The U.S. Coast Guard received the call requesting aid around 4pm, and they inspected the ship to ensure it was safe to dock, before the ship was allowed into port.
The ship returned to port to care for the wounded, and Carnival Cruise Lines said the vessel would remain there at least several days. The cruise line was looking for land accomodations for passengers. Meanwhile, passengers who were doctors or nurses cared for the injured.
Carnival Cruise Lines says the ship is safe and seaworthy, but many passengers are not convinced of that at this time. Passengers scrambled to the internet cafe to book flights home, refusing to stay onboard, inspite of the traditional lure of free alcoholic beverages for the balance of their stay onboard.
Free booze is the standard cure all in the cruise industry.
At this time, Carnival Cruise Lines is offering a complete refund to all passengers, and full reinbursement of all travel expenses associated with the incident. Passengers must pay expenses out of pocket, then get reimbursed.
Martha Stewart christened the Crown Princess on June 11, when it took it's two day maiden voyage. The second cruise embarked on its maiden full voyage to the Caribbean from its home terminal in Brooklyn a few days later.
Only a week ago, the Pennsylvania Patriot News said, "the Crown Princess will be a royal treat for cruise lovers." Many passengers today disagree. Some say they will never cruise again, including some 'savy' cruisers, other say they will never cruise Princess again. Still others find it is just a part of cruising, and they said that they will not be deterred by any amount of risk.
Coast Guard is saying it is uncertain if the unexpected list and the steering problem were related. An investigation has begun, and once completed the cause of the listing will be stated.
Though the cruise line is not sure what caused the problem or if the problem is fixed, for a fact, they have announced that upon arriving in New York, the vessel is going out again, with another load of passengers who have already booked their cruise.
Some of those passengers booked into the next cruise have already cancelled, and opted for the refund offered preferring to err on the side of caution.
Passengers were told they could not leave the ship until U.S customs officials arrived. That was originally rumored as 5am the next day. However, the 11pm news showed passengers disembarking.
The captain of the Crown Princess at the time of the incident was identified as Captain Andrew " Andy " Proctor of Aberdeen Scotland, prior master (captain) of the Grand Princess. According to passengers he said the ship was being run by the computer at the time of the malfunction, and it was placed on manual operation to save the ship as it headed into a Ttitatic plunge.
Proctor was not on the bridge at the time of the incident, Princess spokeswoman Julie Benson said Wednesday.
He has been tested for drugs and alcohol. Alcohol tests came back negative Wednesday. Drug test results take longer and were still pending.
Investigators boarded the vessel on July 19 to determine the cause of the roll.
The last disaster involving a Princess Cruises' ship was March 23, 2006, when it caught fire near Jamaica while at sea. Read about that incident here. The investigation into the cause has not come to any conclusion. Princess Cruise Lines is owned by Carnival Corp.
The Grand Princess also had a severe listing incident on February 4, 2006, where 37 were injured, when the vessel made a sharp turn to return to port, in response to a passenger heart attack. Captain Nicholas Carlton was the captain of Grand Princess during the incident. Read about that incident here
The Crown Princess was scheduled to leave Port Canaveral at 1pm on July 20, to continue on to New York. All passengers disembarked. But, actually left port at 4:4pm local time.
Disembarking passengers gave accounts of their horror, with some passengers saying they though family members who were up on decks were dead, as they struggled to survive in elevators, cabins, dining areas, and casino amid flying debris.
Four investigations are onboard for the voyage, to check out ship functions while the vessels head back. In the course of that investigation, the ship will take the exact same path it took when it malfunctioned coming out of Port Canaveral on July 18.
Coast Guard Commander James McLaughlin called it unusual that first word of the problem came from the mother of a passenger who called her from the ship, not from the captain. Coast Guard officials immediately tried to contact the vessel, but were unable to reach it for 10 minutes, Petty Officer James Judge said. Investigators are also working to determine why the ship's crew didn't conduct a head count after the incident.
Princess notified passengers who had been expecting to embark in Brooklyn on the next Crown Princess cruise departing July 20th that the cruise ship would be sailing instead on a shortened cruise departing on July 22nd.
Princess said passengers who board the July 22 sailing will receive a 50 per cent refund of their fare. However, any passenger who doesnt want to sail, will get a full refund.
As a note, one of Cruise Bruise's avid cruiser visitors made the statement on another site that they hope some other disaster will gain the media's attention and the Crown Princess incident will be quickly forgotten.
Princess Cruise Line Crown Princess
Severe Tilt - Listing Injures Passengers
July 18, 2006 Near Port Canaveral Florida
