As of: April 4, 2024, 3:00 p.m
By: Franziska Kaindl
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Because a private shore excursion took too long, some passengers' cruise ship left without them. A “chase” through seven countries followed.
For many passengers, a cruise includes one or two shore excursions - but beware of ignoring the shipping company's requirements. Then captains usually show no mercy, as some TUI travelers discovered a few years ago when, contrary to the rules, they walked away from their travel group during a shore excursion. Something similar happened to a group of vacationers who returned late to their ship from a private shore excursion. Back at the port, they discovered that the captain had no intention of waiting for them - and so the eight passengers were stranded on the West African island of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Eight passengers remain behind on the West African island
The Norwegian Cruise Line ship that left the passengers behind cited the travelers' personal responsibility. "While this is a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for returning to the ship at the published time, which will be announced via the ship's intercom, in daily communications and through notices posted shortly before disembarking the ship," it said according to the US broadcaster CNN in a statement from the shipping company. Passengers' passports were handed over to the local port agent for guests to collect.
Norwegian Dawn passengers were left stranded on a West African island. (Symbolic photo) © Gerard Bottino/Imago
However, this was met with incomprehension by the passengers. A couple told WPDE that during the privately booked tour they noticed that time was running out. The organizer then contacted the cruise captain and informed them that the passengers would be on their way, but a little delayed. When they returned, the ship was still in port: “The harbor master tried to call the ship, but the captain refused to call.” The only way they could contact the ship was by email, but they received messages The passengers apparently had no reaction.
The ship therefore left without the eight cruise guests. To make matters worse, there were some elderly people, a pregnant woman and a wheelchair user among them. One passenger also had to go five days without his heart medication because it was still on the ship and became ill as a result.
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Through seven countries in seven days – on the “hunt” for the cruise ship
After missing boarding, the group had to travel behind the ship to get back on board at another port. From São Tomé and Príncipe, she chased the cruiser for 15 hours at her own expense and through six countries to Gambia, the couple told WPDE. But once there, the travelers discovered that the Norwegian Dawn could not dock due to low water. The attempt to get back on board was therefore unsuccessful.
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The shipping company contacted the group about changing the itinerary, a spokeswoman for Norwegian Cruise Line told
Spiegel
. The passengers had no choice but to try again, this time at the Norwegian Dawn's stop in Dakar, Senegal. According to the NCL spokeswoman, travelers should now be reimbursed for their travel costs from Banjul in Gambia to there. As the online portal
News.com.au
reports, the passengers finally managed to reach the ship in Dakar. They have been back on board the steamer since Tuesday.
Can cruise ships just leave passengers behind?
In general, it is at the captain's discretion whether or not he wants to wait for late cruise guests. The problem, however, is that some of the routes have a very tight schedule, as Janis Witte, a travel law lawyer, explains in an RTL interview. This means that the captains' hands are often tied. Cruise employee Sharon Waugh also explained some time ago in an article on the online portal
Insider
that the ship's departure times are not just to be understood as rough guidelines. Passengers have often been left behind if they got back to the ship in time.
Anyone who decides to take part in a privately organized tour during a shore leave should therefore make sure that it fits into their schedule. Passengers are on the safer side if they take part in a shore excursion organized by the cruise company - then the ship will usually wait if the travelers are returned late.