Stranded cruise passengers have been racing across Africa for six days after missing their boat | Abroad

LOOK. An American couple testifies about what happened to them

On March 27, the eight passengers in question went on an excursion to the island of São Tomé and Príncipe, located off the west coast of Africa. But the tour took longer than expected and when they returned, the captain of the ship – which was still in port – refused to let them back on board.

Norwegian Cruise Line, the cruise company with which they travel through Africa, calls it “a very unfortunate situation”. But they emphasize that guests are responsible for returning to the ship at the agreed time. This is always clearly “communicated via the ship’s intercom, in daily communications and posted just before leaving the ship,” the statement said.

The company handed over the passports of the eight passengers to local port agents so they could travel on their own to the ship’s next stop to reboard. They have to pay for the costs themselves to get there. Norwegian Cruise Line is working with local authorities and communicating with passengers to ensure they can rejoin the boat quickly.

Jill and Jay Campbell, an American couple, are two of the eight passengers who boarded the last call missed from the boat. They told the American channel WPDE that they had traveled for fifteen hours through six countries in an attempt to get back on board the ship in Gambia last Sunday. But the boat was unable to moor due to low tide and stayed at sea for an extra day. Today the cruise ship docks in Senegal where they will try to board again.

Their group of stranded passengers includes several elderly people, someone with a spinal cord injury and a pregnant woman. One person is said to have been without heart medication for six days and became ill.

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