Weary passengers head home after stinky Carnival cruise
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Passengers wave from the crippled Carnival cruise ship Triumph after docking at the Alabama Cruise terminal in Mobile, Alabama, on Feb 14, 2013. The stricken Carnival cruise ship Triumph arrived back in port late Feb 14th, ending a nightmarish ocean voyage for some 4,000 desperate passengers and crew after it lost power over the weekend. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Carnival Cruise Lines president and chief executive Gerry Cahill talks with reporters in Mobile, Alabama, on Feb 14, 2013. The Carnival Triumph is docked at rear after spending nearly a week idled in the Gulf of Mexico with more than 4,000 passengers and crew members following an engine room fire. -- PHOTO: AP
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Ms Kendall Jenkins kisses the ground after stepping off the Carnival ship Triumph at the Alabama Cruise terminal in Mobile, Alabama, on Feb 14, 2013. The stricken Carnival cruise ship Triumph arrived back in port late on Feb 14, ending a nightmarish ocean voyage for some 4,000 desperate passengers and crew after it lost power over the weekend. -- PHOTO: AFP
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An Instagram photo provided by a passenger of the Carnival ship Triumph identifying himself as Mikemoonpie shows tents erected on the main deck of the ship before being removed to avoid accidents with the coast guard helicopter providing help on Feb 13, 2013. The Triumph reported lost power due to an electrical fire in the engine room on Feb 10, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Passengers wait around a make-shift charging area aboard the vessel in the Gulf of Mexico. Passengers realised the ATMs had power, so they unplugged them and daisy-chained power strips to charge mobile devices. The ship had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. -- PHOTO: AP
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People stand before the docked Carnival Ship Triumph in front of the Alabama Cruise Terminal in Mobile, Alabama, on Feb 14, 2013. Thousands of passengers who spent nearly five days stuck on a disabled cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico headed home on Friday by bus, plane or car, relishing the chance for a warm shower and working toilets after finally arriving back on land. -- PHOTO: AFP
Passengers wave from the crippled Carnival cruise ship Triumph after docking at the Alabama Cruise terminal in Mobile, Alabama, on Feb 14, 2013. The stricken Carnival cruise ship Triumph arrived back in port late Feb 14th, ending a nightmarish ocean voyage for some 4,000 desperate passengers and crew after it lost power over the weekend. -- PHOTO: AFP
Carnival Cruise Lines president and chief executive Gerry Cahill talks with reporters in Mobile, Alabama, on Feb 14, 2013. The Carnival Triumph is docked at rear after spending nearly a week idled in the Gulf of Mexico with more than 4,000 passengers and crew members following an engine room fire. -- PHOTO: AP
Ms Kendall Jenkins kisses the ground after stepping off the Carnival ship Triumph at the Alabama Cruise terminal in Mobile, Alabama, on Feb 14, 2013. The stricken Carnival cruise ship Triumph arrived back in port late on Feb 14, ending a nightmarish ocean voyage for some 4,000 desperate passengers and crew after it lost power over the weekend. -- PHOTO: AFP
An Instagram photo provided by a passenger of the Carnival ship Triumph identifying himself as Mikemoonpie shows tents erected on the main deck of the ship before being removed to avoid accidents with the coast guard helicopter providing help on Feb 13, 2013. The Triumph reported lost power due to an electrical fire in the engine room on Feb 10, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP
Passengers wait around a make-shift charging area aboard the vessel in the Gulf of Mexico. Passengers realised the ATMs had power, so they unplugged them and daisy-chained power strips to charge mobile devices. The ship had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. -- PHOTO: AP
People stand before the docked Carnival Ship Triumph in front of the Alabama Cruise Terminal in Mobile, Alabama, on Feb 14, 2013. Thousands of passengers who spent nearly five days stuck on a disabled cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico headed home on Friday by bus, plane or car, relishing the chance for a warm shower and working toilets after finally arriving back on land. -- PHOTO: AFP
MOBILE, Alabama (REUTERS) - Thousands of passengers who spent nearly five days stuck on a disabled cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico headed home on Friday by bus, plane or car, relishing the chance for a warm shower and working toilets after finally arriving back on land.
"I got some sleep. I got a shower. A working toilet was really nice," said Ms Nancy Petrone, 58, who was flying to southern California after spending the night in Mobile, Alabama, where tugboats had pulled the stricken Carnival Triumph into port.
It took several hours for more than 3,000 vacationers to make their way off the ship after it arrived late on Thursday.
Some travellers kissed the ground when they arrived, while others disembarked wearing the ship's white bath robes - part souvenir and part protection against the chilly night air.
