Stricken cruise ship towed to US

Nick Ware, whose mother is among the Triumph passengers, told the network, "Once the meat for the burgers ran out, they were basically just eating condiment hamburgers. Just, you know, whatever condiments they could get on a bun."

He said some passengers had been instructed to use "red biohazard bags" as makeshift toilets on Monday.

The ship left Galveston, Texas, last Thursday carrying 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew and had been due to return there on Monday.

Carnival Corp spokesman Vance Gulliksen has stopped short of denying some of the more alarming reports about conditions aboard the Triumph. But he said a technical team on board had succeeded in gradually restoring auxiliary power to operate some basic hotel functions. "Public and cabin toilets are operational in certain sections of the ship and some power in the Lido dining area is providing for hot coffee and limited hot food service," he said.

He did not elaborate on the number of working toilets for the 4,229 people but said the ship had cold running water and that three Carnival ships had met the Triumph to provide additional supplies and meals.

On Tuesday, the US National Transportation Safety Board said it had launched an investigation into the cause of the Triumph fire. But it said the Bahamas Maritime Authority was the primary investigative agency, since the ship was a Bahamian-flagged vessel.

Carnival Cruise Lines had already said passengers would receive a full credit for the cruise plus transportation expenses and a future cruise credit equal to the amount paid for the Triumph voyage.

In a statement late yesterday, Carnival Cruise Lines president and chief executive Gerry Cahill said the company had decided to add further payment of $500 per person to help compensate passengers for "very challenging circumstances" aboard the ship.

"We are very sorry for what our guests have had to endure," Mr Cahill said.

Mary Poret, who spoke to her 12-year-old daughter aboard the Triumph on Monday, rejected Mr Cahill's apology. "Seeing urine and faeces sloshing in the halls, sleeping on the floor, nothing to eat, people fighting over food, $500? What's the emotional cost? You can't put money on that," Ms Poret said.

Shares in Miami-based Carnival closed down 4 per cent at $37.46 yesterday on the New York Stock Exchange after the company said voyage disruptions and repair costs related to the Carnival Triumph could shave as much as 10 cents per share off its second-half earnings.

Reuters