Imagine setting off on what promises to be a heartwarming family adventure, only to be caught in a whirlwind of unforeseen events.
This was the reality for the Gault family from Oklahoma, who found themselves unexpectedly stranded in remote Alaska after their cruise ship departed without them. They were then hit with a hefty $9,000 in fees.
Accompanied by six young children and their 78-year-old grandmother, the Gault family left the Norwegian Encore cruise ship to enjoy a local lumberjack show in Ketchikan on July 12. Little did they know, this excursion would lead to a chain of events that would leave a lasting impact.
The mix-up occurred when the local tour operator, who was supposed to be in charge of transporting passengers back to the ship, only conducted a headcount without checking tickets. This oversight resulted in the Gaults being told to wait for the next shuttle due to a lack of space.
“You could just see the commotion as people were trying to board the buses. When it was our turn, one of the staff members announced, ‘The bus is full. You’ll need to wait for the next one,’” explained Joshua Gault to 2 News.
Unfortunately, that elusive next bus never appeared. After a myriad of stressful calls to the port authorities, the family finally reached the docks, only to watch helplessly as the Norwegian Encore sailed away with their belongings, including passports, vital medications, and clothes.
“We were left in a situation no one wants to be in,” Joshua recounted. “Our six kids, who are minor children, and my elderly mother-in-law, who relies on medication, were suddenly faced with the challenge of going without due to the cruise ship having left.”
Adding to their woes, the family, who had already shelled out approximately $30,000 on their vacation, received a startling bill from the cruise line — close to $9,000 in fines for missing the ship. Each member of the family incurred a charge of $971.
This fee stemmed from a violation of the US Customs and Border Protection’s Passenger Vessel Services Act, as the family didn’t visit a foreign port as initially planned.
Without their passports, catching up with the ship at its subsequent stop in Canada was not an option. This meant that the Gaults had to quickly organize alternative travel arrangements, find accommodations, and provide for the entire family, a financial burden they hadn’t anticipated.
“Booking flights for nine, ensuring there’s food for nine, finding available hotels… The costs just kept piling up,” Gault expressed to 2 News, reflecting on the unexpected expenses.
The journey home was anything but smooth. It involved multiple cities, canceled flights, and numerous overnight stays at airports. When they finally returned to Tulsa, they were physically drained and battling COVID-19, which they caught amidst the unexpected travels.
“We’re just worn out, our health has suffered, and it’s been unbelievably tough,” Joshua lamented, highlighting the family’s fatigue.
Currently, the family is communicating with Norwegian Cruise Lines to address and hopefully resolve the trying situation. They feel that the company owes them reparations for the trouble caused.
“Their standard response was, ‘We’re handling it, and you’re not forgotten,’” shared Cailyn Gault about her interactions with the cruise line. “But it feels like they forgot about us the moment that ship left without us, leaving us to fend for ourselves.”
In a statement to The Post, Norwegian Cruise Lines mentioned that they have initiated the refund process for the nearly $9,000 in fees and stand ready to reimburse the Gaults for their travel expenses upon receiving the necessary receipts.
Furthermore, Norwegian indicated that upon discovering the family missed their bus due to “a slip-up by a local tour operator,” they tried to reach out. When unable to contact the Gaults, Norwegian collaborated with local port authorities to arrange overnight lodging for them before they could fly to Seattle the next day.
The cruise line also stated that the Gault family will receive a pro-rated refund covering the two cruise days they missed. Moreover, Norwegian is offering each family member a Future Cruise Credit, which grants a 20 percent discount on their fare for an upcoming voyage.
This incident sheds light on one of several situations where Norwegian Cruise Lines has been under scrutiny for leaving passengers behind. In a similar occurrence back in April, eight passengers were left in Africa following a late return from an independent tour.
Cruise lines generally have protocols in place stating passengers must return on time to keep to the ship’s schedule. However, these rules do see flexibility when delays happen due to the cruise line or its associated operators.
The incident in April raised eyebrows because of the passengers’ ages and disabilities, sparking debate over the policy’s rigidness. Norwegian did eventually agree to partially reimburse those passengers for costs involved in their rejoining the cruise.
