2,224 passengers flown home after fire damages cruise ship

More than 2,000 cruise ship passengers were flown home from the Bahamas after a fire damaged their liner so badly their trip had to be cancelled.
By The Newsroom
Published 28th May 2013, 18:28 BST

The fire on Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas, which left Baltimore on Friday, lasted for about two hours but the company said the ship never lost power and was able to sail into port in Freeport, Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean’s Triumph ship was disabled by an engine room fire during a February cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Thousands of passengers endured cold food, unsanitary conditions and power cuts while the ship was towed to Mobile, Alabama. It remained there for repairs until early May when it headed back to sea under its own power.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Royal Caribbean said it is arranging flights for all 2,224 passengers on Grandeur of the Seas. It said they will receive a full refund and a voucher for a future cruise.

American passenger Andrea Sanders said she slept on the deck with hundreds of other passengers as smoke billowed out of the stern of the ship. “I was terrified with it being my first cruise,” she said.

Royal Caribbean said it was “deeply sorry for this unexpected development in our guests’ vacation. We understand that this may have been a very stressful time for them. We appreciate their patience and co-operation in dealing with this unfortunate situation.”

The ship will stay docked in Freeport at least overnight. America’s National Transportation Safety Board is to join the US Coast Guard in investigating the fire.