Cruise ship reaches port after engine room fire

The 952ft Carnival Splendour reached port on Wednesday morning, towed by six tugs and escorted by the US Coast Guard.

But it was expected to take two hours to dock and several more hours before the 4,500 trapped passengers and crew could disembark. They were left queueing to eat sandwiches and other cold food since the ship lost power on Monday during a Mexican Riviera cruise from Long Beach, California.

US Navy helicopters flew in food and supplies from an aircraft carrier that was diverted from other manoeuvres.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Rachel Polish said docking would be difficult because the vessel had no propulsion: "It has to come in at a certain angle. You can't just pull it in as you would at a parking spot."

Most items that use electrical power were knocked out by the fire in an engine room. There was no air conditioning, hot food, hot water or casino. The swimming pool was off-limits because there was no way to pump chlorinated water and some of the plumbing was out of service.

"Every day is getting more frustrating for some people. You can tell some people are just angry," passenger Kate Kapelka told CBS TV yesterday.

"We're eating spoiled turkey sandwiches and warm milk and warm yoghurt," passenger Joey Noriega told reporters. "Everything smells like it's spoiled... Nothing's cooked. It's all sandwich meat. It's disgusting. You're afraid to eat it because it's been left out and touched by everybody else on the ship."

Passenger Valerie Ojeda told ABC TV that people were trying to make the best of the trip. The bar was open and offering free drinks, and there were musical bands and children's games.

Cruise director John Heald said in comments posted in a blog on Carnival Lines website that the people aboard "have risen to the obvious challenges."