Sky Cruise was Fabulous...turned Tragic!

[joteacher]

Let me start off by saying that our recent 4-day cruise on the Sky started out to be amazing!! We cruised with our best friends; it was our seventh NCL cruise and their first. We loved the ship, the crew was wonderful, the weather was perfect….until the last 12 hours of the cruise when tragedy struck!

 

After a very nice dinner at Crossings where we met some lovely folks from Virginia and Florida, our friend decided to go back to his cabin around 9:30 because he was tired. His wife walked him back and then came to the picture gallery to meet me to purchase some photographs. We returned to our respective cabins around 10:00 (theirs was right next-door to ours), so we could pack and get ready to disembark the next morning. Suddenly she was pounding on our door and calling for help because her husband was on the floor and she couldn’t get him up.

 

My husband and I ran over, he to try and help get him out of the bathroom, me to call 911. Within 60 seconds two doctors, nurses, security, officers, housekeeping, and others responded to the “Code Alpha” on the ship. They valiantly and tirelessly worked on our friend for 40 minutes, trying to revive him before pronouncing him deceased of a heart attack. You can only imagine the grief and shock we felt at this time. Our wonderful vacation ended with the death of our best friend and husband of nearly 50 years to his wife.

 

The crew aboard the Sky was wonderful! I cannot say enough for how they handled the situation and what they did for us. The Hotel Director, Cary, offered my friend a new cabin but I had her move in with us for the night. Housekeeping came right in and made up the couch into a comfortable bed for her. KitKat, in charge of Guest Services allowed us to use the telephone to call whomever we needed at no charge. They offered to come in and pack for us the next day and also told us not to worry about the time we left the ship. When we left, KitKat escorted all of us off and many of the officers were standing in a line to offer their condolences to my friend and us. The NCL Team in Miami changed our plane reservations for us and booked us into a hotel for two nights so we could be there while the arrangements were made to fly the body home. NCL even paid for one hotel night for each of us! They also made arrangements for the head of the Port of Miami to take us through the line so that we didn’t have to wait, quickly getting us through customs and getting us into a taxi to the hotel. He even paid for the taxi! Several times during Friday and Saturday, NCL called to check on us to see how we were doing and to see if we needed anything.

 

We flew back home on Sunday; the funeral was just Friday (exactly a week after we disembarked from the ship). I know I’ve read a lot of negative comments about the customer service at NCL, but I cannot say how grateful we are to both the crew of the Sky and the team in Miami for all they did at such a difficult time.

 

Finally, I’d like to end by saying that our friend left this world in the best possible way! He had the time of his life for the days prior to his death. The Sky and her Crew are awesome. We fully enjoyed the time we spent on her and I’m so glad to have had a chance to have that experience! I will write a full review in a few days when I have a bit more time.

~Joanne

[sparks1093]

I am so sorry for you and your friend. Everyone has my deepest condolences.

[pookie6960]

My condolences to you and your friend. We are traveling on the sky for our very first time in June. Again, so sorry for your loss.

 

 

 

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[youngestof9]

oh Joanne, I'm so very sorry for the loss of your dear friend. I'm so glad Norwegian was able to help you through the process and made it as easy as possible for one of the hardest times in your life.

 

When I sail the sky in December, I will have a toast to your friend.

[joteacher]

oh Joanne, I'm so very sorry for the loss of your dear friend. I'm so glad Norwegian was able to help you through the process and made it as easy as possible for one of the hardest times in your life.

 

When I sail the sky in December, I will have a toast to your friend.

 

Oh-Thank you so much! Please have Anita in Breakers get your drink for you. She was Elmer's favorite bar waitress!! She got him and my husband plenty of Bloody Marys!

~Joanne

[youngestof9]

Oh-Thank you so much! Please have Anita in Breakers get your drink for you. She was Elmer's favorite bar waitress!! She got him and my husband plenty of Bloody Marys!

~Joanne

 

That's a deal!

[CasinoCruzGirl]

Your post brought tears to my eyes. My condolences to everyone.

 

 

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[NayRN]

I'm a tried and true ICU nurse who never gets emotional.....until this! I love the Sky and her crew....my all time favorite ship!

