cruise ship docked at fowey

Huge cruise ship docks in tiny Cornish port town of Fowey

• West Country
• Monday 4 September 2023 at 2:40pm

A cruise ship weighing 60,000 tonnes has visited a tiny Cornish port town.

The liner is operated by Saga Cruises and takes almost a thousand passengers and is 774ft long.

It is thought to be the biggest ship ever to have docked in the town's harbour.

Spirit of Adventure visited on Friday 1 September while on its way from Falmouth to Weymouth.

It arrived at 6am and stayed until around 5pm, dividing opinions of those in the town.

Fowey's town crier said: "At 236m, the Spirit of Adventure is the longest cruise ship to ever dock in the river.

"It’s also the first one I’ve had the privilege to welcome! Come down and have a look! She’s a beast!"

One person called the ship a "floating block of flats" on Twitter.

Another said: "Looks wonderful, we were there one year, amazing sight."

Others expressed their concern for the emissions the ship was producing.

A spokesperson for Saga cruises said the ship offers a "distinctly British way to cruise".

"On board this ship, the levels of service are second to none, with a guest-to-crew ratio of 2:1, so there is always someone on hand.

"And with all gratuities included in the price, every guest receives the same high levels of service.

"Along with a huge selection of all-balcony cabins and suites, the ship offers a host of other diversions."

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Gigantic 60,000 tonne cruise ship docks in tiny Cornish town - leaving locals fuming

Boat load of over 50s cruised into small cornish town of fowey, article bookmarked.

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Residents of a tiny Cornish port town were left fuming when a 60,000 tonne cruise ship docked in their harbour - increasing the population by almost half.

The Spirit of Adventure arrived in Fowey on Sunday 3 September, and with a maximum passenger capacity of 987 marked a significant addition to the town’s 2,240 residents.

The huge 774ft vessel towered over its surroundings and is the biggest boat to have ever moored in the quaint town, according to Fowey Harbour.

A spokesperson for Fowey Harbour welcomed the boutique cruise ship and said they hope to welcome larger vessels in the future to increase tourism.

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However, some locals were not pleased with the giant visitor and took to social media to share their anger.

One social media user said: “The same thing will happen to Fowey Harbour that happened to Venice with these cruise ships.

“They destroy the area and overrun it with tourists. Venice finally banned them. Hopefully, Fowey will do the same.”

Another complained: “Really out of place. I know it’s good for Fowey’s tourism but just looks awful in such a pretty harbour.”

Previously residents of the town have also fought against second home-owners pricing out locals.

But not everyone was upset with the seafaring arrival, as other residents took to social media to welcome the new visitors.

One Twitter user said: “Us folk who actually live in Fowey love having the cruise ships here in our working port!”

Fowey Harbour also shared its delight at the arrival of the boat as ‘the largest ever vessel to drop anchor in Fowey Harbour’.

They posted: “The SAGA Spirit of Adventure has enjoyed a fabulous day in the picturesque Cornish harbour.”

According to reports, the boat arrived at 6am on Sunday and left that day at 5pm.

SagaCruises specialises in holidays for the over 50s, and 10 night tours on the Spirit of Adventure would set you back around £2,784.

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Tiny Cornish port town of Fowey hosts 60,000 tonne cruise ship

The Spirit of Adventure is thought to have been the longest and heaviest ship ever to have arrived in Fowey.

Sunday 3 September 2023 18:31, UK

A tiny port town in Cornwall has hosted an enormous cruise ship weighing almost 60,000 tonnes.

The Spirit of Adventure motored into Fowey, which has a population of about 2,300 and has existed since before the Norman invasion.

Operated by Saga Cruises, the liner takes almost a thousand passengers and is 774ft long.

It is thought to be the longest and heaviest ship ever to have arrived in the town's harbour.

It was a "big deal" for local tourism, said harbourmaster Paul Thomas.

The liner, which has six lifts and 540 crew members, is steep-sided above the water line, with rows of balconies offering passengers a sea view from their rooms.

Fowey has banned new-build properties being sold as second homes - and not everyone was happy to see the ship's arrival.

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Sasha Swire, wife of former Conservative minister Hugo Swire, said the sight of the ship towering over bobbing yachts in the harbour was "awful" and "shouldn't be allowed".

Someone else writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, described it as a "floating block of flats".

A third person worried about the ship's emissions but added: "Impressive scale, though."

Related Topics

Cruise ship is biggest ever for Cornish port

The Spirit of Adventure is the largest ship to ever dock in Fowey

At a glance

The Spirit of Adventure is the largest ship ever to stop in Fowey, Cornwall

It weighs about 60,000 tonnes and is 236m (775ft) long

Fowey harbourmaster Paul Thomas said the ship was a "big deal" for tourism

• Published 1 September 2023

The port of Fowey in Cornwall has welcomed the biggest ship ever to dock in the town's harbour.

The Spirit of Adventure, operated by Saga Cruises, weighs about 60,000 tonnes and is 236m (775ft) long.

Fowey harbourmaster Paul Thomas said it was the longest and heaviest ship to have ever come into the town's harbour.

He said its arrival was a "big deal" for tourism in the area.

The Spirit of Adventure weighs about 60,000 tonnes

He added it was a challenge to prepare for and another pilot had to travel to Germany to use a simulator to test how the ship would dock in various weather conditions.

"I think it is a big deal for Fowey and the area around," he said.

"What we are trying to do is attract this size of ship, which is just on our limit, but it means we can have those passengers going to visit the town and nearby destinations."

Polruan Coastwatch station manager Ray Wrigg said the ship was an impressive sight.

"She's well up - I can't see many of the houses immediately opposite," he said.

"That gives you an idea of how high she is."

