The INSIDER Summary:
- A Norweigan cruise ship called «Escape» is on a «cruise to nowhere» until it’s safe to dock after Hurricane Irma is over.
- The 4,000 passengers have nowhere to go but have access to unlimited booze and food.
- Right now, the ship is hovering just West of Florida until it’s safe to head back to Miami.
More than 4,000 displaced cruise passengers have fled from the path of Hurricane Irma on a cruise ship called Escape. Now they’re stranded on a «cruise to nowhere» with no set end date or destination, but they have unlimited booze while they’re waiting.
According to USA Today, two Norwegian Cruise Line ships, Sky and Escape, were meant to arrive in Florida on Friday and Saturday, but they cut their planned trips short and returned to Miami early to avoid Hurricane Irma.
They dropped off any passengers who lived in Florida and wanted to go home, but the unplanned return meant many passengers arrived in Miami with no hotels or flights out of Florida. So the company said any passengers who didn’t have anyplace else to go could on the Escape and go out to sea and try to wait out the storm that way.
Now the Norwegian Escape is sailing west of Florida, just trying to keep out of the way of the storm. The captain told passengers the ship can outrun the hurricane.
Escape will go back to Miami as soon as it’s safe to do so, but passengers and crew don’t know yet when that will be.
«At this point the plan is to go west,» Norwegian spokeswoman Vanessa Picariello said to USA Today. «We’re making every effort to have at least one port of call. If not, it will be a cruise to nowhere and everyone will have a good time.»
Norwegian is reportedly not charging the passengers for this trip, and everyone has access to food, water, entertainment, and alcohol.
