For one family, their cruise nightmare has only gone from bad to worse. 

The Gaults were near the end of their family reunion vacation onboard Norwegian Encore when a mishap from a local tour operator caused them to miss their cruise ship, stranding all nine members of the group in Ketchikan, Alaska. 

The nightmare began when the Oklahoma-based family was trying to return to the 4,004-passenger ship at the conclusion of an excursion to see a lumberjack show in the rural port that took place on July 12, 2024. 

The family alleges that the tour operator wasn’t checking to make sure everyone on the shuttle back to the port had the proper tickets, relying on headcounts instead.

This allowed potentially non-ticketed passengers to take the places of people (like the Gaults) who had the proper credentials. 

“We see the chaos getting onto the buses. We go to get on the bus and one of the attendees is like ‘The bus is full, and you know you got to wait for the next bus,’” Joshua Gault told KJRH, a local news outlet in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

The family was told to wait for another bus, which never came. 

With the all aboard time looming, they called the port authority for help, and a van was sent to retrieve the family – but the ride came too late.

The cruisers returned to the port just in time to watch as the Breakaway Plus-class ship sailed away with their belongings, including clothing, important medications, and their passports. 

“You know, it was a nightmare. Six kids on board, minor children, and a 78-year-old mother-in-law, all on medication. We all had to quit cold turkey medication these last few days because it was all on the cruise ship,” added Joshua.

Worth Reading: What Happens If You Miss Your Cruise Ship?

Because all members of the family didn’t have their passports with them, they were also unable to meet the ship at the final stop of the 7-night cruise – a call on Victoria, British Columbia in Canada the following day on July 13.

Rejoining the 169,116-gross ton vessel would have enabled them to retrieve their belongings and sail back to the homeport of Seattle, Washington, with a bit less angst than what they ultimately endured.

Eight of the nine passports were transported off the ship, but one was left onboard – and this is really an all-or-nothing type of situation.

The ship returned to Seattle on July 14, 2024, and embarked on its next 7-night Alaska sailing the same day.

The Alaskan Nightmare Continues

While being left behind in port is a nightmare in its own right, the Gault family was not expecting to wake up to a charge of nearly $9,000 from Norwegian Cruise Line the next morning. 

Citing the Passenger Vessel Services Act, the cruise line charged $971 (USD) per passenger for fees incurred from violating US Customs and Border Protection policies by missing the ship.

“The Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) prohibits the transportation of passengers between two different U.S. ports on any vessel other than a U.S.-flag vessel that meets all requirements for U.S. coastwise transportation,” reads a notice regarding the PVSA. 

“Any passenger who unexpectedly disembarks the ship at a U.S. port of call, i.e., Alaska, due to any reason, which results in a violation of the PVSA, may be charged by the cruise company supplying the transportation,” continues the memo. 

Worth Reading: What is the Passenger Vessel Services Act and How Does it Impact Cruises?

This expense was understandably an unpleasant surprise – especially as the family had already spent around $30,000 on their vacation and was quickly running up the bill trying to pay for meals, hotels, and new travel arrangements to get home. 

Initially, all new expenses had to be paid out of pocket by the family, before Norwegian offered reimbursement and it was unclear if they would. 

After a grueling ordeal to get home, which included stops in numerous cities, overnight airport stays, cancelled flights, and baggage pick-up, the family has made it back to their home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

Even so, the nightmare continues as several family members have been diagnosed with COVID-19, although it’s unclear where they were exposed to the virus. 

Norwegian Cruise Line Tries To Make Things Right

While it wasn’t directly stated as such, context clues suggest that the family’s Ketchikan shore excursion was likely booked through the cruise line. 

While cruise lines don’t usually wait for tardy guests due to a need to stay on schedule and the potential for hefty port fees that come with docking longer than anticipated, most ships offer a reassurance that they will wait for delayed guests if they are on an excursion booked through the cruise company. 

However, the Gault family feels like NCL simply forgot about them and didn’t act quickly enough to help.

