Adventure Turns to Misadventure: Stranded Norwegian Cruise Passengers’ Battle to Rejoin their Ship

A group of eight Norwegian cruise passengers, including a pregnant woman, found themselves stranded on the African island state of São Tomé and Príncipe after their ship sailed up the west coast of Africa. The group had been touring the island when the ship left without them due to a tour delay. Despite efforts to contact the ship’s captain and local Coast Guard for assistance, they were unable to rejoin the ship.

The Campbells, a couple from South Carolina who were part of the stranded group, faced challenges such as a lack of medication and accepted credit cards while trying to catch up with their cruise ship. They spent thousands of dollars on food and accommodations using their Visa card, which was not widely accepted in some countries they passed through.

After 15 hours of traveling through six countries, the group attempted to meet the ship in Gambia but were unsuccessful due to low tide. They made another attempt near the Senegalese coast, where they hoped to finally reunite with their cruise ship and continue their journey.

The shipping company released a statement blaming the passengers for missing boarding times and failing to return when required. Despite this unfortunate incident, the company emphasized the importance of guests adhering to designated boarding times in order to avoid such incidents in the future.