carnival cruise ship fire

Carnival cruise ship catches fire in Grand Turk

A Carnival cruise ship caught fire as it was docked in Grand Turk on Thursday morning, officials said. 

The fire, which broke out in the Carnival Freedom ship's funnel, was quickly extinguished as the ship was in Grand Turk, the capital island of the Turks and Caicos archipelago southeast of the Bahamas, a Carnival spokesperson said Thursday morning.

"All guests and crew are safe, and the ship’s guests were cleared by local authorities to go ashore. We continue to assess the situation," a spokesperson said in a statement about the fire at around 8:45 a.m. ET.

Just before 11 a.m., passengers were still on shore at Grand Turk.

The ship had left Port Canaveral in Brevard County, Florida, on Monday for a five-day cruise, officials said.

It's not yet clear what caused the fire.

According to the marine tracking site CruiseMapper , the ship, which was built in 2007, is 948 feet long and can accommodate over 3,500 passengers. 

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Carnival cruise ship that set sail from Florida catches fire in Grand Turk

By Caitlin O'Kane

Updated on: May 26, 2022 / 5:39 PM EDT / CBS News

A Carnival cruise ship that set sail from Port Canaveral in Florida caught fire on Thursday. The Carnival Freedom ship was in Grand Turk on a five-day cruise when a fire inside the ships funnel started, according to a press release from Carnival.

Carnival says the fire was quickly extinguished by emergency response teams, and that all guests and crew are safe. The ship's guests were cleared by local authorities to go ashore. Carnival is continuing to assess the situation. 

The @Carnival Freedom is on fire in Port at #GrandTurk #Carnival pic.twitter.com/7GgoWLG2Tc — Brian H (@Budman922) May 26, 2022

Social media posts show flames spewing from the funnel of the ship and black smoke billowing in the air. 

The ship had 2,504 guests and 972 crew onboard, Carnival said. Another ship, the Carnival Conquest, will travel from Miami to pick everyone up from Grand Turk on Saturday. They are expected to arrive in Port Canaveral on Monday.

The Conquest's next trip, scheduled to depart from Miami on Friday, has been canceled, as was the Freedom's next trip, scheduled to begin Saturday.

The Freedom ship will be taken to Freeport for a "repair to the funnel," Carnival said. All guests impacted by the changes in upcoming trips have been notified.

Last month, passengers on a Carnival cruise from Miami to Seattle were forced to quarantine after people onboard tested positive for COVID-19. Carnival didn't say how many of the approximately 2,100 passengers aboard were infected. Upon docking, all infected passengers were moved to area hotels for isolation.

While cruise ship fires are not common, they have occurred before. In 2016, more than 500 passengers and crew were evacuated from a burning ship about a mile off Puerto Rico's north coast. Many aboard the Caribbean Fantasy ship required medical care, though there were no reported fatalities.

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Caitlin O'Kane is a New York City journalist who works on the CBS News social media team as a senior manager of content and production. She writes about a variety of topics and produces "The Uplift," CBS News' streaming show that focuses on good news.

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Carnival cruise ship catches fire in turks and caicos.

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Dramatic videos emerged on social media Thursday, showing flames and thick black smoke pouring out of the smokestack of a Carnival Cruise ship in the Turks and Caicos.

The cruise line confirmed that a part of Carnival Freedom caught fire after the ship docked at Grand Turk.

“Carnival Freedom’s emergency response team quickly activated and extinguished a fire inside the ship’s funnel while the ship was in Grand Turk,” company spokesperson Matt Lupoli told The Post in a statement. “All guests and crew are safe, and the ship’s guests were cleared by local authorities to go ashore.”

No injuries were reported and the ship was not evacuated during the emergency. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time.

Still photos and cellphone recordings that have been circulating on Twitter depicted smoke billowing from the right fin of the smokestack, painted red, white and blue, as reported by ClickOrlando.

Carnival Freedom set sail from Port Canaveral, Florida, on May 23 on a five-day cruise. It is scheduled to return Saturday.

Carnival Freedom was launched in 2007. It measures 952 feet in length, has 13 decks and can accommodate up to 2,980 passengers and 1,150 crew.

At the time of the fire, the vessel was carrying about 2,500 passengers and 1,100 crew members, according to the cruise line.

Passenger Jenny Fleming told Florida Today that she and her mother were drinking coffee on a balcony as Carnival Freedom was docking at Grand Turk at around 7:30 a.m. local time, when some people on an adjacent ship, Carnival Mardi Gras , alerted them to the fire.

