United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Carnival says its ships are seaworthy
Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald has said his ships are safe, after a court was told the organization knew of fire risk on Carnival Triumph.
In a conference call, Donald maintained: "Our ships are safe, sound and seaworthy."
The ship lost power after an engine room fire in February, just days after Carnival Cruise Lines is alleged to have known there was a risk Carnival Triumph could catch fire, according to court documents.
A compliance notice report was sent to the ship a month before fire broke out, on February 10.
The report recommended spray shields be installed on engines’ flexible fuel hoses, according to the documents filed in a Miami federal court this week.
A leak from an engine hose led to the fire, as the ship returned from Cozumel, Mexico. No one was injured, but the fire disabled the ship.
Lawyers for some of the 4,000 passengers described the situation as a "floating hell", according to a report in USA Today.
"Passengers described unsanitary conditions after the fire, as toilets stopped functioning and an unbearable stench drove many to camp out on the decks.
"The weary travelers finally disembarked in Alabama on February 15," USA Today added.
The documents, first reported by CNN, are part of a lawsuit that was filed in February against Carnival Cruise Lines and its parent Carnival Corporation on behalf of dozens of the Triumph’s passengers.
The court heard Carnival gave the ship until February 28 to comply with the recommendations.
In a statement, Carnival told USA Today the ship’s engines passed inspection before departure and its own recommendation to install spray shields on flexible fuel lines was beyond any required safety measures.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel