Carnival Cruise ship leaves with family's luggage, dialysis machine - Local 10 PDF Print
MIAMI -

A South Florida family misses out on a cruise despite their luggage and a needed dialysis machine being on the ship, WPBF-TV in West Palm Beach reports.

Lillian Hensley, her disabled daughter, her son and her daughter-in-law were supposed to set sail for a five day Carnival Cruise to Jamaica over the weekend.

On Monday, Hensley was still shaken by the experience.

"It felt like a nightmare," she said.

Christine, her daughter, requires nightly dialysis, and Hensley said she got clearance from Carnival to bring a portable dialysis machine onboard.

Shortly after checking in Saturday, Hensley said she got a call from the ship's staff saying they couldn't find their luggage or the machine.

"I said, 'My daughter cannot live without the dialysis.' 'Well, then, get off the ship. You've got to get off the ship.' I said, 'I'm not leaving without her equipment and her supplies,'" said Hensley.

In a statement, Carnival said there was some questions at the time that the dialysis machine made it onboard, saying: Given that it is imperative that Ms. Hensley have her dialysis equipment in order to sail, it was decided it would be in her best interest that she disembark the vessel.

"I said, 'Without everything? You're giving me like a death sentence for my daughter.' 'We don't care, you have to go to the emergency room, then.' Not one sorry, nothing from anybody," said Hensley. "They just escorted us off the ship."

The family was left in Miami as the ship sailed away with their dialysis machine and their luggage.

Carnival issued another statement, saying: Carnival Cruise Lines sincerely apologizes for this most unfortunate situation and is providing everyone in the Hensley party with a full refund of their cruise fare, as well as a credit for a future five-day cruise with Carnival.

Cameras were rolling as a representative from Carnival called Hensley.

"You're calling to make it right for me? How? How? The only thing that could have made it right for me was the return of all my daughter's medical equipment immediately when they pushed us off the ship," said Hensley.

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