First Supper After 'Nightmare Cruise'

Two Downriver women were among the passengers of the disabled Carnival Splendor cruise ship —which had an engine fire that left the boat and the 4500 people on it without electricity for a half-week.

The boat was adrift on the Pacific Ocean without power, air conditioning, working plumbing, or proper food from Monday to Thursday morning when the 1,000-foot ship was pulled by six tug boats and escorted by Coast Guard cutters to the dock in San Diego.

The first group of passengers walked down a ramp about an hour later, dragging rolling suitcases behind them and entering a tent on the dock. With the ship's elevators out-of-order, port officials estimated it would take about four hours for everyone to leave the ship.

Angela Evans of Wyandotte and Natalie Martinez of Taylor were relieved to escape the cruise ship, where they spent most of the voyage in nightmarish conditions.

They enjoyed what they called their "first supper," the first hot meal they'd had in days. Because they didn't have a "formal night" on the ship, they dressed up for dinner with friends they made during their ordeal. Martinez said it was nice to get together over real food and reminisce about the unforgettable experience.

Evans described the experience of dining on the dysfunctional ship.

"We ate a lot of salad, and some weird concoctions. I mean, the crew and the chef did what they could with what they had." Evans said.

She also described one of the stranger concoctions the chef whipped up. "One day the chef had sent out melted chocolate ice cream with bagel bits in it, pieces of bagel in it, which was definitely different."

All passengers will get a refund, including airfare, and a free cruise. But both of the women said that they will be waiting a few years before their next ocean voyage.

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