Norwegian Cruise Line Leaves Elderly US Couple Stranded in Spain

In a recent incident, Norwegian Cruise Line left an elderly couple from the US behind in Motril, Spain. Richard and Claudene Gordon, ages 84 and 81, missed their ship, the Norwegian Viva, when it sailed away on schedule while they were delayed returning from a trip to Granada.

The mishap occurred on Monday as they were caught in a rainstorm.

Norwegian Cruise Line Strands Couple in Spain

The Gordons, experienced travelers on about 30 cruises, took an independent excursion to the historic city of Granada, which was not arranged through the Norwegian Cruise Line.

When they headed back to the ship, their return was delayed by unexpected weather, causing them to miss the 5:30 p.m. all-aboard call. Despite a phone call to a relative on the ship at approximately 5:45 p.m. informing them of their close proximity and delay, the ship departed at 6:00 p.m.

Arriving at the dock by taxi at 6:10 p.m., the couple found that the Norwegian Viva had already left, taking essential items such as Claudene's medication and their spare hearing aid batteries.

According to CNN, with no immediate assistance from the cruise line, the couple had to fend for themselves, eventually finding a place to stay in a nearby bed and breakfast.

After their ordeal, Norwegian Cruise Line did make efforts to reconcile the situation. On Wednesday, they arranged a limousine to bring the couple from their hotel to meet the ship in Palma de Mallorca.

The Gordons were then escorted aboard by ship officials, who apologized for the inconvenience.

Norwegian Cruise Line has stated that they attempted to contact the couple multiple times and coordinated with local port agents to help them rejoin the ship.

This incident calls up the importance of adhering to posted schedules on cruises, even as it raises questions about the support offered to passengers when plans go awry.

Another Passengers Stranded in Africa

Eight passengers, including Americans Jill and Jay Campbell, were stranded in Africa after their Norwegian Cruise Line ship left without them. The incident occurred when the group, on a private tour on the island of São Tomé, failed to return on time on March 27.

Despite a desperate two-day journey across seven countries to catch up with the ship in Senegal, the Campbells needed more certainty about continuing their 20-day cruise.

The New York Post reported that Jill Campbell expressed dissatisfaction with how Norwegian Cruise Line managed their situation, emphasizing that the ship's crew should prioritize passenger safety and care.

The passengers could not reboard the ship when they finally reached it, leading to significant additional expenses. They had to spend over $5,000 on necessities such as food and lodging while trying to meet the ship at its next port.

Norwegian Cruise Line stated that it is standard procedure to leave behind passengers who miss the boarding time and that the responsibility for making subsequent travel arrangements falls on the passengers.

However, the company plans to reimburse the stranded passengers for their travel expenses from Gambia to Senegal and is communicating with them about further assistance.