Fowey harbourmaster Paul Thomas said the ship was a "big deal" for Fowey

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'Biggest' cruise liner yet docks in Plymouth Sound

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Ship is 'one of the largest' in Falmouth dry dock

• Published 6 March 2023

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Fowey (England)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Ireland - UK - British Isles

Local Time 2024-04-17 09:16

Port Fowey cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Fowey, England. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

Fowey is a small town and an UK cargo port located in southern Cornwall (England), at River Fowey's mouth. The river's estuary forms a natural harbour which since the Middle Ages made the town an important trading centre. In the centuries past, the sheltered Fowey Harbour was also often used by privateers / pirates.

Current-day Fowey's economy is based mainly on yachting and tourism. accounting for over 1/2 of the town's jobs. The surrounding scenic coastline is also popular for sea fishing (bass, mullet, mackerel, cuttlefish, lobsters). Many of these species can be seen live in the Fowey Aquarium.

Among the most popular tours offered as cruise shore excursions from Fowey are The Lost Gardens of Heligan (botanical garden near Mevagissey) and the Eden Project (Cornwall).

Fowey cruise terminal

Cruise ships to Fowey (Cornwall, England) dock at Fowey Harbour. The Royal Fowey Yacht Club (founded in 1880) is located on the harbour's waterfront.

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Locals furious as ‘monster’ 60,000 tonne cruise ship docks in tiny Cornish town

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A tiny town home to just 2,300 people is playing host to a luxury cruise ship about 22 London buses long – and locals aren’t exactly pleased.

The Spirit of Adventure, operated by Saga Cruises, cruised into the southern Cornish port town of Fowey at about 6am on Friday.

Harbourmaster Paul Thomas told the BBC that it’s a ‘big deal’ for local tourism – literally too, given it weighs some 60,000 tonnes, stretches 775ft long and can carry nearly half of Fowey’s population (999 passengers).

‘What we are trying to do is attract this size of the ship, which is just on our limit, but it means we can have those passengers going to visit the town and nearby destinations,’ he said, adding that it is the longest and heaviest ship to ever pull up into the town’s harbour.

Polruan Coastwatch station manager Ray Wrigg added: ‘I can’t see many of the houses immediately opposite. That gives you an idea of how high she is.’

After casting a shadow over St Fimbarrus, Fowey’s parish church, for most of the day, the Spirit of Adventure soon set sail for Weymouth, Dorest, at 5pm.

But the anger on social media towards the vessel docking didn’t go with it.

Locals fumed about the ‘awful’ Spirit of Adventure looming over the bobbing yachts, even claiming that the pollution it pumped out impacted local air quality.

Sasha Swire, wife of former Tory House of Lords minister Hugo Swire, said the sight of the ship was ‘awful and ‘shouldn’t be allowed’.

‘How awful,’ posted Londoner Toria Redfern on X, formerly known as Twitter.

‘It’s so horrible when you find someone’s parked one of those floating blocks of flats, blocking the view, never mind all the pollution they chuck out.’

Another added: ‘What on earth are the authorities thinking to let this hellish monster sail there! Talk about two fingers up to the aquatic life!’

‘That’s a lot of filth being pumped into the atmosphere in the heart of Fowey then,’ said Cornish local Matthew Pitt. ‘Impressive scale, though.’

That’s a lot of filth being pumped into the atmosphere in the heart of Fowey then. Impressive scale though — Matthew Pitt 〓〓 (@cookoomashu) September 1, 2023

According to Saga Cruises , the ’boutique cruise ship’ Spirit of Adventure has private balconies as the standard (‘of course,’ the website says) which have an ocean view.

‘Spirit of Adventure has been designed exclusively for our discerning guests, and offers a distinctly British way to cruise,’ the company adds.

‘Every itinerary departs from the UK ports of Tilbury, Dover or Southampton, so no flying is required.

‘On board this ship, the levels of service are second to none, with a guest-to-crew ratio of 2:1, so there is always someone on hand. And with all gratuities included in the price, every guest receives the same high levels of service.’

Do you live in Fowey? Get in touch at [email protected]

The boat’s mooring comes amid an ongoing property ownership crisis rattling the area, with figures published last year in Cornwall Live showing that Fowey has just 1,461 homes.

Of them, 239 (16%) are being used as someone’s second home – with some homes going for more than £1,000,000.

Locals began being priced out of their neighbourhoods – and fast – with The Sunday Times naming the area as one of eight where house prices have risen by more than £100,00 in just one year.

The rising anger led to residents voting to ban newly built houses sold as second homes in a 2020 referendum.

Under new rules, homeowners must prove they actually use the property as their main residence, rather than a spare house for holidays.

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Why more giant cruise ships are on their way to tiny Cornish ports

The Spirit of Adventure’s voyage into Fowey caused a stir, but the boost to the local economy means vast vessels will keep coming

Early last Friday morning, the Spirit of Adventure pulled into Fowey, on Cornwall’s south coast, becoming the largest cruise ship to ever drop anchor in the town’s picturesque harbour.

Opinion was split. Some, such as Paul Thomas, Fowey’s harbour master, welcomed the arrival of the Saga ship, hailing it as “big deal” for tourism in the area. 

However, there were cries of dismay from other corners, with some complaining that the ship was an eyesore, others expressing anger about pollution being pumped into the air, and yet more expressing concern that the town of roughly 2,000 residents would soon be overwhelmed with visitors.

But Fowey is no stranger to cruise ships – they have been visiting this corner of south Cornwall for years. And while the 236-metre Spirit of Adventure was the longest cruise ship to visit the estuary, it wasn’t the most populous. 

The Vasco de Gama, operated by German line Nicko Cruises, is a regular visitor to these waters and carries 1,258 passengers, 259 more than Spirit’s 999.

As for overcrowding, Fowey’s residents seem more concerned about convincing cruise passengers to hang around in their town after stepping off the tender boats, rather than heading, as most do, straight off to Cornish tourist hotspots such as the Eden Project and St Ives. 

