Carnival Triumph parking offshore of Dauphin Island

DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. (WALA) - Wednesday, February 13, the Carnival Triumph will park just offshore of Dauphin Island, meaning passengers will have to wait out the night just miles from land.

One of the ship's engine rooms caught fire Sunday, leaving the passengers and crew members stranded in the middle of the Gulf of Mexco. 

TRIUMPH JUST OFFSHORE

Wednesday night the Carnival Cruise ship Triumph is expected to park about 50 miles offshore of Dauphin Island. There, the ship will wait out the night before continuing into Mobile Bay with the daylight Thursday. Some sight-seers on the island were surprised at the news.

Danny Adkins said, “I knew it was coming to Mobile, but I didn’t know they were going to park it off island here though.”

Many folks feel bad for the passengers, stuck aboard a ship that reportedly has been fouled by sewage, and lost all its basic comforts.

"I can’t even imagine. That’s completely disgusting,” one gentleman said.

“I’m really sorry for them because they’re looking to go on a beautiful vacation,” Csilla Tamas said.

BLACK EYE FOR CARNIVAL

Sets of eyes from all over the country and perhaps around the world will watch as the Triumph unloads Thursday, February, 14.

For Carnival, it’s a public relations nightmare.

“I think this is probably going to be a kick in the pants for Carnival,” Danny Adkins said.

“I’m not looking forward to going on a cruise ship, and this is the reason,” Tamas said.

Folks on Dauphin Island will have a front row seat as the ship is slowly towed into port Thursday. For the passengers, it will be their first sight of land in days, but it will still take hours to travel the 30 miles to the terminal in Mobile...so close, but yet so far, from the end of a rough journey.