'Poop cruise' witness: 'I got mentally injured'

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Miami (CNN) -- One year after the Carnival Triumph cruise ship caught fire and lost power in the Gulf of Mexico, stranding frightened passengers in filth and misery for days, thinking about the ill-fated voyage can make Kimberly Northom Townsend break down and cry.

That's what happened in the middle of her testimony before a U.S. federal judge in Miami last week, during the first civil trial about the February 2013 voyage.

Townsend, a 54-year-old mother of two and grandmother of three, was one of 31 passengers who are plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Carnival, alleging the company's responsibility for the ill-fated voyage.

She had just finished testifying in graphic detail what it was like on the ship as it sat disabled for days in the Gulf. Terrified passengers huddled on decks worried about their safety, she said, with foul toilets overflowing into hallways, no power, near-total darkness, long lines for rationed water and almost no food.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/25/travel/carnival-triumph-cruise-trial/

_________

How much money should these people get? I think I will never go on a cruise. Blech.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Harpa Timsah

[Darnell 8,479]

I say 5 mil/head.

no wanna do?

then staff only with USCitizens, these ships.

Most foreign staffers literally not give a sh|t about basic ship plumbing and were not exposed prior on how to fix.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Darnell

[christeen 966]

I say 5 mil/head.

no wanna do?

then staff only with USCitizens, these ships.

Most foreign staffers literally not give a sh|t about basic ship plumbing and were not exposed prior on how to fix.

Bull$hit... USA staff would have been able to do nothing more than they did... And the crew did everything they were trained to do...

If you want the facts of what happened, here goes.... A hot spot (tiny leak in a flexible hose) sprayed fuel into the fuel injector air intake, this sparked a fire, the emergency hi-fog system deployed and the engine was shut down immediately, this caused the gravity fuel pipe to release its fuel... = BIG fireball... Watertight doors shut, exhaust system could into remove the smoke and the control room was evacuated and ship engines shut down... Without the engines, the evac system and plumbing systems were down until the smoke was cleared enough for engineers to re enter the control room... After evaluation of what ship systems (most importantly the melted wiring) they systematically re-started the systems as they proved they were operational.... But by this time... The place was filled with poop and toilets overflowing...

It was a horrible experience to be sure... But a freak accident, not some sinister ordeal the media is making it out to be. My husband has pics of the damage the day it happened, it i tell you, it was massive... Since then, over 30 million has been put towards redundant systems and to help prevent this again. In fact they added a whole division to upgrade every ship.. But to wantonly say that a USA crew would have been any better equipped to deal with this is totally wrong assumption... In fact, every passenger said the crew did an outstanding job during the ordeal....

Again, it was a horrible event and disgusting ordeal, however, it was an accident and this will be proven in the court outcome... It was not due to gross negligence, untrained foreign workers or inept staff... But a pinhole leak in a one in a million location that resulted in a tragic accident for all involved...

[Darnell 8,479]

Christeen - I apologize profusely -

you know I was just slinging sh|t.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

So, would you endure this for 5 mil? What's your price?

Also, do you think people squatted over the edge of the ship?

[GandD 5,966]

How much money should these people get? I think I will never go on a cruise. Blech.

Half off next cruise with purchase of one ticket at full price.

[christeen 966]

So, would you endure this for 5 mil? What's your price?

Also, do you think people squatted over the edge of the ship?

I would not recommend it... Hanging your a$$ off the edge, Cause without stabilizers, it was really rolling... And with no engines, if you fell, they woul not be able to go back and get you (except with life boat)... But I sure would consider slinging overboard versus leaving it in my hallway? However, i can confirm There were a lot of balcony pissers ...

[Operator 1,927]

Sewage, very little food, sounds like every Med and IO cruise I took on the USS Neverdock.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Miami (CNN) -- One year after the Carnival Triumph cruise ship caught fire and lost power in the Gulf of Mexico, stranding frightened passengers in filth and misery for days, thinking about the ill-fated voyage can make Kimberly Northom Townsend break down and cry.

