Carnival Cruise Ship Still Stranded Off Coast of Mexico

A Carnival Cruise (NYSE:CCL) -- the Carnival Splendor -- is still stranded off the coast of Mexico with 3,299 guests and 1,167 crew members aboard. The Panamanian-flagged ship was on the second day of a seven-day tour of the Mexican Rivera, stopping in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, when it became disabled.

The ship, which has been stranded approximately 200 miles south of San Diego since 6 A.M. on Monday morning, has been without power since a fire broke out in the ship’s aft engine room and is currently running on auxiliary generators. According to a Carnival statement, there were no injuries to the crew or guests, however hot food, hot water, telephone service and air conditioning have been unavailable since the incident.

The ship’s command has been in contact with the U.S. Coast Guard, which has deployed aircraft to the location. Tugboats that were deployed early Tuesday morning are expected to reach the ship by midday and tow it to Ensenada, Mexico.

“We know this has been an extremely trying situation for our guests and we sincerely thank them for their patience,” said Gerry Cahill, CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines in a statement. “Conditions on board the ship are very challenging and we sincerely apologize for the discomfort and inconvenience our guests are currently enduring. The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority and we are working to get our guests home as quickly as possible.”

Guests will receive a full refund for the current failed cruise, along with full reimbursement for their travel expenses getting to the cruise. Carnival also said passengers will receive an additional complimentary cruise of equal value to be taken in future.