“Poop Cruise” Survivor Shares Their Must-Haves

The Carnival Triumph ship was returning to Galveston, Texas, from Cozumel, Mexico, when a fire in the engine room broke out. The fire turned what was supposed to be a four-night cruise into an ordeal that included several extra days of drifting at sea before the ship was towed into port in Mobile, Alabama.

An alarm and an announcement in all of the cabins in the middle of the night were the first signs that something was wrong.

“I would say that initially, when we heard, ‘Alpha Team, Alpha Team,’ I was nervous. We were woken up out of sleep, and when that happened, your first thought was, ‘Is this the Titanic?’” recalls Marble.

“I would say the first 30 or 40 minutes were really nerve-wracking for me until they notified us that the ship’s not sinking or anything like that. Everything’s under control. Go back to your normal lives,” Marble says, adding that he was less fearful after that announcement.

That feeling didn’t last. Soon, the ship’s power went off.

Marble and the other 3,142 passengers and 1,086 crew members endured several days with no electricity, stagnant air, occasionally unruly passengers and non-functioning toilets.

“We were not thinking about the sewage. None of us were, so that was the last thing on our minds,” Marble says about the initial reaction when the power went out.

As toilets began to overflow, passengers were directed to defecate into red biohazard bags and leave them in public spaces.

When contacted for comment about the incident, Carnival Cruise Line provided the following statement:

“The Carnival Triumph incident over 12 years ago was a teachable moment for the entire cruise industry. A thorough investigation following the incident revealed a design vulnerability which was corrected and led Carnival Cruise Line to invest more than $500 million across our entire fleet in comprehensive fire prevention and suppression, improved redundancy, and enhanced management systems, all in support of our commitment to robust safety standards.”

While you can’t plan for everything, a few extra items in your suitcase could make things a bit better if you find yourself in an unfortunate situation away from home — at sea or on land. Here’s what made a difference for Marble.

As a self-proclaimed techie who wanted to document the fun he was going to have, Marble had camera gear, lights and lots of batteries with him.

“My expectations on this trip were a lot of unlimited food and lots of partying and lots of excursions,” he says, and he wanted to document all of the fun. “I totally expected that we were going to do things like ziplining and eating tacos in another country.”

Having all that gear turned out to be a good thing. The batteries and flashlights were especially helpful.

“I’d definitely bring some extra batteries or a little power bank, for sure. Back then, power banks weren’t as ubiquitous as they are today or as inexpensive,” he says. “Make sure [you have something] to create light. That’s a really important one. In your cabin when it’s pitch black, it’s hard to find your stuff.”

It’s also not a bad idea to travel with a small pharmacy, so that you don’t have to take time out of your vacation to go to a drugstore or visit a doctor for over-the-counter medications. Marble has the same advice.

“You have to think about first aid and … stuff like, what do I do if I am nauseous?” Marble says.

He also suggested an antidiarrheal medication and electrolyte powders to help you hydrate.

As conditions on the Triumph worsened, staying clean became difficult.

“Running water became a problem, so now you’re having a hard time washing hands, and you want to stay clean, so [bring] hand sanitizer and maybe little alcohol wipes that are disposable,” Marble suggests.

He says a pair of rubber gloves would have been nice in a few situations, too.

As Marble’s cruise dragged on, he began to crave information as simple as the time.

In the event of a similar occurrence in the future, Marble expressed the desire to keep track of the time, date, and other necessary information in case of a power outage. He mentioned the usefulness of having a simple, inexpensive watch for this purpose. Although smartwatches were not prevalent at the time, even if they were, they would not have been practical due to the limited power supply.

Although a jacket may not seem necessary for a warm destination like Mexico, Marble found it to be essential. He recommended bringing a compact, foldable windbreaker that can be stored in a small pouch for protection against the wind and rain. The challenging weather conditions on deck made it difficult to stay warm and dry, despite the indoor environment being hot and humid.

According to Marble, if you desired fresh air, it was important to shield yourself from the elements.

Marble’s main advice for travelers facing emergencies is to avoid contributing to the problem. He emphasized the importance of pausing, listening, and gathering information before reacting, as he observed some passengers panicking and rushing to their designated stations immediately after the initial announcement. Marble believes that listening, pausing, and learning before taking action is crucial.

Despite having been on previous cruises, Marble has not sailed since the incident on the Triumph. He expressed a preference for land-based activities like hiking over cruising, indicating that the experience did not improve his perception of cruises.