“Mom runs inside and calls 911, and we were apparently the first to report it,” Fleming said.

Firefighters were able to get the blaze under control, and the passengers got the all-clear at around 8:40 a.m.

The fire was reported around the same time as another Carnival Cruise ship, Carnival Magic, docked in Norfolk, Virginia , after passengers began vomiting and complaining of nausea caused by a chemical smell.

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Carnival ship catches fire, leaving passengers awaiting rescue cruise

Carnival freedom’s signature red, white and blue funnel was ablaze thursday.

A Carnival Cruise Line ship caught fire Thursday morning while docked in Grand Turk, leaving passengers stuck on the boat until another arrives on a rescue mission this weekend.

Carnival Freedom, which left Central Florida’s Port Canaveral on Monday for a five-day voyage, was in the Turks and Caicos cruise when the fire started in the ship’s signature red, white and blue funnel, which is shaped like a whale’s tail.

Carnival cruise on fire sheesh #carnivalfreedom #shiponfire #shipdown pic.twitter.com/n00l0HaFUV — That Panda Guy (@SantaPanda39) May 26, 2022

Passengers on other ships started posting photos and videos after 8 a.m. Carnival released a statement at 8:45 a.m. saying the ship’s emergency response team “quickly activated and extinguished a fire.” The Miami-based operator said everyone onboard — 2,504 guests and 972 crew — was safe. Passengers were allowed to leave the ship to spend the day in Grand Turk.

The cause of the blaze was not clear, and the cruise line did not say how much damage was caused.

But Carnival said in a statement Thursday afternoon that “all other ship, hotel, and guest services, along with safety equipment are fully functioning.” After an initial assessment of the damage, the company said the ship will go to Freeport, Bahamas, for repairs.

The blaze and its aftermath were a far cry from the infamous 2013 fire on the Carnival Triumph , which started in the engine room while the ship was at sea. In that case, the ship lost power and drifted. It became known as the “poop cruise” because of the waste disposal issues that result when a vessel with thousands of people onboard loses power.

#carnivalfreedom 👀 Not a way to wake up this morning at port aboard the #carnivalmardigras pic.twitter.com/aY0TPjfXvj — Justin Reavis (@reavis_justin88) May 26, 2022

The next Carnival Freedom cruise, scheduled for Saturday from Port Canaveral, has been canceled. Passengers will stay onboard while a sister ship, the Carnival Conquest, makes its way to Grand Turk from Miami to pick up passengers and bring them back to Port Canaveral on Monday. The next trip for that ship, scheduled to leave Friday, has also been canceled. The next Conquest voyage, which was intended to leave Miami on Monday, will instead depart Tuesday.

“Carnival apologized to all those guests who are impacted and offered special thanks to the crew who handled the situation on the ship effectively and according to safety protocols,” the company’s statement said.

The Freedom passengers’ situation is reminiscent of the experience guests had on the Norwegian Escape in March. In that incident, the ship ran aground and passengers ended up being flown home under sometimes-chaotic circumstances days later. Many who were stuck on land awaiting flights watched the ship depart without them.

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Carnival cruise ship returns to Florida after funnel fire

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Carnival cruise ship that caught fire over the weekend safely returned to Florida on Monday.

Video from WESH showed the Carnival Freedom bringing passengers back to Port Canaveral around 7:30 a.m.

The ship’s funnel caught fire off the coast of the Bahamas on Saturday.

“The ship’s fire response team was quickly activated, and the ship’s captain also turned the vessel towards the heavy rain in the area to maximize the efforts to put out the flames. Eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike and that is being investigated but cannot yet be confirmed,” Carnival told WFLA in a statement on Saturday.

A portion of the funnel fell onto Deck 10. The crew asked passengers to avoid balconies and open decks for safety.

Carnival said two crew members who extinguished the fire were treated for minor smoke inhalation. No guests were injured.

The cruise line had to cancel the Freedom’s next two voyages , departing on March 25 and March 29, out of Port Canaveral.

Guests scheduled for those cruises will be issued a full refund and a future cruise credit, Carnival said.

The ship will go to the Freeport shipyard on Monday to undergo repairs.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.

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Video shows scary moments after a cruise ship caught fire

Passengers aboard a cruise ship docked in Grand Turk Island got a surprise that wasn’t on the itinerary Thursday.

As photos and video taken aboard the Carnival Freedom illustrate, black smoke and flames poured out of the ship’s funnel as passengers donned life jackets and were evacuated from the vessel’s upper decks.  