“There are a lot of businesses here who are happy to have the cruises,” said one resident, who felt that the furore after Spirit of Adventure’s visit was confined to social media and largely driven by people who don’t live in Cornwall.

“But they would like it even more if the people on board spent their money in Fowey. Instead, a lot of coaches take people out to see places in the surrounding area.”

What’s clear is that enticing cruise ships is a key part of the town’s economic strategy. The Fowey Harbour Office has even hired a cruise specialist in order to facilitate more visits. Thomas said the focus was on attracting similar-sized ships to Spirit of Adventure, “which is just on our [maximum] limit”. 

There has never been a better time for Fowey to target seafaring tourists. The UK cruise industry is enjoying a post-pandemic boom, no doubt aided by stories of airport chaos and queues at Dover, and some industry analysts expect 2023 to be a record-breaking year for domestic sailings.

Andy Harmer, the managing director of the Cruise Lines Industry Association (Clia), said: “We’ve always had a pretty strong domestic cruise market here in the UK, but it has grown in recent years.

“We have over 50 cruise ports around the country now, so Britons have the opportunity to visit many places they haven’t been before on a round-Britain cruise.”

But in some harbour towns, the attitude towards the industry is less than rosy.

Kirkwall, the main settlement in Orkney (population 7,500), is one of the most visited cruise ports in the UK. More than 200 ships will visit the little town’s harbour this year, bringing an estimated 100,000 passengers to visit attractions such as Skara Brae, Scapa Flow and the Ring of Brodgar.

It will add up to an injection of about £15 million into the local economy, but visitor numbers are reaching unmanageable levels. Now, Orkney Islands Council is considering a cap on cruise ships. 

Leslie Manson, a local councillor and resident, is generally positive towards the cruise industry and the income it generates for the islanders, but understands the drawbacks. 

“It’s been quite a polarising issue,” he said. “Many people are delighted with the business, and to show off the islands, but there are others who feel they can’t go down to the shops because there are so many people.”

Manson admitted that the island’s infrastructure is under strain: “There are some very specific difficulties that we’ve got to address, because frankly the escalation in numbers has rather caught our infrastructure on the hop. 

“I’m talking specifically about toilets, for example. We don’t really have sufficient toilets in key strategic places.”

He added: “Some of the cruise companies offer cycling excursions, and will send off 15 people with varying levels of fitness. They’ll be quite spread out, and quite honestly on our trunk roads, they’re quite an obstruction to the flow of traffic. 

“When they go into the countryside they create quite a noticeable bottleneck. It’s creating a lot of frustration with motorists, who feel that this is just an accident waiting to happen.”

Rising tide of opposition

Should Orkney crack down on cruises, it would be following the lead of several European destinations . 

In Venice , large ships have been banned from docking near St Mark’s Square since 2021, Amsterdam intends to stop all cruise visits in the coming years, and Dubrovnik introduced a daily cap of 5,000 cruise passengers in 2018. 

In the US, there is a growing backlash in some smaller cruise ports. Last year, locals in Bar Harbor, a small town on the Maine coast that’s often included in New England itineraries, filed a petition to limit the number of cruise visitors to 1,000 a day, down from 5,500.

Charles Sidman, the petition’s organiser, said: “[Cruise passengers] have overwhelmed the downtown area, resulting in excessive congestion and traffic on public streets and sidewalks, frequent overcrowding of parks and other public spaces, and inundated local amenities and attractions, all of which has diminished the quality of life for town residents.”

Despite a rising tide of opposition, the cruise industry remains upbeat about its prospects for continued growth. Even as Dubrovnik continues to crack down on cruise visits, the Montenegrin port of Kotor, just down the Adriatic coastline, is set to carry out an assessment in partnership with Clia to explore ways of boosting cruise tourism.

For Harmer and his colleagues at Clia, this is the sort of close co-operation between the cruise industry and local authorities that is vital to the futures of both the cruise industry and its destination ports.

He said: “I think it’s in all our interests that the destinations that we visit also have a good experience, because we want those destinations to flourish and grow as the cruise industry continues to flourish and grow.”

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Fowey Cruise Ship Schedule

Fowey, England

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Fowey, England cruise ship port calendar shows all scheduled arrival and departure dates in a timetable format. The cruise calendar displays the ship’s estimated time of arrival including related information such as how crowded is the port, as well as the ship’s next port-of-call.

The following timetable provides valuable information and keeps track of the future cruise ship arrivals from all major cruise lines. In order to find out more about the cruise ship itineraries such as ports, dates, and arrival/departure times just follow the ship’s link.

• Spirit of Adventure 1.000 passengers 18 Jun 2024 - 08:00
• Bolette 1.656 passengers 23 Jul 2025 - 00:00
• ms Europa 408 passengers 29 Jul 2025 - 08:00
• Oceania Vista 1.200 passengers 14 Aug 2025 - 08:00
• SeaDream II 112 passengers 08 Sep 2026 - 00:00
• Spirit of Adventure 1.000 passengers 18 Jun 2024 - 17:00
• ms Europa 408 passengers 29 Jul 2025 - 18:00
• Oceania Vista 1.200 passengers 14 Aug 2025 - 17:00

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Fowey, cornwall, england cruise port.

• There's a plaque in Fowey Estuary that proudly proclaims "Queen Victoria and Prince Albert landed on this Quay Sept. 8th 1846." For walking, sightseeing, and exploring the area's history, you can't beat this part of Fowey that provides views of the castle, shopping, animal life, and culture.  
• St. Catherine's Castle was built to fend off invaders from France and the Holy Roman Empire. It closed and re-opened a couple of times before housing naval guns in World War II; afterward, it was restored and is a popular tourist attraction. The remains of the 13th century Restormel Castle can also be found a few miles up the river.  
• In the heart of town is the Fowey River Gallery, a must-see for art lovers thanks to its dynamic showcase of pieces. Housed in a lovely Georgian building, you'll find offerings from many local, living artists, along with a charming gift shop.  
• Fowey has more than half a dozen beaches to explore, from large and family-friendly to small, secluded coves. Par Sands Beach is a large, sandy beach with a nearby café and pub. It's a great place for flying kites and windsurfing as well as swimming.

