Except that they didn't know where those people were or when they might be back. - if at all. If they did wait one hour .. or 2 or 3 ... and then left, people would still be criticizing them for not waiting longer. NCL and the captain did nothing wrong here. NCL is telling it like it is in their own comments .. they were on a private excursion and got back to the tendering location over an hour past cut off time. Go off on your own .. then you assume all responsibility for getting yourself back on time. If not, oh well.