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The ships dock at Port Elizabeth. The hilly town center can be reached via a short taxi ride. Walking to town is not recommended.

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Monthly Climate Averages for Port Elizabeth South Africa

Sightseeing:

Port Elizabeth is the third largest port and the fifth largest city in South Africa. The center is spread over steep hills overlooking Algoa Bay. Except for some interesting historical architecture, 21st-century Port Elizabeth, or PE as it is commonly known, has few attractions of note. To compensate, the town is surrounded by charming countryside; it bills itself as the Friendly City.

Port Elizabeth's sights are split between the areas of the old port, the sea front and the beaches.

Port Elizabeth Museum Complex The complex includes the Museum, the Oceanarium with trained dolphins, seals and penguins, a Snake Park and Tropical House. The museum's exhibits relate to the history of the town from the early settlement in 1820. A maritime hall is dedicated to shipwrecks and their treasures. The Tropical House is popular for its brightly colored birds. The Campanile This tower rises above the port area. It was built in 1920 as a monument to honor the early settlers.

Tours Excursions Transportation:

It pays to compare your cruise line tours here

Nearby Places:

The main attractions lie inland, including the game reserves. The Addo Elephant National Park is the most famous and popular destination for visitors to Port Elizabeth.

Shopping and Food

The currency is the Rand (ZAR) Automated teller machines (ATMs), linked to all major international networks, are available throughout the country. It is best to use only ATMs that are inside a mall or other building. Always be careful to make sure no one is watching you enter your PIN, and be vigilant about scams (e.g. machines that seem to eat your card and won't give it back after you enter the PIN).

Most retail stores accept credit cards.

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Communication:

South Africa has 11 official languages. Most people other than rural black Africans speak English, although not many as a first language. Afrikaans is also widely-spoken, especially by the white and colored population.

Opening Hours and Holidays:

Shopping hours Mon-Fri 0900-1700, Sat 0900-1400, although there is an increasing trend to open later and all weekend in major tourist spots. Shopping malls often stay open til' 9PM.

January 1. New Years' Day March 21. Human Rights Day Easter weekend. ("Good Friday", "Easter Saturday", "Easter Sunday" and "Easter Monday"): a four day long weekend in March or April set according to the Western Christian dates. April 27. Freedom Day May 1. Workers Day June 16. Youth Day August 9. Woman's Day September 24. Heritage Day December 16. Day of Reconciliation December 25. Christmas Day December 26. Day of Goodwill

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Port Elizabeth Cruise

A mix of ancient buildings and modern constructions

Excursions & activities port elizabeth.

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Are you planning to visit the stunning Mahe Island or the attractive colonial city of Maputo? You can see more interesting places and spend a memorable journey by taking the perfect cruises from Port Elizabeth. Located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, Port Elizabeth has a beautiful selection of attractive family vacation destination spots around it.

Top Cruises from Port Elizabeth

Silversea is the epitome of classiness when it comes to making a journey memorable. It takes you to unravel the popular destinations of Darwin, Maputo, and the Mahe. 

1. Silversea Cruises

Silversea Cruises is one of the best-in-class luxurious expedition cruise lines, famously known as the " jewel in the crown " of the Royal Caribbean Group. 

Onboard Amenities Offered by Silversea Cruises from Port Elizabeth

Although multiple cruise lines are journeying from Port Elizabeth, Silversea Cruises houses exclusive facilities you can enjoy while traveling to your favorite holiday destinations.

Travel Time by Silversea Cruise Line

The travel time on a Silversea cruise line to holiday destinations around Port Elizabeth can take about two weeks to two months. This, again, is dependable on the destination you are traveling to. 

If you are traveling to Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, the sailing time is 12 nights . If you plan to visit the striking white sand beaches of Mahe Island, the journey time is 30 nights. On the other hand, a cruise to the historic art galleries and untouched natural environments of Darwin will take three months and six days by Silversea cruise line. 

Immerse in the World-class Cuisine

Isn't food a mandatory part of traveling? More so when cruising on crystal clear ocean waters and have a mesmerizing view of the ocean horizon. 