Top 10 Cruises to Fowey, Cornwall, England

• Vista 25 NIGHT World CRUISE Departing From Southampton, England (Jul 2025)

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Cruise ships visiting Fowey take centre stage in our beautiful harbour.

Fowey is a deep-water port accessible in all weather and states of tide. The ship’s mooring is just a stone’s throw from the landing pontoon and passengers couldn’t be closer to the heart of our beautiful Cornish town.

Fowey has a strong Celtic connection, maritime history and literary involvement with Daphne du Maurier, Rosamunde Pilcher and many more including the successful Poldark series. The picturesque town centre has a variety of shops and eateries to enjoy, all set amongst the historic buildings of Fowey. As the ship becomes the centre of attraction you are assured of a proper Cornish welcome.

There is a diversity of wonderful gardens and exciting shore excursions to experience nearby, from the world famous Eden project and Lost Gardens of Heligan to stately homes and steam railways, all within a short distance of this historic port.

We look forward to welcoming you to Fowey and helping to create special memories.  For more information please contact the Fowey Harbour Office Fowey Harbour are members of Cruise Britain who promote the uniqueness of Britain as a world-class cruise destination.

View our Cruise Calendar to find out which cruise ships are coming to Fowey

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Danube river cruise ship crashed after it was 'suddenly no longer able to maneuver,' 17 passengers injured

• A cruise ship crashed into a concrete wall along the Danube river in Austria on Friday.
• A police statement said the ship "was suddenly no longer able to maneuver."
• Eleven people were treated at the hospital and another six suffered less serious injuries.

A Bulgarian cruise ship carrying over 140 passengers crashed into a concrete wall along the Danube river in Austria.

The incident occurred late on Friday in the northern Austrian town of Aschach an der Donau, local police said Saturday.

Eleven people were injured and taken to hospital as a result of the crash. Six others suffered less serious injuries that did not require hospital treatment.

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The ship had set off from Passau, a German city on the Austrian border. A police statement said that as the ship was leaving a lock chamber further down the river, "the ship was suddenly no longer able to maneuver," and its right bow and left aft crashed into the lock walls.

The second-in-command of the ship, who had been at the helm during the crash, "pressed the emergency switch, whereupon the electronics started up again." He was then able to steer the ship out of the lock.

The ship was later docked at the quay wall and emergency services were notified. The ship was able to continue its journey toward Linz, Austria.

Earlier this week, a container ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, collapsing a section of the 1.6-mile-long structure. The bodies of two construction workers were found after the collision, and four more workers are missing and presumed dead.

Citing the container ship's recovered data recorder, officials said the power went out on the Dali for just one minute and three seconds as it approached the bridge, Sky News reported, but that was enough for the collision to become unavoidable.

In 2019, a cruise boat hit and sank a smaller boat near Budapest, Hungary, killing 25 South Korean tourists and two crew members. The captain was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the accident.

The Danube is the second-largest river in Europe, flowing from the Black Forest in Germany south into the Black Sea near Romania and Ukraine.

Correction: April 1, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated the year of the Danube ship crash in Hungary. It was in 2019, not 2023.

Watch: One of Europe's deadliest shipwrecks leaves hundreds missing

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Travel | bob graham, former florida governor and us senator, dead at 87, things to do, subscriber only, travel | 8 new ships coming to norwegian cruise line, sister brands plus dock at great stirrup cay.

The parent company to Norwegian Cruise Line announced Monday a major order for eight new ships among its three brands as well as the construction of a pier to allow its cruise ships to dock instead of tender to its private Bahamas island for the first time.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said it was planning to bring on four new ships for NCL, two new ships for upper premium brand Oceania Cruises and two ships for luxury brand Regent Seven Seas, all to be built at Fincantieri shipyard in Italy and debut during a 10-year run from 2026-2036.

The NCL ships would be the largest ever built for the line at around 200,000 gross tons and capacity of about 5,000 guests. They won’t arrive until after the final delivery of its Prima-Plus class ships expected between 2025-2028, the larger sister ships to the Norwegian Prima and Viva that debuted in the last couple of years. The four ships from the unnamed class of vessel would arrive in 2030, 2032, 2034 and 2036.

The new class for Oceania Cruises, which in 2023 debuted its first new ship in more than a decade — the Oceania Allura — will also be the largest ever built for the line at 86,000 gross tons and a capacity of 1,450 guests. They’re expected in 2027 and 2029.

And the Regent Seven Seas fleet’s new vessels will also be larger coming in at 77,000 gross tons with a capacity of 850 guests. They’re expected in 2026 and 2029. Regent just debuted the third of its Explorer class ships in December 2023.

“This strategic new-ship order across all three of our award-winning brands provides for the steady introduction of cutting-edge vessels into our fleet and solidifies our long-term growth,” said NCLH president and CEO Harry Sommer in a press release. “It also allows us to significantly leverage our operating scale, strengthen our commitment to innovation and enhance our ability to offer our guests new products and experiences, all while providing opportunities to enhance the efficiency of our fleet.”

No other details about the ships were released. Financing is already in place to fund 80% of the cost for the four ships among the Oceania and Regent orders, but financing for the four NCL ships is not finalized.

The eight ships expects to add 25,000 more to the three cruise lines’ passenger capacity.

In addition, the line is set to construct a multi-ship pier at Great Stirrup Cay, the popular Bahamas private destination visited by all three brands. The move follows the introduction of a dock that can support two Oasis-class vessels at neighboring Perfect Day at Coco Cay for Royal Caribbean while other private Bahamas destinations including Disney’s Castaway Cay and its new Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point feature tenderless docks for easy access.

