Dawn passengers left “stranded” on African island

[yakcruiser]

3 hours ago, Menocchio said:

 

 

Or do they wait only in Africa because westerners think of Africa as a writhing morass of cannibal warlords and think of the Caribbean as friendly beaches with steel drums?

I will admit I've been guilty of thinking this way. But after seeing how the people in this part of Africa helped this rag tag group of folks that includes a paraplegic negotiate their way through 7 countries in 48 hours to catch up to their ship makes me seriously consider doing a land trip there some day.

[Two Wheels Only]

9 minutes ago, cltnccruisers said:

That could account for being over 100%

 

I know about capacity. It is often over 100%. 

Some non-cruising people see "over 100%..." and they fear that there won't be enough lifeboats for everyone "...like Titanic..."

 

CC members generally understand or can understand that over 100% isn't a deathtrap. 

[dmwnc1959]

7 minutes ago, yakcruiser said:

I will admit I've been guilty of thinking this way. But after seeing how the people in this part of Africa helped this rag tag group of folks that includes a paraplegic negotiate their way through 7 countries in 48 hours to catch up to their ship makes me seriously consider doing a land trip there some day.

Keep in mind that this is a very tiny island off the western coast of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, roughly the same square mileage as Key West. It would most definitely be different than doing a land trip through Egypt, Kenya, or Morocco. I’ve been to all of those places, but in the 80s when it was much safer. Don’t think I’d go back there again these days.

[pete_coach]

4 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

I know about capacity. It is often over 100%. 

Some non-cruising people see "over 100%..." and they fear that there won't be enough lifeboats for everyone "...like Titanic..."

 

CC members generally understand or can understand that over 100% isn't a deathtrap. 

I find it interesting so many people are claiming the ship is over 100% capacity. Where are all these extra people sleeping?

 

I think there is a lot of conjecture here LOL

 

Bottom line on the topic, the folks pooched and missed the bus (I mean boat LOL). It happens far too frequently. No one to blame but the passengers themselves..

[karatemom2]

11 minutes ago, yakcruiser said:

I will admit I've been guilty of thinking this way. But after seeing how the people in this part of Africa helped this rag tag group of folks that includes a paraplegic negotiate their way through 7 countries in 48 hours to catch up to their ship makes me seriously consider doing a land trip there some day.

Thank you so much for making this observation. I had the same feeling after watching the news reports this morning. Instead of incessantly whining about being abandoned and blaming NCL for their own poor choices in terms of excursion and time management, I would have been much more moved to see them take some personal responsibility and the story be about the kind and amazing people who helped them through this and assisted them along the way to get them back to the ship. People who likely could not even fathom the level of wealth and privilege required to travel the world in luxury on a cruise. They should be grateful and perhaps remember the life and comfort to which those wonderful people are helping them to return and realize that despite this inconvenience they are truly blessed. 

[WonderMan3]

2 hours ago, marrashadow said:

According to news story they are not reimbursing all expenses just the expense from Gambia to next port as the ship missed that port and had granted re-embarkation for it. So the expenses it took to get there are still on them and now SC couple is stating they aren't sure they want to re-board. Idiots!

They’re milking the drama.

[schmoopie17]

2 hours ago, blackwing said:

 

These passengers who stranded themselves are almost certainly looking for full reimbursement of their costs, and I think they deserve zero.

And zero publicity.

[WonderMan3]

2 hours ago, Tyler414 said:

One more, of many reason's I will never step foot on another NCL ship.

Because you’re afraid the ship will sail away at its scheduled departure time when you choose to take a risk and go off on your own on an excursion that if delayed a bit can cause you to miss all aboard time? Okay. But I’ll guess you’ll have to forgo cruise ships altogether then since they all have the same rules. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[ssawjo]

1 hour ago, julig22 said:

So I saw the GMA report - and, other than the fact that they actually ran the story, I didn't feel that they were sensationalizing or taking the side of the poor mistreated passengers. And the moderator's responses were along the lines of "don't be late"  - not sympathy for the passengers or any mention of how terrible is was for NCL to just leave them.

 

Anybody else notice the change in the newest reports in the description of the passengers left behind. Before it was a parapalegic, someone with a heart condition and a pregnant woman. So thinking that now the parapalegic has transformed to an elderly lady after some fact checking. Since the original info seems to have come directly from the couple that went to the press, puts more doubt on the credibility of other things they have said.

 

One would think that they were left in the middle of the jungle with no way out according to one poster here. There is a hospital on the island if they need medication. There is an airport to fly them to the next port. No different than if they had missed the ship in the Bahamas.

 

 

[ssawjo]

There is also an US Embassy in downtown Sao Tome.  If things were that bad, they should have gone there for assistance and/or the port agent.  Also, not having a credit card, preferably Visa, then they were incredibly stupid.  I was in Sao Tome in December 2022 and found it to be a third world country with a colonial Portuguese legacy.  Some interesting colonial history.  They also enjoy practicing voodoo even though it is a Catholic country.  However, the people were very friendly and helpful if needed.  We were on a Regent sponsored tour, so no worries there.  The tender dock is nothing but a set of stone steps that are very slippery.  It was an experience and I am glad we visited but that is all.

Edited April 2 by ssawjo

[Tyler414]

3 minutes ago, WonderMan3 said:

Because you’re afraid the ship will sail away at its scheduled departure time when you choose to take a risk and go off on your own on an excursion that if delayed a bit can cause you to miss all aboard time? Okay. But I’ll guess you’ll have to forgo cruise ships altogether then since they all have the same rules. 🤷🏻‍♂️

They returned when the gangway was still down and the captain refused to let them board, but anyhoo.

