Stranded in Cuba
An American couple recently had to fight it out with NCL after they were left stranded in Cuba.
They were sailing on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, Norwegian Sky when the incident happened. They set out in Havana for a day of exploring, knowing they had to return to the port for 5pm for the ship to sail on to the next port. But imagine arriving back at the port and the ship is nowhere to be seen! That’s exactly what happened to Mr Rohrer and his girlfriend.
They managed to exchange some money and take a taxi to the airport to try and arrange a flight home still not knowing why they’d been left stranded.
Eventually, they managed to arrange some flights home and started out on their complaint to NCL. Mr Rohrer included a copy of the itinerary given to him at the time he booked which clearly stated that the ship would leave Havana at 5pm. So why had they arrived to find the ship had already departed?
Well, he also discovered a second document he had with him on the day he and his girlfriend missed their ship. It was a newsletter sent to their cabin, saying passengers in Havana should be ‘all aboard (the ship at) 1.30pm’.
Oops.
Norwegian also said that more than a month before the Havana stop, the company notified guests of the time change and circulated it on their e-documents.
‘Additionally, the day before calling into Havana, the Cruise Director announced the new time repeatedly throughout the day and additional signage was placed on the gangway for all those disembarking to see’ the company said.
Mr Rohrer maintains he didn’t hear of any change to the schedule.
What are your thoughts? Do you think the cruise line should have compensated him?
17 Comments on “Stranded in Cuba”
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I've worked in the Travel Industry since 1998. I started straight from college after obtaining an Advanced GNVQ Qualification in Travel and Tourism. I specialise in Cruise and Cruise and Stay Holidays so if that's what you're after, you've come to the right place. I have 3 children - Aimee…
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Entirely their own fault
Agreed!!!!!
Did anyone else get left behind? If not, I guess the change must have been well publicised.
Of all of the cruises we have been on we always make sure what time the ship departs and ensue that we are back on board in good time especially if we have gone ashore on a trip organised by ourselves, if on an organised trip ashore done by ship and they are late the ship should wait, can only assume that they went ashore blind fold and with ear plugs in, no excuse!
Every time you leave a ship there is always a sign telling you what time to be back on the ship,well done NCL no compensation.And why were they the only couple?????
So 1926 passengers were able to read all the signs and notices, and hear the announcement, but these 2 did not. Really ? More like they had 5pm in their heads and totally forgot or more likely ignored everything else, and assumed the ship would wait.
Can’t understand that out of some 4000 passengers they are the only ones to miss it.
Sorry 2000 passengers
What a great place to be stranded ,and no they should not be compenstated passengers don’t have a lot to think about on cruises if they can’t boarding times they deserve to be left high and dry.
NCLERMONT can’t be blamed for a passengers stupidity. If they paid out for frivolous claims like this, cruises would get even more expensive as we will pay not the cruise line.
What a great place to be stranded ,and no they should not be compensated .Passengers don’t have a lot to think about on cruise ships if they can’t check boarding times they deserve to be left high and dry.
Well done NCL, it is time these latecomers were made aware of their rudeness. They seem quite happy to inconvenience everyone else because of their’tbey wouldn’t dare leave without us’ attitudes.
Guess what? They WOULD, and DID.
We have seen people including cruise line employees left behind in various ports . No Excuse ,should have been awake and listening to announcements and as others say seen the board as they departed ship .
Agreed!!!!! Some passengers don’t deserve a place on cruise ships. A troublesome very handicapped couple on our recent Northern Lights trip decided to come down the gangway only when everyone else was returning shortly before the arranged embarkation time. Was it really worth getting off? & what had they been doing for the 6 hours before?
I am a wheelchair user and have visited Havana, as we were leaving the ship it clearly stated the time you needed to be back on board, also the daily news letters inform you of changes. I therefore can not see how this couple missed the information it is clearly displayed. The Itinerary is only there as a guidance and it is your responsibility to show that you arrived on time. So in my personal opinion and NCL should not give the passengers any compensation as it is their fault and not companies, Especially saying that it was only these two who missed the sip.
We did a cruise taking in Cuba in Jan ’17. We also left behind two passengers. Originally we were due to leave at 5pm but the day before were told the ship would leave at 12o clock. There were repeated notifacations and announcements both before we docked and during the time there.
The two people we left actually left the ship at 10am.
Again, nobody to blame but themselves. It seemed everyone else heard or read.
No it’s completely there own fault,my friend and I were on a cruise a couple of years ago and after calling out a couple had there names called out at least 8 times but where not on board so the ship starting moving after ropes where removed, when a taxi pulled up and passengers got out luckily for them the ship waited for them to board so people need to be aware that it will happen .