“We are likewise excited with the addition of a new pier at Great Stirrup Cay to support our increased capacity in the Caribbean and multiple ships to call on the island, enhancing our guest experience and bringing seamless and reliable access to our private island year-round,” Sommer said.

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Eight passengers stranded on African island after Norwegian cruise ship left without them

A dream cruise vacation has turned into a nightmare for eight passengers left stranded on the African island of São Tomé and Príncipe after their ship left without them because they were late to return from a private tour.

The tourists — six from the U.S. and two from Australia — were aboard the Norwegian Dawn, a Norwegian cruise line ship , which departed from Cape Town, South Africa, on March 20 for a 21-day voyage up the coast of Africa set to end in Barcelona, Spain, on April 10.

But on Wednesday, the group of eight tourists was late to return to the ship by more than an hour for the all-aboard time of 3 p.m. from a private excursion on the island, which was not organized by the cruise line.

Jay and Jill Campbell of South Carolina were part of the group that was left behind.

They said that their tour’s operator notified the cruise captain that they were going to be late to rejoin the ship and that the local Coast Guard tried to get them on the vessel but that they weren’t allowed to board.

As a result, the couple and the rest of the group have been stranded for days on the island off Nigeria, grappling with language, currency issues and complicated travel to catch up with the ship.

“The lovely people of São Tomé were very gracious, very hospitable. They had reached out as much as they could to help us find hotels,” Jay Campbell said on NBC's "TODAY" show Tuesday morning.

“We were able to get to a tour agency there to arrange flights to the next port of call. ... Very difficult process — you’re dealing with multiple languages, language barriers, you’re dealing with different currencies ... finding someone that even has dollars ... trying to get an agent to understand where we need to get to.

"It’s one of those ‘You can’t get there from here,’" he added.

A Norwegian spokesperson called the incident a “very unfortunate situation” and said, “Guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time.”

The cruise line said that after the guests failed to return, their passports were delivered to local port agents, in line with protocol. The company said it was working with local authorities to understand “the requirements and visas needed for the guests to reboard the ship at the next available port of call.”

On Monday, the guests had made arrangements to rejoin the ship in Banjul, Gambia, but the ship was unable to safely dock there because of “adverse weather conditions” and “tidal restrictions,” Norwegian said. The guests were then contacted and provided with information to rejoin the ship at Dakar, Senegal, on Tuesday. 

Jill Campbell said they traveled through seven countries in 48 hours to arrive in Senegal on Monday night.

But the couple was reconsidering whether they even wanted to return to the cruise.

"We are considering whether or not we are going to board the ship. It is in dock here in Senegal," she said. "We believe there was a basic duty of care that they had forgotten about, so it does concern us."

"After what we witnessed, we truly believe that although there’s a set of rules or policies that the ship may have followed, they followed those rules too rigidly. I believe that they really forgot that they are people working in the hospitality industry and really the safety and well-being of the customers should be their first priority," she added.

Ultimately, the eight passengers did rejoin the cruise before 8:30 a.m. ET Tuesday in Dakar, Senegal, Norwegian told NBC News in an e-mail Tuesday evening, after this story originally published.

Norwegian said the passengers were responsible for making their own travel arrangements to rejoin the ship.

"Despite the series of unfortunate events outside of our control, we will be reimbursing these eight guests for their travel costs from Banjur, Gambia to Dakar, Senegal," a cruise line spokesperson said in a statement. "We remain in communication with the guests and are providing additional information as it becomes available."

A silver lining of the catastrophe was that the Campbells were able to connect with another Norwegian Dawn passenger — Julia Lenkoff, 80 — who was also left on the island, but for a medical reason.

Lenkoff was on a different day tour Wednesday. She had "medically disembarked" from the cruise to seek local treatment on that day, Norwegian said.

Norwegian said that its care team tried to call Lenkoff several times and was unable to reach her and that it worked with its port agent in São Tomé and Príncipe for updates on her health.

The Campbells met Lenkoff and were able to put her in contact with her family in California, who flew her home — a move Lenkoff's daughter said "saved her life."

"She's a world traveler. She travels all the time. So this was going to be one of her bucket list trips, because she's been to 120 countries so far, and she wanted to get to 130," her daughter, Lana Lenkoff Geis, said in an interview that aired Tuesday on "TODAY."

Norwegian said Lenkoff was escorted on a flight to Lisbon, Portugal, then put in the care of airport staff members to continue her journey back to the U.S., where she has safely returned.

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8 Norwegian Cruise Passengers Stranded on African Island Catch Up to Ship After Traversing 7 Countries

The group of stranded American and Australian passengers included four elderly people, one with a heart condition and a pregnant woman

Natalia Senanayake is an Editorial Assistant, Lifestyle at PEOPLE. She covers all things travel and home, from celebrities' luxury mansions to breaking travel news.

Sipa via AP

• Nine Norwegian Cruise Line passengers were reportedly left behind on the African island of São Tomé and Príncipe on March 27 
• The group was on a guided excursion that got delayed, leading them to miss the ship’s "all aboard" call 
• A statement from Norwegian Cruise Lines noted that all guests are responsible for returning to the docked ship at the designated call time 
• Eight people were able to catch up to the ship on Tuesday morning after reportedly traversing seven countries.
• One, who had fallen ill before the incident, has safely returned to the U.S.

Multiple passengers were stranded on an island in Africa after their Norwegian Cruise Line ship reportedly left them behind. After several days of uncertainty and a trek across seven countries, they're now back on board the vessel.

On Wednesday, March 27, South Carolina couple Jill and Jay Campbell were enjoying a guided tour on the island of São Tomé and Príncipe located off the continent's western coast, ABC15 News reported at the time. The pair was with six other American and Australian passengers when they realized they wouldn’t make it back to the ship on time due to their tour taking longer than planned.

