79-year-old cruise passenger spends night in Alaskan forest after being left behind
A 79-year-old cruise passenger has had an unexpectedly long shore excursion after her Princess Cruise ship left without her. The Coral Princess docked in Juneau, Alaska, but the Canadian holidaymaker got lost on a trek that should have taken two hours, and the ship departed, leaving her behind.
She was forced to camp in a forest near the East Glacier Trail without any appropriate gear and surrounded by black bears. After noticing she hadn’t returned, rescuers scoured the area but could not find the woman.
The next morning, she hiked to a nearby visitor centre, tired and wet but uninjured. She was then driven by police to an airport where she was flown to re-join the cruise ship. “She is a strong lady, and she knew what she was doing,” Princess Cruises port manager Kirby Day said. “She did all the right things except for making one wrong turn.”
We’re glad to hear this brave lady was found safe and sound! Have you ever been left behind by a cruise ship? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below.
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