The Brief
A Ruskin family was among at least 100 Norwegian cruise passengers stranded in Hawaii after a tsunami warning from an earthquake forced their cruise ship to leave immediately.
The mom said they were in the middle of a shore excursion when they found out their ship was leaving and were told to find higher ground.
The cruise ship returned Wednesday after the port was deemed safe.
HILO, Hawaii - It was all smiles in Hawaii from Tiffany Monroe, of Ruskin, and her 18-year-old daughter as they celebrated her graduation from high school. But, their Norwegian cruise vacation went south on Tuesday.
Timeline
An 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia prompted thousands of evacuations from coastal areas Tuesday in Hawaii and the west coast of the U.S. Hawaii officials said waves reached five feet on the Big Island, where Tiffany Monroe and her daughter were stranded on Tuesday from their cruise ship.
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Monroe said they were on the third day of their Hawaii cruise, stopping in Hilo, Hawaii for a port day. They went on a tour bus for a Norwegian shore excursion to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in Hilo when they received a tsunami warning on their phones around 2:45 p.m. local time Tuesday afternoon.
"We questioned the tour bus driver, and he said he'd gotten no communication from Norwegian or anyone else about this. So, he makes a phone call, and he's told to bring us back at that time," said Monroe.
She said their ship, Pride of America, was set to leave at 4 p.m. local time, two hours ahead of schedule.
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"We end up arriving at the cruise port at 3:55 p.m., and the ship is pulling away," Monroe said.
Text messages from Norwegian Cruise Line told passengers the ship was leaving immediately and what those left behind should do.
"We're basically told to get to higher ground. I mean, we're tourists in Hawaii. We don't know where a higher ground is," said Monroe.
She said their tour bus took them to Waiakea High School, where Monroe said at least a hundred people sheltered in place overnight, sleeping on the gym floor or on the bus. Speaking with FOX13 on Wednesday, Monroe said she's been awake the whole time.
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"I feel like there was a bit of negligence on their part and, you know, we're all paying for it," said Monroe.
What they're saying
A spokesperson from Norwegian Cruise Line sent FOX 13 a statement on the ship’s response to Hawaii’s state of emergency declaration.
"As such, in response to local emergency procedures and to prioritize the safety of our guests and crew, Pride of America was required to depart Hilo, Hawaii immediately. The ship departed at 4 PM local time, two hours ahead of its scheduled departure time of 6 PM," said the spokesperson via statement.
"Before departure, all guests were notified via SMS and advised to seek higher ground and follow instructions from local authorities if they were unable to return to the ship in time for its departure. Guests participating in NCL shore excursions were brought directly to a local high school, a designated safe location in Hilo, where refreshments were provided for their comfort and well-being. As a precaution and due to the temporary port closure, Pride of America has remained at sea, a safer location in situations such as this," the statement said. "The tsunami warning has since been lifted, allowing for the affected ports to gradually reopen. Hilo Harbor, however, requires a safety assessment before it can receive clearance from local authorities and the U.S. Coast Guard."
What's next
Norwegian Cruise Line said Hilo Harbor was inspected for safety on Wednesday, before the ship could return to dock for stranded passengers. Monroe said she and her daughter returned to the ship at 9:30 a.m. local time Wednesday after the port was cleared. Monroe said she hopes the cruise line finds a way to make things right for passengers who were left behind on the island.
Monroe said she’s learned some lessons.
"I think because of the situation now, it is critical. Take it on every excursion. Take everything that you are going to need to survive off, the phone charger, a backup charger, your medicines, everything," said Monroe.
The Source
The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Briona Arradondo.
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