"On Thursday morning while in port at Grand Turk, Carnival Freedom’s emergency response team quickly activated and extinguished a fire inside the ship’s funnel," said the cruise line in a statement . "All guests and crew are safe, and all other ship, hotel, and guest services, along with safety equipment are fully functioning."

According to the statement, most of the ship's 2,504 passengers were ashore at the time the fire broke out.

Plans were soon made to get all guests back to Port Canaveral in Florida, where they originally set sail from Monday for what was meant to be a 5-day cruise. But since Freedom won't be seaworthy in time for an already delayed departure, those arrangements required the cancellation of another Carnival cruise.

"Carnival Conquest’s next cruise, departing May 27 from Miami has been cancelled and that ship will be deployed to Grand Turk to transport Freedom guests back to Port Canaveral," the company explained. "Carnival Conquest will arrive to Grand Turk on Saturday, May 28 and guests aboard Carnival Freedom will transfer to Carnival Conquest for the voyage back to Port Canaveral, arriving on Monday, May 30."

Carnival Freedom's next scheduled cruise, originally planned for Saturday, has also been cancelled.

Repairs are set to begin on the ship's funnel after all passengers are off the ship.

The statement closed, noting, "Carnival apologized to all those guests who are impacted and offered special thanks to the crew who handled the situation on the ship effectively and according to safety protocols."

It remains unclear what caused the fire.

Ree Hines is a freelance writer and editor who covers pop culture, lifestyle stories and trending news. She’s also a soul-music loving, coffee-obsessed member of both Team Cat and Team Dog. Ree lives in Tampa, Florida, and is a regular contributor to TODAY.com.

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Guests and crew aboard Carnival Cruise ship that caught fire in Turks & Caicos safe, company says

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The smokestack of a Carnival Cruise ship docked in the Turks & Caicos Islands caught fire on Thursday and officials allowed guests and crew members to go ashore as heavy smoke billowed into the air.

Carnival said in a statement that no one was injured during the incident in Grand Turk, although it was not immediately clear what caused the fire, which was filmed by passengers.

"All guests and crew are safe," the company said.

The Carnival Freedom had departed Florida on Monday for a five-day cruise.

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Carnival Freedom cruise ship fire: ship's funnel catches fire, second time in 2 years

Fire on carnival freedom leads to other cruise cancelations.

Scary moments were caught on camera when passengers witnessed the Carnival Freedom cruise ship catch on fire. It’s the second time this has happened on this specific ship in two years.

Carnival had to cancel two upcoming voyages on its Carnival Freedom cruise ship after the ship's signature red and blue funnel exhaust pipe caught fire over the weekend, possibly due to a lightning strike, according to the mega cruise line. The damage was more severe than Carnival initial expected and had to cancel upcoming trips to make repairs to the ship.

It's the second time in two years that the funnel on this ship has caught fire.

Photos and videos shared with FOX 35 and on social media showed flames spewing out of the left side of the ship's exhaust funnel, as dark smoke billowed into the air. 

Carnival said the port side (left side) of the ship's exhaust funnel – easy to spot due to its tail-like shape – caught fire on Saturday as the cruise was sailing near the Bahamas. 

"Our onboard team acted quickly to contain and put out the fire.  While we continue to investigate multiple eyewitness reports of a lightning strike, our technical team completed a thorough assessment during the ship’s visit to Freeport on Sunday. Regrettably, the damage is more than we first thought and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," Carnival said in a statement.

The Carnival Freedom returned to Port Canaveral in Florida on Monday morning, where passengers were able to get off the ship. It will then sail back to the Freeport Cruise Port in The Bahamas for repairs.

 "We sincerely regret the impact to our embarking guests, as we know they have been looking forward to their spring break vacation. We are providing all guests on both cancelled cruises a full refund and a 100% future cruise credit so they can come back and enjoy a future cruise with us," Carnival said.

Carnival Freedom experienced a fire in 2022

Carnival freedom fire: cruise ship burns while docked at grand turk.

Part of Carnival's Freedom cruise ship caught fire Thursday morning while docked at Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands, the cruise line said, sending dark black smoke into the air.

It's not the first time that the Carnival Freedom has caught fire. Coincidentally, in 2022 while docked at Grand Turks, part of the ship's funnel also caught fire. That time, however, it was on the starboard side (the right side), according to photos shared with FOX 35 at the time. That's the opposite side compared this most recent incident.

