Carnival Triumph Passengers Talk of Conditions on Fire-Disabled Cruise Ship

[LauraS]

Check out the latest Carnival Cruise Line news from Cruise Critic:

 

Carnival Triumph Passengers Talk of Conditions on Fire-Disabled Cruise Ship

[KirkNC]

Thanks, sure sounds miserable!

[Big Feet]

guess we'll have to think twice when we say "a bad day at sea is better then a good day at work....."

[CGBCruiser]

Maybe conditions are better now that they have some elevators working and toilets and water are available to about half the ship. The latest Carnival update says that the ship has drifted about 90 miles north of it's original location so it is equidistance from there to Mobile, AL as to Progreso. So they will be heading to Mobile instead and going with the currents. Plus it will assist the 900 pax that have no passports! Still I am sure it is not a pleasurable experience nor one that any of us would want to endure.

[bamelin]

Reposting From the other thread disgusting part bolded:

 

 

Also on a gaming forum I frequent one of the guys there, his sister is on the ship:

 

Well I guess I should chime in since my sister and her friend are on this cruise. Fortunately they are okay..... for now. My mom spoke with my sister earlier today on the phone briefly while an adjacent ship was nearby giving some cellphone service. Anyways, it's not looking good. They were going to be tugged back to Mexico, but we got a phone call from the cruise line today letting us know they are being transported to Alabama since the current drifted them farther north and wont arrive until Thursday. The reports of the passengers having to poop in bags is very true. Regardless of what the cruise line is saying, my sister confirmed that....well I won't get graphic but thats what they have been having to do. The plumbing is not working anywhere on the ship. And although a sister ship gave them more supplies, passengers have gone into survival of the fittest mode and snatching up as much food as they put out, even if its more than they would normally eat. It's chaotic, and since my sister isn't the aggressive type, she has been only eating bread since the rations of hot food are taken up by the aggressors early.

 

I was going to post this thread yesterday, but I felt like this would end up okay. Now on the news they are reporting the ship is leaning to one side, and my dad says it may be because the bilge pumps don't have power to pump out water. That would mean the boat could sink/tip over. So yeah I'm getting a little nervous now. I just hope my sister makes it home safely and she can tell me all about her experience when she gets home. I'll update you guys of course

.

 

I think they were going to use one tug boat, but on the news they just said another one was going to be hooked up tonight at midnight, and then they would be on their way towards Mobile Alabama at ~4mph. Just to give you an idea of how incompetent Carnival is, we were told they would be arriving in Progresso Mexico Wednesday, then while eating dinner we get an automated phone call informing us the ship has drifted 90 miles north, and they will now be heading to Alabama and wont arrive until Thursday. We've actually been getting most of the updates from a combination of the Carnival Facebook page and the local news which has been covering the story

 

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=512862&page=1

[MrTexTJ]

Our daughter is on that cruise and was able to call us last night when another cruise ship came along side. She said the conditions were not improving with the odors and restroom situation. She disputed the CC reporting of 1/2 public restrooms working. She hasn't found one working as of last night. The sandwich line takes over 2 hours and people in the front are taking more than they need and the back of the line gets what's left. She is only getting bread and salad. They should be rationing, but you would think people would know better than to act like this will be their last meal... She is using a bucket for a toilet. She does not report the ship leaning, but we didn't ask her. People are dragging their mattresses out onto the decks to sleep. The crew is being very helpful, but many cruisers are causing caos. We hope they will make it to Mobile sooner than later. We probably won't hear from her again until they get to Mobile unless another cruise ship comes by...

[MrTexTJ]

We also got the call when they decided to divert to Alabama and thought it was a little odd that they said they would be arriving there on Thursday, about the same time as they predicted for Mexico. They always said it would be Wednesday to arrive in Mexico.... losing some credibility in my eyes....

[Breezy72]

guess we'll have to think twice when we say "a bad day at sea is better then a good day at work....."

 

I thought the saying went "a bad day of golf is better than a good day at work"! :p Just thinking these people are preferring "a good day at work" about now!

[Breezy72]

Our daughter is on that cruise and was able to call us last night when another cruise ship came along side. She said the conditions were not improving with the odors and restroom situation. She disputed the CC reporting of 1/2 public restrooms working. She hasn't found one working as of last night. The sandwich line takes over 2 hours and people in the front are taking more than they need and the back of the line gets what's left. She is only getting bread and salad. They should be rationing, but you would think people would know better than to act like this will be their last meal... She is using a bucket for a toilet. She does not report the ship leaning, but we didn't ask her. People are dragging their mattresses out onto the decks to sleep. The crew is being very helpful, but many cruisers are causing caos. We hope they will make it to Mobile sooner than later. We probably won't hear from her again until they get to Mobile unless another cruise ship comes by...

 

Wishing your daughter the very best. I can't imagine how nerve racking this must be for you... :( Positive thing is is that your daughter will probably have some great survival skills when she gets home!:)

[Wmiller86]

Reposting From the other thread disgusting part bolded:

 

 

Also on a gaming forum I frequent one of the guys there, his sister is on the ship:

 

 

.

 

 

 

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=512862&page=1

 

Thanks for that update- My wife has told me the exact same things last night when I was able to talk to her for a minute before being cutoff. Then she sent me the following texts-

Trying to call you back...

No tow boat yet

No potties working

No hot food

But free hot beer and wine

just wanted to hear your voice

 

This last one kinda choked me up!

