An American couple recently had to fight it out with NCL after they were left stranded in Cuba.
They were sailing on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, Norwegian Sky when the incident happened. They set out in Havana for a day of exploring, knowing they had to return to the port for 5pm for the ship to sail on to the next port. But imagine arriving back at the port and the ship is nowhere to be seen! That’s exactly what happened to Mr Rohrer and his girlfriend.
They managed to exchange some money and take a taxi to the airport to try and arrange a flight home still not knowing why they’d been left stranded.
Eventually, they managed to arrange some flights home and started out on their complaint to NCL. Mr Rohrer included a copy of the itinerary given to him at the time he booked which clearly stated that the ship would leave Havana at 5pm. So why had they arrived to find the ship had already departed?
Well, he also discovered a second document he had with him on the day he and his girlfriend missed their ship. It was a newsletter sent to their cabin, saying passengers in Havana should be ‘all aboard (the ship at) 1.30pm’.
Oops.
Norwegian also said that more than a month before the Havana stop, the company notified guests of the time change and circulated it on their e-documents.
‘Additionally, the day before calling into Havana, the Cruise Director announced the new time repeatedly throughout the day and additional signage was placed on the gangway for all those disembarking to see’ the company said.
Mr Rohrer maintains he didn’t hear of any change to the schedule.
What are your thoughts? Do you think the cruise line should have compensated him?