Though the tour operator contacted the cruise ship’s captain to inform them of the delay, the captain refused to let them back on the still-anchored ship when they arrived at the port because it was after the "all aboard" call, per the outlet. 

The São Tomé and Príncipe Coast Guard allegedly then took them by boat directly to the ship where the captain again did not permit them to board. 

The group later encountered another stranded passenger, an 80-year-old woman, who was hospitalized on the island after a cruise line tour, the outlet stated. The woman reportedly experienced memory and vision loss due to a medical emergency. 

In addition to the ill passenger, the group also includes one person who is pregnant, one with a heart condition and four elderly travelers. 

The majority of the group left their medications and credit cards on the ship except for the Campbells, who have reportedly paid over $5,000 for food, accommodations, and other necessities for their fellow passengers. 

On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Angola allegedly arranged for the group to fly to the West African country of Gambia, the ship's next planned port of call, so they could reboard. 

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Unfortunately, the group discovered the cruise ship wasn’t docked at the port in Gambia as planned because it had to spend another day at sea due to low tides. ABC News 4 reports the passengers spent fifteen hours traveling through six countries to make it to the port on Sunday. 

“We have to cross the ferry to get into Senegal,” Campbell told the outlet on Monday, marking their seventh country. “We just learned from the gentleman that the ferry hadn’t been working, but he said no problem, if the ferry is not working we will get another little boat and then pick up a car on the other side. And then once we get on the other side of Senegal, it’s another four-hour drive.” 

In a statement to PEOPLE, Norwegian Cruise Line said, “On the afternoon of March 27, 2024, while the ship was in São Tomé and Príncipe, an African island nation, eight guests who were on the island on a private tour not organized through us missed the last tender back to the vessel, therefore not meeting the all aboard time of 3 p.m. local time."

The statement continued, “While this is a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time, which is communicated broadly over the ship’s intercom, in the daily print communication and posted just before exiting the vessel.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

The cruise line added that guests are “responsible for any necessary travel arrangements” to meet the ship at the next port and that they had each of their passports “delivered to the local port agents to retrieve” when they missed their all aboard call.

The group was finally able to catch up to the vessel. They reached Dakar, Senegal, its next port, on Monday night, PEOPLE confirmed.

After what they'd been through, Jill told NBC News in a story published on Tuesday, "We are considering whether or not we are going to board the ship. We believe there was a basic duty of care that they had forgotten about, so it does concern us." While she allowed that Norwegian technically followed protocol, she says, "I believe that they really forgot that they are people working in the hospitality industry and really the safety and well-being of the customers should be their first priority."

On Tuesday morning, the eight passengers, less the person who had fallen ill and later safely returned home to the United States, chose to board the cruise. Norwegian confirmed the news to PEOPLE in a statement.

"Despite the series of unfortunate events outside of our control, we will be reimbursing these eight guests for their travel costs from Banjur, Gambia to Dakar, Senegal. We remain in communication with the guests and are providing additional information as it becomes available,"

The Norwegian Dawn departed from Cape Town, South Africa, on March 20 for a 21-day trip that will end in Barcelona on April 10.

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Cruise ships coming to Cornwall in 2024 bringing 65,000 tourists

From some of the largest liners in the world, to smaller, luxurious vessels, cruise ships are set to visit Cornwall more than 60 times this year

• 05:00, 11 FEB 2024

Cruise ships are set to visit Cornwall more than 60 times in 2024, according to harbour schedules that have recently been published. From some of the largest cruise liners in the world, to smaller, luxurious vessels, the main ports of Falmouth and Fowey will be kept busy from April till October, with at least four cruise ship visits to Penzance scheduled as well.

An estimated 65,000 passengers will arrive in Cornwall on cruise ships this year, with one massive liner responsible for 10,000 of those. One of the largest cruise ships in the world, the 181,000 tonne MSC Virtuosa is scheduled to visit Falmouth twice in 2024, bringing around 5,000 passengers each time.

It has been estimated that each passenger arriving on a cruise ship spends an average of £70 in Cornwall. This means that cruise tourism could bring an extra £4-5million to the Cornish economy in 2024.

One cruise ship that is likely to become a familiar sight this year is Ambassador Cruise Line's new 'premium value' ship Ambition, which began British Isle Discovery round trips from Falmouth last year, marking the return of cruises from the town for the first time in seven years. Ambition is due to visit the harbour no less than nine times this year.

Read more: Dramatic sight as town wakes up to gigantic cruise ship

Read more: Huge ship welcomed into harbour as cruises from Cornwall launch

As well as the huge cruise ships that will dwarf their Cornish surroundings, the Duchy will also be visited by some much smaller, but no-less interesting vessels, such as Polar expedition ships SH Vega and the National Geographic Explorer. The eye-catching ‘ultra-luxury’ Scenic Eclipse will also be making a return to Fowey in the summer.

Here is the full list of cruise ships scheduled to visit Cornwall in 2024:

Friday, April 5, 2024: Ambition - arriving 2pm in Falmouth, departing 1.20am (April 6), with around 1,250 passengers.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024: Viking Saturn - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 900 passengers.

Sunday, April 14, 2024: Ambition - arriving 11.30am in Falmouth, departing 8pm, with around 1,250 passengers.

Wednesday, April 24, 2024: NG Explorer – arriving in Penzance for day visit, times TBC, with around 150 passengers.

Friday, April 26, 2024: Ambition - arriving 9.45am in Falmouth, departing 4.30pm, with around 1,250 passengers.

Tuesday, April 30, 2024: Le Lyrial - arriving 7.30am in Fowey, departing 6pm, with around 244 passengers.

Friday, May 3, 2024: Ambition - arriving 12 noon in Falmouth, departing 00.15am (May 4), with around 1,250 passengers.