In the 2022 incident, Carnival told FOX 35 in a statement that all guests and crew were safe. A second ship, Carnival Conquest, was sent to pick up the 2,500 passengers and 972-person crew. 

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Video: Fire Breaks Out on Carnival Cruise Ship

Crew and passengers are safe after a fire broke out on a Carnival cruise ship at Grand Turk, in the Turks and Caicos islands, on Thursday morning.

The ship, the Carnival Freedom, had departed Port Canaveral, Florida, on Monday for a five-day cruise.

"Carnival Freedom's emergency response team quickly activated and extinguished a fire inside the ship's funnel while the ship was in Grand Turk," Carnival said in a statement provided to Newsweek on Thursday. "All guests and crew are safe, and the ship's guests were cleared by local authorities to go ashore. We continue to assess the situation."

Twitter users posted photos and videos of the fire.

One video shared by user @SantaPanda39 shows what appear to be passengers on a nearby ship watching the fire. It can be seen burning within the funnel on top of the ship with dark smoke billowing into the air.

Carnival cruise on fire videos #carnivalfreedom pic.twitter.com/7rFYJ3NESb — That Panda Guy (@SantaPanda39) May 26, 2022

User @AirborneJM posted a series of photos of the fire, including one that shows crew members working to put it out.

"Carnival Freedom caught fire in Grand Turk while docked this morning. Praying there are no injuries and everyone will be safe. #carnival #fire #grandturk ," they wrote.

Carnival Freedom caught fire in Grand Turk while docked this morning. Praying there are no injuries and everyone will be safe. #carnival #fire #grandturk pic.twitter.com/G8p3karGsp — Enjoying Life (@AirborneJM) May 26, 2022

"There was a fire this morning on board a Carnival cruise ship docked in Grand Turk, #TurksandCaicos ," Jacqueline Charles, a correspondent for the Miami Herald , tweeted on Thursday. "Knowing how tiny Grand Turk is I know the panic among folks when they saw the smoke."

There was a fire this morning on board a Carnival cruise ship docked in Grand Turk, #TurksandCaicos . Knowing how tiny Grand Turk is I know the panic among folks when they saw the smoke. pic.twitter.com/IGlCMNjfX7 — Jacqueline Charles (@Jacquiecharles) May 26, 2022

Earlier this week, in a separate incident, the Coast Guard said that some passengers aboard a Carnival cruise ship heading to Norfolk, Virginia , reported they were feeling ill after smelling chemical fumes .

In recent months, Carnival has seen a spike in booking following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's ( CDC ) decision to rescind its COVID-19 advisory for cruise travel in late March.

At the time, the CDC said that it's up to passengers to determine their own risks before embarking on a cruise.

"While cruising will always pose some risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers will make their own risk assessment when choosing to travel on a cruise ship, much like they do in all other travel settings," the agency said in a statement.

In April, Carnival noted a record week for booking.

"The excitement of the industry's restart, our successful return of our entire fleet, the guest reaction to Mardi Gras, our loyal guest response to our 50th birthday this year, the support of our travel advisor partners — and of course, the amazing work of our Carnival team — have all contributed to the strong demand we are seeing, and this record-breaking booking week," Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said in a statement.

• Cruise Ship Passengers Sick as Mysterious 'Chemical Smell' Reported
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Carnival Cruise Passenger Captures Ship Fire on Video After Reports of Lightning Strike

The incident marks the second time in two years this particular ship has caught fire. It has caused the cancellation of two upcoming voyages

A Carnival cruise ship’s exhaust funnel caught fire on Saturday during a trip to the Bahamas, causing the company to cancel its next two voyages.

This is the second time in less than two years that the Carnival Freedom, based in Port Canaveral, Fla., has been impacted by a fire.

"Regrettably, the damage is more than we first thought, and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," Matt Lupoli, Carnival Cruise Line's senior manager of public relations, told Florida Today in a statement. "The funnel has been stabilized for the ship’s return to Port Canaveral overnight to disembark guests, and then it will go to the Freeport shipyard on Monday afternoon to begin the required repairs."

PEOPLE has reached out to Carnival, but did not immediately hear back.

MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK (2)

While the cause of the fire is still being investigated, Carnival noted in a post on X Saturday that eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike.

One of the cruise’s passengers, Heath Barnes, posted footage of the incident on Facebook Saturday afternoon.

In a statement to TMX, Barnes said it had been storming on and off and he was on one of the ship’s upper decks when he experienced “the loudest thunder and lightening [sic] I have ever heard.”

