Image by aresauburn™ via Flickr
Imagine saving for a couple of years to take the cruise of a lifetime.
Sunshine. Flip flops. Saucy music. Fantastic food. Different port every day. Gorgeous scenery. Hiking. Dancing. Swimming. Someone else doing your laundry. Lest we not forget the shopping…ohhh the shopping!
Then suddenly you on a huge boat with no water, no electricity and there’s smoke filling the cabin.
Anyone thinking Titanic without the ice bergs?
Sadly that’s what the people on the Carnival Splendor faced earlier this week. In the flash of an eye they went from never ending buffets to eating hot dog salad, green bean sandwiches and Spam dropped on deck by the US Navy. 
No power means no refrigeration! Could you imagine going from eating crab cakes and shrimp cocktail to green bean sandwiches?
Apparently there was an electrical fire in one of the generators of the Carnival Splendor cruise liner. This knocked out power on the ship which in turn meant no running water, refrigeration, air conditioning or operational toilets. Don’t forget this also meant the engines weren’t working.
So here are over 3,000 people with high expectations of a trip they’ll never forget. Only I don’t think this is what they had in mind.
The crew was able to get some back up generators going to provide water and working toilets but the engines remained down as well as the refrigeration.
Needless to say it was a tense situation. To ease tensions the cruise liner opened the bar.
That’s right, give warm beer and liquor to masses of irritated people confined in small area!
The Carnival Splendor finally made it to the San Diego bay today. All the people were happy to be back on land. Some were eager to hit the high seas again although I can’t imagine why! All things considered, this bad situation could have been worse but there were no reports of injury and most everyone seemed genuinely in good spirits upon departure from the cruise ship.
As a consolation for the problematic trip, Carnival Cruise has refunded everyone their money. Additionally Carnival Cruise has offered each of them a free cruise for future use.
A cruise is suppose to be the ultimate vacation; a trip of a lifetime. This was certainly an unforgettable trip, wouldn’t you say?
