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Video shows carnival cruise ship in disarray after ‘horrific’ south carolina storm.

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Terrified passengers on a Carnival cruise were left vomiting after a torrential storm pounded the ship in South Carolina — flooding the vessel and ripping doors off their hinges.

The Carnival Sunshine was returning to Charleston following a week-long trip in the Bahamas when it got caught in wild weather and rough seas over the Memorial Day weekend.

Videos shared online by vacationers show flooded hallways littered with glass and other debris, doors ripped off their hinges and downed pipes laying soaked on the floor.

The ship’s crew members were forced to evacuate their flooded quarters, according to a video shared on Twitter that shows the area in disarray.

Throughout the storm, several passengers also complained they were starting to feel sick due to the boat’s rough movements.

One traveler described being able to “smell people being sick walking down the halls,” the Daily Mail Reported .

Cruise-goer RJ Whited, who was celebrating his engagement to fiancé Tracy on the Carnival Sunshine, told WCIV that the ship was shaking “so violently.”

Passengers also complained that they didn’t hear from the ship’s captain or any crew members for hours during the chaos.

“They left us blind,” passenger Daniel Taylor told the outlet. “Not reassuring us about what was going on, where we were headed to, what the plan was. They could have updated us and let us know something.”

Another passenger, Christa Seifert-Alicea, said they didn’t receive word from the captain or crew for more than 12 hours.

“What we endured is indescribable, not only to feel it yourself but to hear and see it set in on every single person around you from adult, child and the elderly is something I will never forget,” Seifer-Alicea said.

Water damage and broken glass were left in the hallways and rooms following the storm.

A Carnival spokesperson said only a “small number” of passengers and crew members required “minor assistance.”

“Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday. Guests on board the ship were safe. Our medical staff helped a small number of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance,” the cruise liner said in a statement to WCIV.

“The weather’s prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship’s arrival on Sunday and as a result, the next voyage’s embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests.”

The spokesperson added that the Carnival Sunshine is now sailing on a five-day Bahamas cruise and will return to Charleston on Thursday.

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A Photo History Of Carnival Cruise Ship Disasters

Problems started early for carnival: the tss mardi gras, its first cruise ship, ran aground on a sandbar during its inaugural voyage, in 1972..

Everything was fine until July 1998, when a fire started in the main laundry room of the Ecstasy, soon after the ship left Miami.

A fleet of tugboats fought the fire and pulled the ship to shore, but not before 8 passengers and 14 crew members were injured.

Repairs cost $17 million.

[Source: NTSB ]

A little more than a year later, a fire started in the engine room of the Tropicale (later renamed Ocean Dream). The ship was left stranded in the path of Tropical Storm Harvey, but no one was injured.

In November 2010, the Carnival Splendor lost power after an engine room fire, and was towed to shore by tugboats.

The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan brought supplies, including Spam and Pop-Tarts, when food supplies on board ran low.

[Source: CNN ]

The ship finally reached shore three days after the fire.

After spending three days without air conditioning and hot water, passengers finally escaped the ship.

Carnival's most serious problem came in January 2012. The Costa Concordia, operated by a Carnival subsidiary, ran aground off the coast of Italy and partially sunk.

32 people died.

In a show of sympathy, the flags at the Carnival headquarters in Doral, Florida were flown at half-mast.

Last month, Italian prosecutors officially sought to indict Captain Francesco Schettino on manslaughter charges.

[Source: The Guardian ]

The wrecked Costa Concordia is still sitting half-submerged in Italy. An incredibly complex, $400 million operation to remove it should be complete by next summer.

In February 2013, an engine room fire led to a power loss on the Carnival Triumph, stranding the ship in the Gulf of Mexico.

It took five days to tow the enormous vessel back to port, and its passengers were stuck on a ship with few working toilets and no power.

Some of the 4,229 passengers have filed a class-action lawsuit against Carnival, but because they signed waivers, they likely won't win.

In March, the problems continued for Carnival: The diesel generator in the Dream malfunctioned while the ship was at port in St Maarten.

Passengers were flown home, and will receive a refund equal to the equivalent of three days of the trip, plus half-off on a future cruise.

Just a week later, the Carnival Legend had a technical issue with its sailing speed, and was sent back to its destination in Tampa, canceling a scheduled stop. Passengers received a $100 credit.

The recent string of incidents has hurt Carnival's bottom line, but not seriously: Its quarterly earnings and revenue beat market expectations.

Now see how another company has faced disaster.

DON'T MISS: How America's Coolest Automaker Crashed So Hard, So Fast >

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A Photo History Of Carnival Cruise Ship Disasters

In mid-February, an engine room fire onboard the Carnival Cruises ship Triumph left more than 4,000 passengers stranded in the Gulf of Mexico, with no hot water and few working toilets.

