What a Setting for a Murder!

Today hubby and were supposed to be driving down to Long Beach where we would spend the night and the next day be transported to the Splendor, one of the ships in the Carnival Cruise Line. Along with 40 others we planned to spend 7 days aboard and the days at sea be part of a mystery conference called "A Cruise to Die For."

If you've watched the news at all you know that the Splendor left port last Sunday on the same route we were supposed to go, but on Monday the engine caught fire. This meant the ship could no longer move under its own steam and all the electricity was knocked out.

For a few hours, the 400plus and crew had no flushing toilets. Finally, the toilets worked, but there was no electricity, no way to cook food or keep it cold. Of course the elevators didn't work, no one was allowed in the pools, and the casino was closed.

The US Navy came to the rescue with food: Spam, canned crab meat, canned fruit and Pop Tarts--of course there was no toaster to heat them up in.

Tug boats came to the rescue and slowly hauled the ship to San Diego. They arrived on Thursday and finally could disembark around noon.

What a perfect place for a murder. In fact, it's a wonder there wasn't one.

Only showers that could be taken were cold. Reading and game playing could only be done on deck and until it got dark. No air flow, so the lower decks smelled--and of course that's where people had to go to sleep.

For the first couple of days there was no phone service at all.

Though disappointed about the mystery cruise, I can't express how happy I am I was not on that boat the week before.

We've been promised our money back and a 25% discount on our next cruise. Those who planned the mystery cruise have promised to do it again, next November. Will I go? Sure, what are the chances of the same thing happening again?

Don't answer that.

Wonder if there were any authors aboard the Splendor this past week and if so if there imaginations are working overtime?

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com