Sometime on Thursday afternoon, the Carnival Triumph will dock in Mobile, Ala., after four or so days adrift without power in the Gulf of Mexico. So how bad is it?
Reports CNN.com,
Much of the ship’s electrical power went down in the fire, causing widespread malfunctions, including taking out sanitary systems.
Passengers have reported sewage sloshing around in hallways, flooded rooms and trouble getting enough to eat.
“It’s disgusting. It’s the worst thing ever,” passenger Ann Barlow told CNN.
“From what I understand, they’re walking around in a lot of urine and fecal matter, and the sewers are backing up,” McKerreghan said. Her doctor gave her antibiotics to give her daughter as soon as she gets on land. A checkup will follow as soon as possible.
People are supposedly going to the bathroom in bags. The stench inside the ship is unbearable. Passengers are eating onion sandwiches (what? no mayo?).
I was reminded of survivalist author Sam Sheridan’s observation in the Wall Street Journal that “People don’t degenerate into wild animals when disaster strikes. That’s a myth pushed by Hollywood and people trying to sell you something. Sociologists find that the vast majority of people behave well in a crunch.” But do the vast majority of people behave well in a cruise crunch?
According to CNN.com,
“[Passenger] Hilton stood in line for three hours waiting for something to eat, her sister said.
“People ahead of her hoarded food,” Stanfield said. “By the time she got up there, all she could get was a hamburger and some waters.”
At the very least, all the passengers are getting full refunds, free hotel rooms, and free airfare. (And the memories will last a lifetime!)