After he returned to his cabin for about 15 minutes, his nephew and two friends came to tell him the ship was on fire.

“I thought they were giving me a hard time but I got up and went out on the balcony and sure enough the flames and smoke was pouring out of the tail,” he continued, adding that he took the videos from his balcony before travelers were asked to stay indoors.

MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK

Carnival's brand ambassador John Heald addressed the incident on Facebook, acknowledging that those impacted by the cancellations “will be feeling very disappointed.” 

“And I want to add my apologies and my assurances that when you rebook using your full refund and your 100% future cruise credit, that the crew will be standing by to give you all the Fun you deserve,” he added.

In May 2022, the Carnival Freedom caught fire during a five-day cruise to Turks and Caicos.

At the time, Carnival Cruise Line verified that a fire broke out in the funnel of the ship while it was in Grand Turk.

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The company said its "emergency response team quickly activated and extinguished" the flames.

"All guests and crew are safe, and the ship's guests were cleared by local authorities to go ashore," Carnival added.

The 948-foot Carnival Freedom, built in 2007, can hold just over 3,500 passengers, according to Cruise Mapper .

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Video shows Carnival Freedom on fire, again. Two upcoming cruises were canceled. Here's what to know

The Carnival Freedom 's next two sailings have been canceled after the cruise ship, based out of Florida, caught fire . Again.

Carnival initially said there were no expected changes in its schedule but on Sunday afternoon announced cancellations of the Monday and Friday cruises out of Port Canaveral, which come during a busy spring break period.

"Regrettably, the damage is more than we first thought, and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," according to a statement issued by Matt Lupoli, Carnival Cruise Line's senior manager of public relations. "The funnel has been stabilized for the ship’s return to Port Canaveral overnight to disembark guests, and then it will go to the Freeport shipyard on Monday afternoon to begin the required repairs."

This is the second time in less than two years this cruise ship's funnel has caught on fire and disrupted the schedule.

Carnival cruise fire: Carnival Freedom's next two cruises from Port Canaveral canceled after exhaust funnel fire

When did the Carnival Freedom catch on fire?

The fire broke out on the port side of the ship's exhaust funnel area at about 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Carnival said.

The ship was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island, Bahamas. It was intended to call on the Carnival private island of Princess Cay but had rerouted toward Freeport due to adverse weather.

"The ship’s fire response team was quickly activated, and the ship’s captain also turned the vessel towards the heavy rain in the area to maximize the efforts to put out the flames," an earlier Carnival statement said. The fire was put out by 5:20 p.m., the cruise line said.

Why did the Carnival Freedom cruise ship catch fire?

From Stormy Lee: “Tail on fire on Carnival Freedom. We were headed toward Freeport but it has now turned around headed back toward Princess Cays Bahamas” The fire has been extinguished and the passengers are safe. pic.twitter.com/fe1yipiq5Z — James Spann (@spann) March 23, 2024

Unknown at this time.

"Eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike, and that is being investigated," Carnival said, "but cannot yet be confirmed."

Was anyone hurt in the Carnival Freedom fire?

The cruise line said there were no reports of passenger injuries, although two firefighting crew members were treated for minor smoke inhalation and part of the funnel fell onto Deck 10, according to Carnival.

There were about 3.700 passengers aboard.

Which Carnival Freedom cruises have been canceled?

While initially the cruise line said the schedule would not be affected, further investigation found more damage than suspected. Scheduled cruises for Monday, March 25 and Friday, March 29 have been canceled.

Can I get a refund for my canceled Carnival Freedom cruise?

"We sincerely regret the impact to our embarking guests, as we know they have been looking forward to their spring break vacation

Where is Port Canaveral?

Port Canaveral, Florida is located on a barrier island between the Banana River and the Atlantic Ocean just north of Cape Canaveral. The port is 54 miles from Orlando and 75 miles from Daytona Beach.

What is the funnel on a cruise ship?

A cruise ship exhaust funnel works as a smokestack to lift emissions away from the deck and from passengers and crew. They're often called stacks.

The Carnival Freedom debuted a new stylized winged funnel in October last year after a 16-day dry-dock refurbishment in Cadiz, Spain. Carnival cruise funnels are referred to as the whale tail.

Has the Carnival Freedom cruise ship caught on fire before?

A fire broke out in the funnel area in May 2022 while it was docked in Grand Turk. Three scheduled sailings were canceled while the ship was repaired at a shipyard in Grand Bahama.