Silversea Cruise from Port Elizabeth offers an endless tray of delectable dishes. From Italian portions of pasta, pan-Asian cuisine, and juicy steaks to barbeques and pizzas, it has a wholesome offering. Besides that, you finish your meals with an exquisite taste of a fine glass of wine. 

Entertainment on Deck  

While you watch the sparkling sea waters and clear blue skies from the deck, you can engage yourself in a fun session with various entertaining activities on board. 

You can engage yourself in everything from water volleyball, mini golfing, shuffleboard, tennis board, or dancing classes. Moreover, you can also involve yourself in enriching lectures, body massages, aromatherapy sessions, salon treatments, or learning computers. 

Till you reach your holiday destination, the cruise line has multiple activities never to letkeep you from getting bored.

Accommodation Onboard

A journey should be as exciting and memorable as the destination you are traveling to. Hence, Silversea Cruises offers the finest kind of in-house accommodations. 

Enjoy the panoramic view of the ocean from your premium suites crafted with exquisite craftsmanship. From the comfort of your bedding, you can also avail of personal butlers and opt for in-suite dinners and other personalized services. 

Key takeaway

Silversea Cruises takes you on a memorable cruise to your favorite holiday spots near Port Elizabeth. It operates to beautiful port destinations and offers a specially curated personalized onboard experience so that your journey unravels to be as fine as the destinations you are traveling to. 

While sketching your holiday plan, visit CruiseBooking.com to get the best cruise deals on the finest cruise lines.

FAQs for Cruises from Port Elizabeth

1. Is there any specific dress code to wear on Silversea’s Port Elizabeth cruises?

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Port Elizabeth cruise port

Africa - indian ocean islands.

• Coordinates -33.959, 25.641
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• Local Time 2024-04-08 05:17

Port Elizabeth cruise ship schedule

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Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Port Elizabeth, South Africa (now known as Gqeberha) hugs scenic Algoa Bay. Nicknamed “the Friendly City,” Port Elizabeth welcomes many South Africa cruises and acts as a gateway to Eastern Cape adventures. Bring your bathing suit—there are miles of pristine coastline to explore and acrobatic dolphins who leap out of the water when the moment’s right. Port Elizabeth has a reputation for pleasant weather with sunshine and cooling sea breezes. Stroll sand dunes or watch locals gallop their horses on the shore. For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, take a safari in one of the nearby reserves to see where lions, elephants and Cape buffalo roam. If history and culture are a draw, visit Fort Frederick, built in 1799 to stop the French during the Napoleonic wars. To deeper your understanding of Apartheid, tour the South End museum, which tells the sobering story of South End’s lost past. Amble Route 67, a collection of 67 art pieces from local artists that honor the life of Nelson Mandela. South Africa cruises are incredible, no matter what you end up doing.

Top 3 Things To Do In Elizabeth, South Africa

Featured shore excursions.

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Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), South Africa

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South Africa's third largest port, Port Elizabeth is known as “The Friendly City.” A popular destination for water sports, Port Elizabeth offers spectacular beaches, historical attractions, the oldest bowling green in South Africa and beautiful wildlife sanctuaries. Bayworld features a fascinating cultural history museum, an oceanarium and a snake and dinosaur park.

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Port Elizabeth, South Africa

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The Portuguese called Port Elizabeth “Algoa” when their trading ships sailed from here to Goa. Its world-class beaches attract surfers and yachtsmen to the Indian Ocean coast

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Article overview Port Elizabeth

History in a nutshell , economy and transport , tourism , security information , port elizabeth for cruise passengers .

As of February 2021, the official name of this South African port city is Gqeberha. In everyday language, Port Elizabeth is still common, or the abbreviation PE. The city is around 770 kilometers east of Cape Town. It stretches 16 kilometers along the Indian Ocean coast at Algoa Bay, also known as Nelson Mandela Bay. Extensive white sandy beaches are located directly in the city area.

312.000 people live in Port Elizabeth and 1.152.000 in the metropolitan area of ​​Nelson Mandela Bay (2011 census).

Port Elizabeth was founded by the English with the construction of Fort Frederick in 1799. Colonial interests of the French in the Cape area should thus be prevented. Fort Frederick is the oldest British structure in South Africa.