A month later, just as the incident was fading from the public eye, the diesel generator in the Carnival Dream malfunctioned, while the ship was at port, and passengers were flown home.

The next week, Carnival Legend had a technical issue with its sailing speed, and was sent back to its destination in Tampa, canceling a scheduled stop.

This recent string of public relations disasters is not a new phenomenon for Carnival: Its first ship ran aground on a sandbar on its inaugural voyage. There have been fires on four ships since 1998.

The Costa Concordia, operated by a Carnival subsidiary, struck a reef of the coast of Italy in January 2012, killing 32 people.

But despite its checkered past, the increased cost of maintaining its aging fleet, and the need to cut prices to draw customers put off by recent fires and strandings, Carnival's bottom line has not badly suffered.

In fact, its quarterly earnings and revenue just beat market expectations, and Carnival executives say bookings have already bounced back in the wake of the heavily publicized Triumph disaster.

Problems started early for Carnival: The TSS Mardi Gras, its first cruise ship, ran aground on a sandbar during its inaugural voyage, in 1972.

Everything was fine until July 1998, when a fire started in the main laundry room of the Ecstasy, soon after the ship left Miami.

A fleet of tugboats fought the fire and pulled the ship to shore, but not before 8 passengers and 14 crew members were injured.

Repairs cost $17 million.

[Source: NTSB ]

A little more than a year later, a fire started in the engine room of the Tropicale (later renamed Ocean Dream). The ship was left stranded in the path of Tropical Storm Harvey, but no one was injured.

In November 2010, the Carnival Splendor lost power after an engine room fire, and was towed to shore by tugboats.

The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan brought supplies, including Spam and Pop-Tarts, when food supplies on board ran low.

[Source: CNN ]

The ship finally reached shore three days after the fire.

After spending three days without air conditioning and hot water, passengers finally escaped the ship.

Carnival's most serious problem came in January 2012. The Costa Concordia, operated by a Carnival subsidiary, ran aground off the coast of Italy and partially sunk.

32 people died.

In a show of sympathy, the flags at the Carnival headquarters in Doral, Florida were flown at half-mast.

Last month, Italian prosecutors officially sought to indict Captain Francesco Schettino on manslaughter charges.

[Source: The Guardian ]

The wrecked Costa Concordia is still sitting half-submerged in Italy. An incredibly complex, $400 million operation to remove it should be complete by next summer.

In February 2013, an engine room fire led to a power loss on the Carnival Triumph, stranding the ship in the Gulf of Mexico.

It took five days to tow the enormous vessel back to port, and its passengers were stuck on a ship with few working toilets and no power.

Some of the 4,229 passengers have filed a class-action lawsuit against Carnival, but because they signed waivers, they likely won't win.

In March, the problems continued for Carnival: The diesel generator in the Dream malfunctioned while the ship was at port in St Maarten.

Passengers were flown home, and will receive a refund equal to the equivalent of three days of the trip, plus half-off on a future cruise.

Just a week later, the Carnival Legend had a technical issue with its sailing speed, and was sent back to its destination in Tampa, canceling a scheduled stop. Passengers received a $100 credit.

The recent string of incidents has hurt Carnival's bottom line, but not seriously: Its quarterly earnings and revenue beat market expectations.

Now see how another company has faced disaster.

DON'T MISS: How America's Coolest Automaker Crashed So Hard, So Fast >

• Main content

Carnival passengers recount ‘nightmare’ cruise as storm floods ship

Videos showed the carnival sunshine cabins and hallways flooding and ceilings leaking.

Matthew Branham and his fiancée, Madison Davis, were lying by a Carnival Sunshine pool on Friday aboard a cruise returning to Charleston, S.C., from the Bahamas when an announcement came over the loudspeaker. The captain was expecting rougher weather that evening, but there was nothing to worry about. So Branham and Davis didn’t worry.

As the day went on, “We noticed it started getting cooler in the afternoon — much, much cooler,” said Branham, 25, of Castlewood, Va. “And then it was like a switch was flipped, and it literally turned into a nightmare.”

En route back to Charleston Friday night into Saturday, the Carnival Sunshine navigated into a strong storm system that battered the southeast over the holiday weekend. Videos emerged on social media showing cabins and hallways flooding, shop floors littered with destroyed merchandise and leaking ceilings . Passenger Brad Morrell snapped a photo of an automated instrument map reporting a 69 knot, or 79 mph, wind.

#CarnivalSunshine : Due to return to Charleston, South Carolina this Saturday, May 27, 2023, has been delayed due to severe weather. The ship is currently off the South Carolina coast and holding position, unable to return to the port because of high winds & rough seas. #cruise 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/2B6HlAn2yD — ∼Marietta (@MariettaDaviz) May 28, 2023

Carnival said in a statement that the weather was unexpectedly strong, causing conditions that were rougher than forecast, but that its fleet operations center team, which relies on outside meteorology resources for itinerary planning, “coordinated to keep the ship in its safest location.”

