A Carnival cruise ship will be out of commission for repairs for at least a week after its exhaust funnel caught fire and partially collapsed Saturday during a trip to the Bahamas. It marked the second time in just under two years that the funnel on this same ship, the Carnival Freedom, went up in flames while carrying passengers.
What caused the most recent incident is still being investigated, according to the cruise company. No one on board the ship was injured, but Carnival said two fire crew members were treated for minor smoke inhalation.
The Carnival Freedom left from Port Canaveral, Florida, on Thursday and was supposed to travel for several days through the Bahamas before returning Monday to Port Canaveral. It was not immediately clear how many passengers and crew were on board the Freedom when the fire erupted, but the cruise ship can accommodate 2,980 guests and 1,150 crew members at capacity. CBS News contacted Carnival for more information.
Fire on Carnival Freedom Cruise Ship Quickly Extinguished by Crew
As flames broke out on the Carnival Freedom cruise ship, the fire response team sprang into action to put out the blaze promptly. The captain of the ship steered towards heavy rain nearby in an attempt to aid the extinguishing process. Fortunately, by 5:20 p.m., Carnival reported that the fire had been successfully extinguished, including flames from a section of the funnel that detached and landed on one of the ship decks. Funnels on ships serve as smokestacks or chimneys for expelling fumes and engine exhaust.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that the crew of the Carnival Freedom managed to put out the fire on Saturday without requiring assistance. Despite this, the Coast Guard was informed of the situation and issued a Captain of the Port order to the cruise ship before its scheduled arrival at Port Canaveral, Florida, on Monday. Captain of the Port orders are broad mandates described by the Marine Safety and Security Council as granting operational controls to Coast Guard crews in emergent situations posing safety, security, or environmental risks.
"We are continuing to monitor the situation," stated the Coast Guard.
After initially stating that the fire on the Carnival Freedom cruise ship would not affect upcoming trips, a technical evaluation in Freeport revealed more extensive damage than anticipated. The ship will need immediate repairs to stabilize the funnel after passengers disembark in Port Canaveral on Monday.
Carnival announced on Sunday that the funnel has been secured for the ship's return to Port Canaveral to disembark passengers. Following this, the ship will head to the Freeport shipyard on Monday afternoon for the necessary repairs. The company expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to embarking guests who were eagerly anticipating their spring break vacation.
Both Carnival Freedom cruises for the week have been called off. Carnival assured guests with bookings for these cruises that they would receive full refunds and future cruise credits.
The Carnival Freedom's exhaust funnel previously caught fire less than two years ago, in May 2022, while docked in Grand Turk during a planned voyage from Port Canaveral. The ship was carrying 2,504 guests and 972 crew members at the time, with no reported injuries among passengers or crew.
