Gary Phillips
Event Date: September 22, 2007
Bruise: Bomb Threat
Bruise Location: Manhattan, NY
Age: 30
Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Lines
Ship: Norwegian Spirit
Details:
Gary Phillips
Cruise Ship Passenger Errors On The Safe Side
Norwegian Spirit Bomb Threat - September 22, 2007
New York City 911 center operators received a bomb threat accusation against a person who was suppose to be working on the cruise ship Norwegian Spirit.
"Sa'id, my brother, works on the boat," the caller said, according to cops. "He has a bomb and it's going to go off at 7."
The Norwegian Spirit was docked in Manhattan preparing to leave port when police descended on the vessel. The threat response included heavily armed city cops, including the NYPD's bomb squad.
Passengers were left in the dark, with the ship's crew refusing to tell any details, only that a "threat" had been received. This was enough to scare some passengers enough, that they were heading home.
When passengers told cruise personnel they wanted to leave, they were told if they did, they would get no refund.
However, the New York Post reported that the passengers were given the option of going home or staying to cruise, and that about half the passengers opted to go home.
Gary Phillips is one of those passengers, who decided that this may not be the cruise for him. With a small child at home, he decided to head for home, and call the $350 he spent for the cruise, a lesson learned, preferring to error on the side of caution.
Norwegian Cruise Line spokeswoman AnneMarie Mathews had no comment on the threat, saying only, "We're glad that everyone was safe."
The cruise was delayed for three hours before police gave the "all clear".
Spirit was was hosting a party ship overnight trip called a "Cruise to Nowhere", that was just for eating, drinking and gambling.
Cruiseline: Norwegian Cruise Lines
Ship: Norwegian Spirit
Built: 1993
Refurbished: 2004
Registry: Bahamas
Size: 77,000 Gross Tons
Length: 880 feet
Passengers: 2,475
Crew: 965
