In a shocking episode of corporate irresponsibility, an Oklahoma family of nine found themselves stranded in remote Alaska after their Norwegian Cruise Lines ship left them behind. To add insult to injury, the cruise line slapped the desperate family with a $9,000 customs fee.
The Gault family, consisting of six young children and a 78-year-old grandmother, disembarked from the Norwegian Encore in Ketchikan on July 12 to enjoy a local lumberjack show. However, their pleasant outing quickly turned into a nightmare due to a botched transportation process.
Joshua Gault recounted the chaos: “We see the chaos getting onto the buses. We go to get on the bus, and one of the attendants is like, ‘The bus is full, and you know you got to wait for the next bus.’” Unfortunately, the next bus never arrived, and frantic calls to the port authority proved futile. By the time they reached the docks, the Norwegian Encore was already sailing away with their passports, medication, and clothes onboard.
The Gaults, having already invested around $30,000 in their vacation, were hit with an additional $9,000 charge from the cruise line. This exorbitant fee stemmed from the US Customs and Border Protection’s Passenger Vessel Services Act, which mandates visits to a foreign port before returning to the US. Unable to catch up with their ship in Canada without their passports, the family was left in dire straits.
“We all had to quit cold turkey on our medications because they were all on the cruise ship,” Joshua said, highlighting the immediate health risks posed by the incident. With no choice but to arrange lodging, flights, and food for nine people, the Gaults faced mounting costs and logistical challenges.
Their journey home was a grueling ordeal involving numerous cities, canceled flights, and overnight stays in airports. To make matters worse, they contracted exhausting cases of COVID-19 during their travels. “So yeah, we’re beat down right now. We’re unhealthy and beaten down,” Joshua lamented.
Despite the harrowing experience, Norwegian Cruise Lines has shown little urgency in rectifying the situation. “We’re still looking into it, we haven’t forgotten about you,” the company repeatedly told the Gaults. “No, we feel like you pretty much forgot about us when you left us in port and told us to go figure it out,” Cailyn Gault retorted.
In a statement to The Post, Norwegian Cruise Lines claimed it has started the process of refunding the $9,000 fees and will reimburse the Gaults for their travel expenses upon receipt of receipts. The company also promised a pro-rated refund for the missed cruise days and a 20% discount on a future cruise for each of the nine family members.
This incident is not an isolated case for Norwegian Cruise Lines. Back in April, eight passengers were left stranded in Africa after their independent tour arrived late. These passengers, some elderly and handicapped, had to navigate across the continent to catch up with the ship. While cruise lines typically enforce strict deadlines, exceptions are often made when delays are caused by the cruise line or its recommended operators.
However, Norwegian’s rigid policy and lack of effective communication have repeatedly put passengers at risk and sparked controversy. The Gault family’s ordeal underscores the urgent need for cruise lines to prioritize passenger safety and welfare over rigid schedules and bottom lines.
As the Gaults await justice, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the perils of corporate negligence and the importance of holding companies accountable. Norwegian Cruise Lines must not only compensate the family but also reevaluate their policies to prevent such distressing events in the future. For now, the Gaults’ harrowing experience remains a cautionary tale for travelers everywhere.
