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NASA astronauts stranded in space

Two astronauts are stranded in space after a simple week-long trip to the International Space Station (ISS) has turned into a possible eight-month trip. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams encountered technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft days after departing for their eight-day trip in June and now may be stuck indefinitely. The trip Mr Wilmore, 61, and Ms Williams, 58, were on was designed to see how the new spacecraft performs before it is used more regularly. However, problems emerged as it made its approach to the ISS, including leaks in its propulsion system and some of its thrusters shutting down. While they made it to the space station safely, they will need an alternative mode of transport to get home if the Starliner is not deemed safe to return to Earth. One potential option being considered to get the astronauts safely home is to attach the two astronauts to a separate mission that is scheduled to launch in September, and return them to earth with that mission in February 2025. That flight to the space station will be made by a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft, and while the initial plan was for four crew members to be aboard, two of the seats could be left empty if needed. That plan would mean the astronauts would spend more than eight months, rather than eight days, aboard the International Space Station. NASA officials said it could take a week or more for a final decision to be made about how to get the stranded astronauts safely home. Thankfully, NASA has used a SpaceX rocket to deliver more food and supplies to the ISS, including extra clothes for the two astronauts, as the pair remain in high spirits. Image credits: NASA

Travel Trouble

Missing couple found dead in stranded lifeboat

A couple have been found dead in a lifeboat after attempting to sail across the Atlantic ocean. The bodies of Brit Sarah Packwood and her Canadian husband Brett Clibbery washed up in a boat on a beach in Nova Scotia over a month after they left Canada in a 12.8m eco-friendly yacht. The couple were heading to the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the mid-Atlantic. “Powered by the wind and sun. Heading east to the Azores. It’s probably the biggest adventure of our lives so far,” they said online, prior to their trip. Searches including by plane had been underway after the couple failed to arrive or communicate. Clibbery's son James announced the couple's deaths on Facebook. "There is still an investigation, as well as a DNA test to confirm, but with all the news, it is hard to remain hopeful," he wrote. "I am so very sorry to the people who were friends of them. "They were amazing people, and there isn't anything that will fill the hole that has been left by their, so far unexplained passing." It remains unclear how the couple got into trouble, but police in Halifax have launched an investigation into their deaths. One theory is that the small yacht was hit by a much larger ship. The couple had been living in Salt Spring Island in the southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia, and were documenting their travel adventures on Facebook and YouTube. On June 10 they posted a video saying they were heading on a "new adventure" from their home in Saltspring Island, British Columbia to Dartmouth Yacht Club, Nova Scotia. "All being well, and weather permitting the Captain and I intend to set sail in the next day or two for an ocean crossing," Packwood said. They were both experienced sailors, and the last video they shared was of them leaving Halifax on June 12. In the video, taken aboard the yacht, Clibbery said they could see "one big ship on the horizon which came out from Halifax, so they're out of our way. We're sailing." Images: Facebook

Travel Trouble

Elderly couple left stranded by cruise ship

An elderly American couple was left behind by a Norwegian Cruise Line while on holiday in Spain this week. Richard and Claudene Gordon- aged 84 and 81 - were on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the Norwegian Viva with plans to celebrate Richard's birthday before things went downhill. The couple decided to take an independent excursion by themselves while the ship was docked in Motril, Spain, but on their return, their bus was delayed for an hour due to poor weather, so they ran late for the 5:30pm all-aboard time ahead of a scheduled 6pm departure. “I am a very experienced traveler and have probably been on as many as 30 cruises during my lifetime,” Richard told CNN. “Never before have we ever missed catching a ship on time at a port. So we are not someone who abuses the system.” Richard claimed that at 5:45pm they notified a relative on board who raised the alarm that they were nearby and running late, but nothing could be done at that point as the ship had to leave on time. By the time the couple arrived at 6:10pm, the boat had left the harbour, but Richard claimed that the cruise line had a tendency to depart behind schedule, and made no attempt to contact them until late Tuesday. “Our cruise began in Lisbon and we departed from Lisbon about one and a half hours after the scheduled departure at 4pm,” he claimed. “Then the next night or two, at least a half-hour late from the dock, so it is clear that they do not always leave on the exact moment scheduled.” The couple were left stranded without their medication, eyeglasses and spare hearing aid batteries, which were left on board. Their daughter ended up having to book her parents a flight to Palma de Mallorca, where the boat was making its next call Wednesday morning, according to the publication. By the time the couple got to Mallorca, they were met with "a beautiful black BMW limousine" which took them back to their ship. "There we were met by the head of ship services who escorted us inside the ship to meet the general manager of the ship, then they escorted us to breakfast, then they escorted us to our cabin.They said they have already complained about the harbour master who was supposed to take care of things for them. "But of course the ship had not contacted us directly for two days so that doesn’t speak so well for them.” The Norwegian Cruise Line disputed the couple’s account of what happened. “After several attempts to contact these guests with the phone numbers provided, as well as trying to phone their emergency contact, we were unable to speak to them directly. However, we worked closely with the local port agents to make arrangements for the guests to rejoin the vessel,” a spokesperson said. “It is important to note that a delayed departure has the potential to impact the ship’s ability to deliver its planned itinerary and thus influence the experience for all guests on-board. While this was a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time.” Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