“Attempting to sail out of the large front could have been dangerous,” the statement continued. “The ship proceeded to the port as soon as the weather began to clear.”

Strong Southeast storm slams Carolinas

Carnival said the captain made “several announcements about the weather and the delay it caused in returning to Charleston, asking guests to use extra precaution while walking around the ship.” Additionally, “some of the worst weather occurred in the overnight hours when announcements are not typically made, but guests and crew were safe.”

The ship’s medical staff did help a “small number” of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance following the storm. Despite the significant damage and a delay in schedule, Carnival Sunshine embarked on its next five-day Bahama sailing on Saturday.

From their sea-view room, Branham and Davis watched as waves surged over their window and braced themselves as the 892-foot-long ship lurched in the storm.

“Waves were hitting the boat so hard that it was like an earthquake experience, jarring you like a really rough roller coaster — even in the middle floor,” Branham said.

They were told to stay in their cabins. Meanwhile, Branham said, TVs were falling off walls, and glassware was sliding off shelves and shattering on the floor. “You could not stand up in your room,” he said. “You could be thrown from the bed.”

They packed up their belongings when their floor started to flood and took shelter in a main lobby area.

“All of the employees were sprinting downstairs with life vests,” Branham said. “There were little kids besides us screaming and crying and throwing fits.”

Throughout the storm, Branham wondered why there weren’t more announcements from Carnival staff. Besides the warning of rougher seas earlier Friday and one Saturday morning after they’d weathered the storm, Branham said they weren’t given any official updates on their situation. When he asked workers what was going on, they told him not to worry.

⁦⁦ @CarnivalCruise ⁩ #carnivalsunshine still 75mph winds at 9:25am. Sitting and spinning in the Atlantic. pic.twitter.com/NITCO2l9Ss — FlyersCaptain™®© (@flyerscaptain) May 29, 2023

“But you see rooms flooded, and you can pick up a handful of sand and you’re kind of like, ‘What in the world? Why is nobody telling us anything?’” Branham said.

Jim Walker, a maritime lawyer and cruise industry legal expert, says his firm has been contacted by some Carnival Sunshine passengers who were injured during the storm, including a man who says he was struck by a door and broke his foot. Others have asked him about the potential for a class-action lawsuit.

While Walker said passengers should make their complaints known to Carnival, he doesn’t believe filing a lawsuit would be an efficient next step. Instead, impacted passengers can ask Carnival for a refund or a credit for another cruise, although there’s no guarantee the cruise line will grant such requests.

Pete Peterson, owner of Storybook Cruises , which is affiliated with Cruise Planners, said cruise ships keep a close eye on weather developments and will adjust their itinerary depending on the severity of the storm.

“Cruise lines monitor the weather all the time. They’re not going to put their passengers in harm’s way,” said Peterson, who has been a cruise adviser for more than 20 years and has sailed on nearly 60 cruises. “Obviously, some cruise lines are better at doing this than others.”

In 2016, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas returned to port after cruising into a “bomb cyclone,” which damaged the ship amid winds gusting to 100 mph. The ship sailed into the remnants of Hurricane Hermine seven months later, causing additional problems.

To ensure the safety and comfort of its passengers, a cruise ship can alter its course and circumvent the rough weather system. In stormy conditions, the crew can deploy the stabilizers, which will prevent the ship from rolling and bucking.

“You don’t experience the up and down,” Peterson said. “It’s not as rough a ride.”

Both approaches can add to a cruise line’s expenditures, Peterson said. Stabilizers slow the vessel, thereby consuming more fuel. Sailing around the storm can take longer than the original route and disrupt the company’s cruise schedule, leading to delays or cancellations. The cruise line may have to reimburse passengers or provide them with future credits because of the inconvenience.

“When they do something like that, it’s going to cost them money,” Peterson said.

Craig Setzer , a meteorologist and hurricane preparedness specialist, said that even with the hurricane-like conditions and flooding, “I would never be in doubt of the vessel’s integrity,” he said. “Cruise ships are structurally very, very sound and can survive a lot. They’re really rugged.”

Matthew Cappucci contributed to this report.

More cruise news

Living at sea: Travelers on a 9-month world cruise are going viral on social media. For some travelers, not even nine months was enough time on a ship; they sold cars, moved out of their homes and prepared to set sail for three years . That plan fell apart, but a 3.5-year version is waiting in the wings.

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Carnival cruise ship passengers left terrified after ship sails through rough seas on return from Bahamas

Carnival sunshine’s return to charleston, south carolina, from the bahamas was delayed by the weather.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) – A cruise ship that navigated rough seas off the South Carolina coast over the Memorial Day weekend has resumed sailing on its next cruise, Carnival Cruise Lines said Monday.

