Saturday, April 20, 2024

Travelers Left Behind by Cruise after Breaking This One Cardinal Rule

passengers left by cruise ship

Cruise ships are an ideal vacation option for children, offering a myriad of opportunities for parents to have some important time alone without the kids. A couple said they were in the first week of a three-week Norwegian cruise when cruise officials refused to let them board the ship after their excursion off the coast of west Africa ran late. They had earlier hoped to board the ship at the port in Gambia in West Africa, traveling 15 hours through six countries to reach the port on Sunday, only to find that the ship could not dock due to low tides, according to WPDE.

The cruise’s captain refused to let the passengers back on board after their tour had taken longer than expected

Cruise passengers left stranded on African island to be reimbursed for some travel cost paid to return to ship - New York Post

Cruise passengers left stranded on African island to be reimbursed for some travel cost paid to return to ship.

Posted: Thu, 04 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head.

Jill and Campbell were among eight passengers left stranded in São Tomé and Príncipe

He described having to take a ferry to get into Senegal, and then a four-hour drive. Another passenger in her 80s was reportedly late to the ship because she was receiving emergency medical treatment on the island. Following that ordeal, they said they aren’t sure if they’re going to board the ship again to rejoin the cruise. The couple then had to make their way from Sao Tome to Dakar, Senegal, where the cruise ship was docked on April 2.

Cruise passengers left stranded on African island to be reimbursed for some travel cost paid to return to ship

So, they'll remove your essential belongings and leave them with the port agent. Once you connect with that agent, you'll have access to your things and will be able to figure out your next steps. Another person called this sort of incident totally "embarrassing." Seasoned cruisers are warning newbies to arrive extra, extra early if they don't want to be stranded. The only reason cruses are so cheap is because the bulk of the staff is from very poor countries, and they pay them very low wages, like 300 dollar a month. Last one was a for carnival and I was sick to see how the manager treated the staff. The group consisted of seven Americans and two Australians, four of whom were elderly.

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He described a frustrating conversation with NCL’s customer service that sent him in circles trying to get in touch with someone. They were left stranded with no credit cards, medications, or other essentials. Neighbors in the luxury high-rise in Houston where Williams lives reported seeing her leave with her luggage on Thursday, April 4, but without her children. Alarms were raised when she did not return, prompting a welfare check by Harris County Precinct 5 deputies.

If you decide you still want to continue with your travels, you'll just need to book another form of transportation to get to the next port city. Typically, a train or plane will be faster than a boat, so you'll be able to just meet up with the ship there and board as normal. They kept yelling "Come on!" Ultimately, the stragglers were left behind as the crew pulled the bridge away that would allow them to board. Although many people yelled at the crew to "wait" as the passengers ran toward the boat, it was no use. Some unlucky Carnival Cruise customers were shocked when they were left behind after a ship undocked without them.

Thankfully, the group helped the 80-year-old on a flight back to the U.S., while the rest of the group appealed to the U.S. embassy in nearby Angola to figure out how to reunite with the ship. However, the stranded passengers can currently only get on the ship if the cruise line approves their request. The Campbells said they have not heard back from Norwegian Cruise Line about the incident.

passengers left by cruise ship

That’s because a cruise ship’s departure time is carefully planned and more than just your vacation is at stake. The Dawn was still docked when the passengers arrived after the cutoff time, Campbell and her husband, Jay, told U.S. media outlets. But to their dismay, cruise personnel refused to let the group aboard and ignored their calls. But a week into their voyage, the couple and a handful of other passengers were left stranded 5,960 miles from their South Carolina home, North Carolina TV station WRAL reported.

Eight passengers stranded on African island after Norwegian cruise ship left without them - NBC News

Eight passengers stranded on African island after Norwegian cruise ship left without them.

Posted: Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

But they said some people tried to fly back and couldn't because of the snowstorm. Meanwhile, others said they sat outside booked hotels waiting for a cancellation. FOX 9 saw a couple of people on social media supporting Faulkner, who again, says she'll refund the money upon her Saturday return.

Keep reading for up-to-date travel hacks and all the travel news you need to help you plan your next big adventure. The couple traveled through seven countries in a 48-hour period to reach Senegal, according to Jill Campbell. When they didn't make it back in time due to what they said were issues with the tour, their Norwegian Cruise Line ship left without them. “The harbour master tried to call the ship, the captain refused the call,” Mr. Campbell told ABC 4 News South Carolina.

A dream cruise vacation has turned into a nightmare for eight passengers left stranded on the African island of São Tomé and Príncipe after their ship left without them because they were late to return from a private tour. Norwegian Cruise Line told NBC News in a statement that the Campbells’ situation was unfortunate, saying “guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time” and noting the group was on a privately-run tour. I know this not because I’m a frequent cruiser — in fact, the Dawn was my first big cruise — but because Norwegian Cruise Lines informs you of this non-stop. The evening before you arrive, there’s a ship-wide announcement with arrival and departure times for the next day.

"Guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time, which is communicated broadly over the ship’s intercom, in the daily communication and posted just before exiting the vessel," the NCL statement said. “When the guests did not return to the vessel at the all aboard time, their passports were delivered to the local port agents to retrieve when they returned to the port, as per the regular protocol. Our team has been working closely with the local authorities to understand the requirements and necessary visas needed for the guests to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call. Given that these guests were on a private tour and did not return to the ship at the communicated all aboard time, they are responsible for any necessary travel arrangements to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call, per our protocol. Per Norwegian Cruises’ online documents, it’s the guest’s responsibility to be back to the ship on time. “In all ports of call, it is also the guest’s responsibility to be back onboard the ship no later than one (1) hour prior to the ship’s scheduled departure time.

In various interviews with media outlets, the group recounted that they claimed they told their guide they were running late, causing the guide to call the ship to inform it that passengers would miss the “return to ship” time. By the time the guests finally returned to the port, the ship had finished boarding, though it was still anchored in the harbor. Harbor employees called the ship, and when they got no response, decided to ferry the passengers to the Norwegian Dawn. Per various media sources, the ship did give the passengers their passports, which they had not taken with them.

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