Passengers stranded after three-year cruise abruptly cancelled

When Life At Sea <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/world-first-three-year-cruise-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> their world-first three-year voyage in early 2023, many were quick to jump at the opportunity to spend the next years of their life onboard. People from around the globe <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/cruising/meet-the-woman-preparing-to-spend-three-years-at-sea#xd_co_f=YTM5MzVmOGQtNTY4My00NWE1LThjNDctMTUxMjJlNjVhMWNj~" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sold their homes</a> and belongings to fork out the hefty $180,000 price tag to spend 36 months travelling the world, with their once-in-a-lifetime voyage set to kick off in November. But now, as their departure date loomed, Life At Sea have left passengers stranded after abruptly cancelling the trip in its entirety. Life at Sea Cruises was scheduled to depart from Istanbul, Turkey on November 1st but departure was relocated and delayed twice to November 30th, before passengers were informed on November 17th the cruise was off, according to CNN. The news outlet reported that the ship that was destined to be the vessel of the three-year journey was bought by another company just one day before the voyage was cancelled. The owner of Life at Sea Cruises’ parent company Miray Cruises, then confirmed they couldn’t afford the ship because investors had pulled out “due to unrest in the Middle East” – but suggested they were working on getting another ship and a new departure date. The idea that the vessel would be replaced filled some travellers with hope they would still be embarking on their three-year adventure, before CEO of Miray Cruises was forced to clarify: “In case we weren’t clear, the Life at Sea cruise trip is cancelled.” Passengers were devastated by the news, with those who thought they had locked in the next three years of their lives telling CNN they felt “incredibly sad”, “angry” and “betrayed”. “I had the next three years of my life planned to live an extraordinary life, and now [I have] nothing,” said one cruiser. “I don’t think they will ever understand how much damage they’ve caused us,” said another. The more than $180,000 three-year trip had been celebrated by big cruising fans and called a “nightmare” and “claustrophobic” by critics across social media. The company’s website is still advertising the cruise as normal, with a countdown stating on Monday it was three hours “until we go for an adventure of a lifetime”. Image credits: Life At Sea

Travel Trouble

Why can’t we just tow stranded whales and dolphins back out to sea?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vanessa-pirotta-873986">Vanessa Pirotta</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> On Tuesday night, a pod of almost 100 long-finned pilot whales stranded itself on a beach on Western Australia’s south coast. Over the course of Wednesday, more than 100 parks and wildlife staff and 250 registered volunteers worked tirelessly to try to keep alive the 45 animals surviving the night. They used small boats and surf skis to try to get the pilot whales into deeper water. Volunteers helped keep the animals’ blowholes above water to prevent them drowning, and poured water on them to cool them down. Our rescue efforts were, sadly, unsuccessful. The animals (actually large ocean-going dolphins) able to be towed or helped out to deeper water turned around and stranded themselves again, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=228337910167574&ref=sharing">further down the beach</a>. Sadly, they had to be euthanised. Unfortunately, towing whales and dolphins is not simple. It can work and work well, as we saw in Tasmania last year, when dozens of pilot whales were rescued. But rescuers have to have good conditions and a fair dash of luck for it to succeed. <h2>Rescuing beached whales is hard</h2> When we try to rescue stranded whales and dolphins, the goal is to get them off the sandbars or beach, and back into deep water. Why is it so difficult? Consider the problem. First, you have to know that a pod has beached itself. Then, you have to be able to get there in time, with people skilled in wildlife rescue. These animals are generally too big and heavy to rely on muscle power alone. To get them out far enough, you need boats and sometimes tractors. That means the sea conditions and the slope of the beach have to be suitable. Often, one of the first things rescuers might do is look for those individuals who might be good candidates to be refloated. Generally, these are individuals still alive, and not completely exhausted. If rescuers have boats and good conditions, they may use slings. The boats need to be able to tow the animals well out to sea. Trained people must always be there to oversee the operation. That’s because these large, stressed animals could seriously injure humans just by moving their bodies on the beach. There are extra challenges. Dolphins and whales are slippery and extremely heavy. Long-finned pilot whales can weigh up to 2.3 tonnes. They may have never seen humans before and won’t necessarily know humans are there to help. They’re out of their element, under the sun and extremely stressed. Out of the water, their sheer weight begins to crush their organs. They can also become sunburnt. Because they are so efficient at keeping a comfortable temperature in the sea, they can overheat and die on land. Often, as we saw yesterday, they can’t always keep themselves upright in the shallow water. And to add to the problem, pilot whales are highly social. They want to be with each other. If you tow a single animal back out to sea, it may try to get back to its family and friends or remain disorientated and strand once again. Because of these reasons – and probably others – it wasn’t possible to save the pilot whales yesterday. Those that didn’t die naturally were euthanised to minimise their suffering. <h2>Successful rescues do happen</h2> Despite the remarkable effort from authorities and local communities, we couldn’t save this pod. Every single person working around the clock to help these animals did an amazing job, from experts to volunteers in the cold water to those making cups of tea. But sometimes, we get luckier. Last year, 230 pilot whales beached themselves at Macquarie Harbour, on Tasmania’s west coast. By the time rescuers could get there, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/sep/27/44-pilot-whales-rescued-and-returned-to-sea-after-mass-stranding-at-tasmanian-beach">most were dead</a>. But dozens were still alive. This time, conditions were different and towing worked. Rescuers were able to bring boats close to shore. Surviving pilot whales were helped into a sling, and then the boat took them far out to sea. Taking them to the same location prevented them from beaching again. <h2>Every stranding lets us learn more</h2> Unfortunately, we don’t really know why whales and dolphins strand at all. Has something gone wrong with how toothed whales and dolphins navigate? Are they following a sick leader? Are human-made undersea sounds making it too loud? Are they avoiding predators such as killer whales? We don’t know. We do know there are stranding hotspots. Macquarie Harbour is one. In 2020, it was the site of one of the worst-ever strandings, with up to 470 pilot whales stranded. Authorities were able to save 94, drawing on trained <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/25/death-at-hells-gates-rescuers-witness-tragic-end-for-hundreds-of-pilot-whales-on-australian-coast">rescue experts</a>. We will need more research to find out why they do this. What we do know suggests navigational problems play a role. That’s because we can divide whales and dolphins into two types: toothed and toothless. Whales and dolphins with teeth – such as pilot whales – appear to beach a lot more. These animals use echolocation (biological sonar) to find prey with high-pitched clicks bouncing off objects. But toothless baleen whales like humpbacks (there are no dolphins with baleen) don’t use this technique. They use low-frequency sounds, but to communicate, not hunt. So – it is possible to save beached whales and dolphins. But it’s not as easy as towing them straight back to sea, alas. The Conversation thanks 10-year-old reader Grace Thornton from Canberra for suggesting the question that gave rise to this article.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210544/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vanessa-pirotta-873986">Vanessa Pirotta</a>, Postdoctoral Researcher and Wildlife Scientist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-cant-we-just-tow-stranded-whales-and-dolphins-back-out-to-sea-210544">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