Terrified passengers on the Carnival Sunshine took to social media to post video of water pouring through a flooded hallway on a cabin level and pictures of on-board stores in shambles, with merchandise strewn about on the floor as large waves swelled on the sea.

See the videos in the players above and below.

Passenger Daniel Taylor said the crew “left us blind, not reassuring us what was going on, where we were heading to, what the plan was,” WCIV-TV reported.

“They could have updated us and let us know something,” he said.

The Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston, South Carolina, from the Bahamas on Saturday was delayed by prolonged bad weather and rough seas in the area, the Miami-based company said in a statement to The Associated Press on Monday. The vessel’s next cruise scheduled to leave Charleston this weekend was delayed, but is now sailing, the statement said.

No serious injuries were reported.

“We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests,” Carnival said.

Copyright 2023 by KSAT - All rights reserved.

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Carnival cruise ship rescues nearly 30 people from adrift vessel

A Carnival Cruise Line ship rescued nearly 30 people who were stuck at sea on Sunday.

The crew on Carnival Paradise saved 28 Cuban nationals who were signaling for help on a vessel that was adrift around 2:30 p.m. The cruise ship was headed from Tampa, Florida, to Roatan in Honduras at the time.

“The bridge team onboard spotted the vessel and turned the ship around to rescue them,” Carnival said in a news release . “All were taken aboard, given food and were seen by the medical team.” The cruise line also notified the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West and officials in Roatan.

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

The Coast Guard did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

The ship was set to visit Roatan on Monday. Carnival Paradise is on a five-day Caribbean cruise that departed from Tampa on Saturday, according to CruiseMapper .

The news comes after Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Apex ship rescued seven people in a small vessel adrift between Cuba and Mexico earlier this month. Another Carnival ship, Carnival Jubilee, also rescued two people stuck in a kayak off the coast of Mexico’s Isla Mujeres in January.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Carnival cruise ship rescues nearly 30 people from adrift vessel

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A Luxury Cruise Ship, Stuck Off Greenland’s Coast for 3 Days, Is Pulled Free

The Ocean Explorer had been traveling toward Northeast Greenland National Park when it ran aground on Monday, officials said. The ship was pulled free on Thursday.

By Eduardo Medina

A luxury cruise ship that had been stuck for three days after running aground off the coast of Greenland was pulled free on Thursday morning, the authorities said.

The ship, the Ocean Explorer, had been carrying 206 passengers and crew members and was headed toward Alpefjord, in a remote corner of Greenland. The ship’s destination was the Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s northernmost national park, which is home to icebergs, glaciers and high mountains.

The Joint Arctic Command, which is part of Denmark’s defense forces, and SunStone Maritime Group , the coordinators of the rescue operation, said in statements on Thursday that the ship had been pulled free by a vessel named Tarajoq.

There were no reported injuries on board the ship, and there was no threat to the environment. The ship’s operator, Aurora Expeditions, a cruise company based in Australia, said in a statement on Thursday that “all onboard are safe” and that it appreciated “the patience and understanding of our passengers during this process.”

“We are waiting on the relevant authorities for advice regarding our next steps,” the company said.

The rescue came after an unsuccessful attempt on Wednesday, in which a fishing research vessel owned by the government of Greenland tried and failed to pull free the Ocean Explorer at high tide. Bad weather also slowed the government’s rescue operations, officials said.

Before the ship was freed, the Joint Arctic Command had said that “the crew and passengers are in a difficult situation, but after the circumstances, the atmosphere on the ship is good and everyone on board is fine.”

It was unclear what caused the ship to run aground near Greenland, which is part of Denmark but has autonomy over most domestic affairs. Officials said there were no indications that the ship had suffered serious damage to its foundation.

Cruises around Greenland have become increasingly popular with tourists seeking adventure and comfort aboard ships packed with amenities.The Ocean Explorer, built in 2021, was made to “travel to the world’s most remote destinations,” according to Aurora Expeditions’ website .

Prices for a 17-day expedition that tours Greenland start at more than $15,000 per person. The ship has a gym, a Jacuzzi and spacious suites that are 640 square feet, offering guests two large master bathrooms, one master bedroom and expansive views of the sea .

Photos of the stuck Ocean Explorer on Wednesday showed a blue-and-white ship floating in waters with frosted mountain peaks in the distance.

Extreme cold did not appear to be a major issue for stranded passengers on Wednesday: The temperature in the area was around 2.2 degrees Celsius, or about 36 degrees Fahrenheit, that night.

Jenny Gross contributed reporting.

