marella discovery cruise ship fire

Cruises Cancelled After Fire Onboard Marella Discovery

• July 9, 2023

Two cruises were cancelled after a fire broke out onboard Marella Cruises’ Marella Discovery during a cruise in the Caribbean.

According to a report in the UK media, the fire alarms were sounded in the early hours of Friday while the 1996-built vessel was sailing between Amber Cove and Grand Turk.

The fire was contained to one of Discovery’s five engines and was quickly extinguished with no injuries to passengers or crew, the report added.

In a letter issued onboard, Marella confirmed the incident and informed guests of the cancellation of the ship’s current cruise.

“We’ve returned to Amber Cove so engineers can assess any damage and so that we can complete essential third-party inspections to clear us to sail. Unfortunately, we are currently waiting for class-approved surveyors who are flying to the Dominican Republic to reinstate and certificate the fixed firefighting system that we used to extinguish the fire,” the UK-based cruise line said.

“By the time this is complete, and we are clear to sail, we would not be able to reach Port Canaveral on Sunday as planned. With that in mind, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel this cruise and fly you home,” the company continued.

Offering a seven-night cruise to the Caribbean and Florida, the Discovery sailed from Port Canaveral on July 2. Upon visiting Miami, Bimini, Grand Turk and Amber Cove, the vessel was scheduled to return to Port Canaveral on July 9.

“It’s not a decision we’ve come to lightly but it is clear we simply cannot offer you a suitable itinerary,” Marella added, noting that its shoreside team is now working on the logistics of bringing all guests home to the UK.

“This is a big logistical operation and we appreciate your patience as we make all the necessary arrangements,” the company said.

Affected passengers are set to receive pro-data refunds or full refunds, depending on the date they boarded the vessel. Shore excursions booked for ports that were not visited are also being automatically refunded, Marella added.

“Once again, we’re sorry we haven’t been able to deliver the holiday you expected. We’d also like to thank you for your understanding and for your support for the crew – they are working hard to give you the best possible experience,” the company concluded.

Set to depart on July 9, Marella Discovery’s upcoming cruise has also been cancelled, according to a statement sent to booked guests.

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Marella cruise cancelled after fire breaks out

TUI-owned Marella Cruises has cancelled the current cruise on its ship Discovery after a fire broke out.

Passengers were alerted at around 01:30 local time on Friday 7 July, as the ship was on its way to Grand Turk, during a Caribbean cruise.

TUI said the fire – in one of the ship’s five engines – was quickly extinguished and there were no injuries to passengers or crew.

The ship was escorted to its previous port of call, Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, for the damage to be assessed.

Passengers were able to stay on the ship and were told TUI would make arrangements for them to be flown back to the UK, while Discovery’s next sailing, on Sunday 9 July, was cancelled.

One passenger described the incident as ‘quite terrifying’, while another said the staff and crew were ‘utterly amazing’.

TUI said on Saturday: “Due to a small fire in one of the five engines on the Marella Discovery , we have taken the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of the cruise.

 “We understand how disappointing this will be and would like to apologise to our customers who have been impacted and thank them for their patience and understanding at this time.

“The fire was reported whilst the ship was on course in the Caribbean. The fire was quickly extinguished, and no one on board was harmed.

“We understand how concerning this must be for those on board and we would like to assure customers that our crew are highly trained to deal with these sorts of situations.

“Due to the impacts of the fire, we will also be cancelling the next cruise due to depart from Port Canaveral on Sunday.

“Our customer teams will be in contact with those customers impacted and will support them with their future travel plans.

“Depending on customers’ outward travel dates, those impacted will either be offered a full or pro-rata refund, as well as holiday vouchers as a gesture of goodwill.

“Our teams are currently arranging for all passengers to be brought home.

“We would once again like to thank customers for their patience and understanding and apologise for the inconvenience caused.”

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Cruise Ship Fire Leaves Guests Stuck in Caribbean Port

Doug Parker

• July 10, 2023

A cruise ship fire has one vessel and its passengers stuck in a Caribbean port. Following an engine room fire, TUI Cruises’ Marella Discovery is awaiting inspectors to give the vessel clearance before it can proceed back to Port Canaveral.

Though no one was injured and the small fire was quickly contained, the German-based TUI Group chose to cancel the ship’s next sailing and cut short its ongoing cruise.

