Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that the eight passengers who were left stranded on an African island after their ship departed without them will be reimbursed for some of the costs they incurred during their efforts to rejoin the cruise. Among the passengers were Jill and Jay Campbell from South Carolina, along with four other Americans and two Australians. They had to navigate through seven countries in just 48 hours in order to catch up with the Norwegian Dawn in Senegal.
Originally, the group had planned to board the ship in Gambia, West Africa, embarking on a 15-hour journey through six countries to reach the port on Sunday. However, their plans were thwarted when the ship was unable to dock due to low tides. Subsequently, they had to take a bus and ferry across a river to reach the ship in Senegal, according to reports.
The passengers, who were left without their belongings, including money, medicine, and essential travel documents, were initially told to arrange for their own travel to rejoin the ship. Despite the challenges they faced, including having to spend thousands of dollars on food, toiletries, and accommodations, the Campbells managed to make it back to the ship with the assistance of the US Embassy in Angola.
Although the passengers were finally able to reboard the Norwegian Dawn, they had not yet communicated directly with cruise officials regarding their ordeal. The cruise line has since stated that it will reimburse the passengers for their travel expenses from Gambia to Senegal. The Dawn is expected to continue its 21-day African voyage, culminating in its final stop in Barcelona, Spain on Wednesday.