Report: Stranded American Passengers on Norwegian Cruise Over an Hour Late, Provided with Passports

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Norwegian Cruise passengers, who were stranded on an African island, missed the boarding time by more than an hour, which is why they were left behind, according to reports.

Eight passengers, including six Americans and two Australians, were on a private tour of São Tomé and missed the 3 p.m. all-aboard call on Friday, the cruise line said. 

A cruise line spokesperson originally told Sky News the group was late by more than an hour, which was confirmed by the New York Post. 

“When they missed the all-aboard time of 3 p.m. by more than an hour, their passports were left with the local port agent for retrieval when they returned to the port from their private tour (not organized by us), per the protocol,” a cruise line spokesperson told the Post. 

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A Norwegian Cruise Line ship is pictured. Passengers on a recent trip to Africa said the cruise line stranded them there. (Getty Images)

When passengers on excursions or private tours are late, it’s the cruise line’s right to sail away to stay on time. 

Two members of the group – Jay and Jill Campbell, a South Carolina couple – indicated in news interviews that their tour guide was delayed and did not return them to the ship on time on Friday.

The boat was still within visual range of the island, and the Coast Guard transported the group to the ship, but the captain refused their entry.

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“Guests are responsible for ensuring their return to the ship at the scheduled time, which is communicated extensively over the ship’s intercom, in daily communications and listed before exiting the vessel,” a spokesperson for the cruise line said.

Jill commented about the cruise line adhering to rules too sternly in a Tuesday morning interview on The Today Show

She expressed her feelings about how the company seemed to forget about its responsibility in the hospitality industry. She emphasized that their customers’ safety and comfort should always be their top priority. According to Jill, the crew neglected their basic duty of care.

Jill and Jay Campbell, residents of South Carolina, were part of eight passengers left behind by the Norwegian Cruise Line when they failed to heed the all-aboard call. Their passports were secured by the Norwegian Cruise Line, as per standard protocol. However, the Campbells stated that their essential medicinal supplies, money, and other personal belongings were not gathered. 

Among the group is a paraplegic, a man who has a heart condition and a pregnant Delaware woman and her husband.

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“When the guests did not return to the vessel at the all-aboard time, their passports were delivered to the local port agents to retrieve when they returned to the port,” the company said.

After chasing the ship through several countries, the eight stranded passengers finally caught up and boarded the ship by Wednesday morning, Norwegian Cruise Line told Fox News Digital.

The company has been criticized by passengers who said they were recently stranded on an African island. (Reuters/Gary Cameron)

Fox News Digital reached out to the Campbells, and Norwegian Cruise Line said they’re working on getting answers to followup questions, including an unrelated incident where an elderly woman had to disembark for medical reasons.

Julie Lenkoff, 80, suffered a stroke and potentially a heart attack during the trip, and the cruise line said they thought it was in her best interest to send her to a local clinic on São Tomé.

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However, her family claimed that the cruise line didn’t reach out to Lenkoff’s emergency contacts and they abandoned her.

That was the point at which the Campbells discovered she was on the same island and decided to take care of her.

Kurt Gies, Lenkoff’s son-in-law, expressed his gratitude towards the Campbells in an interview with Fox News Digital. He touted them as heroes who saved their mother.

Before a medical condition forced her off a Norwegian Cruise on an African island and was left alone, Julie Lenkoff could still be seen smiling.

(Source: Facebook)

The South Carolina duo aided Lenkoff in connecting with her U.S. family, resulting in her enduring a 30-hour flight journey from São Tomé to Lisbon, then onto Toronto, and finally to Stanford Hospital in California – a trip with uncertain outcomes.

Since then, she has been receiving continuous care at Stanford Hospital, as mentioned by Gies.

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In responses to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, Norwegian Cruise Line mentioned that both unrelated incidents were “quite unfortunate scenarios.”

Chris Eberhart is a crime and US news reporter for Fox News Digital. Email tips to chris.eberhart@fox.com or on Twitter @ChrisEberhart48.

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