“‘We’re still looking into it, we haven’t forgotten about you,” Cailyn Gault said Norwegian kept telling them as they struggled to find a new way home. “And I was like, ‘No, we feel like you pretty much forgot about us when you left us in port and told us to go figure it out.’”

“You know, Norwegian treating this like it was a customer service issue rather than it was an emergency, is, I think, the worst part about it,” added Joshua. 

Read Also: Norwegian Offering Further Assistance to Stranded Guests in Africa

That said, the premier cruise line has been making a concerted effort to make things right. 

First, NCL says that they attempted to contact the guests before the ship departed and assisted the family in making new hotel and travel accommodations, which differs from the family’s recollection of the story. 

“When the guests did not return to the ship at the published time, we attempted to contact them but were unable to reach them. As such, we alerted the local port agent in Ketchikan and requested that they assist the family with booking a hotel for the night,” a spokesperson from the cruise line said to Cruise Hive.

“As the guests would be unable to downline in the next port of call, Victoria, British Columbia, the port agent also helped the guests with securing flights to Seattle the following day, July 13,” continued the statement. 

Norwegian went on to add that the family will be reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of the incident pending delivery of receipts to the cruise line, and that the family will be refunded for the two days of their sailing that they missed. 

Additionally, the cruise line has begun the process to reverse the nearly $9,000 charge incurred by violating the Passenger Vessel Services Act, although it’s unclear when the refund will finish processing. 

Last but not least, the company is providing all nine guests with a future cruise credit in the form of a 20% discount on a future sailing as “a gesture of goodwill.”

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has warned that cruise liners might boycott popular Spanish destinations, including Barcelona and Mallorca, if anti-tourism protests and hostile actions towards tourists continue to escalate.

Protests have been particularly intense in places like Barcelona, where tourists have been sprayed with water and pelleted with debris by demonstrators carrying signs that read, “Tourists go home.” 

Similar demonstrations have taken place in Mallorca, where beaches have been blockaded by angry locals. Residents of Spain argue that tourism is driving up housing costs and making it unaffordable to live in city centers.

They also say the influx of visitors often outnumbers residents in smaller vacation destinations like the Canary Islands. This increased traffic is affecting roads and infrastructure and diminishing quality of life.

However, CLIA highlighted that protestors’ behavior is damaging the reputation of Spain and other destinations and could lead to changes in cruise itineraries.

“Tourism-phobia is not only a problem in Spain, but also in France and other Mediterranean countries, but visitors are increasingly sensitive and the scenes that have been seen in places like Barcelona have an impact on the reputation of the destination,” said CLIA’s European director, Marie Caroline Laurent.

Despite the ongoing protests, CLIA does not foresee a drop in turnover for the cruise industry, which anticipates a 10 percent increase in capacity over the next five years. However, the shift in the destinations cruise ships visit may favor locations that are more welcoming to guests.

Countries in the Middle East and Asia are making significant investments to boost their cruise tourism sector and are welcoming guests with open arms. Saudi Arabia first welcomed cruise ships into its ports in 2021 and plans to welcome 1.3 million passengers annually by 2025.

The Arabic nation will launch its first cruise line in December, 2024.

Efforts to Limit Passengers in Spanish Ports

In response to rising frustrations, several Spanish ports are implementing or considering new restrictions on cruise ship entries.

In Majorca, authorities are advancing plans to further limit the number of cruise ships allowed to dock. The Balearic Islands have already set a cap of three ships per day in Palma, but local officials are pushing for even stricter measures.

In the Canary Islands, residents are increasingly vocal about the need for sustainable tourism solutions to address overtourism. Nearly 57,000 people across all seven islands held a protest at the end of April. Proposals include implementing stricter controls on cruise ship entries.

Barcelona’s mayor also recently publicly supported limiting the number of cruise ships and passengers. The city council is examining ways to manage the influx of tourists. This includes potential caps on daily arrivals and exploring alternative docking locations to distribute the tourism load more evenly across the city.

Despite these local efforts, national authorities in Spain have shown reluctance to impose outright bans on cruise ships. The Spanish government rejected calls for blanket restrictions, arguing that the cruise industry is a significant contributor to the economy.

