Stranded Norwegian Cruise Lines passengers missed ship ‘by more than an hour,’ company claims

Eight passengers, six Americans and two Australians, who found themselves stranded on an African island after a Norwegian Cruise Line ship departed without them, have returned to continue their African voyage. The cruise line revealed that the group caused their own travel complications by missing their departure time by over an hour.

The passengers reboarded the ship for their 20-day journey across Africa on Tuesday morning in Dakar, Senegal, confirmed a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line. Kurt Gies, the son-in-law of an elderly woman left behind due to a stroke, received a text message from one of the passengers, Jill Campbell, stating that she and her husband had reboarded but had not yet spoken with guest services or Norwegian Cruise Line.

Gies shared that the only communication they received so far was a small note and treats left in their state room by the food and beverage director.

The ship’s crew had to hastily navigate through seven different countries in 48 hours to reach the ship in Senegal on Tuesday. However, upon arriving in the country, the Campbells expressed uncertainty about rejoining the ship, citing concerns over the handling of the situation.

Jill Campbell criticized the ship’s adherence to rules, suggesting they were followed too rigidly without considering the well-being of passengers. She emphasized the ship’s responsibility to prioritize customer safety and care, accusing the crew of neglecting their basic duty of care.

The eight passengers, including a pregnant woman and an elderly man with a heart condition, claimed they were left without money and vital medications after the Norwegian Dawn departed São Tomé without them. The Campbells stated they arrived at the island on Friday while the ship was still anchored, but were denied boarding by the skipper.

However, a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line clarified that the group missed the all-aboard time by more than an hour after taking a private tour of the island. The spokesperson explained that their passports were left with the local port agent for retrieval when they returned from their tour, as per protocol.

The Campbells acknowledged an issue with their tour, admitting the guide didn’t return them to the ship on time. Despite attempts to communicate the delay to the captain, they missed the departure window.