The ship was carrying about 2,500 passengers at the time and a crew of about 1,100, according to the cruise line. There were no injuries reported.

Which cruise ship caught fire?

The  Carnival Freedom  caught on fire on Saturday, March 23.

The 110,000-ton vessel made its inaugural sail in 2007.  The Freedom, which has 13 decks, can hold up to 3,754 passengers and 1,150 crew members.

Has a Carnival cruise ship ever sank?

No. But one has been shipwrecked.

On Jan. 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia struck a reef and capsized off the Tuscan island of Giglio. The ship, which was owned by a Carnival Corporation subsidiary, when the captain steered the 952-foot, 13-deck ship close to the shore to "impress the passengers" and tore a 160-foot gash in the port hull.

Captain Francesco Schettino was found guilty of manslaughter in 2015 and sentenced to 16 years in prison for the deaths of 32 passengers and crewmembers.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Carnival Freedom catches fire, cancels Monday, Friday Florida cruises

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The cruise line said damage to the ship is "more than we first thought" and will require immediate repair to stabilize the funnel. cruises scheduled to depart from port canaveral on march 25th and march 29th have been canceled..

Heath Barnes was a passenger on the Carnival Freedom ship when the boat's exhaust funnel caught fire during a thunderstorm. The ship is back at Port Canaveral for repairs. 

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Carnival Freedom ship caught fire Saturday near the Bahamas after passengers reported a lightning strike on the boat during a thunderstorm .

Carnival Cruise Line said the crew reported a fire on the port side of the ship's exhaust funnel around 3:15 p.m. Saturday. The ship was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, sailing to Freeport after being unable to dock at Princess Cay due to weather conditions. 

"Our onboard team acted quickly to contain and put out the fire," Carnival Cruise Line said. "While we continue to investigate multiple eyewitness reports of a lightning strike, our technical team completed a thorough assessment during the ship’s visit to Freeport on Sunday."

LIGHTNING FATALITIES WERE SECOND LOWEST ON RECORD IN 2023, SAFETY COUNCIL SAYS

Around the time of the fire, radar showed a storm cell over the area and a lot of lightning activity.

Radar at 3:15 p.m. on March 23 when a Carnival Cruise ship was possibly hit by lightning. 

(FOX Weather)

Multiple passenger videos show flames and dark smoke billowing from the exhaust funnel as rain continues to pour onto the deck.

Passenger Heath Barnes said the ship was supposed to dock at Princess Cay on Saturday about 9 a.m., but passengers were told that the boat would continue to Freeport due to strong winds . 

During the afternoon, the rain returned, and passengers reported hearing loud thunder and then seeing the smoke. Soon after, guests were told to remain in their cabins.

Smoke and flames coming from the exhaust funnel of the Carnival Freedom cruise ship on Saturday, March 23, 2024. 

(@breezebreeze_ via Storyful)

"Why is our tail on fire?" someone can be heard saying in the video recorded by Barnes. "That's not good, y'all."

On Monday, Carnival Freedom returned to Port Canaveral , where guests disembarked.

The cruise line said damage to the ship is "more than we first thought" and will require immediate repair to stabilize the funnel. Cruises scheduled to depart from Port Canaveral on March 25th and March 29th have been canceled. All guests on the canceled trips will receive a full refund and a 100% future cruise credit.

FOX Business reported that the same cruise ship caught on fire in 2022 after being struck by lightning. 

Carnival Freedom cruise ship on fire

Video shows smoke and flames coming from the Carnival Freedom exhaust funnel on Saturday after a possible lightning strike. (video credit: Credit: @breezebreeze_ via Storyful)

Another video recorded on Saturday by X user @breezebreeze showed the fire on the ship.

"Carnival Freedom on fire AGAIN!!" they wrote on X.

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Carnival Freedom passenger onboard during fire recounts 'dangerous, terrifying' experience

Carnival freedom will be back in service once funnel repairs are completed, spokesman confirms.

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A passenger who was onboard the Carnival Freedom during the cruise ship's second fire in less than two years over the weekend recounted a frightening experience at sea.

The blaze, which occurred Saturday, ignited on the port side of the ship's exhaust funnel, casually known as the "whale tail." Initial information from Carnival about the fire came on X, confirming that the fire broke out at 3:15 p.m. ET while the ship was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas.  

"A fire in the middle of the ocean is one of the most dangerous things that I can possibly think of," Tambra Jones of Virginia told Fox Business. "It was terrifying." Jones recalled that her eyes and chest were burning as a result of the fire, and that smoke was "everywhere."