[WonderMan3]

1 hour ago, marrashadow said:

They all re-boarded so we shall see what comes next. I do not see any boards where NCL is villainized. Most threads are calling them idiots many saying their interviews made them look entitled.

The 80 year old mentioned by them had a stroke while on an excursion so they sent her to the hospital. A ship does not have the facilities to care for her so it was the best option. They would not state what happen because they couldn't. It's reported the ship was trying to contact her to set up a return home once she was well but wasn't able to reach her. Her family is upset that they left her at a hospital alone.

In all of this that is the one thing that I found concerning. I used to work for a travel company and occasionally we would have a traveler get injured and have to go to the hospital. In every situation that I can recall, the trip guide would go to the hospital and make continual check-ins until either they were released, a family member could show up (if that serious) or another representative from our company or from a trusted local associate company could be there to continually check on them (because the tour often had to move on to another destination). This sometimes meant a disruption to the itinerary for the other travelers. I would read feedback from other travelers who would always be praising the guide and our company for putting the needs of the traveler over the trip despite it causing them to miss things in the itinerary. Now who knows what the truth is. Maybe NCL did have someone local there who they worked with who was keeping an eye on the hospitalized passenger. I wouldn’t necessarily trust everything the disgruntled “stranded” group has to say about it. 

[dmwnc1959]

9 minutes ago, ssawjo said:

There is also an US Embassy in downtown Sao Tome.  If things were that bad, they should have gone there for assistance…

From the US State Department website

[ssawjo]

Just now, dmwnc1959 said:

From the US State Department website

Thank you for the update.  When we were there, December 2022, we walked past it with the usual police presence outside and a flag waving.  Long way to go or call if you have a problem in Sao Tome!

[marrashadow]

@Tyler414Nope it was a tendered port, no gangway nice try. The tenders were all up and they were ready to sail. They had time to call attendance and determine who wasn't aboard get their passports and then take a tender to port authority to drop passports as previously stated at least an hour to do all that. 

Edited April 2 by marrashadow

[Two Wheels Only]

11 minutes ago, Tyler414 said:

They returned when the gangway was still down and the captain refused to let them board, but anyhoo.

 

How long was this alleged gangway?

[StillPooh]

3 hours ago, dmwnc1959 said:

And 100% of passengers have zero control of whether or not they get back to the ship on time, whether it’s booked through the cruise line or independently. Anything can happen from a vehicle breakdown to extreme inclement weather. Once the passenger steps off of the ship, everything is outside of their control.

All they had to do in order to be in control was to book a ship sponsored excursion. Then they'd be guaranteed that the ship would wait for them as long as possible, and that NCL would take care of all the arrangements should the ship have to leave them. 

[dmwnc1959]

Just now, WonderMan3 said:

The United States was much safer back in the 80’s too with much lower gun violence. Will you be exiting the U.S. in addition to avoiding African countries?

I’ve walked down the streets of Manhattan, visited Philadelphia and Cleveland, and been to a lot of cities in the past few years that get a bad rap for high crime. I don’t think I’ve visited any countries lately where some fringe group will kidnap you and kill you. Just saying.

[WonderMan3]

20 minutes ago, Tyler414 said:

They returned when the gangway was still down and the captain refused to let them board, but anyhoo.

Huh? The ship was anchored out in the water. There was no gangway.

[mjkacmom]

21 minutes ago, Tyler414 said:

They returned when the gangway was still down and the captain refused to let them board, but anyhoo.

The ship was anchored, it was a tender port, the tender gangway was already away.

[Laszlo]

Dumb question about Passports. I saw it mentioned their passports were giving to someone at the port. When we cruise we cruise with our passports. Sometimes we put them in the cabin safe and sometimes they are kept in our luggage in a pocket. How does the NCL crew where to know to find them? 

[beastlet]

23 minutes ago, Tyler414 said:

They returned when the gangway was still down and the captain refused to let them board, but anyhoo.

 

You know this is BS since this was a tender port. Never was a gangway.

[Daniel A]

3 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

Dumb question about Passports. I saw it mentioned their passports were giving to someone at the port. When we cruise we cruise with our passports. Sometimes we put them in the cabin safe and sometimes they are kept in our luggage in a pocket. How does the NCL crew where to know to find them? 

They will generally look in the safe for passports and valuables such as wallets and credit cards.  That's why I don't understand why the Campbells were the only ones with a credit card.  Usually there is a "Port Agent" for the cruise line who is contracted to deal with passenger emergencies ashore.  That would be who gets the envelopes from ship's security.

[beastlet]

1 minute ago, Laszlo said:

Dumb question about Passports. I saw it mentioned their passports were giving to someone at the port. When we cruise we cruise with our passports. Sometimes we put them in the cabin safe and sometimes they are kept in our luggage in a pocket. How does the NCL crew where to know to find them? 

Some ports requires passport inspection all all people on the cruise. The cruise line collects all the passports and keeps them. Sao Tome is such a place.

When in places that don't require this, I'm not sure what the deal is. This is why I always bring a photocopy of my passport on all excursions, in case of any problems.

[www3traveler]

1 hour ago, cltnccruisers said:

Different story, maybe.  Memory isn't the best lately, but what I recall that was one hairy woman.

What happened on the Carnival ship leaving passengers at the Miami Cruise terminal was on the 24th of March 2024.  Travel agent left people stranded at the terminal while she went on the cruise ending 31 March, 2024.