After investigating the incident, the Coast Guard says the ship is now a major marine casualty due to the extent of the damage and associated repair costs.
The Coast Guard will hear public testimony beginning this week as part of its investigation of the fire that decimated the cruise ship Spirit of Norfolk at Naval Station Norfolk last summer.
A fire that broke out aboard a Royal Caribbean ship Monday did enough damage that the rest of the cruise was canceled and the company said the more than 2,200 passengers will be flown from the Bahamas back to Baltimore where the trip began.