Costa Cruise Ship ALLEGRA Adrift Off Seychelles
The Costa cruise ship ALLEGRA suffered a fire causing the vessel to lose propulsion off the coast of Seychelles in the Indian Sea Monday, February 27, 2012. The fire was reported to have started in the ship's engine room and is now extinguished. No causalities among the 636 passenger and 413 are reported.
The ALLEGRA departed Madagascar on Saturday, February 25, 2012 and was cruising toward the port of Victoria, Seychelles' capital, when the fire broke out. Tugs from Seychelles were dispatched to the ALLEGRA and are expected to reach the ailing cruise ship Tuesday afternoon.
Unlike the modern ocean liners of the major lines which are designed and built to be used as cruise ships, the ALLEGRA, launched in 1969, was originally cargo container vessel. The ship, originally named ANNIE JOHNSON, served as a cargo vessel until 1986 when it was sold to Regency Cruises with the intention to be refitted as a cruise ship. This did not occur and was again placed into service as a cargo ship until 1990 when sold to Costa. The ship was then finally retrofitted, renamed ALLEGRA and put to use as a cruise ship in 1992.
The Royal Caribbean VOYAGER OF THE SEAS sailed into New Orleans while the Princess cruise ships CROWN PRINCESS and RUBY PRINCESS sailed into Ft. Lauderdale this weekend with Norovirus outbreaks. The P&O cruise ship AURORA also reported a Norovirus outbreak earlier this year. Norovirus is a significant problem aboard cruise ships. It is rapidly passed from one person to another through direct contact and indirect contact by touching elevator buttons, door handles, pens, toilets and other common items. The disease can also spread by infected cabin attendants and galley stewards who touch your possessions while making up the cabin and eating utensils when stocking them on the tables. 
The Court Guard reports an aircrew from Sector San Diego airlifted a cruise passenger experiencing chest pain from the Carnival cruise ship INSPIRATION. The medevac took place approximately 30 miles southwest of San Diego on the evening of Thursday, February 2, 2012. The crew of the INSPIRATION requested a medevac for the 61-year-old passenger at approximately 5:30 p.m. A Coast Guard flight surgeon was consulted and recommended immediate airlift. A MH-60 Jayhawk crew met the cruise ship at 7:40 p.m. and hoisted the passenger from the INSPIRATION. While on the ground at San Diego, the passenger was transferred to an emergency medical facility for further care. The man's condition is unknown at the time of this article. This is just one of several cruise ship medevacs preformed by the Coast Guard this year alone. 
It has been widely reported a passenger aboard the Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas died early morning on Monday, January 30, 2012 after falling down a flight of stairs. The Broward Sheriff's Office states the passenger, Barbara Wood, a 47-year-old Massachusetts woman, fell on a flight of stairs and struck her head. Royal Caribbean confirmed the woman died aboard its cruise ship. The accident occurred approximately at 1:48 a.m near the Catacombs nightclub. At the time of the death, the Liberty of the Seas was traveling from the Bahamas to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. 
