TAMPA (FOX 13) -
As if it couldn't get any worse, another Carnival cruise ship is limping home with a technical issue.
The Carnival Legend is returning to Tampa as scheduled on Sunday, but is not making any more scheduled stops on its trip through the Caribbean. It's only moving at 14 mph as it sputters back home.
"Carnival Legend is
experiencing a technical issue with one of the ships Azipod units that is
affecting the vessels sailing speed," the company said Friday in a statement. "The
ship's safety systems and hotel services are all functioning normally."
According to Tonya Esparza, whose son is on the ship, the engine trouble began Tuesday night.
She spoke with FOX 13 by phone Thursday night.
"It sounded like it hit something," Esparza said her son told her. "They said it was a problem with the engine."
The ship is now moving much more slowly, Esparza said. There have been no power outages, and amenities are still working, her son reported. The ship is expected to return to Tampa on Sunday.
"Guests on the current
voyage will receive a $100.00 USD per person credit and a full refund on
pre-purchased shore excursions for Grand Cayman," the statement said. "In addition, guests will receive 50 percent
off a future Carnival cruise."
In February, the Legend lent a helping hand to passengers stuck on the Carnival Triumph after a fire in the engine left more than 4,000 Triumph passengers and crew members stranded at sea.
The Legend left its planned course to deliver food and supplies to the Triumph, and the Coast Guard evacuated one passenger in need of medical care from one ship to the other.
The Triumph had no air-conditioning, backed up toilets, and had to be towed by the Coast Guard back to land.
FOX 13 obtained a letter Thursday night sent by the Legend's captain to its passengers. It said repairs to the engine were not enough to get them to the Cayman Islands, and that the ship would be returning to Tampa.
"Rest assured all safety systems and hotel services are functioning normally," the letter said.
The second ship to experience trouble is the Dream. It's still stuck in St. Maarten, and the seven-day cruise is being cut short. Passengers are expected to be flown back to Orlando starting Friday.
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PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
Carnival Legend passengers happy to lend a helping hand:
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/21228569/carnival-legend-passengers-happy-to-lend-a-hand
Carnival Dream inoperable; passengers to be flown to Florida:
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/21638742/2013/03/14/carnival-dream-reports-problems-in-st-maarten
