UPDATE (March 14, 2013 -- 12:17 p.m.)
MIAMI (AP) - Carnival Cruise Lines is making arrangements for passengers aboard the stranded ship Dream to fly home.
The cruise line made the announcement Thursday morning.
The ship encountered a technical issue with its backup emergency diesel generator during a scheduled port of call Wednesday in St. Maarten. There were brief interruptions to the elevators and toilets Wednesday night.
The company says engineers are working on the problem, but they are making arrangements to fly passengers home. They did not indicate when the flights would leave St. Maarten. The ship, with a capacity of 3,646 passengers, is docked at Phillipsburg.
The Dream's March 16 voyage from Port Canaveral has been canceled.
An engine fire crippled the Carnival Triumph in February, leaving 4,200 stranded for five days without working toilets or power.
UPDATE (March 14, 2013 - 10:11 A.M.)
MIAMI, Fla. (AP) -A month after a Carnival cruise ship was stranded for five days in the Gulf of Mexico, another of its cruise ships is reporting equipment problems in the Caribbean.
A U.S. Coast Guard spokeswoman in Miami said Thursday that Carnival Dream's captain notified the agency of possible trouble with the ship's propulsion system.
The cruise ship, which has a capacity of 3,646 passengers and 1,367 crew members, is docked at Phillipsburg in St. Maarten.
Carnival officials didn't immediately return a phone call or email seeking comment.
Petty Officer Sabrina Laberdesque says the ship has sewage and power and officials are working to correct the problems. She says the Coast Guard is not involved because the ship is moored.
At 10:45 a.m. Carnival Cruise company posted an update on their Facebook page: "The Carnival Dream has a technical issue with the ship’s backup emergency diesel generator which our engineering team is currently working on. Yesterday, during regularly scheduled testing of the ship’s emergency diesel generator, a malfunction occurred. At no time did the ship lose power and the ship’s propulsion systems and primary power source was not impacted. The ship is at dock in St. Maarten. All guests are safe and comfortable. There were periodic interruptions to elevators and restroom services for a few hours last night. However, all hotel systems are functioning normally and have been functional since approximately 12.30am.
While personnel continue to work on the technical issue we are making arrangements to fly all guests home via private charter flights and scheduled flights from St. Maarten. Guests on the current voyage will receive a refund equivalent to three days of the voyage and 50 percent off a future cruise.
We are also cancelling the ship's next voyage which is scheduled to depart on Saturday, March 16. Guests scheduled to sail on this cruise will receive a full refund and 25 percent off a future seven-day cruise. Guests who re-book will have their current rate protected on the future sailing.
Additionally, any non-refundable transportation related expenses will be reimbursed.
Yesterday was a scheduled port of call visit to St. Maarten. Guests were able to spend the full day in port and have the option of continuing to do so until their scheduled return home. All of the ship's activities and facilities are fully operational.
We are very sorry for this disruption to our guests' vacation plans and extend our sincere apologies. We look forward to welcoming them back on another Carnival cruise.
The Carnival Dream was on the last leg of a seven-day cruise and was docked in St. Maarten when the technical problem arose. The ship is based in Port Canaveral, Fla."
An engine fire crippled the Carnival Triumph in February, leaving 4,200 without working toilets or power.