Eduardo Medina is a reporter covering breaking news. More about Eduardo Medina

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A luxury cruise ship is pulled free 3 days after running aground in Greenland

The Associated Press

The Ocean Explorer, a Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship with 206 passengers and crew, which had run aground in northwestern Greenland, is pictured on Tuesday SIRIUS/Joint Arctic Command/AP hide caption

The Ocean Explorer, a Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship with 206 passengers and crew, which had run aground in northwestern Greenland, is pictured on Tuesday

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The luxury cruise ship MV Ocean Explorer was successfully pulled free on Thursday, three days after running aground in Greenland with 206 people on board, authorities and the ship's owner said.

The ship was freed by a fisheries research vessel at high tide, said the cruise ship's owner, Copenhagen-based SunStone Ships, and the Joint Arctic Command, which coordinated the operation.

"There have not been any injuries to anybody onboard, no pollution of the environment and no breach of the hull," SunStone Ships said in a statement. The research vessel which pulled the cruise ship belongs to the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, a government agency, it said.

It said the cruise ship and its passengers will now travel to a port where the damage to the vessel's bottom can be assessed, and the passengers will be taken to a location from where they can be flown home. There was no immediate comment from the tour company that organized the trip, Australia-based Aurora Expeditions.

The Ever Forward is finally free from the Chesapeake Bay — one month later

The cruise ship ran aground Monday above the Arctic Circle in Alpefjord in Northeast Greenland National Park, the world's northernmost national park. The park is nearly the size of France and Spain combined, and approximately 80% is covered by an ice sheet. Alpefjord is about 240 kilometers (150 miles) from the closest settlement, Ittoqqortoormiit, which is nearly 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) from the country's capital, Nuuk.

The Bahamas-flagged cruise ship has passengers from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. It has an inverted bow, shaped like the one on a submarine, 77 cabins, 151 passenger beds and 99 beds for crew, and several restaurants.

Earlier Thursday, Aurora Expeditions said three passengers had COVID-19.

"These passengers are currently in isolation. They are looked after by our onboard doctor, medical team and crew, and they are doing well," it said in a statement. Others on the MV Ocean Explorer are "safe and healthy," it said.

Australian newspaper The Sydney Morning Herald quoted a retiree from Australia who is on the ship, Steven Fraser, as saying: "Everyone's in good spirits. It's a little bit frustrating, but we are in a beautiful part of the world."

Fraser told the newspaper that he had come down with COVID-19 on the ship.

Cmdr. Brian Jensen of the Joint Arctic Command told Greenland broadcaster KNR that the ship is likely to go to Iceland, the closest place with large ports.

Beyond the Poles: The far-reaching dangers of melting ice

The unexpected link between imperiled whales and greenland's melting ice.

"Now it is exciting to find out what the condition of the ship is," Jensen was quoted as saying by KNR. "They are in the process of investigating whether the ship is intact and seaworthy and ready to sail on."

The ship's owner said several other vessels had rushed to the scene "and offered their assistance, which however, was not needed." It said it had also "arranged additional tug assistance in case it was needed, however, this has now been canceled."

Dozens of cruise ships sail along Greenland's coast every year so passengers can admire the picturesque mountainous landscape, waterways packed with icebergs of different sizes and glaciers jutting out into the sea.

Danish broadcaster DR said there were 400 cruises in Greenland in 2022 and 600 cruises in 2023.

The Danish Maritime Authority asked police in Greenland to investigate why the ship ran aground and whether any laws had been violated, a police statement said, adding that no one has been charged or arrested. An officer has been on board the ship to carry out "initial investigative steps, which, among other things, involve questioning the crew and other relevant persons on board," it said.

A cruise ship passenger was rescued by the Coast Guard after hours in Gulf waters

The cruise liner began its current trip on Sept. 2 in Kirkenes in Arctic Norway and was due to return to Bergen, Norway, on Sept. 22, according to SunStone Ships.

The primary mission of the Joint Arctic Command is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faeroe Islands and Greenland, including the Arctic Ocean in the north. Greenland is a semi-independent territory that is part of the Danish realm, as are the Faeroe Islands.

• cruise ships

New Carnival Cruise Lines slogans? (and other jokes)

by Janice Hough | Nov 10, 2010 | Uncategorized

Passengers on the Carnival Splendor may not think the current situation is very funny. And yeah, being adrift in the Pacific off the coast of Mexico while you’re supposed to be on a vacation isn’t probably anyone’s idea of a good time.

In short, for anyone who hasn’t heard the story, an engine room fire knocked out the ship’s main power sources, including the engines. And while the cruise line has gotten toilets working again, they have no hot food and no air-conditioning. On the other hand, everyone appears to be safe. Carnival has already promised passengers a full refund. Plus, the passengers’ fares are being credited towards any future cruise.

If the line is smart, they are being most generous with nonperishables aboard including things like beer and rum.