Port Elizabeth - Fort Frederick

Port Elizabeth - Guns of Fort Frederick 

A little later the first Britons settled in Algoa Bay, alone in 1820 there were 5000 settlers. Port Elizabeth was named after the late wife of the then governor, Sir Rufane Donkin. In Port Elizabeth, there are still some historical sites that remind of the British colonial history.

The Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan region is an important location for South African vehicle manufacturing. The industrial landscape also includes mechanical engineering, electronics and textile processing companies.

Port Elizabeth has the third largest port in South Africa, which has a significant economic status. The city has a modern airport and is connected to Cape Town and Johannesburg by rail.

Tourism is a significant part of Port Elizabeth's economy. The city offers a variety of sights from colonial times, including the Donkin Reserve, Market Square with the town hall and library, and Fort Frederick.

Port Elizabeth - City Hall

To the south of the city center are fantastically beautiful beaches along which a well-kept promenade runs. With its wide range of water sports, Port Elizabeth attracts numerous tourists from home and abroad every year. In addition, the Boardwalk Mall attracts with shops, boutiques, restaurants and cafes as well as a casino.

There is also a lot on offer culturally. The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, N°7 Castle Hill Historic Museum or the Athenaeum Gallery are just a few examples.

Port Elizabeth - Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum

Port Elizabeth - Athenaeum Arts Center 

Port Elizabeth is also the starting point for safaris in the nearby nature and game reserves.

Safety is an important factor for any trip. Like many cities around the world, Port Elizabeth can be subject to criminal activity such as pickpocketing, burglary and car break-ins.

There is also an increased risk of violent crime, which includes robberies and muggings, in some areas of South Africa. Tourists should therefore follow safety warnings and recommendations from local authorities.

Overall, Port Elizabeth is a relatively safe city. Visitors should keep valuables safe and take steps to reduce the likelihood of criminal activity. With care and prudence, tourists can also explore the city and the surrounding region on their own.

Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth are among the important cruise ports in South Africa. In addition to some larger ships from Cunard, AIDA and MSC, smaller cruise ships from the cruise lines Azamara, Regent Seven Seas, Phoenix, Silversea or Fred.Olson call at the port of Port Elizabeth.

AIDAaura in the port of Port Elizabeth

There is no cruise terminal. At the exit of the pier, tour operators are waiting for guests. Taxes are rarely present. On the other hand, in South African cities, the private transport service Uber is an alternative. Some fellow travelers also had very good experiences with this service provider in Port Elizabeth. Some cruise lines offer shuttle buses to the city center or to the southern beaches.

The city center at Market Square is about a kilometer away. The way there is not particularly nice. It first leads through the industrial port and then over a bridge, under which there are railway tracks. The bell tower of the Settlers' Memorial Campanile serves as a landmark for this route. The 53 meter high red brick tower cannot be missed. Then you go under the city highway, up a flight of stairs and you are in Market Square.

Port Elizabeth - Port area

Port Elizabeth - Port access for cruise ship guests 

Port Elizabeth offers a range of things to do and activities for tourists. We report on this in detail in our article Port Elizabeth attractions .

Port Elizabeth Shore Excursion - GetYourGuide

Further articles.

• Port Elizabeth attractions
• Port Elizabeth on your own - our shore excursion
• Addo Elephant Park Safari
• Port Elizabeth harbor map

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Duration 10 to 14 nights 15 nights or more 4 nights or less 4 to 7 nights 7 to 10 nights

Home Cruise Ports Port Elizabeth Cruises

Port Elizabeth Cruises

Located 800km from Cape Town and at the end of the Garden Route, Port Elizabeth has a reputation built on fantastic weather and beautiful sandy beaches.

For those looking to venture further inland, the Shamwari Game Reserve offers many excursions to witness the regions extraordinary wildlife and is located just a short trip away from Port Elizabeth.

Some other attractions local to the area are the St Georges’ Park gardens, the King George VI art gallery and the Boardwalk waterfront complex.

