Costa Cruises’ Costa Serena shortened her most recent cruise due to Typhoon Gaemi, causing an angry crowd of passengers to refuse to leave the ship and demand refunds for their dramatically altered sailing, which also included three itinerary changes.
Though compensation was offered, not all guests were happy with the options given how significant the changes have been.
Costa Serena, which has been chartered for sailings from Taiwan, departed Keelung Port on Sunday, July 21 on what was to have been a 5-night cruise with visits to several destinations on Okinawa, Japan, including Ishigaki and Naha.
According to the Epoch Times, Typhoon Gaemi had already formed and was threatening the region. Because of this, guests were notified the day before departure that the call to Ishigaki would not be possible. The itinerary was adjusted to visit Naha first, followed by a call to Miyako Island.
As the cruise got underway, further changes were necessary and Miyako Island was cancelled and two days at sea would be substituted instead. Furthermore, the time in Naha was slashed dramatically, limiting time in port. At that time, all guests were given a $100 cruise credit.
As Typhoon Gaemi continued to strengthen, it was decided on Tuesday, July 23 that the cruise must be cut short, and the ship would return to Taiwan on July 24 to Kaohsiung rather than Keelung for debarkation one day earlier than planned.
The two cities are on opposite ends of Taiwan, 374 kilometers (232 miles) apart, approximately a four-hour drive or just under three hours by train.
The chartering travel company arranged rail transportation for all guests as well as compensation for one day’s travel expenses due to the early debarkation.
The 114,147-gross-ton, Concordia-class Costa Serena can welcome 3,700 guests aboard, and is also home to approximately 1,100 international crew members.
Guests Revolt Onboard Costa Serena
When Costa Serena docked in Kaohsiung to debark, a large crowd of guests refused to leave the ship. Instead, they gathered in public spaces onboard, chanting phrases like “Refuse to get off the ship!” and “Refund the money!” in protest of what they perceived as unfair compensation for such a radically altered cruise.
Authorities hope that all travelers will choose to return home safely first, while coordinating their dispute with the cruise line at a later time. This would be a way to ensure everyone could be involved with the effort while permitting tempers to cool from the upsetting situation.
Typhoon Gaemi is currently crossing over the northern portion of Taiwan, just 37 kilometers (23 miles) southwest of Keelung. The storm’s maximum sustained winds have been recorded at 105 miles per hour, making it a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
The storm is moving west-northwest, and is expected to cross over the Taiwan Strait and make landfall in mainland China late on Thursday or in the early morning hours of Friday.
All cruise travelers know that sailing during storm seasons can be a challenge, and itinerary changesโeven very dramatic ones that involve shortened sailingsโare always possible. Cruisers should always be flexible with their travel plans, particularly during storm seasons.
Read Also: How a Hurricane Could Affect Your Cruise
While typhoons can form year-round in the southeast Asia region, the time when the most severe, strongest storms are typically noted is from late July through September.
Typhoon Gaemi is the first storm to impact Taiwan this year, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, and threatening storm surge to the island. More than 200 injuries and at least 2 deaths have been attributed to the storm so far.