"It's okay, we will see sissy soon": Athena Strand's mother shares heartbreak

The mother of Athena Strand, the little girl who was kidnapped and murdered by a FedEx driver, has shared a heartbreaking tribute to her seven-year-old daughter. Maitlyn Gandy shared a video showing her youngest daughter, Rye, crying for her ‘Sissy’ who had gone to spend time with her father and stepmother in Texas before returning to her mother and sister in Comanche, Oklahoma, for Christmas. Dated November 27, the video was taken just three days before Athena was reported missing and five days before she was found dead. The short clip shows Rye crying and “begging for her sissy” in a car booster seat, with Gandy writing that her young daughter’s feelings of missing her sissy have been extended “indefinitely”. “That video of Rye begging for her sissy was Sunday 11/27 when we thought sissy would only be gone a few days,” Gandy wrote. “I kept telling her, ‘It’s okay, we will see sissy soon’, not knowing how twisted our lives would become. I took it because she does this anytime she think sissy is going somewhere without her. She cried for thirty minutes straight in the car until she cried herself to sleep. “This monster has now extended those feelings for my youngest daughter indefinitely.” In previous posts, Gandy shared that Athena’s favourite colour was pink, describing her as an “innocent, beautiful kid” and “the brighest happiest soul you could ever meet”. <iframe style="overflow: hidden; border: initial none initial;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3Dpfbid05rc5eJC8QQ2hgJaCBQmj9YPoxCYagdPZzrxWvcKk9TvLeio7QvrHyZYAZ4jZafbvl%26id%3D100004852725773&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="761" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> “She was perfect from her creation. She was born perfect and too beautiful. Daddy and mommy were scared of how beautiful she has always been and we feel like we failed you,” Gandy wrote, along with photos of a smiling Athena. “No one deserves what happened to you, but especially you. I love you and love doesn’t even cover it. Mommy is broken without you.” In another post, she said she didn’t want her daughter to be known as “the one murdered and discarded by a monster”. “I want everyone to know, every single person in this world, that this is my baby and my baby was taken from me,” she wrote. Athena was snatched from the driveway of her family’s home in Paradise, Texas, by Tanner Lynn Horner on Wednesday afternoon. According to the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, Athena was dropped off from school at 4.30pm and was outside her home after an argument with her stepmother when Horner delievered a package to the house. When Athena didn’t come back inside, her stepmother reported her missing to police that evening. She was found dead 10 miles away on Friday. The 31-year-old has since been charged with aggravated murder and kidnapping, with Wise County sheriff Lane Akin describing the tragedy as a “crime of opportunity”. Police said Horner, who is being held on a $1.5 million bond, likely killed Athena within an hour of her kidnapping. <iframe style="overflow: hidden; border: initial none initial;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3Dpfbid0YtRfBoAg5MkGPLwgrYQTb7KK8iiFJeu4Y2XsJxSH4NXD39Jzdb1Ff4TB53BERcMCl%26id%3D100004852725773&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="675" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> A tip-off and Horner’s FedEx delivery route that day helped police connected the driver to Athena’s murder. Horner confessed shortly after being apprehended and is the only suspect authorities believe is responsible. On Monday, residents in Texas and Comanche, Oklahoma, were asked to wear pink to celebrate Athena’s life, with the request in Wise County coming from local judge J.D. Clark. “My heart is so heavy about Athena. Additionally, I encourage everyone to join me at 6:30pm on Monday on the Courthouse steps to pray for Athena, her family, our first responders and our community,” Clark said. At the vigil, local resident Kayla McConnell told WFAA that the whole community had been impacted by Athena’s death and would be supporting the family as they grieved. “In a small town like this, you don't think of anything like this ever. Nothing compares to the pain that [the family is] going through. But this entire community has felt this,” she said. “And we're all there with them. And we will support them and we will remember Athena every time we even see pink.” In a statement on Friday night, FedEx expressed their condolences for the family “during this most difficult time”, “Words cannot describe our shock at the reports surrounding this tragic event. First and foremost, our thoughts are with the family during this most difficult time.” Image: Facebook

