The P & O Oriana has made it back safely to the Port of Miami last night after a fire broke out on the ship.
Viewers following the PTZ / Port of Miami webcam heard radio communication between the ship and the Coast Guard that a fire had allegedly broken out on the ship involving the engine room. The Oriana requested tugs to assist it back to port in Miami after the fire was extinguished.
AIS tracking systems shows the cruise ship leaving port (for Key West) and then turning around shortly after leaving the port.
No further information is available at this time. I have requested information from P&O Cruises but have not received anything.
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April 19, 2015 Update: Oriana left the Port of Miami this morning around 8:20 AM. Seatrade quotes an unidentified cruise spokeswoman issuing a bland statement that the incident involved a “minor, localized fire which was swiftly extinguished and at no time affected the safety of passengers or crew.” I have never heard a cruise spokesperson ever describing a cruise ship fire as anything other than “small” and “quickly extinguished.”
Of course there is nothing “small” about a fire at sea.
Video Credit: @PTZtv
https://youtube.com/watch?v=pQotsWdwEYY%3Frel%3D0