“So Bloody Entitled”: Passengers Left Stranded On African Island Reboard Norwegian Cruise
The eight Norwegian Cruise passengers who were stranded on a small African island missed the boarding time by more than an hour, according to reports.
The passengers— six Americans and two Australians—were on a private tour of São Tomé and were left behind after missing the 3 p.m. all-aboard call on March 27.
“When they missed the all-aboard time of 3 p.m. by more than an hour, their passports were left with the local port agent for retrieval when they returned to the port from their private tour (not organized by us), per the protocol,” a cruise line spokesperson told the New York Post.
The Norwegian Cruise Line passengers left stranded on an African island have reboarded the ship and will be reimbursed
Image credits: WPDE ABC15
South Carolina couple Jill and Jay Campbell, who were among the passengers, have acknowledged there was “an issue” with their tour and that the guide didn’t get the group back to the ship in time.
The eight passengers — including a pregnant woman and an elderly man with a heart condition — claimed they were left behind with no money and without vital medications, as per The Post.
“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 company spokesperson said.
“Once the guests did not make it back to the ship at the previously communicated all-aboard time, we worked with them and the local port agent to assist with obtaining the necessary visas for them to rejoin the ship at the next available port,” they added.
The group reboarded the ship on Tuesday (April 2) morning in Dakar, Senegal.
The company said that it stands by its decision to sail off without them because they were over an hour late
Image credits: Lana Lenkoff Wilken-Gies
The group reboarded the ship on April 2 in Dakar, Senegal
Image credits: Norwegian Cruise Line
The passengers had hoped to board the cruise in Gambia, West Africa, traveling 15 hours through six countries to reach the port on Sunday. Then, they found that the ship couldn’t dock due to low tides, according to WPDE.
From there, they boarded a bus and had to take a ferry across a river to reach Senegal.
While the company stands by its decision to sail off without the group, it has decided to reimburse them for some of the costs they endured while trying to make it back onto the ship.
On March 27, the passengers were stranded on São Tomé after missing the all-aboard time of 3 p.m
“Despite the series of unfortunate events outside of our control, we will be reimbursing these eight guests for their travel costs from Banjul, Gambia, to Dakar, Senegal,” the cruise line said.
The Campbells had to spend over $5,000 in food, toiletries, and hotels, given that they were the only ones in the group with a Visa credit card, the couple told WRAL.
People were glad to hear about the group reboarding the ship
I know this sounds harsh and I'm prepared for the downvotes but getting back to the ship on time isn't a secret. It's communicated multiple times through various means. Good on the cruise line for reimbursing them expenses created through no fault of the ship (that I can see). I don't think they deserve it though. Actions and consequences and all that. I'm glad they got back on the ship safely though.
Not only "multiple time and means" - multiple MILLENNIA - literally! "Time and tide wait for no man." Nor ships- not for a couple thousand years. That quote is Chaucer, 1395, and 1,000 years old when he stole it. Your iPhone is NOT a "get out of reality free" card. Not - out in reality.
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Entitled people think the ship should have incurred costs, disrupted the port, and waited for them. GTFOYA This isn't a wonderful story, it is a story of entitlement.
The villains aren't any entitled cruise-goers, but rather the third-party tour operators whose entire business plan revolves around letting cruise-goers see the country they paid so much to see and then getting them back on the boat. The fact that the tour operators had absolutely no contingency plan for missing the boat is astonishing. And yes, the cruise ships run their own tours, which is great if you want to see a bunch of trained, English speaking denizens of a Potemkin village, like a little Orlando in Africa, but suck if you went to Africa to see Africa.
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If I remember correctly, one of the eight passengers left the ship to receive medical treatment at a local hospital as recommended by the ship’s doctor and was still at the hospital at boarding time. It’s not their fault they missed the ship. Don’t lump the with the fools.
I agree, but that's probably also in the contract when you purchase a ticket. If I break my leg and have to spend three days in the hospital, the ship isn't going to wait three days for me. They aren't a fool, but it seems the rest are.
Load More Replies... I know this sounds harsh and I'm prepared for the downvotes but getting back to the ship on time isn't a secret. It's communicated multiple times through various means. Good on the cruise line for reimbursing them expenses created through no fault of the ship (that I can see). I don't think they deserve it though. Actions and consequences and all that. I'm glad they got back on the ship safely though.
Not only "multiple time and means" - multiple MILLENNIA - literally! "Time and tide wait for no man." Nor ships- not for a couple thousand years. That quote is Chaucer, 1395, and 1,000 years old when he stole it. Your iPhone is NOT a "get out of reality free" card. Not - out in reality.
Load More Replies... Entitled people think the ship should have incurred costs, disrupted the port, and waited for them. GTFOYA This isn't a wonderful story, it is a story of entitlement.
The villains aren't any entitled cruise-goers, but rather the third-party tour operators whose entire business plan revolves around letting cruise-goers see the country they paid so much to see and then getting them back on the boat. The fact that the tour operators had absolutely no contingency plan for missing the boat is astonishing. And yes, the cruise ships run their own tours, which is great if you want to see a bunch of trained, English speaking denizens of a Potemkin village, like a little Orlando in Africa, but suck if you went to Africa to see Africa.
Load More Replies... If I remember correctly, one of the eight passengers left the ship to receive medical treatment at a local hospital as recommended by the ship’s doctor and was still at the hospital at boarding time. It’s not their fault they missed the ship. Don’t lump the with the fools.
I agree, but that's probably also in the contract when you purchase a ticket. If I break my leg and have to spend three days in the hospital, the ship isn't going to wait three days for me. They aren't a fool, but it seems the rest are.
Load More Replies...
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