More Cruise News: 5 in Crew Killed in Cruise Ship Safety Drill, While Off Mexico, a Carnival Cruise Ship Is Adrift and Without Power After Engine-Room Fire

Thomson Majestic

Five crew have been killed after a lifeboat they were in fell from the Thomson cruise ship Majesty while it was docked in the port of Santa Cruz de la Palma in the Canary Islands.

The accident happened during a routine safety drill at about 12:00 GMT. Three others were also hurt as the lifeboat fell, says the BBC.

[UPDATE] Meanwhile, in other "I'd-sooner-take-a-brick-upside-the-head-than-get-on-a-cruise-ship" news, the Carnival behemoth Triumph was operating on emergency power after an engine-room fire off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Conditions on board were described as horrendous, says USA Today.

Other reports, including many from passengers on board, describe hideous conditions, such as toilets overflowing all over the ship. What fun cruising (or crossing, as the Cunard transAtlantic douches  call it) must be!

Carnival Triumph

The Triumph is expected to be hauled into a Mexican port sometime Wednesday.

 Cruisecritic.com, a very useful cruise Web site updating the situation today, reports:  "Update, February 11, 9:35 a.m. EST: According to an e-mail from Petty Officer 3rd Class Richard Brahm of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous arrived on the scene last night at 12:45 a.m. EST. As of 6 a.m. this morning, Carnival Triumph's freshwater system is back up and operational. Additionally, the sewage system has been restored to the forward section of the ship but is still down in the aft portion. Onboard engineers are continuing to work on the aft sewage system."

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