Family & Pets

Stranded opera singer busks to earn cash after cancelled flights

After her flight home was cancelled, one Jestar passenger said she was forced to busk for money until she could get home. Edit Pali had travelled to a remote resort in Phuket with her husband Tibor to celebrate her 50th birthday when a cancelled flight saw their stay extend for another five days. Having spent a large portion of their savings on their trip, the couple were faced with the problem of paying for their additional days in the resort. Ms Pali told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/stranded-aussie-jetstar-passengers-speak-out/04c064ba-f60c-43dd-8ba8-640595f8ddc9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a> that the airline had offered them $30 for meals and $150 for accommodation each day in compensation - but the money failed to arrive. “I’m a tough chook but I cried, I really cried,” she said. Taking advantage of her skills as an opera singer, Ms Pali decided to sing for her supper at breakfast, lunch and dinner while they waited for the funds to come through. "We're just average people, we don't make a lot of money, so for us to go away to Thailand for a week to a luxury resort, that was a big enough chunk into our savings,” she added. A Jetstar spokesperson said they were aware of Ms Pali’s situation and were doing “everything we can”. But Ms Pali isn’t the only person affected by a cancelled flight, as six out of 11 of Jetstar’s 787 planes were grounded earlier this month. At least 4,000 passengers travelling on popular winter routes, including to Bali, Thailand, and Japan, have been affected by delays and cancellations, with the airline blaming lightning, bird strikes and parts shortages. "Our teams work around the clock to get passengers on their way as soon as possible and we provide a range of support, including help to cover accommodation and meals costs as well as other reasonable expenses," the airline said. In a statement, Jetstar said Ms Pali and her husband were due to have their expense claim paid by September 27. Image: A Current Affair

Travel Trouble

Rowdy passengers stranded in Mexico by airlines

A group of rowdy travellers have been stranded in the Mexican city of Cancun after their in-flight conduct saw several airlines refuse to take them home. The group flew from Montreal, Canada, on December 30th onboard a charter flight organised by “exclusive private group” 111 Private Club. Videos have since emerged from the party that took place in the sky, showing travellers drinking, smoking and dancing in the aisles, which has caused outrage in Canada. The incident is being investigated by Transport Canada, with the passengers each facing hefty fines. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was "extremely frustrated" with the incident. "It's a slap in the face to see people putting themselves, putting their fellow citizens, putting airline workers at risk by being completely irresponsible," Trudeau said at a recent briefing. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Passengers flying from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cancun?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cancun</a> take to partying during flight 🃏 <a href="https://t.co/BhxPax28QH">pic.twitter.com/BhxPax28QH</a> — Public Outsider (@publicoutsider) <a href="https://twitter.com/publicoutsider/status/1479232708479967233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2022</a></blockquote> Event organiser and TripleOne president James William Awad took to his blog after the videos from the plane went viral, saying, "I understand why many fellow citizens are upset about the current situation." The airline has cancelled the group’s return flight, which was scheduled for January 5th, because the travellers did not adhere to the terms outlined by the airline. Both Air Canada and Air Transat have refused to fly the group back to Canada, citing the safety of their crew and other passengers had to be taken into account. Transport Canada said that each of the travellers could face fines of up to $5,000 Canadian dollars for their behaviour on the aircraft, while also facing the risk of jail time if any traveller is caught providing false information on their return to Canada. Image credits: Instagram

Travel Trouble

Sad end to stranded baby whale

A juvenile minke whale got stuck in the River Thames and freed on the night of Sunday, May 9. Following its rescue the animal was later found beached against a river wall and had to be put down after vets found its condition was “rapidly deteriorating”. The whale was then loaded onto a truck at Teddington lifeboat station and taken to Whipsnade Zoo for post-mortem tests, the results of which are not expected for a few weeks. Rob Deaville, who took part in the tests, said the whale was thought to be about two years old and was likely still dependent on its mother. The juvenile female minke was first stranded on Richmond Lock’s boat rollers. Crew from the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) worked late into the evening to free the 4.2m-long whale and managed to move it. But the mammal escaped and was later seen swimming between Richmond and Teddington on Monday morning before becoming stuck once again. A vet from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) administered the injection to put it down after it became stranded. Though the full results of the post-mortem tests will take several weeks, Mr Deaville said told the BBC they had found “no evidence of any recent feeding” and “evidence of starvation over a few days”, which he explained was consistent with the whale being found in the Thames. Though parasites were also found in the whale’s stomach, Mr Deaville said vets did not believe this was significant. Minke whales are the smallest of the great whales and can grow up to 10m in length. Mr Deaville said he believed the number of whales found in the river had increased over recent years. “It could be because there are increased numbers of them or it’s man-made impacts. The jury is still out,” he said. The samples taken from the whale will not only help establish what happened to the creature, but will provide research material “for years to come”. “We’re going to learn a lot about it - it’s life and the species as a whole,” he said. Image credit: SKY News

