Stranded in Alaska: Family of 9 fined $9,000

While on a trip, the Gould family went on a cruise in Alaska, but returned too late. Due to an error by the tour operator, the family of nine – parents and grandmother with six children – reached the port very late. They could only see the ship leaving the port and with it their luggage, passports and medicines.

That was the beginning of their problems. From then on, they were more or less on their own, and when they missed the ship again on the next ship they had to go home alone. They ended up with a $9,000 fine for missing the ship.

By law they had to pay the 9,000 franc fee because they did not visit a foreign port before returning to the United States, as their itinerary required. In fact, they tried to do so, but because they did not have a passport, it took too long and they could not catch the ship.

Left with no choice but to fly home, the Colts had to find new accommodation and arrange flights within hours. “All the flights for nine, all the groceries for nine, all the hotel stays,” the father lamented to “2 News.”

After several days of travel — with stops in several cities, canceled flights and more than one night in the airport — the family finally arrived at their home in Tulsa, tired and exhausted. Along the way, some members caught Corona.

“We are still investigating this matter and we have not forgotten you,” the cruise line reportedly told them several times. “And I said, ‘No, we feel like you forgot about us when you left us at the port and asked us to see how we got on,'” complained Kailyn Gould, the mother of the family.

Norwegian Cruise Lines told the New York Post that the company has begun reimbursing Gaults for nearly $9,000 in fees they charged and will reimburse all travel expenses once receipts are received.

The tour group said it tried to contact the Goulds after they missed the bus “due to an error by the local tour operator” and when they were unable to reach them, they worked with the local port authority to assist the family. The night before they were able to catch a flight to Seattle the next day.