Man Claims He Was Kicked Off Cruise After Calling Cruise Staffer an ‘Idiot’

Norwegian Epic, in a stock photo (Brian Burnell/Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)])

A cruise ship passenger has claimed he was kicked off the boat and left to figure out how he was going to return home.

Robert and Esther Gaines said they were taking a Norwegian Cruise Lines trip last May. Robert Gains apparently had a disagreement with a crew member over reservations for one of the ship’s shows, NBC6 reported.

He said that he made reservations but his name wasn’t on the list. When the worker didn’t allow him inside, ”I said ‘Listen you idiot, I’m telling you right now that my family is in the show,” he told the affiliate. “Why are you keeping me out of the show?”

Gaines added: “They started calling security and I may have made a comment that said you better get more than a couple because I’m a big guy.”

“They were really scaring me,” he said.

The incident didn’t involve any physical altercation, he said. He also provided a statement to the company, according to the report.

Next, a security officer appeared at his cabin and told him that he would have to leave on the island of Tortola. The captain made the decision, he said.

Gaines told the NBC affiliate that he had to spend hundreds of dollars to get home.

A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Lines told Yahoo News: “We are in the business of providing incredibly positive and memorable experiences for all our guests. We also care deeply about our team members and work very hard to ensure they are happy and treated with the utmost respect. Therefore, we do not take kindly to anyone who behaves badly by disparaging others or creating an environment which erodes the experience we are providing for our guests and crew.”

“As such, we have a zero-tolerance policy aboard our fleet when it comes to inappropriate or discourteous behavior,” the statement continued. “Guests are advised of this in our Guest Conduct Policy, which is agreed to by all guests upon payment of the cruise fare. Any guest that violates these policies is subject to removal from the ship by order of the captain and is responsible for all travel arrangement expenses incurred. All travel companions of a removed guest remain in good standing and receive the exceptional service for which our crew members are recognized.”

The statement ends with, “Please know that we do not take the removal of guests from ships lightly.”

Family Claims Carnival Wouldn’t Let Man Off

A lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Miami, Florida, claiming that Carnival Cruise Line officials refused to let a passenger off a cruise ship to seek medical attention after a heart attack.

Jeffrey Eisenman was on the Carnival Sunshine with his wife and children when he suffered “major heart attack” in December 2018, the Miami Herald reported on June 12.

The Pennsylvania man “died onboard while confined to the medical center of the Carnival Sunshine against his will,” said a lawsuit filed by Ira Leesfield of Miami’s Leesfield Scolaro, representing the family of Eisenman. “His family was forced to watch on in horror at his mistreatment and decline into a gruesome death.”

Carnival objected to the family’s claims.

“We are very sorry for the Eisenman family’s loss, but the scenario that is alleged in the lawsuit is not accurate,” Carnival told the Herald. “Our onboard medical team followed all proper procedures to attend to a guest who became critically ill very quickly, including liaising with the local hospital which was not equipped to handle his condition. Mr. Eisenman’s treatment plan and keeping him on the ship was formulated in consultation with his family.”