International Travel

“Never been treated so poorly”: Stranded man’s fury at Jetstar after cancelled flight

At least 100 passengers have been left in limbo in Rarotonga in the Cook Islands after airline giant Jetstar cancelled flights coming in and out of the area. Brenton Barker from the North Island in New Zealand was at Rarotonga Airport with his daughter before Jetstar cancelled their flight five minutes before the scheduled boarding time, which was 1:30 am. “It’s impacted a lot of people. It’s very ordinary. It’s just not acceptable for a professional carrier” Mr Barker told the <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12274047">New Zealand Herald</a>. “I think the worst part about it is the lack of communication. “In 40 years of flying across the globe, never have I or my family been treated so poorly.” A Jetstar spokesperson confirmed that the flight had been cancelled due to crew sickness. “We are working with all affected customers to re-accommodate them on alternative flights where possible or provide accommodation and meal allowances while we work hard to get them to their destination,” the spokesperson said. “We appreciate this is very frustrating and apologise to our customers for the impact to their journey, however the safety of our crew and passengers is always our first priority.” However, Mr Barker wasn’t impressed as he wasn’t informed of the reason for the cancellation at the time. “It was the wee hours of the morning, everybody was tired. I think people there were pretty well behaved,” Mr Barker said. “They did organise accommodation and they had a big line-up of the whole flight waiting. “But basically it was just a mess. The people there locally have done a fantastic job. They were struggling to even handle it.”

Travel Trouble

Stranded couple reveal “nightmare” moment their cruise ship ditched them

Newlyweds Maria Gonzalez Roesch and Alessandro Di Palma didn’t think for one moment that their honeymoon would become a headline around the world, but that was before they were spotted running after their Royal Caribbean ship which left without them – and their passport and bank cards. Speaking to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8561251/honeymoon-couple-royal-caribbean-cruise-passports/" target="_blank">T</a><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8561251/honeymoon-couple-royal-caribbean-cruise-passports/" target="_blank">he Sun</a>, actress Maria described the moment the couple realised that they were left stranded after hearing the ship's horn blast as it sailed away. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BuHMn58ls9S/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BuHMn58ls9S/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by María González Roesch (@mariagonzalezroesch)</a> on Feb 20, 2019 at 9:45am PST </div> </blockquote> “There was a platform with two crew members, and they were mad with us,” said 26-year-old Maria who is originally from Costa Rica. “We started yelling to them, ‘Please, please let us on, the cruise is still here.’ “But the guys said, ‘You are not going to be so lucky and we are closing the doors and leaving’. “Alessandro was in shock because it was his nightmare and it actually happened. “He was so frustrated he wanted to jump to the ship. But (the drop) was so big and dangerous.” Holding punctuality as a top-most priority, Maria revealed that she has never missed a train, plane or boat before, but due to the relaxing nature of their honeymoon, the pair had let their guard down. The ship was expected to sail at 5:30pm, but in a turn of events, left two hours earlier from the Bahamas. The couple reached the port a few minutes before the ship was ready to depart but didn’t realise that it was leaving so soon. “We thought we were on time,” said Maria. “We were there 4:10 pm or 4:15 pm and we heard the call from the ship – but there were so many cruises we thought it was another ship. “Then we heard the horn. When we arrived to the pier we were in shock.” To their horror, the vessel was getting ready to leave and they watched on as the gangway was removed. “I think the worst feeling was to see that the boat was still there and knowing we can go inside and see the boat leave without you,” said Maria. “I think I would have preferred to have been at the pier and the boat had already gone.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs9MRXclFlR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs9MRXclFlR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by María González Roesch (@mariagonzalezroesch)</a> on Jan 22, 2019 at 3:58pm PST </div> </blockquote> And as if the situation wasn’t stressful enough, Maria and her husband discovered that they had left their passports and other valuable possessions on board, meaning they were stranded on the island with nowhere to go. Thankfully, the crew managed to return the items, including all travel documents and bank cards to the newlyweds. Once they reached the immigration office, they learned that they were among six other people who had missed the boat. “There were two other couples. One (couple) were very, very angry so we didn’t keep in touch but the other two were nice,” said Maria. “They were a young couple from California.” Upon returning home, Maria and Alessandro believed that the entire ordeal was over, but in the age of the internet, footage of the two running after the ship had gone viral. But despite the stressful incident, the two still saw the humorous side of it all. “Of course, it would be better if it didn’t happen. But it could have a positive flip-side,” said Maria. “Now I can say it was a funny experience and we have a good story to (tell) our kids …” Have you ever missed boarding a plane, train or cruise ship on your travels? Let us know in the comments below.

