A crippled cruise ship has docked in Alabama, ending the holiday voyage that some passengers have described as 'hellish'. Around 4,000 on board were left without plumbing for four days following an engine room fire.
The #Carnival Triumph is expected to reach the Mobile, Alabama cruise terminal by 11 p.m. ET. http://t.co/LC3i8Mek
From @cnnbrk on Twitter:CNN has reported that the crippled Carnival Triumph cruise liner should dock in Mobile, Alabama tonight at 11pm ET (04:00 GMT this morning).
In a statement on the Carnival Cruise Lines website, Gerry Cahill, President and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines said: "We know it has been a longer journey back than we anticipated at the beginning of the week under very challenging circumstances.
"We are very sorry for what our guests have had to endure. Therefore, in addition to the full refund and future cruise credit already offered, we have decided to provide this additional compensation. I look forward to welcoming everyone to Mobile."
Our shoreside team has also secured hotel rooms in Mobile for today and tonight for the family members who have come to meet the ship.
From @CarnivalCruise on Twitter:We've gotten qstns about elderly & children & we've arranged for those with special needs to be among the first to debark.
From @CarnivalCruise on Twitter:The debark process will be challenging given the limited # of elevators & power. The disembarkation process could take as long as 4-5 hrs
From @CarnivalCruise on Twitter:A crippled cruise ship is set to dock in Mobile, Alabama tonight, ending the holiday voyage that some passengers have described as 'hellish'.
Passengers have been stranded on the Triumph, left adrift in the Gulf of Mexico, following an engine room fire which knocked the power and plumbing out across most of the vessel.
Passengers have described the overflowing toilets, with the ship's cabins and passages, soaked in raw sewage.
It is estimated it will take around five hours to unload the ship which is carrying 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew members.
The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation, after Carnival Cruise Lines acknowledged that the ship had been plagued by other mechanical problems in the weeks before the engine-room blaze.