It traveled up a channel Thursday toward Mobile, a process that typically takes two to three hours.

But because tugboats go slower than ships sailing at their normal speeds, that same trip was took even longer, said Gulliksen, the Carnival spokesman.

The journey was further delayed for four hours when the towline from the lead tugboat to the ship snapped, and another tug pushing the ship broke a bit.

Even once the ship docked, it took several more hours to get everyone off.

"We have to clear all of the decks, section by section, with first priority to guests with special needs and children," said Gulliksen.

"The entire process is quite involved, given that there are more than 3,100 passengers and nearly 1,100 crew, and this is compounded by the ship only operating on emergency power," he said.