Travel Trouble

Cruise couple's costly mistake leaves them stranded in foreign country

Kevin Rohrer and his girlfriend were enjoying their Caribbean adventure as they explored the culturally enriching city of Havana in Cuba. But the good times were cut short after they returned to the dock where their cruise ship was supposed to take them on the rest of their four-night voyage – only to realise the ship had already left without them. The Norwegian Sky cruise was listed on an itinerary to leave Havana at 5pm, so the couple arrived at the dock at 3:30pm, ready to go, but the ship had left earlier than scheduled. “It was a frightening situation. We were devastated,” says Mr Rohrer in a complaint issued to the cruise company. “We exchanged money and we took a taxi to the airport. American Airlines told us they wouldn’t take a credit card and quoted us 472 pesos (NZ$680). We didn’t have that much money.” After putting all their money together, the American couple were able to book a flight home for two but were not thrilled about their cruising experience being cut short. It also wasn’t comforting to know that the cruise company left them in a foreign country to fend for themselves, and considering the itinerary said the ship will depart at 5pm, the pair had no idea as to how it could have happened. But regardless of the frustration and countless complaints, Mr Rohrer and his girlfriend were not going to be given compensation for their experience, according to Michelle Couch-Friedman from consumer rights group Elliott Advocacy, who Mr Rohrer reached out to for help with his case. Speaking to Elliott Advocacy, Mr Rohrer revealed that after the cruise line had departed, it was then the couple discovered the time to have changed from 5 pm to 2pm. According to him, the company “made no effort to inform travellers of the change". Ms Couch-Friedman obtained a copy of the cruise itinerary, which was booked through a third party. Turns out Mr Rohrer was correct, as it clearly stated the cruise departure time to be 5pm. But in a newsletter sent to the couple prior to their journey from the company, it stated all passengers in Havana should be “all aboard (the ship) at 1:30pm.” The cruise line had changed the itinerary and passengers were informed through their daily newsletter. But Mr Rohrer stood his ground as he said he never had the opportunity to look over the newsletter before the incident occurred. “I provided that figure showing the time of ‘all aboard’ news flyer that was sent to our cabin while we ate breakfast on the boat the third day (second day for Cuba),” he said. “But I didn’t get to read it at the time of the discovery (we had a tight schedule with the Cuban Tour Advocacy). I had folded that flyer and put it in my pocket during our disembarkment from the ship. I read that flyer while waiting for a flight out of Cuba.” But the cruising company did not budge, as they pulled out the terms and conditions, which read: “In all ports of call, it is also the guest’s responsibility to be back on-board 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.” After an investigation by Ms Couch-Friedman, the cruise company claimed that all passengers were informed a month before of the time change through e-documents. “Additionally, the day before calling into Havana, the Cruise Director announced the new time repeatedly throughout the day and additional signage was placed on the gangway for all those disembarking to see,” the company said. But Mr Rohrer says that he was not notified of any changes to the schedule. But despite the circumstances, Ms Couch-Friedman said that the cruise company's contract of carriage was stated clearly during the time of booking, as timings on the itinerary were never guaranteed. “In the event of strikes, lockouts, stoppages of labour, riots, weather conditions, mechanical difficulties or any other reason whatsoever, Norwegian Cruise Line has the right to cancel, advance, postpone or substitute any scheduled sailing or itinerary without prior notice,” Norwegian’s terms and conditions read. “Norwegian Cruise Line shall not be responsible for failure to adhere to published arrival and departure times for any of its ports of call.” Ms Couch-Friedman advised passengers to remain alert as cruise itineraries could change at short notice. “This is especially important if you have booked your own shore excursion,” she said. “It may cost a little more money to book the excursion through the cruise line, but you can be certain that the boat won’t sail away without you during your adventure. “In the end, it’s the traveller’s responsibility to know when to be back on-board that ship. If you miss your cruise home, unfortunately, there’s no one to turn to for a refund or reimbursement.” Do you think the passengers were in the wrong or the cruise company? Let us know in the comments below.

