Missing person? No, accidental tourist

A cruise passenger reported missing in St. Maarten had merely missed her ship, then checked into a hotel for several days on the island, according to the St. Maarten Daily Herald, after Carnival Valor sailed without New Jersey resident Kathleen Feeney on March 1.

Meanwhile, while she was "missing," the newspaper reported that Feeney "loved her stay on the island," and "had a wonderful time." It seems Feeney was having difficulty managing the logistics of flying back to the United States without her passport, which she had left onboard the ship, and didn't know she was considered a "missing person."

While a passport is not yet required to re-enter the US from the Caribbean by cruise ship, it is needed to return by air, so special arrangements needed to be made.

The mystery was resolved after local residents recognized "missing person" photos of Feeney that had appeared in the local press, and notified authorities, who then verified that Feeney was well. Carnival's local agents also provided assistance, helping Feeney arrange her airplane ticket home and ending her accidental St. Maarten vacation.