Fire breaks out aboard Royal Caribbean ship

Associated Press

BALTIMORE

A fire that broke out aboard a Royal Caribbean ship Monday did enough damage that the rest of the cruise was canceled, and the company said the more than 2,200 passengers will be flown from the Bahamas back to Baltimore where the trip began.

The fire that began at 2:50 a.m. Monday was extinguished about two hours later with no injuries reported. A cause wasn’t immediately known. The Grandeur of the Seas, which left Baltimore on Friday, never lost power and was able to sail into port in Freeport, Bahamas, on Monday afternoon. It had been planned to be a seven-night cruise.

Royal Caribbean said on its website and through social media that executives met with passengers in port and that the cruise line was arranging flights for all 2,224 guests today. It said passengers will receive a full refund of their fare and a certificate for a future cruise.

Royal Caribbean said all guests and 796 crew were safe and accounted for. Royal Caribbean spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said in an email that the company was arranging 11 charter flights for passengers. Photos show a substantial area of the stern burned on several decks.