A British pensioner described the “terrifying nightmare” of being stuck in the Philippines when his cruise ship left without him after he fell into a coma.
Angry vacationer Christopher Cabell, 72, boarded a P&O Cruises liner at the start of the year and was about halfway through a 100-day trip around the world when disaster struck.
After the ship docked on the island of Palawan in the Philippines on March 4, Christopher began to feel unwell and tried to go back to his room to lie down.
But the doctor on board sent him to the hospital instead.
By the time medics ran all their tests and gave him antibiotics for heatstroke, the cruise ship he was on had left port — leaving him stranded about 7,000 miles from home.
Angry vacationer Christopher Cabell (right), 72, boarded a P&O Cruises liner at the start of the year and was halfway through a 100-day round-the-world voyage when disaster struck. After waking from a coma, he called his niece Karen Williams (left) who was working to help him get home from his ‘nightmare’
The insulin was still in his compartment, so his blood sugar dropped dangerously low, causing hypoglycemic shock which led to a brief diabetic coma.
He is now in limbo and struggling to find a way home.
Cabell, a retired youth worker, from Swindon, Wiltshire, said: ‘It was an absolute nightmare, horrific at times.
P&O has failed in their duty of care – I wouldn’t recommend that anyone over 70 go alone on one of their cruises, because there’s no one fighting in my corner.
I kept telling the nurses I needed to get back to the ship, but they kept running more tests and asking about breathing difficulties and chest pains when I had none of those symptoms. I don’t know what they were told by the P&O doctor.
When I fell into a coma, I wondered if this might be the end, but I came the next morning.
Then I was stuck in a hospital bed and didn’t feel anything, it was just ridiculous. I should have been allowed back on the plane, it wasn’t a serious health issue.
I can’t believe the power someone could have over your life, to leave me in this mess. I have been treated very badly by these companies.
After stabilizing, Chris borrows a laptop to email his niece Karen Williams, who helps him contact his insurance company, P&O and Nationwide, in an effort to restart his trip.
Chris says he feels lost, even though he has now managed to get a prescription for insulin. He has an extreme fear of flying, so getting nearly 7,000 miles home without a cruise ship is no easy task.
As of Wednesday, he had tentatively agreed to have a doctor and nurse fly in to comfort him on the return flight, but this has now been revoked as he was deemed too sick to fly.
‘I have two options,’ said Christopher, ‘there’s a cruise ship coming in April, or else I’m stuck here. I don’t know how long I’ll be here – it’s ridiculous.
I want to go home (but) P&O made sure I couldn’t get on any of their cruise ships due to my medical issues. Everyone tells me I have complex medical issues but they can’t tell me what it is.
“Looks like I’m stuck in the middle of a stupid game,” he said.
His niece Karen Williams, 51, an office manager from Cornwall, said: ‘If he had no relatives, I don’t know what would have happened because these companies weren’t helpful, they left him to sort it out. Himself.
I worry that he might be alone on the other side of the world in a place where he doesn’t speak the language. I just want him home safe.
Mr. Capel, a retired young laborer from Swindon, is stranded on the Philippine island of Palawani – some 7,000 miles from his home.
Pictured: A P&O cruise ship (file photo) is seen sailing the seas. Christopher Cable accused cruise company of ‘failing to perform duty of care’
A P&O Cruises spokesperson said: ‘We are very sorry this happened to this guest.
After taking advice we have been informed that due to his critical medical needs it is not possible to return to the UK by ship.
Therefore, our customer service team has been in constant contact with the guest and his insurance team to find an acceptable and safe alternative solution because his physical health and mental well-being are the priority in this case.
Nationwide has been contacted for comment.
