexican cruise trip

The Carnival Splendor was dead within the water off the coast of Baja, California Monday following a motor room flames. The Carnival Splendor flames cut all ship’s power. The vessel had been becalmed with no air conditioning, hot meals, toilets or telephones. While a fleet of tugs chugged towards the rescue, coast guard cutters and an aircraft carrier offered assistance.

Numerous woken early to a Carnival Splendor flame

The Carnival Splendor, as a 952-foot long, 113,000-ton cruise liner, had a fire start Monday at 6 a.m. Passengers were rousted from their cabins and crowded onto the upper decks. After the fire was extinguished with no injuries to passengers or crew, access to cabins had been restored and passengers were allowed to move freely around the ship. Toilet service and cold running water were both restored after the power being supplied by emergency generators. Lavish buffets were replaced with bottled water and cold food.

Aircraft carriers and coast guard rush to the stage

About 200 miles south of San Diego had been where the Carnival Splendor set fire after leaving the Carnival Cruise Lines of Long Beach, CA. An HC-130 Hercules aircraft and three Coast Guard cutters were sent to help the ship. The USS Ronald Reagan was training however instead left for the stage on command of the U.S. Navy. In a statement the Navy said helicopters from the carrier were dropping off 35 pallets of supplies. Tugs were expected to reach the Carnival Splendor later Tuesday and tow the ship to Ensenada. Reaching the Mexican port could take a really long time.

Carnival gives free of charge cruise to all

When it reaches landfall, the Carnival Splendor’s passengers can be bused north to Long Beach. The seven-day cruise of the Mexican Riviera which incorporated stops in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas was cancelled. Passengers are able to get a full refund, reimbursement for transportation costs to Long Beach and a Carnival Cruise the same price as the journey they were on all from Carnival Cruise.

Citations

CNN

cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/11/09/cruise.ship/index.html?npt=NP1

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/09/AR2010110901900.html

USA Today

travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2010/11/carnival-splendor-fire-cruise-ship-engine-room-tug-boat/130420/1?csp=hf



No comments: