From The Deck Chair: Carnival Splendor Update

A Sea Hawk helicopter delivers pallets of supplies

to the Carnival Splendor in the Pacific.

Photo courtesy of the US Navy;

taken by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alexander Tidd

The crippled Carnival Splendor, out of commission due to a fire in the ship's aft engine room, was successfully brought alongside the pier in San Diego at approximately 8:30am PST yesterday morning. The arrival signaled the end to a cruise that was, for all intents and purposes, over before it started.

Yes, passengers endured more days without power and full services than with. But oddly for a situation like this, it seems the vast majority of passengers simply rolled with the punches, thanks largely to Carnival's quick response to the situation, and the skill and dedication of the crew aboard Carnival Splendor.

Sadly, it doesn't take long for the so-called "professional media" to find a passenger willing to give them a "Titanic" soundbyte, as in "It Was Like The Titanic!" Famously, that ship also apparently suffered an engine fire off the coast of Baja California. Other popular phrases include the words nightmare cruise and never again.

Carnival Splendor adrift in the Pacific.

Photo courtesy of the US Navy;

taken by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dylan McCord

One mainstream news article expressed, with a certain amount of incredulity, that the pools weren't in operation. It's hard to imagine the pools being filled when the vacuum toilet system was inoperable, for obvious reasons. Not to mention the fact that water typically doesn't travel vertically up twelve decks without some sort of assistance.

But even the mainstream media has been forced to concede that Carnival handled the situation incredibly well. Passengers were seen smiling and waving from the decks of the ship as it pulled into San Diego harbor, and by all accounts despite the tremendous inconveniences endured by the passengers, it seems the highly-trained crew of the Carnival Splendor did an excellent job under the circumstance. Passengers were kept entertained as best as possible, and noted blogger and Senior Cruise Director John Heald regaled passengers with timely updates from the bridge - even when there was really nothing to report.

An aviation boatswain's mate signals to a Sea Hawk helicopter,

which along with the USS Ronald Regan brought 4,500 pounds

of supplies to the Carnival Splendor.

Photo courtesy of the US Navy;

taken by Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Kevin Gray

Carnival's superb handling of the event aboard the Carnival Splendor stands in stark contrast to how Celebrity Cruises responded to the rudder malfunction last month that canceled a cruise aboard Celebrity Century. While Carnival passengers were immediately compensated for their inconvenience by way of refunds, a free future cruise, and coverage for airline change fees and additional transportation costs, Celebrity unceremoniously dumped its passengers in Nice, France - one of the most expensive locations in Europe, with no compensation provided for airfare.

It wasn't until weeks later that Celebrity Cruises increased their compensation package, largely after being hammered by mainstream and industry press.

Sailors from the USS Ronald Regan and Carnival Splendor crew

unload pallets of food on the ship's upper decks.

Photo courtesy of the US Navy;

taken by Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Kevin Gray

While mainstream news coverage of the fire aboard Carnival Splendor leans towards the overly-dramatic, most passengers interviewed concede they will indeed use their future cruise credit, with some stating the odds of an event like this happening are so completely astronomical that they have no qualms about cruising again.