How the Cruise Ship Fire Happened

The fire broke out at around 1:30 AM on July 7. At the time, the ship had just departed from the Amber Cover Cruise Port in the Dominican Republic around 7.5 hours ago and was on its way to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Fire alarms went off, firefighting teams promptly responded, and the flames were extinguished. No one from the ship’s passengers or crew members sustained any injuries .

To ensure the vessel’s integrity and everyone’s safety, the ship was escorted back to Amber Cove for third-party inspections and damage assessment.

Since fire inspectors need to fly into the Domincan Republic, Marella was not able to dock at Port Canaveral, Florida on July 9 as it was originally scheduled.

This means that the next cruise onboard the ship that leaves on the same date was canceled. Aside from undergoing repairs, the ship’s upcoming investigations will also try to determine the cause of the fire to prevent similar safety hazards.

Passenger Refunds

Over 1,800 passengers had their cruise itineraries interrupted. Those who began sailing with the vessel on July 2 and passenger who planned on extending their itineraries on July 9 for a full 14 nights will receive a full refund.

Meanwhile, those who began sailing earlier on June 25 for a 14-night getaway will be refunded on a seven-night pro-rata basis. These refunds will be returned to cruisers’ payment accounts in 28 days.

Additionally, the cruise line is booking flights on behalf of its customers that will see them safely returned to the UK where their vacations began. “We’ve made the difficult decision to cancel this cruise and fly you all home. It’s not a decision we’ve come to lightly but it is clear we simply cannot offer you a suitable itinerary,” said a letter issued by the company.

Because of the sudden influx of guests who must be accommodated at short notice, it could easily take a few days before all 1,800 passengers secure a flight back. 

TUI has yet to announce if other future sailings will be canceled on account of the incident.

As of Monday morning, Marella Discovery was still docked in Amber Cove following the cruise ship fire.

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Fire Forces Marella Cruises to Cancel Current and Next Cruise on the Discovery

Fire Breakout Forces Marella Cruises to Cancel Current and Next Cruise Departure

Marella Cruises has canceled the remainder of its current cruise, as well as the upcoming departure of its cruise ship Marella Discovery, following a fire incident. Passengers on board were alerted in the early hours of Friday, July 7, when fire alarms were sounded during a Caribbean cruise as the ship was en route to Grand Turk.

According to TUI, the parent company of Marella Cruises, the fire, which originated in one of the ship's five engines, was promptly extinguished, and no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew. As a precautionary measure, the ship was escorted back to its previous port of call, Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, where a thorough assessment of the damage is underway.

Passengers on the affected ship have been informed that they will be flown back to the UK, while the scheduled departure of Discovery on Sunday, July 9, has been canceled.

TUI released a statement saying, "Due to a small fire in one of the five engines on the Marella Discovery, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of the cruise. We understand how disappointing this will be and would like to apologize to our customers who have been impacted and thank them for their patience and understanding at this time. The fire was reported whilst the ship was on course in the Caribbean. The fire was quickly extinguished, and no one on board was harmed."

The company further assured passengers that their highly trained crew members are equipped to handle such situations. In light of the fire incident, the subsequent cruise scheduled to depart from Port Canaveral on Sunday has also been canceled.

TUI's customer support teams will reach out to those affected, providing assistance with their future travel arrangements. Refunds, either in full or pro-rata depending on outward travel dates, along with holiday vouchers as a gesture of goodwill, will be offered to impacted customers.

Efforts are currently underway to arrange transportation for all passengers to return home safely. TUI expressed gratitude for the understanding and patience shown by their customers and offered apologies for any inconvenience caused.

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Fire Accident (engine room fire) on the Marella Discovery on 7th July 2023

Grand Turk Island (Turks and Caicos)

Cruise Ship

Marella Discovery

Incident Type

Fire Accident (engine room fire)

Date of Accident

7th July 2023

Location of Accident

Encountered issues on this cruise or another? Carter Capner Law is expert in compensation and insurance claims arising on cruise ships and cruise ship excursions. We act for passengers, crew and their families, worldwide. Call today on 1300 529 529 or click here to reach Carter Capner Law . Click on Client Showcase to view our history of cruise ship accident compensation claims.

The ship suffered an engine room fire in the early hours of July 7, 2023, while en route from Dominicana to Grand Turk Island (Turks and Caicos). The fire began in one of the five diesel engines and was swiftly extinguished by the crew, according to TUI UK. There were no reports of injuries or water ingress/pollution.

