Rogers Native Katie Fehlig Stranded on "Carnival Dream"
By: Neile Jones
Updated: March 14, 2013
A Rogers native is among thousands stranded at St. Maarten after another Carnival cruise ship has issues. Twenty-four-year-old Katie Fehlig says the "Carnival Dream" was supposed to leave St. Maarten Wednesday evening to head back to Florida, but that didn't happen. Fehlig says at one point the cruise director, via the intercom, asked people not to use the restroom, elevator, and said some of the air conditioning might go for out for a while as the crew tried to repair a problem. Later that night, Fehlig says they were told everything was working, but when they woke up Thursday morning, the ship was still stuck at port in St. Maarten. Finally, Thursday afternoon, passengers learned what was causing the issue. Fehlig says, "We did get a letter saying that the emergency diesel generator had a malfunction when they tested during one of their regularly scheduled tests. We aren't that down about it. We had an extra day on the island the only thing that we are kinda concerned about is how they are going to fly 3,000 people out of this little airport back to Florida in one day. I know there have been some reports of the toilets over flowing on CNN, but theres been nothing like that going on." Passengers have been told they will all be flown back to Florida sometime Friday. Fehlig says Carnival is offering to reinburse passengers for 3 days of the cruise and give them 50-percent off a cruise as long as they take it in the next two years. She says previous issues like the one with the Triumph just last month make her second guess Carnival ,but this experience hasn't scared her away from all cruises.