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Port Elizabeth Cruise Ship Schedule For 2024

Best Cruises for Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth, Bequia, Grenadines cruise port (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) welcomes at least thirty thousand passengers every year. In particular, January is the month when the most ships run in. The port of call is reached by cruise lines like Silversea Cruises , Windstar Cruises and SeaDream Yacht Club . A frequently visiting ship is the Wind Star , visiting Port Elizabeth more than twenty times per year.

If your cruise is coming from Bridgetown , Mayreau, Grenadines , Cape Town , South Africa or Pigeon Island, St. Lucia , Port Elizabeth is likely to be on your route.

Typical trips take seven or ten days.

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Things you can do in Port Elizabeth

• Queen Victoria 2.489 passengers 09 Apr 2024 - 00:00
• Crystal Serenity 1.254 passengers 02 May 2024 - 06:30
• Oceania Nautica 803 passengers 15 May 2024 - 09:00
• Amadea 624 passengers 13 Nov 2024 - 07:00
• Norwegian Dawn 2.808 passengers 28 Nov 2024 - 07:30
• Norwegian Sky 2.405 passengers 09 Dec 2024 - 06:30
• Azamara Quest 781 passengers 10 Dec 2024 - 07:00
• Seven Seas Splendor 829 passengers 12 Dec 2024 - 09:00
• Oceania Riviera 1.447 passengers 13 Dec 2024 - 07:00
• Azamara Quest 781 passengers 22 Dec 2024 - 07:00
• Seven Seas Splendor 829 passengers 27 Dec 2024 - 09:00
• Azamara Quest 781 passengers 06 Jan 2025 - 07:00
• Norwegian Dawn 2.808 passengers 14 Jan 2025 - 06:00
• Azamara Quest 781 passengers 18 Jan 2025 - 07:00
• Seabourn Sojourn 540 passengers 18 Jan 2025 - 08:00
• Norwegian Dawn 2.808 passengers 20 Jan 2025 - 06:00
• Silver Spirit 648 passengers 21 Jan 2025 - 08:00
• AIDAsol 2.686 passengers 24 Jan 2025 - 08:00
• Azamara Quest 781 passengers 30 Jan 2025 - 07:00
• Silver Spirit 648 passengers 30 Jan 2025 - 13:00
• Azamara Quest 781 passengers 11 Feb 2025 - 07:00
• Silver Spirit 648 passengers 14 Feb 2025 - 13:00
• Explora 2 1.473 passengers 25 Feb 2025 - 07:00
• Silver Spirit 648 passengers 01 Mar 2025 - 13:00
• Explora 2 1.473 passengers 04 Mar 2025 - 09:00
• Norwegian Dawn 2.808 passengers 09 Mar 2025 - 06:00
• ms Europa 408 passengers 10 Mar 2025 - 05:00
• Costa Deliziosa 2.712 passengers 17 Mar 2025 - 08:00
• Crystal Serenity 1.254 passengers 23 Mar 2025 - 09:00
• Bolette 1.656 passengers 29 Mar 2025 - 00:00
• Amera 835 passengers 14 Nov 2025 - 07:00
• Norwegian Dawn 2.808 passengers 25 Nov 2025 - 07:30
• AIDAstella 2.700 passengers 17 Jan 2026 - 08:00
• Silver Muse 691 passengers 19 Jan 2026 - 14:00
• AIDAstella 2.700 passengers 24 Jan 2026 - 08:00
• Silver Muse 691 passengers 01 Feb 2026 - 08:00
• AIDAstella 2.700 passengers 06 Feb 2026 - 08:00
• Silver Muse 691 passengers 14 Feb 2026 - 08:00
• Norwegian Dawn 2.808 passengers 16 Feb 2026 - 09:00
• Norwegian Dawn 2.808 passengers 21 Feb 2026 - 07:30
• Seven Seas Voyager 777 passengers 02 Mar 2026 - 07:00
• Norwegian Dawn 2.808 passengers 12 Mar 2026 - 09:00
• Queen Anne 3.353 passengers 10 Apr 2026 - 00:00

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‘A Lot of Chaos’: Bridge Collapse Creates Upheaval at Largest U.S. Port for Car Trade

A bridge collapse closed Baltimore’s port, an important trade hub that ranks first in the nation by the volume of automobiles and light trucks it handles.

