MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — After enduring five days stuck on a disabled cruise ship with overflowing toilets, food shortages and foul smells, passengers from the Carnival ship Triumph are making their way home.
The ship docked late last night in Mobile, Ala., where passengers boarded buses to the departure port of Galveston, Texas, or to New Orleans -- where hotel rooms and flights home awaited them.
Nearly 2,000 passengers arrived at a New Orleans Hilton in the wee hours. By dawn, many were headed out again to fly to Houston -- to get a connecting flight home or a chartered bus back to their cars in Galveston.
Hundreds are arriving by bus in Galveston -- with many facing a long drive home from there.
Meanwhile, tugs have pulled the disabled ship away from the dock, and toward a shipyard where city officials say it will be repaired.
%@AP Links
132-a-12-(Allie McKerreghan, 12-year-Carnival Triumph passenger traveling with her 10-year-old best friend, in AP interview)-"on this anymore"-Twelve-year-old Allie McKerreghan says this wasn't the fun trip she expected. (15 Feb 2013)
<<CUT *132 (02/15/13)>> 00:12 "on this anymore"
134-a-08-(Allie McKerreghan, 12-year-old Carnival Triumph passenger traveling with her 10-year-old best friend, in AP interview)-"be be OK"-Twelve-year-old Allie McKerreghan says it was really frightening when the power went out on the Carnival Triumph. (15 Feb 2013)
<<CUT *134 (02/15/13)>> 00:08 "be be OK"
122-a-10-(Judy Garcia, passenger, celebrating her 53rd wedding anniversary with her husband, in AP interview)-"have some air"-Passenger Judy Garcia says with no power, there was no ventilation. (15 Feb 2013)
<<CUT *122 (02/15/13)>> 00:10 "have some air"
124-a-05-(Tom Garcia, passenger, celebrating his 53rd wedding anniversary with his wife, in AP interview)-"us we're here"-Tom Garcia, who was on the cruise celebrating his 53rd wedding anniversary with his wife, says he's thankful everything turned out well. (15 Feb 2013)
<<CUT *124 (02/15/13)>> 00:05 "us we're here"
GRAPHICSBANK: The cruise ship Carnival Triumph is towed during sunset into Mobile Bay near Dauphin Island, Alabama, graphic element on black (15 Feb 2013)
APPHOTO ALDM153: Carnival Triumph passenger Cecilia Alvarez stands wrapped in a blanket after departing the ship in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. The ship with more than 4,200 passengers and crew members has been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/G M Andrews) (14 Feb 2013)
<<APPHOTO ALDM153 (02/14/13)>>
APPHOTO LAGH109: Passengers from the disabled Carnival Triumph cruise ship arrive by bus at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. The ship had been idled for nearly a week in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (15 Feb 2013)
<<APPHOTO LAGH109 (02/15/13)>>
