Dakar, Senegal – Six American and two Australian passengers who were left stranded on an African island when a Norwegian Cruise Line ship departed without them have been able to rejoin the vessel to continue their voyage across Africa. The cruise line disclosed that the group caused disruptions to their travel plans by missing their departure time by over an hour.
The eight passengers, including a pregnant woman and an elderly man with a heart condition, reboarded the ship on Tuesday morning in Dakar, Senegal. Kurt Gies, the son-in-law of an elderly woman who was also left behind due to a stroke, mentioned receiving a text message from passenger Jill Campbell confirming their return to the ship. The Campbells expressed uncertainty about getting back on board after witnessing what they perceived as a lack of flexibility in adhering to strict rules or policies by the cruise ship crew.
According to the stranded passengers, they were left without money and essential medications when the Norwegian Dawn departed São Tomé without them. The group arrived at the Central African island to find the ship still anchored nearby, but they were denied boarding by the skipper. The Norwegian Cruise Line countered these claims by stating that the passengers missed the all-aboard time by more than an hour after a private island tour.
In response to the missed boarding time, the cruise line stated that the passengers’ passports were held by the local port agent for retrieval upon their return from the tour, as per protocol. Despite acknowledging the delay caused by their tour of the island, the Campbells emphasized the efforts made to communicate with the ship’s captain regarding the situation. The company offered assistance in obtaining visas for the passengers to rejoin the ship at the next available port.
Legal experts noted that once a final call has been made, a ship has the right to depart, emphasizing the financial implications and scheduling commitments involved. The incident underscores the complex logistics and protocols involved in managing cruise ship departures, highlighting the importance of adhering to established timelines and procedures to ensure passenger safety and well-being.