In fact, Carnival’s “Fun Ship” slogan actually originated after their first ship, the “Mardi Gras,” ran aground on her maiden voyage while leaving Miami and was stuck, within sight of the port, for 24 hours on a sandbar.

As the story goes, the cruise line, however, decided to open the bar, and passengers later said they had a great time.

Admittedly, being stuck on a sandbar near Miami was probably more relaxing than being adrift, but no doubt years from now this will be an interesting, and maybe even funny, story for many if not most of the passengers.

There may be a silver lining to this story. Passengers are without cellphone service, another casualty of the power loss. This probably means some passengers are taking a break from work for the first time in years.

In the meantime, here are a few potential new Carnival slogans.

“When you’re hot you’re hot.”

“A three-hour tour.”

“Row, row, row your boat…”

“The hottest experience at sea.”

“When you really want to get away…”

“Come drift away with me.”

“Smoke on the water.”

“Carnival cruising – unplugged”

“Escape from the ordinary. We’re really not kidding this time.”

No doubt readers can add to and perhaps improve on these ideas.

This experience may, however, help eliminate one of the most frequently asked bizarre onboard questions (have heard this from more than one cruise ship employee) — “Where do they plug the ship in at night?”

Wonder if passenger with medical marijuana prescriptions are allowed to cope with the stress by lighting up. If so, it will really be “Splendor on the Grass.”

And finally, many passengers have to think, it could be worse, Kathy Lee Gifford could be stuck on board with them.

Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)

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• American Cruise Lines

American Jazz stuck on Sandbar

By BaumD , July 9, 2021 in American Cruise Lines

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Just heard on news that the Jazz has been stuck since Wednesday on a sandbar in Kentucky. Looks like she was outside of the channel markers and is stuck in 4’ of water. 

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twototravel

Hmmm, I wonder how many cruises the boat captain has done, or was he/she a recent hire as well? Seems like ACL is just not doing well at all with their recent sailings.

6 hours ago, BaumD said: Just heard on news that the Jazz has been stuck since Wednesday on a sandbar in Kentucky. Looks like she was outside of the channel markers and is stuck in 4’ of water. 

In the cruise we had on Queen of the Mississippi at the end of May, we had no paddlewheel because on the prior cruise the captain at the time had backed it into an obstacle and damaged it.  On our last night in New Orleans we went to a boat yard (if you can't fix it feature it) and got to see the paddlewheel re-installed over night....

The latest ---

The   American Jazz   river cruise ship got stuck on a sandbar in Kentucky's Lake Barkley on July 7, and operator American Cruise Lines said Friday that the effort to free the ship was taking longer than expected.

American Cruise Lines said it was working with the Coast Guard on Friday morning to disembark guests via tender and transport them to Nashville for regularly scheduled shore excursions.

The American Jazz was on an eight-day cruise from Memphis to Nashville. American Cruise Lines said the ship was not damaged and that the incident resulted in no pollution to Lake Barkley.

In a statement, American Cruise Lines said it has been operating in Lake Barkley for nearly 10 years.

"While we regret this incident, we look forward to continuing to visit and explore the wonderful ports and communities along the Cumberland River with our small riverboats," said the company.

American Cruise Lines   took delivery of the 190-passenger American Jazz   last year. The vessel is in the company's class of modern riverboats.

suzyluvs2cruise

Yikes! we're scheduled on American Jazz on July 23rd. Sure hope all goes well with her after they get her off the sandbar. 

3 hours ago, suzyluvs2cruise said: Yikes! we're scheduled on American Jazz on July 23rd. Sure hope all goes well with her after they get her off the sandbar.   

Please report back how you enjoyed your cruise. We are on the Jazz in October.  happy sailing. 

Host Jazzbeau

Here's an article about this on SeaTrade Cruise News:

American Jazz grounds on sandbar, no damage or injuries reported

14 hours ago, vino100 said: Please report back how you enjoyed your cruise. We are on the Jazz in October.  happy sailing. 

Texasramblinreck

Yikes! we're scheduled on American Jazz on July 23rd. Sure hope all goes well with her after they get her off the sandbar.   

We were scheduled for July 11 and it was canceled!  I found out 3:30 this morning before going to airport. Tried to rebook for July 25, but our cabin class not available and I didn’t want to downgrade.  We rebooked for Aug 1 the reverse direction from Memphis to Nashville in the same cabin class, everything the same except staying in Graceland hotel instead of Opryland hotel.  It will cost me about $682 more in airfare to switch everything, I’m going to complain but it probably want do any good, we will see.  This is our first ACL and I know things happen, but I emailed customer service 4 times on Friday and no response, not a good way to start off.

Have family that live 1/2 mile from bridge where you could view the American Jazz.  They report that the sand bar is the bottom of the lake and the ship is NOT in the channel.  Lots of barges go through that same area.

So sorry people's cruise ended like this.