Sunday, May 5, 2024: Le Boréal - arriving 7.30am in Fowey, departing 6pm, with around 264 passengers.

Wednesday, May 8, 2024: Deutschland - arriving 9am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 500 passengers.

Friday, May 10, 2024: Hebridean Sky - arriving 7.30am in Fowey, departing 5.30pm, with around 118 passengers.

Tuesday, May 14, 2024: Ambition - arriving 12 noon in Falmouth, departing 7.30pm, with around 1,250 passengers.

Thursday, May 16, 2024: Caribbean Princess - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 3,000 passengers.

Saturday, May 18, 2024: Viking Mars - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 900 passengers.

Monday, May 20, 2024: Viking Star - arriving 6.30am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 900 passengers.

Tuesday, May 21, 2024: Spirit of Adventure - arriving 7am in Falmouth, departing 5pm, with around 900 passengers.

Wednesday, May 22, 2024: Zuiderdam - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 5pm, with around 2,000 passengers.

Friday, May 24, 2024: Ambition - arriving 9am in Falmouth, departing 7pm, with around 1,250 passengers.

Saturday, May 25, 2024: SH Vega - arriving 7am in Fowey, departing 7pm, with around 152 passengers.

Sunday, May 26, 2024: Hebridean Sky - arriving 8am in Fowey, departing 8pm, with around 118 passengers.

Friday, May 31, 2024: MSC Virtuosa - arriving 7am in Falmouth, departing 7pm, with around 5000 passengers.

Monday, June 3, 2024: Ambition - arriving 3.20am in Falmouth, departing 5pm, with around 1,250 passengers.

Monday, June 3, 2024: Scenic Eclipse - arriving 7am in Fowey, departing 11pm, with around 228 passengers.

Wednesday, June 5, 2024: Spirit of Discovery - arriving 7.30am in Falmouth, departing 5pm, with around 900 passengers.

Sunday, June 9, 2024: Ambition - arriving 8.45am in Falmouth, departing 7pm, with around 1,250 passengers.

Sunday, June 9, 2024: Le Dumont D’Urville - arriving in Penzance for day visit, times TBC, with around 180 passengers.

Wednesday, June 12, 2024: Sirena - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 750 passengers.

Thursday, June 13, 2024: Star Legend - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 10am, with around 340 passengers.

Monday, June 17, 2024: MS Hamburg - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 11pm, with around 400 passengers.

Tuesday, June 18, 2024: Spirit of Adventure - arriving 8am in Fowey, departing 5pm, with around 987 passengers.

Wednesday, June 19, 2024: NG Explorer - arriving 7.30am in Fowey, departing 1pm, with around 148 passengers.

Friday, June 21, 2024: NG Explorer – arriving 1pm in Fowey, departing 7pm, with around 148 passengers.

Wednesday, June 26, 2024: Balmoral - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 6.40pm, with around 1,300 passengers.

Sunday, July 7, 2024: Spirit of Discovery - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 5pm, with around 900 passengers.

Monday, July 8, 2024: MS Hamburg - arriving 7.30am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 400 passengers.

Sunday, July 14, 2024: Caribbean Princess - arriving 7am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 3,000 passengers.

Tuesday, July 16, 2024: Seabourn Quest - arriving in Penzance for day visit, times TBC, with around 450 passengers.

Wednesday, July 24, 2024: Island Princess - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 2,000 passengers.

Sunday, July 21, 2024: Europa - arriving in Penzance for day visit, times TBC, with around 400 passengers.

Monday, July 29, 2024: Caribbean P rincess - arriving 7am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 3,000 passengers.

Tuesday, July 30, 2024: Ambition - arriving 11.40am in Falmouth, departing 11.20pm, with around 1,250 passengers.

Wednesday, July 31, 2024: NG Explorer – arriving 7am in Fowey, departing 10pm, with around 148 passengers.

Sunday, August 4, 2024: Seven Seas Navigator - arriving 7am in Falmouth, departing 5pm, with around 550 passengers.

Wednesday, August 14, 2024: Caribbean Princess - arriving 7am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 3,000 passengers.

Thursday, August 15, 2024: Spirit of Adventure - arriving 5.30am in Falmouth, departing 5.15pm, with around 900 passengers.

Saturday, August 17, 2024: Vasco da Gama - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 8pm, with around 1,000 passengers.

Sunday, August 18, 2024: Regal Princess - arriving 7am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 3,000 passengers.

Thursday, August 22, 2024: Europa - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 400 passengers.

Thursday, August 22, 2024: Seven Seas Splendour - arriving 7am in Falmouth, departing 5.45pm, with around 750 passengers.

Monday, August 26, 2024: Amadea - arriving 10am in Fowey, departing 6pm, with around 624 passengers.

Friday, August 30, 2024: Caribbean Princess - arriving 7am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 3,000 passengers.

Friday, August 30, 2024: Waverley - arriving 2pm in Fowey, departing 3.30pm.

Saturday, September 7, 2024: Viking Saturn - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 900 passengers.

Sunday, September 8, 2024: Amadea - arriving 9am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 550 passengers.

Monday, September 16, 2024: Viking Sky - arriving 7.30am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 900 passengers.

Monday, September 23, 2024: Viking Venus - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 6.55pm, with around 900 passengers.

Sunday, September 29, 2024: World Voyager - arriving 8am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 200 passengers.

Thursday, October 3, 2024: Seven Seas Splendour - arriving 7am in Falmouth, departing 5pm, with around 750 passengers.

Thursday, October 10, 2024: MS Hamburg - arriving 7.30am in Falmouth, departing 4pm, with around 400 passengers.

Monday, October 21, 2024: MS Hamburg - arriving 12.30am in Falmouth, departing 6.30pm, with around 400 passengers.

