Cruise Leaves Oklahoma Family Stranded In Remote Alaskan Port
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- A cruise vacation turned into a nightmare for one Oklahoma family when they were left stranded at a remote Alaskan port due to an off-boat excursion.
The Norwegian Cruise Line ship departed without them, leaving the family of nine without their passports and medications. To add insult to injury, the cruise line then billed them $9,000 in customs fees.
Joshua and Caitlyn Gault join FOX Weather to share their harrowing experience.
FOX Weather reached out to Norwegian Cruise Line for a statement. Here's what they had to say:
“On the afternoon of Friday, July 12, a family of nine guests missed the ship’s all aboard time in Ketchikan, Alaska due to a misstep by a local tour operator. When the guests did not return to the ship at the published time, we attempted to contact them but were unable to reach them. As such, we alerted the local port agent in Ketchikan and requested that they assist the family with booking a hotel for the night. As the guests would be unable to downline in the next port of call, Victoria, British Columbia, the port agent also helped the guests with securing flights to Seattle the following day, July 13.
We will be reimbursing the family for all of the out-of-pocket expenses they incurred over these two days, as a result of missing the ship in Ketchikan, including meals, accommodations, etc. Reimbursements will be processed once receipts for these expenses are provided to us. Additionally, we have already initiated the process to refund the family for the fee imposed by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, as a result of the guests not visiting a foreign port prior to returning to the U.S., as required when an itinerary originates from the U.S. in accordance with the Passenger Vessel Services Act. In addition, these guests will be receiving a pro-rated refund for the two cruise days they missed. As a gesture of goodwill, the company will also be providing each of the nine guests with a Future Cruse Credit in the form of a 20 percent discount of their cruise fare that can be used towards their next voyage.”
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#cruise #cruiseship #cruiselife #norwegiancruiseline #travel
Everybody else got to the ship on time, but this family?? 😂
They were told they couldn't get on the bus because it was full, even though they were part of the tour. At that point the bus driver should have checked all passengers to see who really was part of the tour, instead of just leaving them behind to miss the boat. If you listened to the video the ship clearly guarantees they won't leave without you if something goes wrong with a tour.
BECAUSE THEY WERE STRANDED BY THE TOUR OPERATOR!!!!!
These people are correct. NCL owes them quite a bit of money. They book through NCL Excursions, not through a 2nd party.
WOW very difficult situation. If this is the case (read the notes on the story) NCL has taken full responsibility and are reimbursing them.
At least they were in the USA and don’t need a passport.
You should always take the responsibility in your own hands to get back on time.
They did. Do you have problem understanding English or you just comment without watching the report?
The logging show they were at is literally a 10 min walk to the ship they were on.
I was there just a week ago and i could 😂see the ship from the logging show
NCL dock their ships on Ward Cove, which is 7 miles from downtown Ketchikan and is a 14 min bus ride.
A senior and a bunch of young kids!? NO, 10 minutes were by cars.
Ketchikan is not a “remote Alaskan port”. It’s a small city of 10,000 people. Theres an international airport with major airline flights to Seattle.
@@jaesbow how is flights between two AMERICAN cities be “International” airport?
Too many people look to blame someone else for their bad decisions.
Yes, the NCL is definitely doing that. The tour operator seems to be mute also.
We’re all adults here, they give us the schedule to come back, we should get back early or at least on time. When the ship can’t depart on time, it not just your cruise that affects, it affects the time of other cruises, which means our cruise has to pay a fine. The last time they fined our cruise $80,000.00 for being late.
I would never book a long excursion, any that was more than 2 hours long and return later than 2 hours before ship leave.
Also I always brought passport, credit card, medication and jacket in my backpack.
Did the family try to hire a taxi?
In a small town of Alaska? They have taxi?
The actual NCL terms and conditions state that they will wait for the TOUR. If people are not on the tour bus when it returns, the ship leaves. NCL did everything it could for them, although the tour bus operator is the one at fault here, for not making sure everyone on the bus belonged there.
How is the NCL not responsible? THEY chose the operator who failed the passengers.
Also, no, the terms are for the passengers.
Couldn't get to the boat on time? Everyone had to get back. Expected them to wait for you?
They booked their excursion through NCL, they were SUPPOSED to wait for them!
Listen to the video!!!!!
If you don’t understand English said in the report, just say so.
Sounds like the tour did return…you just weren’t on the tour.
You mean they didn’t try?
To funny…they think they can hold everyone else up… how selfish…..
How delusional are you to think the family who got hung high and dry by the tour operator and the NCL their fault?
Should have been back on time. They say they are seasoned travelers they should know better. What were weather conditions for ship if delayed? How rude thinking it's okay to hold up an entire ship for them! They should have planned better! Expected entitlement!