[bobnsons]

We also got the call when they decided to divert to Alabama and thought it was a little odd that they said they would be arriving there on Thursday, about the same time as they predicted for Mexico. They always said it would be Wednesday to arrive in Mexico.... losing some credibility in my eyes....

 

 

I believe after the people at Carnival did some thinking it dawned on them the returning to Progresso was a terrible idea from the start. You could disembark the passengers then you would be having to charter international flights back to the states. After all the passengers had left, the ship would still be in Progresso. About the only thing on water that can be repaired there is an outboard engine. It would have to be towed to somewhere repairs could be made at a major shipyard, i.e. Moblie.

 

It makes sense.

[RD2GONOW]

Thanks for that update- My wife has told me the exact same things last night when I was able to talk to her for a minute before being cutoff. Then she sent me the following texts-

 

Trying to call you back...

No tow boat yet

No potties working

No hot food

But free hot beer and wine

just wanted to hear your voice

 

This last one kinda choked me up!

 

 

This had me a little choked up too. I can only imagine how I would feel if I were stuck on a cruise ship without my husband. I bet hearing your voice gave her renewed strength. I hope things get better for them soon! Sending prayers their way! And prayers your way also.

[CoronaCRZR]

This is extremely sad.

I hope this makes the ship builders think twice about how they design their ships and have redundant systems for electrical power and sewer systems. Pooping in a bag for days.....really !!!!!!

[jgreenwo17]

This is extremely sad.

I hope this makes the ship builders think twice about how they design their ships and have redundant systems for electrical power and sewer systems. Pooping in a bag for days.....really !!!!!!

Amen. They need to have redundant systems in place. I'm wondering if this isn't some sort of sabotage or are there inherent defects in these engine failures?

 

Carnival and other lines need to learn from these incidents and have contingent plans to keep the pax happier and more comfortable.

[dm33]

Why can't they evacuate people to another ship?

What's the point of having life boats if you're so afraid to use them.

[spencercoop]

Why can't they evacuate people to another ship?

What's the point of having life boats if you're so afraid to use them.

 

Lifeboats are not meant to be used in this type of situation. They are meant to be used when the ship is in a serious emergency, like it is sinking.

[spencercoop]

We also got the call when they decided to divert to Alabama and thought it was a little odd that they said they would be arriving there on Thursday, about the same time as they predicted for Mexico. They always said it would be Wednesday to arrive in Mexico.... losing some credibility in my eyes....

 

I think the reason why they are saying it would be the same time is for the fact that the ship drifted 90 miles away from Mexico. It would have taken them one more day to get to Mexico, thus making it Thursday.

[kennicott]

Reposting From the other thread disgusting part bolded:

"passengers have gone into survival of the fittest mode and snatching up as much food as they put out, even if its more than they would normally eat."

 

That's pretty sad, but not unusual. I recall shortly after the 1964 Good Friday earthquake hit Alaska. We were in Fairbanks, which didn't experience any quake damage, a couple of days later word got around that the harbor facilities and airports on the coast were out of commission so freight service to Alaska would be very limited. Almost immediately the panic began, people rushed to the markets, big guys with shopping carts muscling their way around, wrapping their arms around random loads of goods and throwing the stuff into their baskets. We have traveled the world for almost 23 years on ships. Really love cruising, but there is a down side to it as cruisers rank with the worst of them for pushing and shoving.

 

Guess they never read Matthew 25:35 "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me."

 

On a lighter note: Wonder if they let you pee over the rail now.

[MrTexTJ]

Well, CC called to inform us that they have decided the best way to get everyone back from Mobile to Galveston is to bus them back. My first thought was ---four days without a bath or shower and put everyone in a bus for an eight hour ride----yikes! But then they said they would put everyone up in hotels to get cleaned up before the ride.

We haven't talked with our daughter today. We hope all is well....

[spencercoop]

Well, CC called to inform us that they have decided the best way to get everyone back from Mobile to Galveston is to bus them back. My first thought was ---four days without a bath or shower and put everyone in a bus for an eight hour ride----yikes! But then they said they would put everyone up in hotels to get cleaned up before the ride.

We haven't talked with our daughter today. We hope all is well....

 

I thought they were busing people who wanted to leave on Thursday night, but if you wanted to wait until Friday morning you could fly to Houston.

 

Have they now decided to bus everyone to Galveston?

[Ykgorbie]

Just watched the video of Gerry Cahill's press conference and he said those that want to start travelling on Thursday night can choose to use the buses they have arranged for to get to airports. Carnival have also booked 1500 hotel rooms for guests who want to overnight before heading to the airports Friday morning.

They also have transportation arranged for that. They have chartered 20 planes to fly people home.

[FnyFACEnAL]

I believe this incident would be the hardest on the elderly, handicapped and the very young (and their folks). Our prayers are with all of those onboard but especially these groups.

 

We live in AL and have always been told that a ship larger than the fantasy class could not navigate the channel in Mobile. Should be interesting.

[Cruisercl]

Just watched the video of Gerry Cahill's press conference and he said those that want to start travelling on Thursday night can choose to use the buses they have arranged for to get to airports. Carnival have also booked 1500 hotel rooms for guests who want to overnight before heading to the airports Friday morning.

They also have transportation arranged for that. They have chartered 20 planes to fly people home.

 

This is the best news I have heard in this unfortunate situation. I am glad Carnival is offering some 'care taking' to these stranded passengers once they come home. IMO this is a very uncomfortable, and stressful situation for them; not at all the vacation they planned on.

[The Rowdys]

thank God everyone is safe and a little closer to home!