MS Ecstasy

MS "Ecstasy" is a Fantasy class cruise ship, which began operation with Carnival Cruise Lines in 1991. Features include three pools, whirlpools, a variety of dining options, nightclubs, a casino, and duty-free shopping.

History

The ship suffered heavy damage in 1998 after the laundry room in the ship's stern caught fire damaging much of her stern and aft section.

After Hurricane Katrina, the ship spent six months in New Orleans serving as quarters for refugees and relief workers. Now, the Ecstasy travels on four and five day itineraries throughout the Western Caribbean from Galveston, Texas.

On July 1, 2007, David Ritcheson, the victim of the April 22, 2006 Harris County, Texas assault incident, jumped off the MS Ecstasy and died. [ [http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou070701_tnt_carnivalcruisedeath.329d3aba.html "Cruise tragedy: Teen jumps ship"] . KHOU.com. July 1, 2007]

On September 13 at 2:10 AM CDT, Galveston Island suffered a direct hit by Hurricane Ike. Due to the damage done to the island by this storm, the Ecstasy is temporarily operating from the new Bayport Cruise Terminal in the Port of Houston until the pier and cruise terminal in Galveston are available for use again.

Fire

On the afternoon of July 20, 1998, MS Ecstasy had departed the Port of Miami, Florida, en route to Key West, Florida, with 2,565 passengers and 916 crewmembers on board when a fire started in the main laundry shortly after 1700. The fire migrated through the ventilation system to the aft mooring deck where mooring lines ignited, creating intense heat and large amounts of smoke. As the Ecstasy was attempting to reach an anchorage north of the Miami sea buoy, the vessel lost propulsion power and steering and began to drift. The master then radioed the U.S. Coast Guard for assistance. A total of six tugboats responded to help fight the fire and to tow the Ecstasy. The fire was brought under control by onboard firefighters and was officially declared extinguished about 2109. Fourteen crewmembers and eight passengers suffered minor injuries. One passenger who required medical treatment as a result of a pre-existing condition was categorized as a serious injury victim because of the length of her hospital stay. Carnival Corporation, Inc., the owner of the Ecstasy, estimated that losses from the fire and associated damages exceeded $17 million.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of fire aboard the Ecstasy was the unauthorized welding by crewmembers in the main laundry that ignited a large accumulation of lint in the ventilation system and the failure of Carnival Cruise Lines to maintain the laundry exhaust ducts in a fire-safe condition. Contributing to the extensive fire damage on the ship was the lack of an automatic fire suppression system on the aft mooring deck and the lack of an automatic means of mitigating the spread of smoke and fire through the ventilation ducts.

Passengers received a full refund and were offered a complimentary cruise for the inconvenience.

"Evolutions of Fun"

Carnival has announced a new program that will be applied to all Fantasy class ships. It involves many upgrades to the Fantasy ships. After Ecstasy completed its Hurricane Katrina charter, it went into drydock. While there, it received some of the upgrades that are part of the Evolutions of Fun program. These include a new mini golf course on the sports deck, refurnishing of all the staterooms, new children's facilities, and the remodeling of the gift shop and Lido deck restaurant, The Panorama Bar And Grill. Ecstasy is still in line to receive the other upgrades in the Evolutions of Fun program. These include children's water parks and "Camp Carnival" where parents can drop off their child, "Serenity" adult only decks, refurbishing of the ship's aft lounge, and other small improvements.

As part of the program, Ecstasy will receive a new name. After it receives all of the refurbishments, it will be know as "Carnival Ecstasy". All of the Fantasy class ships will have "Carnival" added to their current name, and the newer ships in the Carnival fleet enter service with "Carnival" as part of their name. Carnival considers the name change one of many ways they are bringing their Fantasy class ships up to modern cruise standards. As per the change, the name "Ecstasy" on the bow of the ship will be replaced with "Carnival Ecstasy."

Gallery

References

External links

* [http://www.carnival.com/Ship_Detail.aspx?shipCode=EC Carnival Cruise Lines page]