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Shipping in the Port of Baltimore

Monthly cargo handled by the Port of Baltimore

By Peter Eavis and Jenny Gross

• March 26, 2024

The Baltimore bridge disaster on Tuesday upended operations at one of the nation’s busiest ports, with disruptions likely to be felt for weeks by companies shipping goods in and out of the country — and possibly by consumers as well.

The upheaval will be especially notable for auto makers and coal producers for whom Baltimore has become one of the most vital shipping destinations in the United States.

As officials began to investigate why a nearly 1,000-foot cargo ship ran into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the middle of the night, companies that transport goods to suppliers and stores scrambled to get trucks to the other East Coast ports receiving goods diverted from Baltimore. Ships sat idle elsewhere, unsure where and when to dock.

“It’s going to cause a lot of chaos,” said Paul Brashier, vice president for drayage and intermodal at ITS Logistics.

The closure of the Port of Baltimore is the latest hit to global supply chains, which have been strained by monthslong crises at the Panama Canal, which has had to slash traffic because of low water levels; and the Suez Canal, which shipping companies are avoiding because of attacks by the Houthis on vessels in the Red Sea.

The auto industry now faces new supply headaches.

Last year, 570,000 vehicles were imported through Baltimore, according to Sina Golara, an assistant professor of supply chain management at Georgia State University. “That’s a huge amount,” he said, equivalent to nearly a quarter of the current inventory of new cars in the United States.

The Baltimore port handled a record amount of foreign cargo last year, and it was the 17th biggest port in the nation overall in 2021, ranked by total tons, according to Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Baltimore Ranks in the Top 20 U.S. Ports

Total trade in 2021 in millions of tons

Baltimore ranks first in the United States for the volume of automobiles and light trucks it handles, and for vessels that carry wheeled cargo, including farm and construction machinery, according to a statement by Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland last month.

The incident is another stark reminder of the vulnerability of the supply chains that transport consumer products and commodities around the world.

The extent of the disruption depends on how long it takes to reopen shipping channels into the port of Baltimore. Experts estimate it could take several weeks.

Baltimore is not a leading port for container ships, and other ports can likely absorb traffic that was headed to Baltimore, industry officials said.

Stephen Edwards, the chief executive of the Port of Virginia, said it was expecting a vessel on Tuesday that was previously bound for Baltimore, and that others would soon follow. “Between New York and Virginia, we have sufficient capacity to handle all this cargo,” Mr. Edwards said, referring to container ships.

“Shipping companies are very agile,” said Jean-Paul Rodrigue, a professor in the department of maritime business administration at Texas A&M University-Galveston. “In two to three days, it will be rerouted.”

But other types of cargo could remain snarled.

Alexis Ellender, a global analyst at Kpler, a commodities analytics firm, said he expected the port closure to cause significant disruption of U.S. exports of coal. Last year, about 23 million metric tons of coal exports were shipped from the port of Baltimore, about a quarter of all seaborne U.S. coal shipments. About 12 vessel had been expected to leave the port of Baltimore in the next week or so carrying coal, according to Kpler.

He noted that it would not make a huge dent on the global market, but he added that “the impact is significant for the U.S. in terms of loss of export capacity.”

“You may see coal cargoes coming from the mines being rerouted to other ports instead,” he said, with a port in Norfolk, Va., the most likely.

If auto imports are reduced by Baltimore’s closure, inventories could run low, particularly for models that are in high demand.

“We are initiating discussions with our various transportation providers on contingency plans to ensure an uninterrupted flow of vehicles to our customers and will continue to carefully monitor this situation,” Stellantis, which owns Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, said in a statement.

Other ports have the capacity to import cars, but there may not be enough car transporters at those ports to handle the new traffic.

“You have to make sure the capacity exists all the way in the supply chain — all the way to the dealership,” said Mr. Golara, the Georgia State professor.

A looming battle is insurance payouts, once legal liability is determined. The size of the payout from the insurer is likely to be significant and will depend on factors including the value of the bridge, the scale of loss of life compensation owed to families of people who died, the damage to the vessel and disruption to the port.