Similar debates are unfolding in Valencia. While some local leaders push for partial bans on cruise ships, others emphasize their economic advantages.

In 2023, Spain received nearly 4,500 cruise ships and welcomed over 12 million cruise passengers, setting a new record. The figures are expected to rise when the season concludes in 2024.

The Port of Plymouth is reaping the benefits of a big boost in cruise ship arrivals, fully double the number that called two years ago, bringing welcome revenue to the destination on England’s southwest coast.

Thanks to the 14 cruise ships that will visit during the 2024 season, the port and city of Plymouth will see additional visitor spending of £1.5 million ($1.9 million USD).

Plymouth, known as Britain’s Ocean City, will welcome about 10,500 cruise guests, each of whom will spend around £90 ($117 USD) while visiting the destination, and roughly 5,000 crew members.

Aside from cruise guest spending at restaurants and shops in the Plymouth area, the region also sees income from port and harbor pilot fees plus shore excursion bookings.

“This is a fantastic boost to the local economy and it is growing by the year. We’re delighted to see so many passengers and crew enjoying our city and spending on everything from visiting the attractions and taking tours, to the gift shops and other retail outlets, cafes and restaurants,” said Amanda Lumley, chief executive of Destination Plymouth.

Plymouth, located about 160 miles southwest of Southampton, is best known by Americans for its role in US history since it was from the city that the Mayflower set off for the New World in 1620. The destination marks the historic event with the Mayflower Steps, a harbor-front landmark flanked by the British and American flags.

In 2024, the port will welcome a wide variety of cruise ships, from smaller vessels with a capacity of fewer than 300 passengers to those that can accommodate around 1,500.

In 2024, ships visiting the port, which can berth vessels up to 984 feet long, include Seabourn’s 450-guest Seabourn Sojourn, Exploris’ 132-guest expedition ship Exploris I, Windstar Cruises’ 312-guest Star Legend, Ponant’s 184-guest Le Dumont D’urville, Silversea Cruises’ 691-guest Silver Dawn and 608-guest Silver Spirit, and Oceania’s 684-guest Sirena, among others.

Cruise line representatives also tout the appeal of the destination and the surrounding region.

Read Also: It Isn’t a Cruise Until You Do These 9 Things

“The city is really well received with its distillery, museums, local shops and tours in the countryside and maritime history. The majority of passengers – 70% – are Americans interested in the Mayflower connection. Plymouth is a beautiful location,” said Susanna Carpaccio, manager of destination experiences at Silversea Cruises.

International cruise brands representing the premium, luxury, and expedition markets all are represented in the roster of ships slated to call at the port, and the destination holds special welcome ceremonies for vessels making their maiden calls.

“Ten of these cruise ships are first time visitors to Plymouth and, during such inaugural visits, it’s a long maritime tradition to exchange plaques between the Master of the vessel and the Port’s Harbour Master or local representative, so a plentiful supply of plaques is needed for this year,” said Glen Gardner, cruise new business development manager at Destination Plymouth.

The port’s facilities are in the process of a major renovation to upgrade berthing and passenger facilities, all scheduled to be completed in 2025. The investment project is an initiative of Associated British Ports, which owns the port of Plymouth.

Destination Looks to Similar Success in 2025 Cruise Season

In early 2024, tourism officials predicted a major boost in the port’s cruise business, citing the expected 40% rise in cruise ship arrivals. Now that it has come to fruition, Destination Plymouth officials are enthusiastic about 2025 as well, noting that 10 vessels already are committed to calling at the port and four more ship visits are pending.

Plymouth is not the only coastal destination in England making substantial gains in cruise tourism. The port of Portsmouth, which is much closer to Southampton — roughly 20 miles west — is expecting to break cruise arrival records in 2024, with 155,000 guests expected.

Portsmouth completed a major berth expansion and built a new cruise terminal. Like Plymouth, several ships will make maiden calls to the port in 2024, including large ships such as Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2,400-guest Norwegian Star.