Crippled ship pulls into US port

The crippled cruise ship making its way to the US has suffered a setback after a tow line snapped. Source: AAP

STRICKEN Carnival cruise ship Triumph has docked on the southern US coast, ending a nightmarish voyage for around 4000 desperate passengers and crew after it lost power over the weekend.

A little after 0300 GMT (1400 AEDT) on Friday, the crippled ship limped into port in Mobile, Alabama, after being towed by a flotilla of tugboats.

What was supposed to have been a pleasurable excursion in the Gulf of Mexico turned into a hellish ordeal after an engine room fire on Sunday left the ship without the power needed to prepare meals or flush toilets.

The tugs were needed to pull the massive liner into port, in an operation that took longer than anticipated because of a delay when the towline for one of the boats snapped and had to be replaced.

Some of the passengers on the Triumph, which is operated by Florida-based Carnival Cruise Lines, signalled news media helicopters with SOS messages scrawled on sheets, desperate to flee the stench and mess they'd endured for four days.

The Miami-based operator said cruises on the ship, which left the port of Galveston in Texas on February 7, have been halted until at least mid-April.

The Triumph had originally been scheduled to return to port early on Monday after a weekend stop in Cozumel, Mexico.

Carnival officials said earlier on Thursday that even after Triumph docks, it could be another several hours before all passengers disembark, and some would face long bus or car rides back to Texas or other far flung destinations.

Carnival CEO Gerry Cahill publicly apologised to the travellers for the poor conditions aboard the disabled ship.

Cahill said at a news conference as the liner was coming to rest that he appreciated the patience of the 3000 people on board.

He said Carnival prided itself on providing people with a great vacation "and clearly we failed in this particular case".

He said he planned to go aboard and personally apologise to everyone.

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