http://www.euronews.net/ Costa Allegra passengers have been arriving home at the end of a holiday that was memorable for all the wrong reasons. More than 600 people endured a three-day ordeal in stifling, unhygenic conditions after the cruise ship was crippled by a fire while crossing the Indian Ocean.

They were offered a holiday in the Seychelles, but many just want to leave. One Italian woman arriving in Milan’s main airport said “Costa treated us very well. They gave us a resort to cool down in. Then we decided to come back because our sons were too worried. We were not afraid because the crew assisted us in a very professional way.”

As the holidaymakers from around the world travelled home, they mostly praised the crew for making the best of a bad situation.

One Canadian man catching a connecting flight in Paris said: “You cannot say they are 100% good, but under such circumstances, I would give them a 90%. They still have room to improve, especially in evacuation.”

The company is keen to stress there was no link to what happened to the Costa Concordia, which foundered on rocks off the Italian coast killing 32 people.

A spokesman in France said: “I would remind you that between the Costa Concordia and the Costa Allegra, you can only compare the time frame. The Costa Concordia and the Costa Allegra were just a few weeks apart but these events have nothing in common.”

Though the events may not be connected this latest incident is another setback for the cruise company. An investigation is underway into what caused the fire in the Allegra’s generator room.

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