Cruise Line Stuck off Coast of Mexico

On Monday, the Carnival Splendor cruise ship stopped in the Pacific Ocean 50 miles west of Punta San Jacinto. The vessel was unable to continue its journey due to an engine room fire that disabled the propulsion system. The luxury liner, which was carrying close to 3,300 passengers and 1,200 crewmembers, received assistance yesterday from a Navy aircraft carrier that brought the stranded vacationers food, water and other provisions. Restaurants, bars and casinos were closed, and many of the inner rooms were pitch black due to a power outage, forcing passengers to prop open their doors to let in air and light. Since the ship was far enough away to be out of cell-phone range, many could not reach their families and friends to let them know what was happening. Unfortunately, the damage to the engine room and power sources was too significant to attempt a repair at sea, so tug boats were dispatched from the Mexican city of Ensenada to tow the ship back to San Diego. It is expected to arrive tomorrow. As far as the guests of the cruise line, Carnival plans on refunding them their money and providing them with vouchers for future cruises.