First passengers back in US after cruise ship fire
First passengers arrive back in US after cruise ship fire; many praise company, crew response
Passengers from the Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas cruise ship, which caught fire during its voyage from Baltimore to the Bahamas, leave a security checkpoint after arriving on a charter flight at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Tuesday, May 28, 2013, in Linthicum, Md. Royal Caribbean said the fire occurred early Monday and was extinguished after about two hours with no injuries reported. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The first passengers from a Royal Caribbean cruise that was cut short by a fire have arrived back in Baltimore on a charter flight.
Many are praising the crew's handling of the emergency and say they'd be eager to take another Royal Caribbean cruise.
Rebecca Killinger of Carlisle, Pa., says she had no idea how extensive the fire was until the ship got into dock. She says the captain and crew were calm and forthcoming throughout the ordeal, even cracking jokes to lighten the mood. The cruise was her first and she says she'd be happy to take to the seas again.
The 2,200 passengers are being flown into Baltimore on charter planes. The first, carrying more than 100 people, arrived shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday.
