Passengers, now back on board, missed departure from São Tomé and hurried to rejoin the ship
After getting separated in São Tomé and Príncipe, eight cruise passengers had to quickly return to their cruise ship. A paraplegic tourist, an elderly woman in her 80s undergoing emergency medical care on the island, and a pregnant woman were among them. After taking a local tour from the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship, the guests missed their scheduled departure from São Tomé, an island in the Gulf of Guinea, some 250km off the coast of Gabon. The Norwegian journey Lines-operated ship arrived in São Tomé on Wednesday morning after leaving Cape Town on March 20 for a three-week journey to Barcelona.
After the group’s private island day trips ran longer than planned, the coast guard in the area tried to get them to the ship before it left that afternoon, but the captain wouldn’t let the latecomers board.
South Carolina residents Jill and Jay Campbell recalled trying to board the ship after arriving late.
“This has never happened to us before,” Jill Campbell said to ABC4 News.
The harbor master attempted to contact the ship, but the captain declined to respond. We sent emails to NCL and contacted their customer service emergency number. Jay Campbell explained, “They said, ‘Well, the only way for us to get in touch with the ship is to send them emails, they’re not responding to our emails.’”
“The captain could have easily decided to turn one of the tender boats back, pick us up, safely load us, and then continue on the way,” Jay added.
The travelers’ passports were handed back to them by port authorities. Among the group, which allegedly includes two Australians, they had to leave behind their medication, bank cards, and other personal items on the ship. The Campbells mentioned they were the only ones in the group with a Visa card and had spent over $5,000 in their efforts to rejoin the ship.
Their plan was to rejoin the Norwegian Dawn in the Gambia the following Sunday, but low tides prevented the ship from docking as scheduled. The group reportedly traveled through six countries and eventually caught up with the ship in Dakar, Senegal, its final port of call in West Africa, according to the cruise line.
“We explored options for transportation for eight people, including the quadriplegic woman, such as a van,” Jay Campbell stated to ABC15. He clarified that they would need to travel for four hours after taking a ferry to get to Senegal.
Among the passengers left stranded were Australians Doug and Violeta Sanders.
Violeta Sanders said on Seven’s Sunrise programme, “It’s been the worst experience of our lives to be abandoned like that in a strange country, unable to speak the language.” “We have no money, our credit cards aren’t accepted.”
The 21-day voyage is expected to conclude on April 10 in Barcelona.
Norwegian Cruise Lines issued a statement describing the incident as “very unfortunate” and emphasising that it was the passengers’ obligation to return to the ship at least one hour prior to its planned departure time.
Anthony Cordato, a travel lawyer in Sydney, recommended travellers to follow the ships’ strict itineraries. “Terms and conditions would make returning to the ship on time essential,” he stated.
From a consumer’s viewpoint, it may seem harsh, but from the ship’s standpoint, should the entire cruise be delayed for an hour or two due to a few individuals being slow to reboard? Would it be fair to inconvenience 1,000 passengers for the sake of four?
The cruise company stated that all eight guests had returned to the ship.
In a statement, a spokesperson explained that on the afternoon of March 27, 2024, while the ship was in São Tomé and Príncipe, eight guests who were on a private tour missed the last tender back to the vessel, not meeting the all-aboard time of 3pm local time. The spokesperson emphasized that guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time, which is communicated broadly over the ship’s intercom, in the daily print communication, and posted just before exiting the vessel.
When the guests did not return to the vessel at the all-aboard time, their passports were delivered to the local port agents for retrieval upon their return to the port, following regular protocol. The cruise company’s team has been working closely with local authorities to understand the requirements and necessary visas needed for the guests to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call. As the guests were on a private tour and did not return to the ship at the communicated all-aboard time, they are responsible for any necessary travel arrangements to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call, per the cruise line’s protocol.
The eight guests agreed to meet up with the ship again on April 1, 2024, in Banjul, Gambia. However, because of poor weather and tidal limits that necessitate precise scheduling for safe passage, the ship was unable to safely dock at the location. Although we sympathise with our guests’ dissatisfaction, our crew’s safety and theirs were given priority in this alteration. We informed the eight guests of this change in itinerary and gave them permission to board the ship again on April 2, 2024, in Dakar, Senegal.
“Despite the series of unfortunate events beyond our control, we will reimburse the travel costs of these eight guests from Banjul, Gambia, to Dakar, Senegal. As of this morning, all eight guests have rejoined the ship.”