Carnival noted that the port side of the funnel fell onto one of the ship's decks during the incident.

CRUISES CANCELED FOLLOWING CARNIVAL FREEDOM FIRE DURING BUSY SPRING BREAK SEASON

Part of the Carnival Freedom's funnel that collapsed onto an open deck.  (Tambra Jones)

Jones considers herself a veteran cruiser and has been sailing with Carnival since 2009. She said she did not know that the Freedom had been involved in another fire in May 2022 before she booked her March 21-26 voyage.

"Had I had that information prior, I would have done more research," she said. "I wouldn't have put myself in that type of situation had I known. All information should be divulged." 

Jones also alleged that the ship was not well-equipped to handle fires.

"Stepping on the Freedom with hoses that can't reach every aspect of that boat in the event there's a fire is putting your life on the line," she said. 

When asked about the hoses, Carnival spokesman Matt Lupoli noted that the crew put out the fire, and he said that the ship turned into a storm in order to get help from the rain.

Jones claimed she was considering legal action against Carnival, but she has not brought any action against the cruise line yet. Lupoli did not address potential litigation.

CARNIVAL FREEDOM CRUISE SHIP CATCHES FIRE FOR SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS

Carnival's onboard television provides maps that show the ship's traveled route.  (Tambra Jones)

The cause of the fire remains unclear. Carnival acknowledged that some witnesses reported a lightning strike, and said they were investigating. Jones is skeptical of this theory.

"Lightning did not hit that boat," Jones insisted. "I was sitting there watching it." Both she and the Carnival spokesman say the Freedom turned into a storm during the fire on March 23 to assist in fighting the flames. Jones said she was observing the situation from her cabin on the ship's live video feed, and claims that she saw smoke before any lightning. She also said that she never saw lightning strike the ship.

Jones said some people were blocked out of their rooms during the fire.

Two cruises this week were canceled as a result of the damage, Lupoli said. The ship was sent to the Freeport shipyard so work could be done to stabilize the funnel. It will be put back into service once repairs are completed, Lupoli said Wednesday. 

CARNIVAL FREEDOM CRUISE SHIP SEEN ON FIRE AT GRAND TURK

Screenshot from a video provided showing the weather conditions once the Carnival Freedom turned into the storm to assist in fighting the fire.  (Tambra Jones)

Carnival cruise passenger catches video of Freedom on fire again

A fire broke out aboard the Carnival Freedom cruise ship about 20 miles away from Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, on March 23, the cruise line announced. Courtesy: @breezebreeze via Storyful.

Carnival provided a refund and a 100% future cruise credit to those impacted by the March 25 and March 29 cancelations from Port Canaveral. However, Jones said, guests who experienced the fire first hand have not been given anything. Lupoli said it was because their cruise "went as planned," and that the "crew worked very hard to give them a good time." 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS  

"We greatly appreciate our terrific guests for their outstanding cooperation and support," Lupoli said.

Florence in California: Carnival launches new Italian-style cruise ship

Carnival Cruise Line is bringing a touch of Italy to Southern California.

The line launched Carnival Firenze, inspired by its namesake city, this week. The vessel sailed its maiden voyage from its Long Beach homeport on Thursday.

“We carry more guests than any other cruise line from California, and now this ship is giving us the opportunity to offer more fun to more people sailing from Long Beach,” Christine Duffy, the line’s president, said in a news release . “The recipe combining this ship’s beautiful Italian theming with the familiarity of our friendly team’s hospitality is, in a word, perfecto!”

The ship is the second in the Carnival Fun Italian Style concept after sister ship Carnival Venezia joined the fleet last summer. Both were originally part of Costa Cruises – also owned by parent company Carnival Corp. – before being rehomed.

Where will Carnival Firenze sail?

The roughly 5,000-guest ship will offer Baja Mexico and Mexican Riviera cruises ranging from three to seven days. Stops include destinations like Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Catalina Island.

What can guests expect on board?

Built in 2020, Firenze was refurbished earlier this year to add Carnival-specific touches. Those include staple venues like the Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse and JavaBlue Cafe.

But the line leans into the ship’s Italian motif. The ship’s atrium was designed with Florence’s Piazza del Duomo in mind and the Lido deck takes influence from the Italian Riviera. There’s even a replica of Michelangelo’s David on board that was previously on Carnival Pride (the real sculpture is located in Florence’s Accademia Gallery).