5 hours ago, Texasramblinreck said:     Yikes! we're scheduled on American Jazz on July 23rd. Sure hope all goes well with her after they get her off the sandbar.    We were scheduled for July 11 and it was canceled!  I found out 3:30 this morning before going to airport. Tried to rebook for July 25, but our cabin class not available and I didn’t want to downgrade.  We rebooked for Aug 1 the reverse direction from Memphis to Nashville in the same cabin class, everything the same except staying in Graceland hotel instead of Opryland hotel.  It will cost me about $682 more in airfare to switch everything, I’m going to complain but it probably want do any good, we will see.  This is our first ACL and I know things happen, but I emailed customer service 4 times on Friday and no response, not a good way to start off.  

Wow! I'm sorry to hear this. Did they also cancel the 7/18 cruise? or wasn't that an option for you. Hopefully ACL will have some compensation for the airfare change fees as it wasn't your fault the cruise was cancelled. We're also 1st time ACL cruisers. 

An interesting article, with video, from a local perspective. 

American Jazz Cruise Ship Gets Stuck in a Duck Hunting Spot on Lake Barkley

4 hours ago, suzyluvs2cruise said: An interesting article, with video, from a local perspective.    American Jazz Cruise Ship Gets Stuck in a Duck Hunting Spot on Lake Barkley

I send you a post under Meals on American Jazz

DaveinCharlotte

6 hours ago, suzyluvs2cruise said: An interesting article, with video, from a local perspective. 

That was interesting, thank you.  So Jazz was 100 yards off the channel!  Wow.

American Jazz remains grounded on the Sandbar. Dive teams are assessing how to safely refloat the boat. Hoping they're able refloat her safely and without any damage. 

American Jazz Remains Grounded

On 7/10/2021 at 6:40 PM, suzyluvs2cruise said:   Wow! I'm sorry to hear this. Did they also cancel the 7/18 cruise? or wasn't that an option for you. Hopefully ACL will have some compensation for the airfare change fees as it wasn't your fault the cruise was cancelled. We're also 1st time ACL cruisers. 

Just wanted to let you know, ACL was authorized to refund $250 each, but the customer service rep said she would try to get the whole $721 I was out for rebooking.  Just a heads up airlines are really jacking prices up, the one way flightI booked Saturday went up over $200 by Monday.  All my excursions were moved over to my August 1 cruise and Grand Ole Opry tickets were included at the end of cruise.  The damn Jazz is still stuck, but hoping everything works out, they need to get back to Memphis for the July 18th cruise.  One piece of luck in this ordeal, we might have dryer weather in August, Tennessee & Kentucky has had thunderstorms Sunday, Monday and Today and forecasted for tomorrow.

1 hour ago, Texasramblinreck said: Just wanted to let you know, ACL was authorized to refund $250 each, but the customer service rep said she would try to get the whole $721 I was out for rebooking.  Just a heads up airlines are really jacking prices up, the one way flightI booked Saturday went up over $200 by Monday.  All my excursions were moved over to my August 1 cruise and Grand Ole Opry tickets were included at the end of cruise.  The damn Jazz is still stuck, but hoping everything works out, they need to get back to Memphis for the July 18th cruise.  One piece of luck in this ordeal, we might have dryer weather in August, Tennessee & Kentucky has had thunderstorms Sunday, Monday and Today and forecasted for tomorrow.

The July 18 cruise is also cancelled per ACL. Jazz is still stuck on the sandbar and will need to be evaluated for any damage after they get her off. Glad they're working with you (as they should) and hope you're made whole with compensation. 

3 hours ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:   The July 18 cruise is also cancelled per ACL. Jazz is still stuck on the sandbar and will need to be evaluated for any damage after they get her off. Glad they're working with you (as they should) and hope you're made whole with compensation. 

I’m sorry to hear, but it gives me great concern, that leaves only the July 25 before ours.  I just a email back to my contact person and told her if the Jazz is not off tomorrow or Thursday at the latest, I would exercise one of my options to reschedule on another ship if I can get the cabin I want or just receive the full refund.  Thanks again, I didn’t know about 18th cancellation, I wonder if anything has been said to the 25th people, I think I remember someone on that cruise

My bad suzyluvs2cruise, I think that’s you.

Yes.....we're booked for July 25. I've lost my enthusiasm, for now, with not knowing what may be happening. Hopefully we'll know more soon.

  American Jazz Update July 14 '21

4 hours ago, suzyluvs2cruise said: Yes.....we're booked for July 25. I've lost my enthusiasm, for now, with not knowing what may be happening. Hopefully we'll know more soon.     American Jazz Update July 14 '21

I know what you mean, I have been dealing with this since Saturday and have tried to be positive,  finally I was feeling good until I heard about the 18th being canceled.  The option I thought I had to rebook on the Upper Mississippi, went away, so I’m down to just getting a full refund if something doesn’t happen soon.  Not sure how much longer I’m willing to give them before I just request a refund.  I’m not going through all the hassle again.  I told the customer service rep, if not resolved by tomorrow we need to look at refund.  I guess I could wait until Monday, this is all so stressful.  Like you don’t know why it’s taken over a week now and ACL does not keep people informed at all!