The ship’s insurer, Britannia P&I Club, part of a global group of insurers, said in a statement that it was “working closely with the ship manager and relevant authorities to establish the facts and to help ensure that this situation is dealt with quickly and professionally.”

The port has also increasingly catered to large container ships like the Dali, the 948-foot-long cargo vessel carrying goods for the shipping giant Maersk that hit a pillar of the bridge around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The Dali had spent two days in Baltimore’s port before setting off toward the 1.6-mile Francis Scott Key Bridge.

State-owned terminals, managed by the Maryland Port Administration, and privately owned terminals in Baltimore transported a record 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo in 2023, worth $80 billion.

Materials transported in large volumes through the city’s port include coal, coffee and sugar. It was the ninth-busiest port in the nation last year for receiving foreign cargo, in terms of volume and value.

The bridge’s collapse will also disrupt cruises traveling in and out of Baltimore. Norwegian Cruise Line last year began a new fall and winter schedule calling at the Port of Baltimore.

An earlier version of this article misstated the Port of Baltimore’s rank among U.S. ports. It was the nation’s 17th biggest port by total tons in 2021, not the 20th largest.

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Peter Eavis reports on business, financial markets, the economy and companies across different sectors. More about Peter Eavis

Jenny Gross is a reporter for The Times in London covering breaking news and other topics. More about Jenny Gross

6 Americans, Including Pregnant Passenger, Abandoned by Cruise Ship on African Island; It Refused to Let Them On

E ight people who were aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship on a trip to Africa have been stranded for nearly a week after the ship left without them.

Six American citizens are among those who were left behind, but the company is denying any liability for the issues and also for the inability of those who are stranded to make their way back onboard, the New York Post reported.

According to the NBC affiliate WMBF-TV , a Norwegian cruise ship made a stop in the African island country of São Tomé and Príncipe on March 27.

A number of passengers exited the ship in order to explore the country on private tours.

Due to holdups on those tours, which prevented passengers from returning to the ship by its departure time, the ship eventually left the country’s port without them.

While authorities in the island country made every attempt to help their guests get back on track, the ship left port and moved back northward on its way back to Europe up the western African coast.

Six days later, those people are still searching for a way to find their way back to the three-week cruise while they attempt to catch up.

Those who are stranded include the Americans, as well as two Australian citizens.

Per WMBF, those desperate to return are a pregnant woman , a paraplegic and one person with a heart condition.

The best the cruise liner could do, it said, was to leave the passports of those stuck behind for them and to stay in contact with them about a future point where they could come back aboard.

Still, those now in Africa after having gone off on their own have no cash and are growing desperate.

The ship they were on is making its way to Spain, but time is running out as the marooned vacationers search for help. One couple from South Carolina told WMBF their side of the story.

Jill and Jay Campbell of Garden City, South Carolina, were not happy they said and said they had spared no expense on their travels.

Jay Campbell told the outlet, “We were waiting for the tender boats to come back and get us because our boat was anchored off the harbor, but they didn’t come back to get us, so we’re stranded here.”

Mr. Campbell added, “We were on a tour of the island, but we had an issue on the tour, and they didn’t get us back in time.”

Norwegian Cruise Lines said in a statement to the local news outlet that it is each passenger’s personal responsibility to ensure they make the appropriate arrangements to be aboard ships when they leave ports at their scheduled times.

“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 communication and posted just before exiting the vessel,” a person representing the company said.

Another person with Norwegian also spoke to CNN about the issue.

The company reiterated that all passengers who disembark to explore other countries are told that if they are not back aboard by the time they are told, they could be left behind.

Norwegian Cruise Lines also said it was working with each country on its itinerary, as well as those stranded, to get them back on the next stop.

As of Tuesday afternoon, no one who had been left behind had been able to rejoin the cruise.

One passenger of an unknown national origin has reportedly fallen ill after days without a necessary health medication, which was left on the vessel.

The cruise was scheduled to last 21 days and left its port of origin on March 20.

It is scheduled to end on April 10 in Barcelona , but as of Tuesday evening, the Norwegian Dawn was just off the coast of Senegal, according to a website called CruiseMapper , which allows people to track the real-time locations of ships.

