PLANO — Imagine taking a dream vacation to the Caribbean and coming back to a flooded-out car.

That's exactly what happened to hundreds of passengers who set sail on two cruise ships out of Galveston just before Hurricane Ike's devastation earlier this month.

Last week, News 8 talked with a Plano couple who was about to board one of those ships. Mike and Donna Petrick left Galveston on the Carnival Ecstasy bound for Mexico.

The cruise departed one day before Hurricane Ike roared ashore.

"Realistically, we knew we were probably not going to get back to Galveston," Mike Petrick said.

He was right. The port of Galveston was destroyed, and seven feet of water covered passengers' cars in parking lots.

The ship was forced to dock in New Orleans on its return trip.

The Petricks feared a storm surge could cause damage to their vehicle, so they left it on the second floor of the parking garage at a nearby hotel.

"Anything you do, ultimately you are responsible to take care of your possessions," Donna Petrick said.

Most other passengers didn't take the same kind of precautions. As a result, 550 cars and trucks were immersed in seven feet of water.

"I think where they may have dropped the ball is not canceling the cruise and giving us the option of rescheduling at another time," Mike Petrick said.

Carnival said it elected to go forward with the voyage because their ship wasn't impacted by the storm.

In a letter to passengers, Galveston port management declared they are not responsible for any damage to vehicles. They advised the owners of those cars and trucks to contact their insurance companies.

Carnival Cruise Lines says the damage is not their responsibility, either.

"Anybody that got on that ship Thursday not realizing that they were leaving their car in a dangerous situation were naïve, to say the least," Mike Petrick said.

Given the circumstances, would the Petricks take another cruise during a hurricane?

"Probably not," they said.

And as for their car, they still don't know where it is.

The cruise line said it is in discussions with the Port of Galveston about alternative parking the next time a hurricane threatens.

E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com