A family of nine faced a $9,000 bill after being left behind in remote Alaska. They missed their cruise ship due to an unexpected delay.
Family stranded in Alaska after cruise ship departure
A family of nine was left stranded in a remote Alaskan city.
As a result, they faced a hefty charge of $9,000 after their cruise ship departed without them.
The Gault family’s vacation turned into a nightmare on the Norwegian Encore cruise ship.
They were part of a group of 16 individuals.
They had collectively spent a staggering $30,000 for the cruise.
During their journey, nine members of the group decided to participate in a Norwegian Cruise Line excursion to a LumberJack show in Ketchikan, Alaska.
However, disaster struck when they attempted to return to the port.
They were left behind due to miscommunication
Chaos ensued as they tried to board the buses, only to be informed that the bus was full and they would have to wait for the next one.
Unfortunately, the next bus never arrived.
Due to a lack of proper document checking by the ticket attendant, people from another ship took the seats that were meant for the Gault family.
As they realized that another bus was not coming for them, Joshua Gault, one of the family members, contacted the port authority for assistance.
A van was sent to collect the group of nine, but by the time they reached the port, their cruise ship had already departed.
The situation worsened when they discovered a problem with their passports.
One passport needed for their journey to Canada had been left on the ship.
Joshua described the experience as a nightmare, especially with six children and a 78-year-old mother-in-law. They all required medication.
They were forced to abruptly stop taking their medications as they were left stranded.
Joshua and family suffered financial damage of up to $9,000
Remarkably, Joshua was shocked to find out that he had been charged a staggering $971 fine for each passenger who missed the ship.
He discovered this when he attempted to book flights home using his credit card.
Joshua realized that he was charged up to $9,000 for his family of nine.
The family had to bear the burden of paying for accommodation, travel, and food during the days it took them to return home.
Since their return, the Gault family has complained about the cruise ship line.
The cruise ship company’s response
Norwegian Cruise issued a statement acknowledging a misstep by a local tour operator.
This error led to the family of nine missing the ship’s departure time.
The company attempted to contact the family but was unsuccessful.
As a result, they arranged for the family to stay in a hotel for the night and helped them secure flights to their next destination.
Norwegian Cruise also promised to reimburse the family for all the expenses they incurred, including the fines imposed on Joshua.
