'Extremely terrible' as US cruise ship limps in

Mobile (Alabama), Feb 14 (AP) Conditions on a disabled US cruise ship were "extremely terrible" as it finally approached land today, one passenger said and more complaints were expected to flood in as the more than 4,000 people aboard came within mobile phone range. Passengers have told so far of limited access to food and bathrooms, a strong stench and fecal matter on the floors. Many were sleeping on the deck for fresh air. The Carnival Triumph, which had drifted for days after a fire in the engine room, was being guided to an Alabama port after its original plan to go to Mexico failed. A Carnival Cruise Lines spokesman said the towing of the ship was taking longer than anticipated. Vance Gulliksen said the ship was expected to arrive between 8 and 11 pm today. It had been expected today afternoon. Speaking by phone to NBC today morning, passenger Janie Baker called conditions "extremely terrible," with no electricity and few working toilets. She described having to use plastic bags to go to the bathroom and wait in line for hours to get food. She once saw a woman pass out line. "It's just a nightmare," she said. Baker said she and her friends slept with their life vests one night because the ship was listing and they feared it would tip over. Carnival has apologized and said it would cover transportation costs to cities in Texas, where the cruise began. The company has disputed the accounts of passengers who describe the ship as filthy, saying employees were doing everything to ensure people are comfortable. But Vivian Tilley, whose sister, Renee Shanar, is on the ship, said Shanar told her the cabins were hot and smelled like smoke from the engine fire, forcing passengers to stay on the deck. She also said people were getting sick. Carnival has canceled a dozen more planned voyages aboard the Triumph and acknowledged that the crippled ship had been plagued by other mechanical problems in the weeks before the engine-room blaze. The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into the cause. (AP) PY 02142150 NNNN