That's what happened in the middle of her testimony before a U.S. federal judge in Miami last week, during the first civil trial about the February 2013 voyage.

Townsend, a 54-year-old mother of two and grandmother of three, was one of 31 passengers who are plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Carnival, alleging the company's responsibility for the ill-fated voyage.

She had just finished testifying in graphic detail what it was like on the ship as it sat disabled for days in the Gulf. Terrified passengers huddled on decks worried about their safety, she said, with foul toilets overflowing into hallways, no power, near-total darkness, long lines for rationed water and almost no food.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/25/travel/carnival-triumph-cruise-trial/

_________

How much money should these people get? I think I will never go on a cruise. Blech.

None.. Stuff happens.. Ok Refund of the cruise and a Free upgraded cruise.

Ok you could not shower for a few days and the crapper broke. BOOO Fing HOOO. It was an accident

Namby pamby little folks after a quick payday boosted up by greedy lawyers, who were probably swarming the return port with business cards.

Going a few days with no power or shower in a warm climate with plenty of food and water. Hardly traumatizing. In fact add 20 days to it with only a few hours sleep per night and you got your typical Desert military deployment

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Bull$hit... USA staff would have been able to do nothing more than they did... And the crew did everything they were trained to do...

If you want the facts of what happened, here goes.... A hot spot (tiny leak in a flexible hose) sprayed fuel into the fuel injector air intake, this sparked a fire, the emergency hi-fog system deployed and the engine was shut down immediately, this caused the gravity fuel pipe to release its fuel... = BIG fireball... Watertight doors shut, exhaust system could into remove the smoke and the control room was evacuated and ship engines shut down... Without the engines, the evac system and plumbing systems were down until the smoke was cleared enough for engineers to re enter the control room... After evaluation of what ship systems (most importantly the melted wiring) they systematically re-started the systems as they proved they were operational.... But by this time... The place was filled with poop and toilets overflowing...

It was a horrible experience to be sure... But a freak accident, not some sinister ordeal the media is making it out to be. My husband has pics of the damage the day it happened, it i tell you, it was massive... Since then, over 30 million has been put towards redundant systems and to help prevent this again. In fact they added a whole division to upgrade every ship.. But to wantonly say that a USA crew would have been any better equipped to deal with this is totally wrong assumption... In fact, every passenger said the crew did an outstanding job during the ordeal....

Again, it was a horrible event and disgusting ordeal, however, it was an accident and this will be proven in the court outcome... It was not due to gross negligence, untrained foreign workers or inept staff... But a pinhole leak in a one in a million location that resulted in a tragic accident for all involved...

Well said, but far from a horrific situation. . Why is the crapper stopped such a tragedy. Pee over the edge or in a bucket and throw it over..Some with the poo

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Sewage, very little food, sounds like every Med and IO cruise I took on the USS Neverdock.

Which ship were you on?

[Neonred 3,656]

$hit happens. Get over it.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

$hit happens. Get over it.

We had a neighborhood watch meeting at my house tonight. The deputy was talking about crime in Bibb County, he brought up the hotels at Eisenhower and 475.

I told him you had stayed there. He shook his head. Said glad he survived. He did say that the Hampton Inn was somewhat safe. Not the rest

[Neonred 3,656]

We stayed at the Red Roof. Pet friendly and the toilets worked.

Actually the nicest Red Roof Inn we have stayed at as many of them are #######. Must have been very new.

There was a chain link fence around the property as I now recall.

Edited February 26, 2014 by Neonred

[Dakine10 5,452]

So, would you endure this for 5 mil? What's your price?

Also, do you think people squatted over the edge of the ship?

One of my coworkers and her husband were on that cruise. They already went on a free replacement cruise that Carnival offered all the passengers and she said they had an awesome time. Personally I don't think I would go on a cruise ever again if that happened to me, but to each their own, I guess.

Next time I see her, I'll ask her if she was thinking about any other financial compensation. I'm not sure if the free cruise precludes that or not. I'm probably not going to ask how they managed to poop, but if it otherwise comes up in conversation, I'll let you know.