Stranded on São Tomé
Passengers don’t make it back to the cruise ship in time
The Norwegian Cruise Line cruise ship at sea
© Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via ZUMA Press
Eight tourists from the USA and Australia are stranded off the coast of Africa. They had previously traveled to the port of São Tomé island on a Norwegian Cruise Line cruise ship and had not made it back to the ship in time, so the cruise left without them.
By Sarah Platz
This article first appeared at ntv.de
For eight passengers on the Norwegian Cruise Line, the cruise off the coast of Africa, which was planned as a vacation, turns into torture: The Americans and Australians were stranded on the West African island of São Tomé after they did not make it back on board in time after an excursion. According to a CNN report, the Norwegian Cruise Line left them on the island and cited the passengers’ responsibility to adhere to departure times. The passengers have been following the ship for days, trying to get back on board.
They left the ship last Wednesday to join a guided tour of São Tomé. When they realized that the route across the island was taking longer than planned, the tour operator informed the captain of the cruise ship about the delay. However, he refused to let the passengers back on the ship when they reached the port because the “all aboard” call had already taken place, ABC15 News reported.
The cruise ship operator insists on the previously set departure time to CNN. “Eight guests who were on the island on their own or with a private tour missed the last dinghy back to the ship and were therefore unable to meet the 3 p.m. local time for everyone on board,” the statement said. “While this is a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for returning to the ship at the posted time.” This time was communicated several times over the intercom and given to the passengers again shortly before leaving the ship.
Trying to get back on board the Norwegian Cruise Line cruise ship
The cruise ship team handed over the passengers’ passports to the local authorities, where they could be picked up by the stranded people. The Norwegian Cruise Line statement continues that they are in contact with passengers and are working with local authorities. But: The passengers are responsible for their own journey to the ship’s next port of call and must also cover the costs.
The eight Americans and Australians therefore had to undertake a 15-hour journey through six countries, as the couple Jill and Jay Campbell from South Carolina reported to CNN. With the support of the US Embassy in Angola, they flew to Gambia last Sunday, where the ship was scheduled to dock. However, the group couldn’t breathe a sigh of relief there: due to low water, the Norwegian Cruise Line was unable to dock in front of the West African country as planned. The passengers are still not back on board.
This trip is particularly challenging for the older people in the group. According to reports, a pregnant woman and a paraplegic person are also among those stranded. Most of them have left both their medication and credit cards on board. The Campbells reported on an 80-year-old who had been unable to take her heart medication for five days and ultimately had to be admitted to a hospital.
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They now want to try to get to Senegal in time, where the ship’s next stop is planned, the Campbell couple explained to the US broadcaster. However, contact with the cruise ship is also extremely difficult. This is therefore only possible via email. “But they don’t respond to our emails,” said the couple.