Posted 3/25/2007 05:15:00 PM by Douglas

How NOT to take a Galveston cruise:

Two passengers who fell overboard from a cruise ship spent four hours in the water early today before being rescued, said officials with the cruise line.

The Grand Princess was 150 miles from Galveston about 1:30 a.m. when the victims, a 22-year-old man and 20-year-old woman, fell from a cabin balcony.

The cruise line did not know how the couple fell overboard, although it appears to have been an accident, said Julie Benson, a spokesman for Princess Cruises.

When alerted about the incident, the ship returned to the position where they fell into the water. Rescue boats from the Grand Princess began searching for the man and woman.

The search was aided by the Coast Guard, said Lt. j.g. Jillian Lamb at the District 8 Command Center. A nearby cruise ship also offered assistance, she said.

One person was found about 5:30 a.m. and the second about a half-hour later. Both were reported to have received minor injuries, but were in satisfactory condition and being examined by the ship's medical staff, officials said.

Come on, folks?!? Only 150 miles off coast and you're already so drunk you're spending the next four hours bobbin' around in the drink? At least wait 'till you're out in the middle of the gulf so the coast guard can't find out. Or maybe you can get to the bottom of the dolphin death controversy. Literally. The bottom.