8 cruise tourists from the Norwegian Dawn ship found themselves stranded on Sao Tome Island (Sao Tome and Príncipe, central-west Africa), alleging that the vessel left port without them. Among them were a pregnant woman and an elderly man with a heart condition.
The NCL/Norwegian Cruise Line's spokesperson stated that passengers missed the all-aboard time and were left on the island, either alone or with a private tour.
The Campbells, among the stranded passengers, acknowledged being late returning from a tour and said the ship's captain refused to let them board despite being anchored nearby.
They, along with other passengers, were left without their belongings, including money and medication. The group incurred expenses for food, toiletries, and hotels.
NCL stated that guests are responsible for travel costs to reboard the ship at the next port and confirmed communication with the stranded passengers.
The tourists attempted to reach the ship but faced challenges due to low tides. They are now traveling to Senegal, where the ship is scheduled to dock.
Norwegian Dawn's current cruise is a 21-day itinerary from Cape Town to Barcelona (March 20th through Aprril 10th).
For more Norwegian Dawn incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.