Carnival Triumph Passengers Fought Like Savages, Suing For Squalor Conditions

Carnival Triumph passengers are returning home after an engine fire left the cruise ship adrift for five days. 12 additional cruises have been canceled because of the Carnival Triumph fire fiasco. Being stuck on a cruise ship might not sound so bad, but when the engine went out so did everything else.

A passenger aboard the Carnival Triumph described to People the squalor-like living conditions aboard the cruise ship after the engine fire:

“So when the engine caught fire we lost power, we lost AC, we lost sink and shower and running water, our toilet system, kitchen, everything. I think before people found out the toilets weren’t working, they went to use the restroom. So everyone’s urine and feces started accumulating. And not just in the private cabins, in the public restrooms as well. The crew announced that if we needed to pee we should use the sink or showers and if we needed to go number two – they were handing out red biohazard plastic bags for us to go in.”

The Carnival Triumph passenger goes on to describe how the passengers began acting like savages, spreading feces on the walls, hoarding food and stealing from others, fighting over items in the gift shops, and drinking any alcohol they could get their hands on.

Based upon reports from USA Today, many passengers still say that the crew of the Carnival Triumph did their best considering the situation, but according to ABC News maritime trial attorney John Hickey says some passengers still plan on suing Carnival:

“I think people are going to file suits and rightly so. What you have here is a) negligence on the part of Carnival and b) you have them, the passengers, being exposed to the risk of actual physical injury.”

According to Carnival, all Carnival Triumph passenger will receive a full refund of the cruise and transportation expenses, a future cruise credit, reimbursement of some ship purchases and further compensation of $500 per person. Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill released a statement:

“I want to again apologize to our guests and their friends and families. The situation on board was difficult and we are very sorry for what has happened. We pride ourselves on providing our guests with a great vacation experience and clearly we failed in this case.”

Do you think that the Carnival Triumph passengers are right to sue? Or do you think that the Carnival crew members did the best they could under the circumstances and that the Carnival Triumph passengers should be ashamed of their behavior?