Carnival Splendor: How sorry should we really feel for stranded passengers?

Now that the passengers aboard the crippled Carnival Splendor cruise ship are back on dry land, some L.A. Now readers are wondering what all the fuss was about. Here's a sampling of the comments readers sent in.

This is probably the first time ever that the cruise passengers lost weight after a cruise. Welcome back.

--Steve

Are we so quick to forget that 33 miners were trapped in a hole for 3 months? These people were stuck on vacation. They should be so lucky.

--Venison

This story making the front page proves that the LA Times is the TMZ of Responsible Journalism. You might think these misfortuned tourists were sleeping shoulder to shoulder on a slave ship or having to drink their own urine for survival. How will they re-integrate into normal American life after this traumatic ordeal? How will they possibly approach their bosses or cat-sitters to ask for more time off to re-do their holiday? On Veteran's day, a day to recognize the soldiers that are put on ships so that their fellow Americans can flourish -- please stop trivializing their sacrifices by glorifying the "suffering" of these tourists.

--Hawaiians

-- Anthony Pesce and Amanda Covarrubias

Photo: A passenger aboard the Carnival Splendor waves a message as the cruise ship arrives in San Diego Harbor. Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[linda hartwick]

The passengers on the carnival splendor were VERY LUCKY to get a full refund and a FREE CRUISE. I have sailed the pink ship ( splendor ) many times out of long beach. I was booked on this ship to go to mexico because of the virus we all went to canada instead. The people that had paid and did not want to go to cold canada carnival cruise lines REFUSED to give a refund they were allowed only a on board credit and had so long to use it. The ONLY reason carnival is being nice all this coverage is on the news and in the papers they do not want to be the bad guys. Carnival will get there money back they will increase the fare on all cruises.

[Reader]

Let's talk about REAL tragedy and REAL suffering ! The funding for unemployment benefits is about to expire for half of the nations unemployed workers, and 2,000,000 families will lose their lifeline in just the first week after November 30th if congress doesn't act to renew funding. Apparently, congress doesn't even know what they are voting for or against! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/10/do-members-of-congress-un_n_781647.html

[Astonished]

I'm getting really tired of hearing about this "horrendous" vacation cruise. My vacation consisted of staying home and doing lots of housework because my husband and I CAN'T AFFORD A CRUISE TO ANYWHERE!!!

God-Forbid their booze should have gotten cold!

[Kittybarfola]

How sorry? Absolutely none.

[Pablito]

The word "nightmare" was used in the media far too often to describe this mere inconvenience. Accidents happen. By all accounts, it sounds as though Carnival did everything it could to make the situation as bearable as possible. Luckily the trapped, stranded, under-appreciated vacationers did not have to resort to cannibalism to survive. And they've been given a full refund and offered a free cruise at some other time!

[A.]

Welcome back, overprivileged whiners! Your 15 minutes ended before you stepped foot off the ship!

[Randy L]

I have more sympathy fo rthese people than I do the problems that befall illegals.

[Stuckontheboat]

Wow, it is so easy for those of you who were not on the boat to judge those of us who were. It was by no means "lucky" to be "stuck on vacation". It was NOT vacation at all. Why would you care? And while we were reimbursed for for cruise and given a free one - it doesn't make up for lost vacation time of which I will not be able to take another until months into next year at the very earliest. When you work two jobs and saved for a year for this trip, time off coordinated between the two jobs is priceless. How about for 13 hours there were no working toilets or water and bathroom stalls were locked off because they were overflowing and you witnessed a mother trying to comfort her little girl who needs to use the bathroom but is freaked out by the overflowing sewage. So just shut up - while the last couple days were very tolerable, the begining was absolutely awful. Put yourself in our shoes and tell me you wouldn't feel differently.

[MARY ALICE CLARK]

OH POO! I CAN'T COME BACK TO WORK BECAUSE MY SHIP WAS LATE!
I ATE PLENTY OF SPAM IN HAWAII AS A KID AND SURVIVED.

[pfan13]

Thank you so much La Times i thought i was the only one who was wondering what the fuss was about.

[Sherlock]

No we will not shut up! I too became fed up over the ridiculous amount of media coverage of this story. After it was learned the fire was out and there were no injuries that should have been the end of it. I turned off all the local news yesterday because of the incessant hype. The passengers want us to care so they can make the talk-show circuit - to get more free trips and perks.
In the mean time millions of people are out of work, people are losing their homes, gang violence, budget woes all over the state, illegal aliens, USC on probation, the Lakers lost their 1st game but no...... we have to care about passengers forced to eat Spam and croissants. Oh boo-hoo.

[Sandra Ellenberg]

At least those people were stranded on a boat with communications. What if it had been a deserted island and a wrecked boat full of SPAM !!!

[Franken Weeners]

Who are the idiots making these sanctimonious holier than thou comments?
Carnival offers affordable cruises as in 149$ to 240$ a ticket for some of the shorter cruises, and offers military, police officers and firefighter cruise discounts. People who WORK save their hard earned MONEY to go on discounted cruises with their family. Take the judgemental comments and
shove 'em.