The theme extends to the food and drink options, with eateries like Italian specialty restaurant Il Viaggio, Mexican-Italian fusion venue Tomodoro and La Strada Grill, serving Italian street food. Frizzante specializes in bubbly drinks, and passengers can sip craft cocktails and Italian coffee at Amari.

Other features include the WaterWorks water park and Serenity Adult-Only Retreat.

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How much does Carnival Firenze cost?

Prices vary based on sailing date and other factors, but a five-day Mexican Riviera cruise departing on May 30 currently starts at $409 per person based on double occupancy, according to Carnival’s website . The fare includes much of the food on the ship, drinks like regular coffee and iced tea and more.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

Are you planning a cruise for summer or fall? Brace yourself for a shock

Are you looking to take a cruise between now and the end of the year? We have some bad news: You might have a tough time finding a cabin — at least if you want a specific type of room on a specific ship.

Bookings for cruises have been on fire for months , pacing at record levels. As a result, nearly nine of every 10 cabins available for 2024 sailings are already booked, the top executive of one of the world's biggest cruise companies revealed Thursday.

"We only have about 12% load factors left to build for the year," Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group CEO, noted in a conference call with Wall Street analysts, using a term that refers to the percentage of cabin space that is available on ships.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Liberty said bookings for cruises accelerated in April beyond an already blistering pace set in the first three months of the year. The surge occurred despite a rapidly dwindling amount of open cabin space for 2024 sailings.

"Bookings have consistently outpaced last year throughout the entire first quarter and through April, even though we have significantly fewer staterooms left to sell," Liberty said.

Royal Caribbean Group is the parent company of Royal Caribbean , the world's biggest cruise line, as well as Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises . It also owns a partial interest in Germany-based cruise brands TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

Liberty was only referring to Royal Caribbean Group brands when making the comments about bookings. But other cruise companies, including Carnival Corporation and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, have reported similar strength in bookings in recent months.

As one of the biggest cruise brands in the world, Royal Caribbean Group also serves as a bellwether of sorts for the industry when it comes to booking strength.

The result: soaring cruise fares

With demand for cruises at record levels and cabin supply quickly disappearing, cruise lines have been able to raise prices significantly in recent months on top of sharp price increases throughout 2023.

During Thursday's conference call with Wall Street analysts, Liberty said the bookings that customers at its brands made during the first three months of the year were "at much higher prices than 2023" fares.

Liberty also noted that yields at Royal Caribbean Group brands for cruises that customers took during the first three months of the year were up 19.3% as compared to the same months in 2023. That was nearly four percentage points higher than the company was predicting just a few months ago.

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Yield is a measure of how much money cruise lines make per passenger.

"The first quarter was tremendous, sending us well on our path to a year that is significantly better than we expected just a few months back," Liberty said.

Liberty attributed the strong growth in bookings and pricing in part to the line's rollout of the record-size Icon of the Seas in January, which has been a huge hit . He also noted strong bookings and pricing across the entire fleets of its brands for all key itineraries.

Both new ships and older ships are in hot demand, Liberty suggested, with demand particularly strong from North American travelers. Roughly 80% of all Royal Caribbean Group bookings this year have come from North Americans — an unusually large percentage.

The company is also seeing a surge in first-time cruisers, a category known in the industry as the "new to cruise" market.

"Our addressable market is expanding, and 'new to cruise' continues to grow, increasing 16% year over year," Liberty said. "These guests are discovering our differentiated vacation experiences and are increasingly returning to us as we see repeat rates over 30% higher compared to 2019."

Liberty also noted the company was drawing more younger customers, including a growing number of millennials.

"Millennials and younger generations have gained 11 percentage points share compared to 2019, and today almost one in two guests are millennials or younger," he said.

Cruise bookings are surging in part because vacationers are seeing the value in cruising as compared to other types of vacations that involve land travel, Liberty suggested. Liberty and other cruise executives believe cruises are priced significantly below the level of land resorts on a like-for-like basis, even after the sharp increases in cruise fares over the past year.

"Despite our ability to narrow the gap [in pricing] to land-based vacations in the last 12 months, cruising still remains an exceptional value proposition," Liberty said.

Also driving cruise bookings is the fact that a strong economy has consumers feeling flush and willing to spend on vacations, Liberty suggested. He noted that consumer sentiment is high, "bolstered by resilient labor markets, wage growth, stabilizing inflation and record-high household net worth."

In addition, "consumer preferences continue to shift toward spend on experiences, particularly priority for travel," he said.

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