Travel Trouble

Don't get caught out: Stranded couple’s huge travel mistake on cruise

An elderly couple was kicked off a cruise ship and left to fend for themselves in South Korea over a simple but major error they made, costing them thousands of dollars. Michelle Couch-Friedman from consumer rights company Elliott Advocacy advised everyone to learn from this lesson, as she failed to get the company to compensate the couple. Originally from the US, William Coates and his wife had booked a 14-day getaway to Japan, South Korea and China with Holland America Line on the Westerdam cruise ship only last month. “This is a trip we had planned for a long time. At 71 years old, we were looking forward to this adventure,” Mr Coates said, speaking to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.elliott.org/" target="_blank">Elliott Advocacy</a>. After taking a flight to Japan and boarding the ship at Yokohama, the pair began their journey to South Korea. Everything was running smoothly, until the third day of their voyage as a staff member revealed that the couple would be asked to leave the ship once it reached Pusan in South Korea. They were told to pack up their things and leave, marking the start of their travel woes. “She (the staff member) told us that it was our responsibility to get ourselves home. We couldn’t believe it,” said Mr Coates. But the reason why was clear, as Mr and Mrs Coates had failed to acquire the necessary visas required to enter China before embarking on their cruise holiday. Just like Australians, Americans must travel with the appropriate visas when visiting China and other entry points of the cruise. And just as Aussies need visas when entering China, so do Americans, as authorities “strongly enforce penalties for entry and exit visa violations,” states the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. But according to Mr Coates, they were unaware of the rule until after they boarded the ship. “Holland America removed us from the ship. They left us, literally on the dock,” he said. “It was up to us to find our way to the airport and then pay $US2400 ($NZ3494) for additional airfare to get home.” Holland America responded with its own side of the story, saying the company made an attempt to arrange emergency visas for the couple and had even got in touch with Chinese officials telling them the couple would not leave the ship once it stops in China. “The Chinese border patrol rejected all of the alternatives,” said the cruise line company. But Mr and Mrs Coates believe it was Holland America’s duty to inform them of any required visas. “Getting thrown off the ship was the most embarrassing and difficult experience for us,” they told Elliott Advocacy. “Our loss is approaching $US9000 ($NZ13,104). Holland America should have alerted us to our missing travel visa and the stringent requirements. No one did. “We think that something this serious would be part of the travel professional’s responsibility.” But Mrs Couch-Friedman said that claim is false, and if Holland America did fail to provide them with the appropriate information, then they may have won their case. But in an itinerary sent by Holland America in January, the company had informed the Coates about visa requirements. The terms and conditions read: “It is the guest’s sole responsibility to obtain and have available when necessary the appropriate valid travel documents. All guests are advised to check with their travel agent or the appropriate government authority to determine the necessary documents. “You will be refused boarding or disembarked without liability for refund, payment, compensation, or credit of any kind if you do not have proper documentation, and you will be subject to any fine or other costs incurred by the carrier which result from improper documentation or noncompliance with applicable regulations, which amount may be charged to your stateroom account and/or credit card.” Holland America also stated that prior to the cruise, the company had sent two extra alerts to the couple, reminding them to apply for their visas. The Coates claim that they did not have a computer with them for the past few months so were unable to see those emails, but their argument was shut down and they were unable to win their case. Mrs Couch-Friedman advised everyone who plans on travelling in the near future to read the terms and conditions and arrange your own visas. “Before you set off on any cruise, it’s imperative to read the contract in its entirety,” she said. “Remember that your entry requirements are unique to you, and it’s your responsibility to obtain all necessary documents. “In the end, Holland America refunded the couple for their unused return airfare as a gesture of goodwill but declined any other refund.” Arranging visas is the responsibility of the traveller and not their booking agent or travel company. Do you think the Coates deserved a full refund? Let us know in the comments below.

Travel Trouble

Cruise ship saves 73-year-old stranded at sea

A yachtsman has been rescued by the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship, after the 73-year-old’s boat started to take on water in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The massive ocean liner picked up veteran sailor Mervyn Wheatley, whose ship encountered serious damage due to an unexpected hurricane that hit on Friday. Wheatley told the <a href="http://www.bbcaustralia.com/" target="_blank">BBC</a>, “It was a shambles. There was food all over the place and water up to the floorboards. I realized that I could not make it the 1,500 miles back to the UK.” Canadian and UK rescuers went searching for Wheatley, but it was the Queen Mary 2 that plucked him to safety, after he had taken steps to sink his own boat to ensure it wouldn’t be an impediment to any other sailors. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fostartwostar17%2Fvideos%2F1465257446864129%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> Wheatley’s wife, Penny, said, “He has never lost another boat. The last 36 hours have been a nightmare, because she could have gone down with him on board… There’s no way he would have survived on a life raft in those conditions.” Wheatley had been competing in the Royal Western Yacht Club race.

Cruising

Flash flooding leaves NSW driver stranded

Think you’re having a bad day? Spare a thought for the holidaymaker in this video, who almost had his trip ruined by a particularly nasty spate of flash flooding. Terrence Cass, holidaying near the northern NSW town of Bangalow, was forced to remain at his accommodation when the roads become <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2016/07/truck-engulfed-by-flood-china/">inundated with flood waters</a>. But it turns out it’s a good thing he couldn’t get too far from his lodgings, as <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2016/08/woman-and-dog-rescued-from-floodwaters/">he later assisted a woman</a> whose car had lost control in the treacherous driving conditions. Terrence explained the situation to <a href="http://www.storyful.com" target="_blank">Storyful</a>, “I decided to brave the big wet only to get two kilometres from our hotel to find a lovely and very shaken lady on the side of the road, we were the only ones to stop. So I had to literally pull the passenger side door open which was stuck shut.” Just another reminder that it’s Mother Nature’s world, and we’re just living in it. How have you found the wild weather in Australia to start the year? Credit: Facebook/Terrence Cass via Storyful

