CBS NEWS, USA TODAY, REUTERS (USA)
MOBILE – Ill-fated Carnival cruise ship Triumph finally docked in Mobile, Alabama late Thursday, after being stranded for five days in the Gulf of Mexico without any power supply.
Four hours later, the last remaining passengers had disembarked and been taken to hotels in New Orleans and Texas, reports CBS News.
Passengers exited the 14-story Triumph by using its one functioning elevator. They could be seen cheering and waving to family and friends waiting on shore, reports USA Today.
"Sweet Home Alabama!" read one of the homemade signs passengers affixed alongside the ship.
Operated by Carnival Cruise Lines, the ship left Galveston, Texas a week ago, according to Reuters, carrying 3,142 passengers and 1,086 crewmembers. It was supposed to return there on Monday but turned into the cruise from hell after an engine room fire knocked out power and plumbing, leaving the cruise ship adrift in the Gulf of Mexico.
Toilets overflowed, soaking cabins and corridors in raw sewage, forcing passengers to establish a “shanty-town” on the deck:
From Clarkaj, Instagram
On a robe: "I survived #Triumph's red bags overflowing toilets & flooded rooms" "Great crew" though! (pic @bigphil32) twitter.com/moneyries/stat…
— Brian Ries Verified! (@moneyries) 14 février 2013
Oh dear. #Triumph #thanksfortheclarification @9news twitter.com/CherylPreheim/…
— Cheryl Preheim (@CherylPreheim) February 15, 2013
