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U.S. NEWS Saturday 9 September 2017

Irma-interrupted trip becomes mystery ‘cruise to nowhere’

out to sea Thursday eve- Picariello said the ship “is going to run out of water.
ning, with a new manifest heading west,” but she did They’re not going to run out
of about 4,000 that includ- not have a more precise of booze — very important
ed both some of the origi- route. She said the ship will — and so we’re just going
nal passengers as well as try to make a port of call if to stay on and enjoy the
some fellow travelers who it’s safe to do so “but if not, ride,” said Cunningham,
disembarked early from a guests will enjoy a cruise 65, who is recently retired.
separate ship called the to nowhere and be able Barbara Engel, who could
Norwegian Sky. They, too, to be safe and out of the not get a flight home to
had decided to prolong storm.”Picariello added Dallas, said she believed
their seagoing adventures. that the ship plans to return staying on the ship was
The cruisers have no idea to Miami, but that cruise of- her best option. “I’ve got
where they are headed or ficials will look into alternate everything here and more
when they will return. A lot ports if the one in Miami is than I would want, and we
of it, they were told, would damaged by the hurri- can run” from the storm if
be up to Irma: which path cane. necessary, Engel, 49, said
she decides to take and Margaret Cunningham of shortly before the ship
In this Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 photo, Margaret Cunningham, how long she will linger. Battle Ground, Washing- pulled into port in Miami on
of Battle Ground, Wash., poses aboard the Norwegian Escape “We said to guests that ton, said she decided to Thursday. “So really, all told,
cruise ship, shortly before the huge vessel returned to port in we cannot confirm when stay on board with her hus- I think I’m in the best place
Miami, two days early due to Hurricane Irma. Cunningham or where you’ll be coming band, Mike, after the cap- I can be at this time.”
and her husband, Mike, were staying aboard the ship, which back, but obviously we’ll tain assured them the ship Debbie Kendrick, of Court-
was headed to safe waters that evening. While it was unknown
when or where the ship would return due to the powerful storm, make every effort to return could avoid Irma and even land, Ohio, said she has en-
Cunningham said she is assured the ship will be a safe and the ship to port as soon as outrun a hurricane. joyed the cruise, even if she
heavily-supplied haven at sea. it’s safe to do so,” said Nor- “They’ve been very clear hasn’t slept quite as well
(AP Photo/Brian Witte) wegian Cruise Line spokes- that they’re not going to because she doesn’t know
By BRIAN WITTE switched from relaxation woman Vanessa Picariello. run out of food. They’re not when or where it will end.q
Associated Press to disaster-preparation
MIAMI (AP) — When they mode, and were eager to
first boarded the Norwe- get home to secure their
gian Escape a week ago, belongings and ensure the
passengers knew exactly safety of their pets.
where they were going. Michael Davis, who lives
Now they have no idea. near the water in St. Au-
The cruise ship, with about gustine, Florida, was one
4,000 guests on board, de- of them. “Once they said,
parted from Miami on Sat- ‘We’re heading back,’
urday, Sept. 2, and was then the mood shifted from
scheduled to return a week vacation time to, ‘Alright,
later, after making stops in let’s get home and get it
Honduras, Belize and Mex- taken care of,’” said Da-
ico. vis, 42. But there was only
The boat made it to the a short window of time to
Honduran island of Roatan drop them off before it
on Monday and Belize the would be too dangerous to
following day. But on Tues- dock in Miami. So the ship
day, passengers were told arrived in port Thursday af-
that their ports of call at ternoon, two days early, al-
Mexico’s Cozumel island lowing hundreds of passen-
and the Costa Maya had gers to disembark.
been canceled. Hundreds more had no
The dangerous and pow- reason to get off, however,
erful Hurricane Irma, which and knew that competing
had carved a path of with Florida residents evac-
death and destruction uating the state ahead of
across a string of Carib- the storm for rental cars
bean islands, was headed and flights was a losing
straight for Florida, home to proposition. So they chose
a fair number of passengers a second option: a “cruise
on the ship. Many of those to nowhere.”
passengers had already The Escape headed back