@user-zj4tu2fk5j the where part of a ncl excursion and in line to board the bus to take them back. They were turned away from the bus as it was full. NCL states if you book an excursion through the ship, they have to wait. NCL failed on waiting for them, as they booked through the excursion through the ship.
You seems to have problem with English. You want the family held responsible for NCL’s fault?
These folks must have a pretty good income to be able to take 6 kids + grandma on a cruise to Alaska. 😮
Cruise ships don’t wait on passengers who are too late. Plus the other passengers don’t want their trip to get messed up, just because one family is too late. I don’t feel sorry for this family.
@@MissRed92837 it’s the fault of the NCL and it’s tour operator.. this family booked through NCL for their excursion..
@@ErwinCartagena-py6gw Not so sure about that!
They do on their excursions, I've NEVER heard of this in over 35 cruises over 30 years, at least with Royal Caribbean. If you book through the cruise line proper and are late they have to wait...huge liability if they don't. Something has been left out of this story!
But they booked the excursion thru the cruise line. That's the only reason to pay for overpriced excursion thru the cruise line because they will not leave you behind.
@@commonsense246not sure about what? It’s the family fault and that’s why NCL so quick with refunds?
My opinion is this was their fault. Although in the US, you should never leave your cruise ship without your passport and meds! Why were they unable to be contacted?
Don’t blame the cruise company for your bad decisions
You snooze you lose, they knew the rules, break them, you pay to correct them...nothing new! The ship NEVER leaves a ship excursion! That's a fact, there's something they are not telling us about their excursion!
Bad decision for trusting the cruise line? Did you even listen to ANY PART of the report?
Bad decision for booking the excursion thru the cruise line? The only reason the book thru the line is because they guaranty they will wait for you in case something happens. That's why the CL excursions are so overpriced vs roaming on your own.
They were there on time! The tour bus wouldn’t let them back on!
@@commonsense246 the cruise line and the tour operator knew the rules but broke them, not the family.
Ships get massive fines if they stay in Port longer than allowed, hence why there are many videos of late passengers doing a jetty run because of their lateness back. The ship must go. I dont know why you didnt push more to the tour bus to say you must get back to the ship, all cruisers know what time the ship is leaving. Sounds to me like the family showed a little complacement because they believed the ship would wait, therefore, little effort to get themselves back to the ship in a timely manner.
Well, it’s NCL’s fault if they are charged
NCL does not have the desirable port location. You must take a shuttle to get into Ketchikan. Understanding where your selected cruise line docks and walking directly into town would have made all the difference.
You think they were by themselves as a couple and no one else?
Little explanation why they were late. Should have start with that
They did. The mismanagement of the tour operator left them behind and forgot about them.
This is the family fault this is not the cruise ships fault you need to be back on that ship an hour and a half before it leaves. They’re probably looking around not paying attention.
THEY WERE PART OF NCL EXCURSION THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THEN BACK BUT FAILED TO!
@kristencarlbon4561 I agree that the FAMILY should be held accountable for their actions and their behavior and not remembering to be back on the cruise ship before the scheduled departure time
@@alexandrawilson1998 how ignorant do you have to be to ignore facts that the family was ABANDONED by the touring company which PREVENTED them from getting back on time?
Get back in time problem solved
If you can’t understand English spoken in the report, just say so.
The ship will only wait for you if you come back with your excursion. Occasionally people booked on a ship shore excursion willl leave it at some point to do their own thing. Having said that it seems it was one thing after another going wrong. I don't see how the tour bus driver could have taken off and left nine people behind when clearly they were on the bus to the event. At that point the tour bus driver instead of taking off should have asked the passengers on the bus to provide their tour stub ticket or proof of being part of the excursion. There were people on that bus that shouldn't have been there but were probably taking advantage of a free ride back to the pier. This family did everything right. NCL needs to make it right. Also, fyi, the two excursions where this happened previously this year were not on NCL booked excursions. They were independent. Ships stay over their time or leave for many reasons, including tides, weather, financial penalties for staying past sailing time etc.
@@aimeerogers4542 from what I had read the bus didn't just leave, they were told they couldn't get on because it was full even though they were part of the tour.
@@MonMon-qi5gw that's what I meant when I said clearly there were people on that bus that shouldn't have been there and the tour operator should have asked the passengers on the bus to show proof that they were on the official excursion so the people who weren't could get off and find their own transportation and this family could get on for an excursion that they were part of and had paid for.
There's something wrong with this story. Usually, when someone doesn't make it back to the ship, the passengers belongings (especially the passports) are removed from the cabin and placed with the port authority.
I guess all parties will be saying "Welcome Aboard" at a courthouse!
Never ever leave passports out of your control. At least they were within the US. This cruise ships are tightly scheduled for next port. Was it the fault of the shore excursion group?
