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A Cruise Ship Was Stuck in Port for the Weirdest Reason

Apeksha Bhateja Apeksha Bhateja |
Photo by Anastasia Eremina on Unsplash

And other news that you may have missed.

This week in travel, we have several stories that may have flown under your radar. Among them: a disruptive passenger caused a flight diversion because he wanted to sit next to his girlfriend; Thailand has lifted a ban on alcohol sales in the afternoon to boost tourism; meanwhile, Bali is trying to control mass tourism by removing an under-construction tourist lift on the cliffside.

Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.

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Bali to Demolish Tourist Elevator After Environmental Violations

The governor of Bali has ordered that a tourist structure on popular tourist island Nusa Penida be removed. The 180-meter glass elevator on the cliffside was planned to take tourists to the “T-Rex Point” from the Kelingking Beach. However, the government found that the construction violated many environmental and construction codes. Governor I Wayan Koster made the decision to protect nature and culture.

The work stopped in late October, with 70% of the construction complete, and the governor wants the structure demolished within six months. A glass lift was planned at the attraction to bring people up the cliff, giving an alternative to the steep climb. However, the project lacked local oversight as the builder obtained permits directly from the central government.

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At Least 25 People Die in Nightclub Fire in Goa

On Saturday at midnight, a fire broke out in a popular nightclub in India’s beach destination Goa, and killed at least 25 people. Most of the people who died in the Birch by Romeo Lane fire were staff members working in the basement, where the flames started. The police have arrested four people, including the manager, while they are still looking for the owner.

Goa is a former Portuguese colony and is famous for its beaches and nightlife. In the first six months of the year, it welcomed around 5.5 million visitors, among them 270,000 were international tourists.  



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Thailand Lifts Ban on Afternoon Sales of Alcohol

Thailand has reversed a decades-old ban on alcohol sales in the afternoon. Since 1972, it has not been allowed to sell spirits between 2 pm and 5 pm to discourage government employees from drinking during working hours. However, the government has now lifted this ban, and now restaurants and shops can sell alcohol from 11 am to midnight. 

This is an initiative to boost tourism in the country, and the trial will be implemented for the next 180 days. 

Related: I Spent a Week in This Country Getting Daily Massages for Less Than a Gym Membership

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Cruise Ship Gets Stuck at Port Due to Falling Fruits

A cruise ship was delayed for a bizarre reason: sixteen shipping containers filled with bananas, plantain, and avocados fell from a cargo ship off Isle of Wight, England. The incident happened on Saturday, and the P&O cruiseship Iona had to stay at port Southampton for the night. The cruise, which has a capacity of 2,500, was taking its guests to Spain, the Canary Islands, and Portugal on a 14-day itinerary.

The coastguard advised people to avoid the area and report anything they found. “Those who fail to declare items within 28 days are breaking the law and may have further action taken against them.”

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Passenger Causes Emergency Landing in a Bid to Sit Next to Girlfriend

A flight from Tokyo to Shanghai returned to its place of departure after a man demanded to sit next to his girlfriend. The disruptive passenger insisted while boarding that he wanted to be seated next to his partner, and continued to hassle the crew during the flight when his request to swap the seat was declined. Almost two hours after take-off, he was still arguing about the short flight and ultimately, the flight returned to Tokyo, where he was removed by the police on arrival. 

One person said that they were just 30 minutes from their destination when the flight was redirected. “It was very frustrating. He could have settled down so everybody could reach their destination,” they said.