Thursday, October 24, 2024: MSC Virtuosa - arriving 7am in Falmouth, departing 7pm, with around 5,000 passengers.

Wednesday, October 30, 2024: Sirena - arriving 7.30am in Falmouth, departing 6pm, with around 750 passengers.

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Travel | Alaska is ready for another record-breaking…

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Travel | warriors’ season ends unceremoniously with blowout loss to kings in play-in, travel | alaska is ready for another record-breaking cruise season.

Alaska is home to more than 30,000 grizzlies, but the state’s cruise industry is experiencing anything but a bear market as momentum of last year’s record-breaking season is expected to continue in 2024.

The most-visited Alaskan port, Juneau set a new mark a year ago with 1.65 million passengers descending on the capital city during cruise season, which generally runs from April to late October. That figure from the Juneau Chamber of Commerce is a Denali-sized jump of 30 percent compared to pre-pandemic 2019.

Coinciding with Alaska’s 65th anniversary of statehood, the upcoming cruise season appears to be just as robust, with 19 cruise lines sending 43 ships to the Last Frontier. Kicking things off for the second straight year is the 4,008-passenger Norwegian Bliss, which docked in rustic Skagway last week. With four mainstream-category ships homeported in either Seattle or Vancouver, Norwegian Cruise Line  has nearly 100 more after that.

Two competing companies have staked out even larger claims in this modern-day, maritime Alaskan gold rush. Holland America Line is sending seven premium-class ships for 141 total cruises. And at the top of the totem pole is Princess Cruises , which is celebrating its 55th year in these waters with seven premium ships sharing 158 departures.

Not counting grand voyages with itineraries so rich they make a visit to Alaska seem more like a pit stop, this cruise season will see more than 800 trips of mostly seven to 10 days starting or ending on this side of the Pacific. Where they’re all going is a destination rich in unparalleled wilderness, wildlife and native culture. In other words, bucket list stuff.

“Alaska is one of those places that draws you in and sets the hook right away,” said Kristi Switzer, destination marketing manager for Travel Juneau. “Visitors come for the otherworldly experience of being in the presence of glaciers and fjords, seeing whales and bears and finding the balance of Alaska Native cultural heritage with the rustic sophistication found in the capital city.”

Although Switzer recommends visits lasting several days instead of several hours, the city’s destination evangelist hopes that a partial day in Juneau and each major Alaskan cruise port will have 1.5 million passengers wanting more.

“This magical corner of the world has so much to offer beyond being a checkmark on people’s bucket lists,” she said.

Alaska is a checkmark for about three-quarters of all passengers headed there, according to the Alaska Tourism Industry Association, and the same can be said for two ships this season.

Starting with a six-day sail out of Vancouver on May 11, the namesake of Celebrity Cruises ’ popular Edge class will make its Alaskan debut with weeklong roundtrips from Seattle through Sept. 13. The 2,918-passenger vessel features a unique “outside-in” architecture that provides more floor-to-ceiling glass on the exterior and expanded outdoor spaces to soak up the Alaskan coastlines.

Edge will be joined by a pair of fleet mates for the season, albeit Summit’s seven-day roundtrips are turnarounds out of Anchorage or Vancouver, and Solstice’s weeklong jaunts are solely based in the British Columbian seaport. Celebrity, a premier-category cruise line has 57 departures to Alaska scheduled this year.

The other new recruit is Silver Nova, the youngest Silversea Cruises  ship in the luxury fleet to ever service Alaska. Capped at 728 guests, Silver Nova was launched last year and has the goods to do justice to a dreamlike place that captures the imagination of wilderness lovers and history buffs.

“Silver Nova is the ideal ship for Alaska cruising,” said company spokesman Brad Ball. “Her innovative design, which incorporates an unprecedented 4,000 square meters of glass, immerses guests into the incredible scenery of Alaska from virtually all venues and suites, with far-reaching views at every turn.”

The ship’s reimagined pool deck, which overlooks the water on her starboard side, and all-new outdoor venues — the Dusk Bar and the Marquee — allows unique openness to view spectacular Alaskan glaciers and wildlife. Those who want to experience an older and smaller Evolution-class Silversea vessel can book the Silver Muse, which also will sail mostly seven- to 14-day trips between Anchorage and Vancouver.

Because nearly every Alaskan cruise includes the staples — Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Inside Passage and Denali with a land add-on — some cruise lines like to shake things up with unique itineraries.

Holland America has a roundtrip that makes it easy to visit the 49th and 50th states without a long flight. A new “Glaciers & Volcanos: Alaska to Hawaii” cruise, part of the premium line’s Legendary Voyages collection of journeys from 25 to 59 days, departs on Aug. 31 from Seattle or Sept. 1 from Vancouver aboard the 1,916-passenger Westerdam. The nearly four-weeklong itinerary includes seldomly visited Kodiak and Dutch Harbor before heading down to the tropics to make four calls to three Hawaiian islands.

Seabourn  strives to offer a more tasteful Alaskan cruise and not only because it’s an ultra-luxury cruise line. “Caviar on the Ice” is a savory and swanky soiree on every Alaskan voyage, and when the 450-passenger Odyssey is in Sitka, a town originally built by Russian traders in the early 1800s, Seabourn guests can enjoy a culinary adventure that includes a scenic drive to a taproom for a sampling of local brews and a few eateries to try Siberian-rooted pelmeni dumplings and a hot dog made with caribou that the locals call “reindeer dawgs.” Sorry, vegetarians and friends of Santa, but Blitzen on a bun is da bomb.

Disney Cruise Line  is sending its 2,700-passenger Disney Wonder out of Vancouver for 15 week-long roundtrips, one five-day spin leaving on July 24 and an extended nine-day voyage on July 15.

Other cruise lines showing passengers a whale of a time in Alaska include Crystal, Cunard, Hurtigruten, Lindblad/National Geographic, Oceania, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas and Viking.

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