@@arribaficationwineho32 100% the fault of the tour operator the cruise line hired. They should share the financial compensation to the family.
This is why Cruise travel agents almost always tell people to book w the cruise. Yes it is more expensive but you will avoid situations like this.
@@randyv8232 They did book the tour through the cruise line
@@randyv8232 they DID book an excision through the cruise. The operator abandoned the family and stranded them. The cruise director failed to recognize and report to the captain that a family from the cruise excision was not returned by the tour operator.
That log show is literally 10-15 mins away from the port. My 80-year-old dad had no issues walking back afterwards.
I don't care if I in Alaska or where I am cruising. Always have my passport with me
not again.....people read the fine print when you board these ships. What do they expect?
Never leave the ship without your passport, and the ship should of never left too. Better get that 9k back and more.
I had a very similar experience with NCL & a tour sponsored by NCL. My mistake, and this family's mistake, was trusting NCL. The only reason we made it back in time, with the ship wide announcement calling for us, was one mother had a diabetic child and needed to get back to the ship. I am very responsible and have never been late back to a ship except this specific time. I NO LONGER book my shore excursions through the cruise line. I book private and pay close attention to time. That way the responsibility is all on me.
Do you really think they will ever sail with you again
I don’t feel bad at all😂
You sure despicable and evil
@@9OClockRant don’t get satire on me :(
Hope this family learned their lesson that this entitled family should have been on the ship at least 1 hour before departure time and this wouldn't have happened and that it is NOT the cruise line's fault the the FAMILY'S fault
Beyond unfortunate.
They know what time to be back by will be back
Not remote, it is a city with an airport. Their travel insurance most likely would reimburse their air expenses.
may want to consider not going on any future cruises with Mom …
kidding aside, a 78 year old woman doesn’t need any kind of peripheral discomfort ~ especially when she’s paying for her safety and comfort …
No way!! This is disgusting for this family!!! Sure puts me OFF a cruising and on the Norwegian line!! Every expense and more must be reimbursed to this family!!
Excursion should be refunded. Half of the cruise cost should be refunded. Tour operator should be banned. Cost of travel should be fully refunded plus damages. I hope their luggage should have been delivered to them by representatives.
They missed the boat.
They need to sue the local tour operator…they promise you’ll be back in time..that’s why you should only take cruise ships tours
They'll get their money back
Wow, the picture of the 6 young children. I can’t imagine how you felt with 6 small kids in tow. Can you say lawsuit!
Did they obey the rules?
Clearly they did not this entitled family should have considered on being back on the ship at least 1 hour before departure time
That is 100% their fault and problem... the cruise ships make it extremely clear that they are on a schedule and of you are not there you will be left behind.
I'm so tired of Americans acting like victims when they create the issue.
@@GreetingsGoodday-el6kx I’m tired of people like you who made up your opinion based on a headline and failed to learn facts. The tour operator hired by the cruise line forgotten them and failed to notify the cruise line they left a large family behind. You are despicable.
The ship left when you went on an NCL excursion??? Disney would never.
What If's don't count.
Stick to your experience.
What is you would have stayed on the ship knowing you only had 4-5 hours to squeeze extra sightings tour.
I’m guessing you don’t have much experience with cruising to be this clueless.
It is your fault you should have been back when you were supposed to I will let you too they told me it's time to be back and you didn't make it shut up
@@user-ig1xl9wh7s you shut up. The large family group was abandoned by the tour operator, and the cruise director failed to recognize the problem and left them behind.
Why did you wait at the show, Why not walk back, 10 minutes.. the tour did arrive back you weren't on it. My question is why didn't you walk back to the pier????
@@karenfitzpatrick5268 did you failed to understand the difficulty in organizing the march of the family with mobility hindered seniors and young children? The “10 minutes” was by vehicles, not by walk.
I will NEVER book on Norwegian after seeing this.
@@Myr25636 mistakes happen. I definitely hope to cruise on them and am considering them for my cruise in November.
Pay this family NCL.
ALWAYS book excursions WITH the cruise you are on
NO they didn't return to the ship on time.
If you take a cruise tour through NCL....much more expensive...the ship should have waited!
Bonjour ❤ good afternoon
Ha ha ha ha
NCL needs to give them 100% back for the cruise not just 2 days. Then if NCL wants them to cruise again give them all a free cruise as a big apology. Otherwise withe there money back they can cruise on another cruise line or use the money for something else.
That I when I do not need to learn about a island history I stay close to port now even more now I never booked a book excursion on any cruise line not NCL any of them
You are right NCL totally fu___ed up. They owe you big time.
You obviously don't cruise much
They should be compensated in cash the entire amount for all nine of them on that vacation. They should get that money back not a free vacation. I would be very hesitant to get on another ship due to the amount of stress that was caused to every single person involved in the family