A Carnival cruise that left Baltimore last week will return to a different port and bus passengers home

• Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday morning after a container ship crashed into it.
• Carnival Cruise Line  is temporarily relocating the Carnival Legend's homeport from Baltimore to Norfolk, Virginia.
• The company is providing guests on the ship, returning on Sunday, with a bus back to Baltimore.

On Sunday, travelers on Carnival Cruise Line's Legend ship will return home after a relaxing weeklong vacation in the Caribbean.

But instead of disembarking at the ship's homeport as planned, these cruisers will soon find themselves a four-hour bus ride away in Norfolk, Virginia, as the Port of Baltimore remains closed following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Related stories

Amid the disruption, Carnival said it had moved the Carnival Legend's March 31 disembarkation from Baltimore to Norfolk, Virginia, where it will temporarily remain homeported. The company will provide guests on the ship's Caribbean voyage a free bus back to Baltimore.

The Carnival Legend's next weeklong cruise, embarking the same day it returns, will sail roundtrip from Norfolk, about a four-hour drive from Baltimore. The cruise line said it will update future guests on its plans to return to Maryland.

Carnival's Carnival Pride and Legend, Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Sea, and American Cruise Line's American Glory are all scheduled to sail from the Port of Baltimore in April. The companies did not immediately respond to Business Insider's inquiry about potential itinerary changes.

Experts told Business Insider that the Port of Baltimore's ongoing closure could amount to a daily $15 million loss in economic activity .

While the port is vitally important for certain imports and exports, it represents a relatively small portion of US cruise departures, with smaller ships compared to hubs like Florida. More than 444,000 people embarked on cruises there in 2023, according to state officials.

Watch: The container ship that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge has crashed before

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Matador Original Series

Eight Passengers Stranded After Breaking the Number One Rule of Cruise Travel

E xperienced cruisers probably know lots of tips and tricks for traveling on cruise ships: make your dining reservations early, do laundry on board instead of overpacking , and don’t fill your days at sea with back-to-back activities.

But even first-time cruisers know one major rule that applies to all cruise lines, all cruises, and all ships, no matter where in the world you are: don’t miss the boat.

Unfortunately for eight travelers on an African cruise stopped in São Tomé and Príncipe, an island just to the east of Equatorial Guinea, they found out the hard way what happens when you break that rule. When they were late returning to their ship after a day on land, it did what it warned would happen — they were left behind by the cruise.

Eight passengers on the Norwegian Dawn were left stranded in Säo Tome, roughly 300 miles off the coast of mainland Africa, when they failed to return to port in time for the ship’s departure. Photo: mbrand85 /Shutterstock

The group of travelers had booked a daytime excursions through an independent company, rather than booking one directly through their ship, the Norwegian Dawn. While independent tours can be a great way to save money and have a more unique adventure, they come with one major downside, which is that ships won’t wait for passengers who are late. If you book an excursion through your cruise company, the ship is guaranteed to wait for you — but no such offer is made if you book an independent tour.

In various interviews with media outlets, the group recounted that they claimed they told their guide they were running late, causing the guide to call the ship to inform it that passengers would miss the “return to ship” time. By the time the guests finally returned to the port, the ship had finished boarding, though it was still anchored in the harbor. Harbor employees called the ship, and when they got no response, decided to ferry the passengers to the Norwegian Dawn. But the captain did not let them on board, the Daily Mail reports. Per various media sources, the ship did give the passengers their passports, which they had not taken with them.

Two Americans in the group told reporters that they thought the ship should have made an exception, seemingly implying that the following day at sea without a stop meant that it could leave late without consequence. “The captain could have made an easy decision to turn one of the tender boats back, pick us up, safely load us and then go on the way,” passenger Jay Campbell said. “They had no port to call for the next day, they were simply going to be at sea.”

Photo: Norwegian Cruise Lines

Per Norwegian Cruises’ online documents , it’s the guest’s responsibility to be back to the ship on time. “In all ports of call, it is also the guest’s responsibility to be back onboard the ship no later than one (1) hour prior to the ship’s scheduled departure time. Please be aware that shipboard time may differ from the port of call and it is the guest’s responsibility to follow the shipboard time. In the event a guest misses the ship, it will be the guest’s responsibility to pay all expenses incurred to rejoin the ship,” reads the company’s “Frequent Asked Questions” page.