Even though the vessel was still seaworthy, it was escorted back to Dominicana (Amber Cove) for a comprehensive damage assessment and emergency repairs. To receive permission to continue sailing, class-approved surveyors (flying to Dominicana) conducted necessary examinations on Marella Discovery to reinstate and certify the firefighting system used to extinguish the fire.

Due to the incident, the remainder of the journey was cancelled. Everyone was bused from Amber Cove to Puerto Plata’s Gregorio Luperon Airport and then flown back to the United Kingdom. The next scheduled voyage (departure from Port Canaveral on July 9th) was also cancelled.

As compensation, all affected travellers were refunded (either in full or proportionally, depending on departure dates) and also received vacation vouchers (FCC/future cruise credits). All shore excursions reserved for unvisited locations were refunded automatically.

The accident took place near the end of the 7-day “Sunshine State And Sands Cruise” (itinerary July 2-9, roundtrip from Port Canaveral/Orlando, Florida, USA) with call ports in Florida (Miami/July 3), The Bahamas (Resorts World Bimini/July 4), Dominicana (Amber Cove/July 6), and Grand Turk (Cockburn Town/July 7th, cancelled).

The next voyage to be cancelled was the 7-day “American Dream Cruise” (itinerary July 9-16, roundtrip from Port Canaveral) with ports of call in Freeport (Bahamas), New York City (New York, United States), and Charleston (South Carolina, United States).

The Marella Discovery resumed passenger service on the 23rd of July, departing from Port Canaveral.

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Marella Discovery cruise ship temporarily stuck in port after engine room fire

The cruise ship Marella Discovery is currently stuck in port in the Dominican Republic after experiencing an engine room fire, according to a memo sent to passengers by the company. The incident occurred on the evening of July 6, shortly after the ship departed from the port of Amber Cove. The crew was able to quickly extinguish the fire, and no injuries were reported.

In order to await the arrival of third-party inspectors, the Marella Discovery had to return to Amber Cove instead of continuing on its scheduled route to the Turks and Caicos. This has resulted in the cancellation of the next cruise and the ship’s inability to return to its home port of Port Canaveral on time. As a result, all 1,800 passengers on board will need to be flown back to the UK, as the cruise was operated for British residents.

TUI, the parent company of Marella Cruises, has stated that passengers who boarded the ship after July 2 will receive a full refund, while those who had been aboard since June 25 will receive a prorated discount. However, it is unclear how long it will take to coordinate the logistics of flying all the passengers back to their home country.

As of now, the Marella Discovery remains docked in Amber Cove. According to TUI UK, the ship is expected to resume service by July 16. This is not the first time the ship has experienced an engine room fire, as a similar incident occurred in 2015 when it was still under Royal Caribbean management. However, that fire took longer to put out, and some passengers had to be treated for smoke inhalation.

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• Marella UK's Asia & Middle East cruises (ship Discovery 2...

Marella UK's Asia & Middle East cruises (ship Discovery 2) canceled due to Red Sea crisis

TUI has made the decision to cancel Marella Cruises UK 's Asia and Middle East program from November 2024 to the end of April 2025.

In a communication to customers, TUI UK & Ireland cited the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea as the reason for the cancellations, stating that the situation posed significant risks for sea travel to and from Asia.

Despite exploring alternative routes, TUI mentioned that viable options were scarce. Consequently, the Asia and Middle East program for the upcoming winter season has been called off. This decision follows Marella's previous cancellation of Discovery 2 ship 's relocation voyages (RepositionCruises.com) originally scheduled for April and May, due to the risks associated with transporting passengers from Asia to Europe via the Red Sea.

For now, Marella UK doesn't have any Asia or Middle East cruises available for booking, and there is no indication of the deployment plans for Discovery 2 next winter.

Guests affected by the cancellations have the option to rebook another cruise with a GBP 200 per person discount before April 29, 2024, or to cancel and receive a full refund.

TUI emphasized the priority of customer and crew safety , reiterating the decision to cancel the program due to the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea area. TUI expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to affected customers and assured them that they would be contacted by their booking agents to discuss available options, including rebooking with a discount or receiving a full refund.

Carnival Cruise Ship Catches Fire for Second Time in 2 Years After Passengers Report 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.

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.

Related: Carnival Cruise Ship Catches Fire During Visit to Turks and Caicos Islands

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.

Related: 2 Holland America Line Crew Members Killed During Onboard 'Incident' in the Bahamas

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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