What was meant to be the trip of a lifetime turned into a nightmare in the middle of the ocean.

Jill and Jay Campbell, a couple from South Carolina, were on a dream cruise around Africa when their ship, the Norwegian Dawn, sailed away — leaving them and seven others stranded on a remote island. Their only mistake? Their tour guide ran late.

“We could see the ship,” Jay said. “The coast guard tried to call the captain — but he refused the call.” The group included elderly passengers, a paraplegic man, a pregnant woman, and one traveler with a heart condition. They were forced to watch helplessly as their ship disappeared over the horizon.

The Campbells, now 6,000 miles from home, have spent over $5,000 of their own money on food and shelter for the others. “I think we were meant to be here,” Jay said softly. “God put us here for that 80-year-old woman who was left alone.”

Despite repeated pleas, the cruise line has yet to respond. For now, the group remains stranded — relying on each other’s courage, faith, and kindness to get through the ordeal.

Sometimes, the real journey begins only after the ship has sailed.