Somewhere Beyond The Sea - (Cruise Travel)

#76

I saw this story a couple weeks ago that this silly plan was falling apart.

I know there are people here who enjoy cruise travel. But 3 years trapped on a boat.? I don't care how charming Julie the cruise director is nor how well Isaac the bartender pours your beverages. Nobody wants a 3 year cruise.

RTH10260 · #77

#78

Ugh.

And I like cruising.

RTH10260 · #79

Norwegian cruise quarantined due to stomach illness cases on board

ZACH WICHTER USA TODAY
13 hours ago

Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Dawn is currently quarantined off the coast of Mauritius with a reported stomach illness onboard.

“During Norwegian Dawn’s Feb. 13, 2024 South Africa voyage, a small number of guests experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness. Upon the ship’s return to Port Louis, Mauritius, the vessel’s management team met with local authorities to confirm precautions and actions were being taken to ensure the wellbeing of all on board,” a statement from a Norwegian spokesperson said. “Due to additional testing being required by local authorities before being allowed entry, the government of Mauritius has delayed disembarkation for the current cruise and embarkation for the next cruise by two days to Feb. 27, 2024.”

Norwegian Dawn was on a 12-day itinerary from Cape Town to Port Louis that started on Feb. 13.

While on the ground in Mauritius, USA TODAY and a group of journalists scheduled to depart on a press itinerary Sunday, heard the stomach illness was suspected to be cholera.

"We have elevated our sanitation procedures aboard the ship as part of our routine measures to ensure a safe environment for all on board and will continue to take any necessary measures to protect our guests, crew and destinations we visit,” the spokesperson added.

Norwegian is providing complimentary hotel accommodations for guests until they are able to board, and assisting current guests on the ship with travel arrangements.

https://eu.usatoday.com/story/travel/cr ... 737444007/

#80

I can't get a working link, but the problem may be cholera.

#81

Hubby and I leave tomorrow for London for a two week Northern Lights Norway cruise. We are travelling with my eldest brother and his wife. They introduced Hubby and me (a funny story I may repeat later). We are calling this our 50th anniversary cruise since our 50th is this year.

Two weeks of no doggies or a cat who went missing 9 days and returned (which I will relate to y’all while on the cruise). No horsies to groom. No dishes to wash. No toilets to clean. No social media postings for Progressive Arkansas Women - my almost full time “volunteer” job- I love it.

Hubby and I will be forced to share a bed without 3 dogs or a cat. We will be alone! We will have to talk, or not, to each other!!!!!! Will the marriage survive? Will Hubby survive? Will TRL survive? Stay posted….

#82

Viking? They are doing a Northern Lights Norway cruise right now. Heavy seas. Enjoy!

I will be going up the coast on Viking in May, but there will be no northern lights then. Buy no matter the time of the year, the Norway coast is magnificent!

#83

Heavy seas!!!!! Uh-oh!!!

#84

Tiredretiredlawyer wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 2:17 pm Heavy seas!!!!! Uh-oh!!!

I'm not sure exactly what ships were involved, but at least one of them was unable to leave Tromso. They were flying passengers in and out. This was a week or two ago, so things could definitely have changed.

We did the coast about ten years ago on Hurtigruten, which is Norway's ferry service. We went in the winter, in March. The water can be pretty choppy, but if the ship is small enough (and if it's Viking, it probably is), they can stay away from the rough seas in calmer water. I'm curious to see how different it will be in May.

I hope you do well in rough seas, not that you will definitely have any. My husband and I have been very lucky. We have been at the edge of a Nor'easter and in a Force 8 gale with no problems. We actually loved the high seas; it's been an adventure for us.

Volkonski · #85

If you have been dreaming about taking a romantic cruise to Baltimore you are out of luck for the time being.

Cruise lines working an alternatives for upcoming Baltimore stops

https://www.wmar2news.com/local/cruise- ... more-stops

The Port of Baltimore isn't just a site of commerce, it's also a destination for cruise lines.

Just last year Norwegian Cruise Line began sailing into the Port of Baltimore, though it's next stops in Charm City aren't until September of this year.

