Grandeur of the Seas Cruise Ship Catches Fire - East Idaho News
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Grandeur of the Seas Cruise Ship Catches Fire

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73944788?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1369663890277Bruno Vincent/Getty Images(FREEPORT, Bahamas) — Passengers aboard Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas were awakened and sent to their muster stations after a fire on one of the cruise ship’s decks early Monday morning. No injuries were reported.

Royal Caribbean International said the fire took place at around 2:50 a.m. ET on the mooring area of deck three of its 11 decks. The company said the fire was extinguished and the affected area was cordoned off. Guests were allowed to return to their staterooms, the company said around 7:15 a.m. ET.
The extent of the fire was not immediately clear but all systems were still operating on the ship, RCI said.

Medical staff reported two guests were treated after fainting, with one report of high blood pressure and another of cramps.

“In an abundance of caution, the captain deemed it necessary to muster all guests at their assembly stations. All 2,224 guests and 796 crew have been accounted for, and there have been no injuries of guests or crew reported. The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority, and we will continue to focus on their needs and concerns,” according to a statement from the company.

The incident follows a series of highly publicized cruise ship mishaps. The Carnival Triumph cruise ship was idle for nearly a week at sea in the Gulf of Mexico following an engine room fire on its way from Galveston, Texas, to Cozumel, Mexico in February. In April, it broke away from its mooring in Mobile, Ala. while 800 people were on board.

The ship had just begun to sail earlier this month out of the Port of Baltimore after $48 million in upgrades. Its new amenities, including a 220-square foot poolside movie screen, puts the boat among Royal Caribbean’s two largest classes of ships, according to the Baltimore Business Journal.

Grandeur of the Seas was en route to CocoCay, Bahamas, as part of a seven-night trip that left Baltimore on May 24. It is currently heading to Freeport, Bahamas “for further evaluation.”

The itinerary included port calls to Port Canaveral, Fla.; CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas. It wasn’t clear whether passengers would have to leave the ship when it docks.

Just last week, the Cruise Lines International Association introduced a cruise passenger bill of rights, stating when cruise lines will issue full or partial refunds for canceled or interrupted voyages, which many companies already offer.

In April, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. reported first quarter profit of $76.2 million, up from $47 million in the same quarter last year. Revenue increased 4.2 percent to $1.91 billion. The line has 21 ships and brands including Celebrity, Azamara, Pullmantur and CDF Croisières de France.

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