News

74-year-old lends car to stranger stranded on way to a funeral

A mourner stranded en-route to a funeral has been the recipient of one of the most selfless acts of kindness we’ve ever seen, taking to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/todd.collins.73/posts/1567743323239777?pnref=story" target="_blank">Facebook</a> to share the story of how he made an unlikely friend in a very unlikely situation. Todd Steinkamp from Iowa in the US was travelling to a funeral in a different state when he was forced to pull over at an auto service garage after his car began making unsettling noises. That’s when he met 74-year-old mechanic Glenn Geib. “He noticed that I was all dressed up and asked where I was off to,” Steinkamp wrote. “I told him I was from Iowa on my way to a funeral. He paused and said pull it around back.’” Upon inspecting the car, Geib came to the conclusion that Steinkamp would be unable to drive the remaining distance in time for the funeral. “I must have looked pretty stressed out at this time because Glenn then reached into his pocket, pulled out the keys to his own vehicle and said ‘Take my truck. Fill it up with gas, don't turn on the emergency lights and get going.’” The unlikely hero had no qualms about offering up his old truck for someone so in need. “He looked burned out like he was tired yet,” Geib told <a href="http://wbay.com/2017/02/22/mechanic-in-wild-rose-lends-his-keys-so-stranded-driver-can-make-funeral/" target="_blank">WBAY</a>. “It looked like he had a rough night, you know had things on his mind, worried about getting there, that’s about it, looked like he needed some help.” Thanks to Geib’s beautiful act of generosity, Steinkamp made it to the funeral in time. “I literally went from just not knowing what to do, stressed out to this is fantastic so it completely lifted my spirits.” Related links: <a href="/news/news/2017/02/duchess-cambridge-visits-action-for-children-project-wales/">Duchess makes little girl’s dream of meeting a princess come true</a> <a href="/news/news/2017/02/waitress-drags-goanna-from-restaurant/">Waitress drags huge goanna from Aussie restaurant</a> <a href="/news/news/2017/02/fascinated-orangutan-tries-to-taste-bubbles/">Fascinated orangutan tries to taste bubbles</a>

News

Cruise ship comes to rescue of stranded yacht

A crisis has been narrowly avoided off the coast of NSW as the Carnival Spirit cruise ship responded to distress calls from a superyacht taking on water. The lavish superyacht Masteka 2, which costs a whopping $3,000 an hour to rent, lost steering around on 5am on Tuesday with six passengers on board. When things started to take a turn for the worse an alert from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority was promptly sent out and the first ship to respond to the distress call was the cruise liner Carnival Spirit, which was en route to New Caledonia. Two female passengers who were injured were rescued by the Carnival Spirit, which was instructed to remain with the luxury vessel until more help could be provided. The Maritime Authority dropped umps and tools for the Masteka 2 and the Carnival Spirit provided extra fuel and emergency supplies before continuing on to the Isle of Pines. The injured women could stay on board until it docks in the New Caledonia capital of Noumea, so they have essentially scored themselves a free ride on a cruise ship. What a scary situation, but thanks to some quick thinking a crisis was avoided. Have you ever had a scary situation at sea? Let us know in the comments section. Video credit: 9 News / Facebook Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/cruising/2016/09/why-cruise-lines-are-avoiding-the-mediterranean/">The scary reason cruise lines are avoiding the Mediterranean</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/cruising/2016/09/grandmother-found-dead-on-cruise-ship-off-cairns/">Grandmother found dead on cruise ship off Cairns</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/cruising/2016/09/coast-guard-frantic-search-for-overboard-cruise-passenger/">Frantic search for overboard cruise passenger</a>

News

Stranger buys stranded traveller a flight to see her dying mother

An American woman has told of the amazing act of kindness that allowed her to reach the side of her dying mother. Laura Genovich and her three month-old baby had just boarded a flight bound for Florida to be at the side of her mother, who was in a critical condition after suffering a stroke. Moments after boarding the aircraft, Genovich received the devastating news that the flight was cancelled due to a maintenance issue. Writing about the ordeal on her Scary Mommy blog, Genovich said she immediately called her family in a panic, fearing she would not make it to her mother in time. But it seems there was an angel called "Mary" waiting in the wings only too willing to help Genovich reach her destination. "My name is Mary." Genovich wrote of the interaction on her blog. "I've been listening to you for the last hour, and I've been praying for you and your family. I am not leaving your side until you are on a plane to Orlando." Genovich was the last person to leave the aircraft and as she made her way to the desk to arrange another flight, so noticed Mary was waiting for her, even helping her carry her bags. Genovich managed to make the next flight with minutes to spare thanks, to the kindness of a ticket agent named Gayle, and as she went to pay for the new plane ticket, Mary refused to let her pay. "Gayle told me that the ticket was $400 (AU$590) Mary then stepped up to the counter and said, "I will pay for her ticket." I told her that she did not have to do that, that I could pay it, but she insisted, telling me that it was a Thanksgiving and Christmas gift to me. I cried harder, telling her I would pay it forward. She told me to go take care of my dad and my baby, and that would be paying it forward." Genovich made it to her mother's bedside, and was able to spent time with her before she sadly passed away three days later. Singing off from her blog post, Genovich said. "I want to publicly express my gratitude for these random acts of kindness. "I want to thank Mary for her selflessness and generosity and Southwest Airlines for their unparalleled customer service. "This was more than customer service - this was customer care - and it is truly worth more to me than I can express." First appeared on <a href="http://www.Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Related links: <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2015/12/6-details-fine-print-plane-tickets/">6 hidden details in the fine print of plane tickets</a> <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2015/12/handing-your-passport-to-a-hotel/">Is it safe to hand your passport over to a hotel?</a> <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2015/12/never-book-a-flight-on-a-friday/">Why you should never book a flight on a Friday</a>

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