But Carnival Cruise Line is working to figure out what it's going to do about it's ship that was scheduled to arrive in Baltimore on Sunday.

Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragic accident. It is premature for us to comment on possible impacts to upcoming sailings," said a spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line.

Royal Caribbean has a cruise scheduled to leave Baltimore in mid-April. A spokesperson for the cruise line sent us this statement:

"We are deeply saddened by the tragedy and collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and extend our heartfelt prayers to all those impacted. We are closely monitoring the situation, and our port logistics team is currently working on alternatives for Vision of the Seas’ ongoing and upcoming sailings."

American Cruise Lines is another company that operates cruises with stops in Baltimore, its next scheduled cruise set to depart in May.

The company's spokesperson sent us the following statement:

"Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the bridge collapse, and for the safety of everyone involved with the rescue efforts underway. American Cruise Lines small ship cruises currently exploring the Chesapeake Bay remain unaffected, and are operating roundtrip from Washington, DC. In regard to cruises operating in the region later in the 2024 season, we will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments if needed."

#86

We took one cruise that was out of Baltimore. I thought that would probably be affected. It's nice going through the Chesapeake Bay, but really slow.

RTH10260 · #87

Norwegian Cruise Line passengers were stranded on a small African island after missing a deadline to re-embark

Joshua Zitser
Apr 2, 2024, 12:31 PM GMT+2

A couple says they were stranded on an island after missing their cruise ship's boarding time.
They were on a tour of São Tomé and Príncipe with six others, per US local media. It overran.
The stranded group flew to Gambia on Sunday, hoping to catch the ship at another port.
A couple says they were stranded on a small African island after they missed a cruise ship's boarding deadline, according to local media.

Jay and Jill Campbell, from Garden City, South Carolina, described their ordeal with a Norwegian Cruise Line ship in an interview with WPDE, their local ABC affiliate.

Norwegian confirmed to Business Insider that they were denied boarding, saying it was their responsibility to be on time.

The Campbells said they were frequent cruisers, embarking on Norwegian Dawn on March 20 for their third voyage with the cruise line in a year.

However, an excursion last Wednesday with six other people to São Tomé and Príncipe, an island nation of some 220,000 people off West Africa, took an unfortunate turn.

The couple says the tour overran, and its operator informed the captain that eight passengers were running late.

They were refused entry to the ship upon their return, according to WPDE, even though they could still see the ship from the shore.

The ship was anchored, Jay Campbell said, but the captain refused to let them board despite repeated calls and emails by the passengers to the ship and the cruise line's emergency hotline.

The São Tomé and Príncipe Coast Guard even took the passengers to the ship, but they weren't able to get on and had to turn back, WPDE reported.

In total, WPDE said that nine passengers were not allowed to reenter the ship, including four elderly people and one person who is a paraplegic.

The Campbells told the news outlet that the ninth passenger was late for another reason — an 80-year-old woman who got a concussion on the island and was hospitalized there.

https://www.businessinsider.com/couple- ... ine-2024-4

#88

I would like to know more about this, but any cruiser knows it's on you to get to the ship if you are doing your own thing at a cruise port. This does seem a little extreme, though, if they were able to tender out and were still refused entry. If they were tendered, it might be a little easier to get the passengers on the ship than if they were docked and the ladders were already up. Captains usually go out of their way to wait for passengers for as long as they can, but it really can mess up schedules and cost the cruise line much more money than one might believe. I've been on a ship where the captain had to leave a passenger behind. He waited as long as he could, but left without him.

This situation doesn't make as much sense to me, and I really sympathize with those passengers. I usually don't.

RTH10260 · #89

A medical emergency was mentioned, I wonder if they failed to notify the ship from the hospital where they were stuck, and waited until reaching the port.

W. Kevin Vicklund · #90

One of my memories from the cruise we took (2010?) is standing at the rail, watching the late passengers make the run of shame down the very lengthy dock at the Isle of Roatan. I was one of not just a few to shout "encouragement" such as "Run, Forrest! Run!"

We have pictures...