Cruise Ship Passengers Return To San Diego Harbor

cbs ^ | November 11, 2010 10:55 AM

[BenLurkin]

Relieved passengers wheeled their suitcases down the gangplank of a disabled cruise ship Thursday, cheering as they finally touched land after three nightmarish days adrift with limited food, backed-up toilets and dark cabins.

Pulled by six tug boats and escorted by Coast Guard cutters, the nearly 1,000-foot Carnival Splendor reached the dock at about 8:30 a.m. PST.

The first group of passengers walked down a ramp about an hour later, dragging rolling suitcases behind them and entering a tent on the dock. With the ship’s elevators out of order, port officials estimated it would take about four hours for everyone to leave the ship.

It was gross when the toilets weren’t working. What can you do?” Harlan said. “There were a lot of people getting smashed off warm beer.”

People on the decks and about 100 onshore cheered loudly as the ship reached the dock, while all along the harbor, tourists, joggers and fishermen stopped to snap photos.

High up on a ship railing, someone had stuck a sign thanking the Coast Guard and a hand-drawn U.S. flag.

“We’re so happy to be getting off. Everybody’s been cheering and clapping,” passenger Fahizah Alim, 26, of Sacramento, said by cell phone.

“It’s been like a nightmare,” she said. “There’s been no food, no power, no electricity, no flushing toilets. I spent the night tossing and turning in my cabin in the dark.”

The ship left Long Beach on Sunday for a seven-day trip to the Mexican Riviera, only to return days early without ever reaching the beaches vacationers had hoped for. A fire in the engine room knocked out power Monday morning, leaving passengers with no air conditioning, no hot food, no hot water, no casino. The swimming pool was off-limits because there was no way to pump chlorine.

[Frantzie]

Carnival is garbage. Their ships are the worst. Steerage class for idiots. Lots of sweatshop jobs.

[Frantzie]

Carnival is garbage. Their ships are the worst. Steerage class for idiots. Lots of sweatshop jobs.

[CAluvdubya]

If Carnivbal is at the bottom of your list, who is at the top?

[WVKayaker]

Dude, what is your problem?

Have you ever been on a cruise ship?

Which one?

Where did you go?

Do you hate your mother?

[CAluvdubya]

Wow! You sure hate Carnival. Bad trip or just your usual charming self?

[al baby]

I love you. Now I am not the whipping boy of the thread anymore

[WVKayaker]

Best money spent is Celebrity for formal nights and great food. NCL offers a different "Freestyle" experience and has some great new ships. Royal Caribbean is a destination that goes to destinations. MSC is one of my faves due to its Italian heritage, crew, and food. They are family owned (Not THAT "family"). They all excel at cleanliness and offer a unique experience.

I am sailing on Celebrity Mercury on the 29th to the Caribbean for 12 days, and then on the NCL Jewel on a similar 10 day itinerary in January. Mercury from Baltimore, Jewel from NYC! Come along. I can get group rates from $600 ppdo! Balconies start at $1100, and suites are available (with your own butler) from $1800! That only $150 a day for the ultimate 12 days of "the good life"! Food, fun, and no repacking every day, yet you have a new experience each port!!! FReepmail me if interested.

- Celebrity Mercury jogging/walking track and pool deck!

[CAluvdubya]

You make it sound awesome! Too bad I can’t go anywhere until June. I’d really like to go on a cruise to Hawaii out of San Diego or L.A.

[Larry Lucido]

Get back on that whipping post!

[al baby]

We be doing that next OCT

[CAluvdubya]

Are you already booked? I don’t really know how far in advance you should plan.

[al baby]

yes it was either that or a divorce

[al baby]

No obviously it was just more damage than one would be lead to believe by saying one engine out of 6 like the others still worked not the case Thanks for your input

[WVKayaker]

For the best itinerary, NCL offers 7-day 4 island cruises. You must fly, unfortunately. The SAn Diego cruises don't operate during summer. October is the next available from SD. Late Sept from LA.

NCL Pride of America is American registry, The only one! They have a better in-port schedule offering the most time in port. You even cruise past a volcano spewing into the sea off the Big Island. The offerings from LA and SD are two weeks, so book two back-to-backs on the Pride. Similar bucks, better experience.

-click pic for NCL site. I can book a group for you. Kids sail for cheap, too, and they have EXCELLENT kids programs onboard.

[CAluvdubya]

I didn't even think of flying then cruising around the islands. Hmmmm, now you've really got me thinking....

How come there are no cruises in the summer from San Diego?

[WVKayaker]

How come there are no cruises in the summer from San Diego?

Alaska!

[50mm]

Get back on that whipping post!

Sometimes I feel
Sometimes I feel
Like I been
Tied to the whippin' post
Tied to the whippin' post
Good Lord, I feel like I'm dyin'

[EngineDad]

Actually, it was obvious to anyone who has spent time in an engine room.

Even a small fire in an engine room can get out of control quick. The heat from the fire causes all the paint to burn, wires melt, automation controls melt, gaskets in the oil and fuel lines burn away - literally adding fuel to the fire. Fighting an engine room fire is like fighting a fire in the dark. The ventilation system get secured to prevent the fire from spreading and the area fills with black smoke. Most ships only carry the minimum fire fighting equipment required by their flag state.

As far as 1 out of 6 engines go, they are probably all in the same vicinity and when one burned up, the fire spread rapidly and the rest went as well. The 6 engines were most likely generators providing power for propulsion motors and the electricity used everywhere else. Cruise ships are designed to have as small an engine room as possible to allow the vessel to carry as many passengers as possible, thus increased profits.

I've seen crankcase doors blown across an engine room due to a crankcase explosion. It is literally an explosion with fire ball and all. When that happens, it is the luck of the draw whether a fire is started or not.

I sailed Chief on ships with 60,000 plus horsepower. The diameter on one piston is 98 centimeters (3 ft). Most marine engines are large. Those who have not sailed or have not seen one can have a hard time visualizing the size of them. One 12 cylinder slow speed engine can be the size of a small town house unit.

so yeah, it was obvious...

[SamAdams76]

Carnival is probably the worst cruise line and it is a crappy industry anyway.

Royal Carribean...never had a bad experience with them. I've learned to board the ship with clothing one or two sizes larger because I gain about three pounds a day on these ships.

[SamAdams76]

Carnival is probably the worst cruise line and it is a crappy industry anyway.

Royal Carribean...never had a bad experience with them. I've learned to board the ship with clothing one or two sizes larger because I gain about three pounds a day on these ships.