Crippled Carnival Splendor Out's Til Mid-January - ABC News

Carnival's Splendor cruise ship, which stranded more than 3,000 passengers in open water after an engine fire, will be out of service until mid-January 2011 while investigators search for the cause of the fire and repair the ship, Carnival said today.

Any guests who were scheduled to make sail with the Splendor in the meantime will be receiving a full refund for the cruise fare as well as air transportation costs, plus a 25 percent discount on a future cruise.

"We too are disheartened that we are not able to fulfill the dreams of those who have entrusted us with their important vacation plans," Carnival president and CEO Gerry Cahill said in a statement. "We sincerely apologize to everyone who was scheduled to sail on these cancelled voyages and look forward to welcoming them aboard in the future."

Carnival's parent company, Carnival Corp., said in a statement the incident would cost the company about 7 cents per share in the fourth quarter -- or $56 million. At the usual one trip per week and an estimated 3,000 passengers per trip, the announcement could affect as many as 24,000 travelers.

The company said it is booking passengers for the Jan. 16, 2011 voyage. But this means the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years travel plans of thousands will be upset.

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The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the investigation into the fire that stranded the 4,500 on board off the coast of Mexico on Nov. 8 without power. Until they were dragged by tugboat to a San Diego port four days later, passengers lived without hot or cold air, hot food and few lights. For more than day, the toilets did not flush, causing what some described as "disgusting" conditions.

The ship had been boarded by the U.S. Coast Guard the day before the fateful journey began, but would not comment to ABC News as to the purpose of their visit.

In a Facebook posting that evening, Carnival's senior cruise director, John Heald, complained that the Coast Guard was conducting tests of the ship's generators, and had shut down the elevators.

The National Transportation Safety Board is assisting in the investigation, as are Carnival engineers and technicians and representatives of the Italian shipyard where the vessel was constructed.

"Now that we have a full technical team engaged in the assessment, we wanted to provide this information as quickly as possible," Cahill said.

After a Coast Guard cutter reached the ship on the water a day after the fire, it dispatched two officials to both ensure the passengers' health and make a preliminary investigation into what might have caused the fire. Those findings have not been made public.

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Some ready for another cruise even after Carnival voyage - CNN

Passenger: Like 'Gilligan's Island'Officials from Panama are investigating the fire on the cruise shipSome passengers said they ate mayonnaise sandwichesU.S. Coast Guard also part of the investigationFor more details visit CNN affiliate KUSA.

San Diego, California (CNN) -- Even though they were stuck without air conditioning, hot showers and decent meals, at least four passengers who made it off a crippled Carnival Cruise Lines ship said Friday that they would go on a cruise again.

"I'm so thankful that we're all alive," Leticia Lewis said on CNN's "American Morning." "I don't wish this experience on anyone. It wasn't a wonderful event. But I would take another one."

Amber Haslerud, another passenger, said her voyage on the ill-fated Carnival Cruise ship Splendor was her first cruise, and she would also go on another one.

"I definitely would give it another go and try to get the experience I should have had this time," said Haslerud. "I deserve it after all that we went through this week."

Natalie Martinez and Angela Evans said they would also go on another cruise, but they would bring a survival kit with flashlights, chocolate and air freshener.

And "I think we would wait a year," Martinez added..

The cruise ship lost power earlier this week after a fire started in the engine room of the vessel. Some 3,300 passengers left the ship Thursday after a three-day ordeal.

Some passengers left the boat with horror stories.

"It was absolutely deplorable," Marquis Horace said. At one point, the ship ran out of food, he said, and "they started making mayo sandwiches."

Maurice Harold and his wife, Cynthia Harold, not only had to endure being adrift, they had to do so without some of their own clothes, medicines and other items lost when their luggage went into the water while being loaded onto the ship.

"It was pretty traumatic. It was a scary situation, said Cynthia Harold, who said she needs to use an oxygen machine while sleeping and was unable to after the ship lost power.

"I really haven't slept since I left Virginia Beach," she said.

The couple said they are considering a lawsuit, but it all depends on how Carnival compensates them.

The cruise line has said it plans to give customers who were aboard the Splendor a full refund, reimbursement for travel costs and a free cruise.

Others looked at the incident differently calling it an "adventure."

"A lot of things went wrong, but it was really fun," said one young passenger, Ryan Harlan, who was traveling with his parents. "We went to the Kids' Camp."

He said the Kids' Camp was, in fact, his favorite part, because he made some friends.

And the worst part? "Being stranded in the middle of the ocean," he said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday it was investigating the incident. But later in the day the safety board said officials from Panama would lead the investigation because that is the country the vessel is flagged under.

The U.S. Coast Guard will also be part of the investigation, the transportation board said.

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