A fire broke out aboard a cruise ship off the Florida coast early Monday, leading to the cancellation of the rest of the voyage.
Royal Caribbean Cruises said medical staff responded to several calls for assistance from passengers, who were treated for fainting, high blood pressure and an ankle sprain. It said none of the cases had been a medical emergency.
Royal Caribbean said in a statement that it was refunding the full cost of passengers’ cruise fare plus a voucher for future travel.
“Royal Caribbean International is deeply sorry for this unexpected development in our guests’ vacation. We understand that this may have been a very stressful time for them. And we also know that it has significantly impacted their vacation experience,” the statement read.
Officials said the fire was contained to the third deck — out of 11 — on the 916-foot ship. It was categorized as a “Class A” fire, which means it broke out in solid combustible materials such as wood or plastic and did not involve fuel or other flammable liquids, the Coast Guard said.
The ship radioed for assistance, the Coast Guard station in Lake Worth, Fla., said, declining to give further specifics.
The Grandeur of the Seas was recently given a $48 million refurbishment and was based in Baltimore.
The 74,000-ton ship, carrying 2,224 passengers and 796 crew members, was on its way to Coco Cay, Bahamas, when the fire broke out, Royal Caribbean said in a statement.
The ship arrived in Freeport, Bahamas, about 10:15 a.m. ET for an “evaluation,” the company said, adding that the vessel had full power.
The Grandeur of the Seas is one 41 ships operated by Royal Caribbean, which is the world’s second-largest cruise operator.
A team from Royal Caribbean, including chief executive Adam Goldstein and guest care specialists, headed for Freeport on Monday to meet guests, the company said.
Source:nbcnews.com
