Myrtle Beach resident Ed Hagins was in his room Monday on the 11th deck of the Carnival Splendor when he and nearly 4,500 other passengers and crew members were told that the cruise ship's engine had caught fire.
Passengers and crew disembarked Thursday in San Diego from the ship that was left powerless after the fire.
Hagins, who boarded the ship Sunday with his wife, Denise Hagins, and friend Jim Lee, also from the Grand Strand, said no one seemed panicked or worried for their safety.
"The crew members went out of their way to help everyone," said Ed Hagins, from a San Diego hotel Thursday night.
"They kept us well informed. Everyone stayed calm."
The nearly 1,000-foot liner was hauled back by six tugboats after the engine room fire Monday left it without power about 44 miles off the Mexican coast. No one was reported injured.
Passengers were refunded their money, airfare, and given a free cruise, Hagins said. They also were given the option of staying overnight at San Diego hotels.
The Hagins and Lee - who will arrive home tonight - were put up in a hotel Thursday night. The cruise ship passengers were told Tuesday that the seven-day excursion had to be canceled. Hagins said they were disappointed, obviously, because they were on vacation.
"Most of us just thought it was going to be an inconvenience for a little while," he said.
A little while turned into three days as the fire left the ship without air conditioning, hot water or hot food.
Navy helicopters flew in Spam, Pop Tarts, canned crab meat and other goods.
The Grand Strand trio didn't have Spam, but they had "to eat a lot of sandwiches since there was no cooking on board," Ed Hagins said.
"We mostly ate sandwiches, cereal, fruits and salads," he said. "It may not have been what people wanted, but we had plenty to eat."
Passengers seemed to have plenty of entertainment.
About 250 magicians, including Lee, who were on the cruise for an industry convention, entertained guests.
"They provided a lot of the entertainment when nothing else was going on," Hagins said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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