Jill Campbell
An American couple are among nine passengers who have been left stranded on a remote African island after their cruise ship departed without them.
Jay Campbell and his wife Jill say they were abandoned on São Tomé and Príncipe by the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship when they were late to return from a shore excursion on March 27.
The couple, from South Carolina, had been eight days into a 21-day cruise from Cape Town to Barcelona when they embarked on a third-party tour of the island, located around 190 miles west of mainland Africa.
Jay told ABC that they informed the cruise operator about the delay due to a longer-than-expected tour.
Upon returning to the port, the captain of the Norwegian Dawn refused to let them board because they missed the 3pm re-entry deadline.
The São Tomé and Príncipe Coast Guard transported the stranded passengers to the cruise ship, but the captain denied them entry again.
When back on the island, the Campbells found other passengers who had also been left behind, including elderly individuals, a pregnant woman, and a person in a wheelchair.
They later encountered an 80-year-old woman, who had been on a tour organized by the cruise line, and had been left behind after suffering a concussion.
The Campbells were the only ones with credit cards and spent $5000 on accommodation for the group as they planned their next steps.
The couple, from South Carolina, expressed gratitude for the help from the people of São Tomé and Príncipe and were receiving consular assistance from the US embassy in Angola. They were planning to fly to Gambia on Sunday to try to rejoin the cruise.
‘I truly believe sometimes we’re put in certain places for a reason and I believe we were put in this place for the 80-year-old woman that was left alone,’ Campbell told ABC. ‘God forbid, what would have happened to that lady if we were not here.’
Norwegian Cruise Line stated that it was the passengers’ responsibility to ensure they returned to the cruise ship on time and that the group’s passports were returned to the relevant port authorities before departure.
A statement from the operator emphasized that guests are responsible for returning to the ship on time, as this information is communicated through various channels onboard.
'We have been collaborating with the local officials to comprehend the needs and the visas required for guests to return to the ship at the next port of call.'
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