Cruise Passengers Stranded In Boston After Sandy
BOSTON (CBS) - Cruise ships that should be heading to New York are, instead, docking at the Boston Seaport. As one left this morning, another came in. "A lot of people were going to get off in Halifax to fly out because they were certain that no matter what, New York was not going to be a good place to end up," passenger Edward Major told WBZ news.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karen Twomey reports
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The Oceania Regatta left the port of New York two weeks ago. It headed north, but as Hurricane Sandy grew, Hede Walle said she and other passengers realized their route would change. "Maybe Saturday we were informed and we just watched television to see what's going on," she said. "Of course, we would have loved to go to Bermuda and to New York back but you cannot change that."
Edward Major agreed. He wanted to go to Bermuda, too. But seeing images of the damage from Sandy in New York and New Jersey, gives perspective. "I can be thankful that I'm not one of the people devastated by the hurricane," he said.
Major hired a driver to bring his car to Boston. Stan King, also on board the Regatta, left on a shuttle bus bound for JFK airport in New York. But instead of going home, King plans to continue on to Florida. "We live in the center of the damage in New York. We live in Greenwich Village. We have no power. We have no water or electricity or gas or elevators," he said.
King and other passengers applaud the cruise line for handling the storm's trouble. The altered route which took them to Boston for a second time actually made for pretty smooth seas. "There were some, but not extremely rough. I've been in rougher," King told us. "It was a pleasant trip. Nobody here is complaining."
Since Sunday, Massport says seven ships have come to the Port of Boston. Some passengers, as we saw Thursday, are going home from there. Other ships are refueling and stocking up on provisions and then heading back out. At last check, there were three ships at Cruiseport Boston, but the port can accommodate more if needed.
