Fire rips through Princess Cruises resort in the Bahamas

MIAMI — The private Bahamian resort Princess Cays, owned by Princess Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Cruise Corporation, went up in flames Monday night, Bahamas Press reported.

The port at the southern tip of the Bahamian island Eleuthera hosts about five Princess and Carnival cruise ships every week. Bahamas Press footage from the area on Monday night shows thick, bright yellow flames burning next to palm trees and beach chairs.

The fire started around 11 p.m. Monday, Princess Cruises confirmed.

“The fire encompassed several buildings on the south side of the island,” said Negin Kamali, a Princess Cruises spokeswoman. “It was fought by local firefighters and island staff for approximately one hour before it was extinguished.”

Princess Cruises owns 40 acres of Eleuthera including more than a half-mile of beach shoreline. The port is used as a day resort for cruise ship passengers. Princess Cruises completed a renovation of Princess Cays in February 2018, including a marina expansion.

At the time of Monday’s fire there were no cruise passengers at the resort. Princess Cruises said no injuries have been reported.

Carnival Pride, a 2,680-passenger ship, was scheduled to arrive in Princess Cays Wednesday. Carnival Cruise Line confirmed the ship will skip the resort on its seven-day Bahamas cruise from Baltimore and dock at Half Moon Cay, a private island in the Bahamas owned by Holland America Line, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, instead.

— Miami Herald