VACATION HEROS Norwegian saves the day

Posted on 05/13/2016

Frances Guarino and her two friends were booked on a nine day cruise to the Caribbean. A series of mishaps should have resulted in a series of disappointments but the actions of crew members resulted in a happy ending for this senior. She learned that the Norwegian Gem had more than a few gems on its staff.

Guarino, from Grant City got to the Manhattan port on April 1, where the 79 year old was met by staffer Paul, who had a wheelchair for her to get through check-in and security. 

When she had to provide her passport she realized that she brought the old one that had just expired and not the new one, which was left at home. “I was totally upset and frustrated” she said, “I didn’t know what to do.” She encouraged her friends Josephine Petosa and Marie Marsh to go ahead without her. 

She was asked by another employee, named Pat, if there was anyone at home who could bring the passport to her. There was not, so Pat offered to take her home to pick it up until she remembered that she was without a car that day. 

That’s when another cruise member came to the rescue. Tony drove Guarino to Staten Island to get the passport and back, arriving within 10 minutes of the ship’s departure time. 

Paul, whose shift was over was waiting for her on the street with a wheelchair to get her through the check points and on the ship. 

Guarino called all three of the staff members “godsends.” 

Vanessa Picariello is a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line. She said cruise staff are encouraged to surpass the expectations of a client. 

“We have a programme for all of our crew members called Vacation Hero, which is a dedicated training program to reinforce how important it is to go above and beyond to be a ‘vacation hero’ for every guest they encounter.”