Passengers count hours on 'floating petri dish' of a cruise ship as it limps to shore

[Billnew]

Passengers count hours on 'floating petri dish' of a cruise ship as it limps to shore - CNN.com

CNN) -- Squalid, smelly and steamy, the crippled cruise ship Carnival Triumph limped toward port on Thursday, its passengers and crew looking forward to an end to their hellish vacation.

One would think that once the sanitation stopped working, the cruise line would offer an organized evacuation of the ship, using the vessels that are bringing supplies. Every person removed is one less person to overload the backup systems and consuming less supplies.
How many people could have been removed in 5 days?

Governing the cruise ships is tough, because they operate in open waters, but there are laws on cruise ships, so who ever has set these should require a ship with no active sanitation must start removing passingers from the crippled ship.

How about a back up generator to keep food and sanitation working even if the engines quit working? Billion dollar ships and they can't drop in a back up generator or two?

I also believe there is limited liability to the cruise ship, so the people won't get much. They will get a cruise to make up for this one, and travel arrangements, maybe for amends the company may offer an extra cruise. I don't believe the passingers can sue for massive damages though.

 

[jayem]

It finally docked last night. A guy on the radio today said this gives new meaning to the term "poop deck."

Makes you appreciate how people made transoceanic voyages on sailing ships back in the day. No electricity, no refrigeration, no plumbing or running water. What kind of facilities did they use--a bucket? And imagine being on a whaling ship for 2-3 years. We are so spoiled today.

 

[AceHero]

One of the various reasons I never want to vacation on a giant cruise ship.

 

[Passionate Chicken]

I'm sure the lawsuits will more than make up for it.

 

[durangodawood]

One of the various reasons I never want to vacation on a giant cruise ship.

I had a really nice time on a couple cruises. Not my first choice for travel, though.
.

 

[Jade Margery]

It finally docked last night. A guy on the radio today said this gives new meaning to the term "poop deck."

Makes you appreciate how people made transoceanic voyages on sailing ships back in the day. No electricity, no refrigeration, no plumbing or running water. What kind of facilities did they use--a bucket? And imagine being on a whaling ship for 2-3 years. We are so spoiled today.

Apparently the problem with the waste was due to the toilets tipping over and the system breaking down. I imagine if it had just been a matter of using buckets and throwing the offal overboard, that particular issue wouldn't have been as bad.