The travelers are now having to do just that, with the American couple claiming they’ve spent more than $6,000 to cover the group’s time on the island and travel to rejoin the ship in Gambia or Senegal, depending on logistics. Per People Magazine , four of the travelers are older individuals, and one has an unspecified heart condition.

Matador Network recently asked a cruise line exec what happens if passengers miss their ships , and the answer is pretty straightforward across all lines and sailings: they have to pay their way to the next port.

Why ships can’t wait on late passengers

The Norwegian Dawn carries more than 2,000 guests and 1,000 passengers, all of whom need to be accounted for before the ship can leave a port. Photo: Dennis MacDonald /Shutterstock

I sailed on the Norwegian Dawn in February 2024, and while it had its ups and downs , the ship does make it very, very clear that it will leave without you if you’re late. It holds about 2,000 people, each of whom has to be accounted before prior to the ship’s departure — which is why the “ return to ship ” time at various ports is often an hour or two earlier than the actual departure time . That gives the crew and captain time to ready for departure. Large cruises like the Norwegian Dawn have to stick to a strict schedule, and can’t easily make changes.

I know this not because I’m a frequent cruiser — in fact, the Dawn was my first big cruise — but because Norwegian Cruise Lines informs you of this non-stop. The evening before you arrive, there’s a ship-wide announcement with arrival and departure times for the next day. The information is repeated — repeatedly — the morning you arrive in a port. The return to ship time is printed on the daily newsletter handed out in each room, on the free Norwegian phone app, and on all the various message boards around the ship. There’s usually a buffer time built into this window to accommodate guests who are only a few minutes late.

All cruise companies have fixed times by which passengers must return to the ship at each port. Photo: byvalet /Shutterstock

It’s also a fact listed on Norwegian’s excursion’s page. It’s one of the main reasons many cruisers exclusively book official cruise excursions, because they’re the only way to guarantee the ship will wait for you if you’re late. (Third-party and independent activity operators are also unlikely to refund you if the ship makes a last-minute change and skips a port of call).

While I support booking excursions with local operators, it comes with the known risk that you’ll be left behind by the cruise ship if you’re late. That’s exactly what happened in this case, exactly as Norwegian’s website said would happen. While it’s unfortunate and understandably stressful for the travelers, it’s hardly the cruise line’s fault, and I know I’d be a little annoyed if I had made it back in time, only to have the whole ship delayed for a small group people who made a poor decision.

By the way: guests getting left behind at a port is very, very rare — hence why this one occasion is making global headlines.

How to avoid getting left behind by cruise ships

Independent excursions offer plenty of benefits — but come with the downside that the ship won’t wait if you’re late. Photo: Suzie Dundas

The easiest way for travelers to make sure they don’t get left behind at a port is to book an official excursion through the cruise line. However, official excursions are often more expensive, and a much smaller amount of the cost goes directly to local communities. Without knowing what company or excursions the stranded passengers booked, it’s impossible to know if they followed the rules below. But the following guidelines can help ensure you don’t end up waiving your ship goodbye from land.

• Book with a company that does offer a return to ship guarantee : Third-party companies can’t make the ship wait for you, but they can handle all the logistics if you do miss it. ShoreExcursioner.com will pay up to $500 in travel fees if an excursion booked through them causes you to miss your ship, and ToursByLocals will pay for your accommodations and transportation to the next port if you miss your ship. According to their website, it’s only happened twice — ever.
• Read the online reviews : Plenty of independent operators are reputable and responsible, which means they’re very unlikely to play fast and loose with your return time. The best way to determine if an operator seems reputable is to look at online reviews. Feedback from actual past guests can help you gauge how established and professional the company or tour guide is.
• Talk to your operator in advance: Reputable operators will be familiar with hosting cruise guests and understand the ins and outs of cruise ship scheduling. If you’re worried about, message your operator in advance. Ask them if they’ve ever has issues with being back on time, whether they’ve served guests on your cruise before, and how much of a buffer they build in for traffic and other potential delays.

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