Disabled Carnival Triumph reaches dock

The crippled Carnival cruise ship has finally limped back to port. Almost five days after their ship was disabled by an engine fire, more than 4000 passengers started disembarking just a few hours ago in Mobile, Alabama. The Triumph left port eight days ago.

The ship was isolated in the Gulf of Mexico with no power, sewage seeping down walls and scarce rations. Crews were busy tying the ship to the dock at the Alabama Cruise Terminal as cheering passengers hung over balcony rails or waited in lines to exit the vessel.

Charles de L’Arbre of Santa Barbara Travel tells NewsChannel 3, his business hasn’t suffered given the recent problems with cruise ships. In fact, cruises doubled in 2011, were up in 2012, and people are booking into 2014. He adds that these incidents, while unfortunate, are rare and unique occurrences.

NewsChannel 3 Reporter Shirin Rajaee has local reaction.

Almost five days after their ship was disabled by an engine fire, the more than 4,200 people on board the Carnival cruise ship Triumph began disembarking late Thursday, about an hour after docking at the Port of Mobile.

Crews were busy tying the ship to the dock at the Alabama Cruise Terminal as cheering passengers hung over balcony rails or waited in lines to exit the vessel.

It’s almost over for the 4,227 passengers and crew stuck on a filthy, disabled cruise ship that limped into port three days after it was due.