[Jade]

Should we really feel sorry? It's true what the Hawiians said, nobody should feel bad for them, I have been on that cruise, just this March, it was a fun and good vacation, I had a great time in Mexico too, they shouldn't think that people should feel bad because of the facet that they got stuck on vacation and the fact that it smelt bad, they are getting their money back, and a free cruise, "I feel sooo bad for them" NOT! It is not fair about there little extra four days, they NEED to get over it.

[Astonished]

Sorry "STUCKONTHEBOAT," I'm still not sympathetic. You lost nothing but time, which can be made up. You want absolutely awful? Ask any Katrina survivor about awful. And they didn't even ask to go!

[Stuckontheboat]

Sorry Astonished that you're not disciplined enough to save over a year to give yourself some much needed rest and relaxation. I can see your bitterness spewing from your writing. Those of us on the boat didn't ask for all this attention and we didn't ask for this accident either. When your mindset it a relaxing vacation and the next day you're stepping around sewage we have the right to be a little upset about it. Now, since you can't afford a vacation - imagine you became disciplined enough finally to save for one (they let you make small payments all the way until 2 months before the vacation) and I say this because neither can I afford one outright - but I pay for it slowly over a year which makes it extremely convenient and definitely worth it to have a whole mind/body reset from the world of 60 hour work weeks without feeling that just because you're off from work now you have to clean and do yard work, etc, etc... Now imagine you did that and this is what you got - it would suck for you regardless of how bad Katrina was or the trapped miners. You don't "ask" for these things to happen, any of these things. There were varying degrees of "discomfort" and my experience wasn't even close to being as bad as the people staying in the lower decks where it remained extremely hot, humid, and smell of toxic smoke the entire trip, or the elderly and those in wheelchairs who weren’t able to use the stairs to get to sustenance. But it was still not the vacation you haters are trying to make this out to be. Once they fixed the plumbing and there was drinking water I would have to say that most of us were fine so please, just because the media is making this out to be a huge deal doesn’t mean most of us feel that way. To most of us it was an unfortunate way to spend a hard earned vacation. But you outsiders trying to make it seem like we’re a bunch a whining babies should take a hard look at yourselves because you’re being really unfair – we didn’t ask for this and we’re not asking for sympathy but obviously you’ll keep your misconceptions and judgmental opinions. 15 minutes of fame?? Screw that, I watched many many people avoid the media, not speak to them – we bolted for the busses and shuttles. So of course you’re going to get the stories from the drama queens and that is a very one-sided story.

[Sister who understands]

I wish bad on nobody. It was not those passengers fault what happened on the ship and the truth of the matter is there could have been injuries, and these people were stranded in the the middle of no where and had no idea how or when they were going to get back. I understand about the unemployment, Katrina victims and all that everyone has mentioned here, however at the end of the day those people were stranded by no fault of their own, and they should have gotten a free cruise, refunds, cash or whatever. They paid for a trip and due to circumstances beyond their control they could not get it. How would you feel if you were stuck on a ship, no water, no electricity, no food, etc., there was NO MENTION of that! All of you with this attitude need Jesus and I will be praying for you!!!!!

[Brant]

Your correct, we weren't the Chilean Minors. In fact most of us scoffed at the people complaining about the cold, food lines, stench and lack of coffee. The real tragedy were the families that saved for years for a once in a life time vacation. Or the elderly that may never get this chance again. Or the folks that were confined to their rooms do to their handicaps. Not to mention my wife who was given this cruise by her now deceased father and will never forget this. Only in L.A.

[Maureen]

I was angered by the desperate look on the face of one departing passenger of the ship.
Sue, sue. sue.

She was in never in any danger. She was probably disappointed. I would be too. She will be reimbursed. She will be given a voucher for another cruise.

I didn't see one of the minors come up from the horrible ordeal they had with a frantic look on their faces.

Get over it. Enjoy your next cruise. Don't milk it people. Mistakes happen.

[Maureen]

To stuckonaboat.....I hardly believe you were walking around in raw sewage. Please.

[Mufon]

Stuckontheboat: one word -- paragraphs.

[Will]

I hope every cruise to Mexico breaks down and they have to turn around. Spend your vacation time and money in a country that doesn't blame us for all of the problems. Boycott Mexico and stop wasting your money in that country until the government becomes more responsible and at least tries to keep their citizens from fleeing their country.

[Tess Katz]

It is not a tragedy .... thankfully, no one died. BUT ... no one deserves to have their vacation end prematurely ... and in such a way. (I really do not think they were "stuck on vacation" ... after the first night, their trip did NOT resemble anyone's idea of vacation. )

I would have hated to be without heat, electricity, decent food, and especially working plumbing on my vacation. I'm sure it's very difficult for people to coordinate their schedules and take time off work. What happened was very unfortunate, and I do feel sorry for the passengers. Could it have been worse? Yes .... much worse. But that doesn't mean it isn't a shame.

[Anonymous person]

they should just be happy and grateful that the fire was contained within the boiler room by the crew because the entire ship could have gone up in flames in the middle of the ocean. now THAT would have been bad

[Stuckontheboat]

Oh Maureen? You doubt it? What do you know - tell me what you think the conditions of the restrooms would be after 13 hours of people using them without them flushing - and it wasn't just urine. Hah, yes.. they were overflowing and most of the stalls had to be locked off because of that. You have no clue. Like I said, that was the worst of it.. still disgusting nontheless