 

My deepest sympathies to you and your friends wife. I too, will have a Bloody Mary in his honor when I sail in her again this August. 🙏

[mking8288]

Thanks for sharing, thought & prayers, condolences & kudos to NCL for doing it right, as I'm sure that they trained & prepare their officers & crews, and have excellent crisis plans in place - dealing with death & dying, which is sometimes an everyday occurence, unfortunately for those of us in the health care profession. Modern medicine has its limitation on what it can & cannot do, and your best friend got to disembark into the sunset and onward with a transition into the eternal morning of bright lights. God bless him for not suffering with his acute MI onset, which the responding medical team seemed to done all they could to assist - not even the world's best paramedic & fire/resuce team can exceed that two to five minutes response time to be on scene & give aid.

 

Thanks, NCL, for giving support & going out of the way always - above & beyond the contract fine prints. Life is a journey and he sailed taking his NCL cruise memories with him.

[Clem Kadiddlehopper]

very sorry for your loss. I too was thinking as I read this that he passed doing somethign that was totally enjoyable. Think how much fun he was having spending time with all of you over the time of the cruise. I am sure that you will be able to look back on that and be very thankful for those days.

[mypleasure]

I am sorry to hear your news but I am glad that you all have such good memories of those last few days and hours with your friend. Cherish them and remember the good time you all had.

 

It was good to hear how well you were looked after by NCL both onboard and the customer care team in Miami. I was taken ill back in January on my most recent cruise and they really did do everything they could to assist me. They get bashed a lot on here over silly things but they really do smooth the path when help is needed in a bad situation. Thank you for showing everyone that NCL is not all bad.

[jdvmd]

Very sorry to hear this news.

[gooch47]

How sad, but so comforting the way NCL responded.

[artist47]

Dear Joanne,

 

I am so sorry for your loss. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain you and your friends' wife must feel at this time. Nothing that is said on a message board can ease that pain. Having said that, please know that I lit a candle for you all today, and a separate one for your friend who passed. If heaven exists at all, it must be about wholeness, and surely that would include the sea. May your friend be there, on a heavenly sea, and may his memory be eternal.

 

God bless you,

Artist 47

[Alliezona09]

I'm so sorry for your loss~ I will be on the Sky in June and will also toast your friend~

[debnjoe1438]

So sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing, nice to know NCL was so supporative.

[Lizcourt]

I am so sorry for your loss. I also am in awe of the grace it takes in the midst of your grief to take the time to post a public thank you to the sky crew and staff and let all of us know how they reacted to this tragedy. Many, many people are only moved to comment when they have something negative to say -- it was lovely of you to go out of your way to say something positive when it would have been easy to just say nothing.

 

My grandmother died at the age of 90 while on vacation in Florida. It obviously did not lessen our pain at the time, but eventually we found an extra modicum of peace in the fact that after a life well lived she passed while enjoying herself to the fullest. I hope you and your friend will eventually find the same comfort.

 

 

 

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[joteacher]

Thanks to everyone for your kind words of comfort. My friend was here for dinner tonight and I showed her all of the posts. We laughed and cried together remembering her husband and our cruise.

~Joanne

[peg013]

Thanks to everyone for your kind words of comfort. My friend was here for dinner tonight and I showed her all of the posts. We laughed and cried together remembering her husband and our cruise.

~Joanne

 

I am sorry for your loss. I am so glad you got to spend the last few days of his life with him and his wife enjoying your friendships. The memories you shared on this cruise will be cherished forever. May he rest in peace.

[sjnyc323]

My deepest condolences. May he rest in peace

[joteacher]

Thank you again for your support and condolences. It is much appreciated.

~Joanne

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Joanne, I too am sorry for your loss and send condolences to your friend for the loss of her husband.

While we hate to hear of such tragic things it reminds us that life is fragile and all the complaining we do about the simplest things are sometimes silly. Yet Norwegian Cruise Lines was there in the wife's and your time of need. I think that is truly amazing what all they did for you. It is great that his final days and hours were spent with those that loved him having a fantastic time.

[meggie711]

I'm so very sorry for the loss of your friend. I'm glad to know NCL went above and beyond for your group during an incredibly tragic time. Along with most everyone else reading your post, I have tears. Please share my deepest condolences with your dear friend.

[YankeeFan4Ever]

Please accept my heartfelt condolences.

[Redheel Girl]

What a very sad time for you and your best Friend. I agree that He left having a wonderful time with the ones he loved the most. I have you all in my Prayers. I am thrilled to hear how great NCL was. Thank you for sharing. I cannot imagion having that happen on a Cruise and would not know how to handle every thing. I am very loyal to NCL and the Sky was a wonderful Ship.