20 hours ago, Texasramblinreck said: I know what you mean, I have been dealing with this since Saturday and have tried to be positive,  finally I was feeling good until I heard about the 18th being canceled.  The option I thought I had to rebook on the Upper Mississippi, went away, so I’m down to just getting a full refund if something doesn’t happen soon.  Not sure how much longer I’m willing to give them before I just request a refund.  I’m not going through all the hassle again.  I told the customer service rep, if not resolved by tomorrow we need to look at refund.  I guess I could wait until Monday, this is all so stressful.  Like you don’t know why it’s taken over a week now and ACL does not keep people informed at all!

I found this article online today. I'm a bit concerned that IF the 7/25 cruise sails it could be less than great with new crew and/or unhappy crew. From reading some reviews of ACL I know they were having some start-up issues before this. 

Conditions on American Jazz

1 hour ago, suzyluvs2cruise said: I found this article online today. I'm a bit concerned that IF the 7/25 cruise sails it could be less than great with new crew and/or unhappy crew. From reading some reviews of ACL I know they were having some start-up issues before this.    Conditions on American Jazz

I saw the same review.  I really wish ACL would be more transparent about all this!  I have looked at alternate cruises like the Upper and Lower Mississippi but they are either full or almost there.  I noticed your cruise is full, that means you will have the 190 passengers instead of the 120 they have been running,  so the conditions will get worst unless they get more help!  The Jazz had 54 crew members, which I think they are supposed to have around 70.  One article yesterday that said they hired a savage company to inject high pressure water and get the ship off.  Can’t find anything as of today.  I guess I’ll wait it out and hope for the best, and just cancel if things don’t happen soon.  I know you guys are pulling your hair out, when was last time you talked to customer service?  If you call, just give you phone number for return call, they are pretty good about that.

im trying to be positive and roll with it, but it’s getting difficult.

4 hours ago, suzyluvs2cruise said: I found this article online today. I'm a bit concerned that IF the 7/25 cruise sails it could be less than great with new crew and/or unhappy crew. From reading some reviews of ACL I know they were having some start-up issues before this.    Conditions on American Jazz

I'm sorry to say, but this sounds like typical US cruise ship crew complaints.  Not sure how the crew are "overworked" when there are no passengers onboard.  The crew have signed a contract, called articles of shipping, with the Captain, for a specified time period.  While they are free to quit at any time, being US crew in a US port, on a US ship, their contract that they signed at the time of employment was very clear as to whether they were due transportation home if they quit.  Typically, either these shipping articles, or the crew's union contract will specify whether or not a ship being aground is cause for the crew to be allowed to leave the ship and get transportation home.  Not sure why the ship not docking in a port for a week is a "hardship", since fresh water and supplies were brought to the ship.  Maybe, because the crew have not been allowed off the ship in a week, which is a "true hardship" for a merchant mariner (which this crew is, per USCG).  As noted in ACL's statement, there are a minimum required manning for the ship, per the USCG, and so therefore some crew may not be able to leave when they feel like it (or if they do, as is their right as US citizens, they can be prosecuted by the USCG for violations of their merchant mariner documents.

Whole lot of whining and moaning here.

1 minute ago, chengkp75 said: I'm sorry to say, but this sounds like typical US cruise ship crew complaints.  Not sure how the crew are "overworked" when there are no passengers onboard.  The crew have signed a contract, called articles of shipping, with the Captain, for a specified time period.  While they are free to quit at any time, being US crew in a US port, on a US ship, their contract that they signed at the time of employment was very clear as to whether they were due transportation home if they quit.  Typically, either these shipping articles, or the crew's union contract will specify whether or not a ship being aground is cause for the crew to be allowed to leave the ship and get transportation home.  Not sure why the ship not docking in a port for a week is a "hardship", since fresh water and supplies were brought to the ship.  Maybe, because the crew have not been allowed off the ship in a week, which is a "true hardship" for a merchant mariner (which this crew is, per USCG).  As noted in ACL's statement, there are a minimum required manning for the ship, per the USCG, and so therefore some crew may not be able to leave when they feel like it (or if they do, as is their right as US citizens, they can be prosecuted by the USCG for violations of their merchant mariner documents.   Whole lot of whining and moaning here.

Thanks for weighing in. I agree....but was sharing it due to concerns about my upcoming cruise on 7/25. I'm trying to follow any information/updates and hope they get the boat safely off the Sandbar. 

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