When you’re on a cruise and in port for the day, making sure that you’re back when you’re supposed to be back is serious business. That’s why cruise lines will give multiple reminders of what you guests are expected to be back on the ship.
If you plan to go on an excursion, you typically have a choice of going on something you’ve planned privately, or with a third party such as Viator, or or booking one through the cruise line itself. The cruise-sponsored excursions tend to be significantly more expensive, but cruise lines “sweeten the deal” by promising that if you get back to the ship later than when you’re expected, they’ll wait for you.
Of course, on rare occasion, things don’t work out the way the excursion or the cruise planned. Case in point, a Norwegian Cruise Line ship left this family behind, even though they were on a cruise-sponsored excursion.
Norwegian’s response drew criticism because many readers felt the cruise line didn’t do enough after the family missed the ship on a cruise-sponsored excursion.
However I recently read about another group that got all the stops pulled out for them when the ship left them behind.
The story came via a viral TikTok video and could be described as one of the most unusual incidents in Disney Cruise Line history: almost 3 dozen passengers, many of whom didn’t know each other, were left behind at a port in Ireland.
The story was originally shared by TikTok creator Kelsey Conkling, whose parents were among the stranded travelers. Conkling explained how a routine shore excursion in Dublin turned into an overnight adventure, complete with emergency travel on a ferry that was jam packed with truck drivers.
The story
According to Conkling’s video, the passengers involved were sailing on the Disney Magic during a transatlantic cruise in May 2016. After crossing the Atlantic, Dublin was the ship’s first port of call in Europe.
The group, which eventually became known as the “Dublin 33,” was on a Disney-sponsored shore excursion when things started to go wrong. A total of 33 passengers were on the tour, and as they headed back to the port, they found themselves stuck in increasingly heavy traffic.
At first, no one seemed overly concerned. Because the excursion had been booked through Disney, guests were reassured that they would be taken care of. In fact, an off-duty Disney cast member happened to be on the tour and was reportedly in contact with personnel aboard the ship, passing along updates and letting passengers know the ship was aware of the situation.
But the delays kept getting worse.
As the bus crept along in stop-and-go traffic, passengers could still see the Disney Magic sitting in the distance. Then they suddenly heard the ship’s signature horn play “When You Wish Upon a Star.” Anyone familiar with Disney Cruise Line knew exactly what that meant: the ship was leaving port.
The reason, according to Conkling’s video, had nothing to do with Disney abandoning its passengers. Dublin is a tidal port, and if the Disney Magic had remained docked too long as the tide receded, the ship itself could have become stranded for up to 16 hours.
It’s a reminder that while cruise lines generally do everything possible to wait for passengers on official shore excursions, operational and safety considerations can sometimes make that impossible.
When the group finally arrived back at the port, Disney representatives were already waiting for them.
Rather than simply sending the stranded passengers on their way, Disney reportedly escorted them to a local pub, where complimentary food and drinks were provided while arrangements were being made.
That solved one problem, but another quickly became apparent: many passengers had left their passports, medications, and other personal belongings onboard the ship.
According to the video, Disney worked to retrieve passports and certain medications and have them delivered to the stranded guests.
The next challenge was getting everyone to Liverpool, England, where the Disney Magic’s next scheduled port call was set to take place.
Disney booked the passengers on an overnight ferry across the Irish Sea. However, this wasn’t exactly a luxury replacement for a cruise ship. The ferry primarily served commercial truck drivers traveling between Ireland and England, and accommodations were considerably more basic than what guests had been enjoying onboard.
After spending an entire day on an excursion and then unexpectedly spending the night in transit, many passengers found themselves without fresh clothes and other personal necessities.
But the story had a happy ending.
When the group arrived in Liverpool the following morning, the Disney Magic was waiting for them.
According to Conkling’s video, ship officers greeted the returning passengers in full uniform, and Disney arranged a private breakfast for the group, who had by then earned the nickname “The Dublin 33.”
Disney representatives also reportedly met privately with each traveling party to discuss compensation and determine how best to make up for the disruption.
Since the stranded passengers had missed several marquee events—including Pirate Night, the ship’s fireworks show, and other evening entertainment—the cruise line reportedly offered a variety of compensation options, including onboard credits, spa treatments, and even refunds.
Here’s Conkling’s video:
@disneywithkels My parents were left at a port by Disney Cruise Line #disneycruise #truestory #disneyskit #disneyadult #disneymagic
A few things to keep in mind:
Disney is known for taking care of guests, particularly when they’re staying in or purchasing its premium products and experiences
There was a time when Disney’s compensation for bad things happening on peoples’ Disney vacations was amazing. But through the years, between so many entitled people demanding compensation for the smallest inconvenience, on top of the bottom line becoming more and more important, compensation from Disney is typically minimal to mediocre nowadays – if it happens at all.
With one exception – if you’ve paid them a lot of money.
Historically, the more money you’ve paid Disney, not only the better quality of an experience will you get, but when things go south, Disney will also do its best to make compensation significantly better.
And, let’s face it – a Disney Cruise is one of the more expensive cruise experiences out there.
This event happened 10 years ago
Times change and who knows what Disney would do if a similar thing were to happen today.
If nothing else, it doesn’t sound like it’s the same anymore – the unfortunate situation that happened to the “Dublin 33” apparently made some changes on Disney Cruise Line.
While the company previously promised that ships would wait for guests participating in Disney-sponsored excursions, current language in the terms and conditions are now more along the lines of “Guests participating in Disney Cruise Line Port Adventures who miss the ship due to a delay in the Disney-operated excursion will be assisted in rejoining the ship, including transportation arrangements to the next port when necessary.”
And there’s a big difference between “we’ll wait for you, no matter what” and “If you’re late, we can leave and help you get back to the ship at the next port.”
But hey, ten years ago, 33 stranded passengers found themselves in a situation that could have turned into a complete disaster. Instead, they became known as the “Dublin 33,” received VIP treatment, and ended up with a story they’ll probably be telling for the rest of their lives.
Would Disney handle the situation the same way today? Nobody knows. Policies have changed, expectations have changed, and the cruise industry has changed. What’s clear is that this incident became memorable not because the passengers were left behind, but because of everything the cruise line did afterward to make things right.
And in an era when many travelers feel companies do the bare minimum when things go wrong, that’s the part of the story that still stands out nearly a decade later.
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