Remember When 9-11

President Proclaims Patriot Day, Day of Remembrance  

By a joint resolution approved December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89), the Congress has designated September 11 of each year as “Patriot Day,” and by Public Law 111-13, approved April 21, 2009, the Congress has requested the observance of September 11 as an annually recognized “National Day of Service and Remembrance”. President Trump officially proclaimed September 11, 2019, as Patriot Day.

In his remarks, the President said "On Patriot Day, we solemnly remember the nearly 3,000 people who perished on September 11, 2001. With gratitude, we honor the brave first responders, resolute members of our military, and ordinary Americans who showed extraordinary courage to save others on that fateful day. We will always be grateful for the heroic men and women of our Armed Forces who fought in defense of our country in the aftermath of the largest terrorist attack on American soil, and we will never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our liberty and freedom. "

He continued, "Many Americans vividly recall the precise moment when terrorists killed our fellow Americans at the World Trade Center in New York City; at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia; and on a quiet field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. A beautiful September morning was marred by stark disbelief, agonizing sorrow, and profound suffering. America’s strength, courage, and compassion, however, never wavered. First responders instantly rushed into harm’s way to save their fellow Americans from the wreckage of the attacks, the passengers and crew of United Flight 93 decisively fought back and saved countless lives at the cost of their own, and Americans from across the country provided aid, assistance, and comfort to those in need. Against the backdrop of cowardly acts of terror, America once again demonstrated to the world the unmatched strength of our resolve and the indomitable power of our character. ”

View our WTC Memorial Album on Shutterfly

During our pre-conference stay in New York in 2013, we decided to revisit the site of the World Trade Center.  The site was quite different from the last time we were there.   Rebuilding of the towers was moving along nicely.  The 9/11 Memorial fountains had been completed.  Click on the link above to view the album.

click on images to enlarge

Remembering 9/11/2001

As President Trump said, we vividly remember where we were on 9/11.  Each year we recall where we were when learning about the terrorist attacks.   We were on the inaugural voyage of Norwegian Sun, thousands of miles from home in Paris, France.   Our tour bus was filled with our fellow passengers, the majority of whom lived in New York.  The transatlantic cruise, we were on, was originally scheduled to conclude in New York but ended in Boston instead.

What was to have been a celebration of our 25th Anniversary, quickly became a very unique experience as we observed the hospitality and caring from so many people across the globe as our journey home continued.  Today as we celebrate our 43rd Anniversary, we once again reflect on the moment we learned about the events unfolding thousands of miles away from where we were. 

See our article from 2011, FDNY May We Never Forget, on the 10th anniversary, as we recalled our journey back to New York to visit the site of the World Trade Center attacks.  Should your cruise vacation plans include New York, we recommend spending some time at the WTC Memorial and other historic sites in the city.
 

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Keeping Us Safe

September 10, 2001 we sailed out of Southampton (London), England on the inaugural voyage of Norwegian Sun. This 17-night cruise was a Trans-Atlantic crossing which followed the Path of the Vikings. The final port of call was to be New York, NY but as you might expect, that was not possible.

On September 11, 2001, the cruise industry, along with every other travel industry, was changed forever by the events that took place in New York city. While safety had always been a cruise line concern, it was never at a higher level than it was when we returned to the United States.

A few days before our scheduled return to the United States, we learned that we would be diverting to Boston instead of New York. NCL would make arrangements for everyone to get home from there. They even opened up the phone lines free of charge so that everyone could call home and let their loved ones know about the change of plans.

These were extraordinary times during the entire cruise. The majority of the passengers were from New York, and you can just imagine the emotions onboard the ship.

It was shortly after dawn as we entered Boston Harbor. We immediately got our first glimpse of how the world had changed. A U.S. Coast Guard gunboat was alongside our ship escorting us into harbor. In fact, there were several of the gunboats alongside our ship. It was an eerie sight to see the boats, however it was also very comforting.

Travel had changed dramatically from the time we left on this cruise until the time we returned home. We had met people in Canada that had helped to shelter passengers that had been stranded when the airplanes were grounded. We got our first experience with the new security checking at Logan Airport.

Fortunately, the travel industry recovered and resumed operations following the devastating events of 9/11. Security is now a fact of life, both at the airports, and at cruise terminals. You'll look out from the upper decks of your ship and you'll always see U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Homeland Security, and other police agencies present while the ship is in harbor. We have witnessed them chase down supsicious boats and turn them away. Thanks to their presence, we can feel safe onboard the ship while we are in harbor.

Thank you to all the members of the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Homeland Security and other agencies that keep the cruise passengers safe. Next time you are on a ship, be sure to wave a thank you to the men and women that keep us safe.