Cruise Ship Fire

Passengers on the Star Princess cruise ship watch from the deck while approaching the port of Montego Bay on the northern coast of Jamaica, Thursday, March 23, 2006. Fire broke out on the ship while it was on its way to the Caribbean island, killing one passenger, injuring 11 other people and damaging some 150 cabins before the crew extinguished the flames, officials said.

The Star Princess cruise ship, with some clearly scorched cabins, is pictured while approaching the port of Montego Bay on the northern coast of Jamaica, Thursday, March 23, 2006. Fire broke out aboard the ship at about 3 a.m. while it was on its way to the Caribbean island.

The Star Princess cruise ship, with some clearly scorched cabins, approaches the port of Montego Bay on the northern coast of Jamaica, Thursday, March 23, 2006. Fire broke out onboard the ship while it was on its way to the Caribbean island. One passenger died, 11 other people were injured 150 cabins were damaged before the crew extinguished the fire, officials said.

A Caribbean cruise vacation for more than 2,600 people ended abruptly on March 23, 2006, after a fire ignited aboard the gigantic cruise ship Star Princess, charring some 150 rooms and injuring 11 people. A male passenger died of cardiac arrest. Princess Cruises said all passengers would be flown home and will receive a full refund of their cruise and air fare.

Passenger Beth Bostrom, of Nashville, Tenn., is pictured at the balcony of her 14th-deck cabin of the Star Princess cruise ship during a fire in the early hours of March 23, 2006, while on the way from the Cayman Islands to Montego Bay, Jamaica. "I looked to my left and saw this huge fire raging," said Bostrom. "I looked back into the room and screamed, 'Oh my God, there's a fire! The boat is on fire!"

Some 3,800 passengers and crew members were on board the Star Princess cruise ship when a fire broke out early Thursday, March 23, 2006. Princess Cruises was flying more than 2,600 passengers home with full refunds after the fire, possibly caused by a neglected cigarette, killed a man, injured 11 other passengers and charred some 150 rooms aboard the ship.

The Star Princess cruise ship passes by the Space Needle in Seattle as it departs on a one-week cruise to Alaska on May 17, 2003. Reportedly built at a cost of more than $430 million, it has four swimming pools, a half-dozen restaurants and dining rooms, a casino, two theaters, and several nightclubs. It stretches about three football fields long.