Sounds like issues.
https://thenightly.com.au/australia/queensland/lizard-island-cruise-coral-expeditions-insider-alleges-staff-shortages-pressure-before-suzanne-rees-death-c-20557438

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like she turned around as the trail was too difficult and everyone thought she would head back down the trail to the ship but for some unknown reason she went off trail and didn't go back down to the ship. Either she got lost or was disoriented or was already suffering a medical event. I don't think the hikers did anything wrong. I am sure it isn't uncommon for people to turn back on hikes and go back to the ship - by parents did that twice on excursions on their cruise.

They were wrong for not doing a count and realizing she was missing. We don't know when or why she died so it isn't clear if she could have lived if they had found her before sailing or not.

She very likely died immediately, probably a stroke or something of the sort. There's no other good explanation why she wouldn't have been able to stay alive overnight.

This or foul play.

Probably a boulder.

She probably stumbled across a growop and was killed to protect the location. The captain is smuggling the drugs off the island.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like she turned around as the trail was too difficult and everyone thought she would head back down the trail to the ship but for some unknown reason she went off trail and didn't go back down to the ship. Either she got lost or was disoriented or was already suffering a medical event. I don't think the hikers did anything wrong. I am sure it isn't uncommon for people to turn back on hikes and go back to the ship - by parents did that twice on excursions on their cruise.

They were wrong for not doing a count and realizing she was missing. We don't know when or why she died so it isn't clear if she could have lived if they had found her before sailing or not.

She very likely died immediately, probably a stroke or something of the sort. There's no other good explanation why she wouldn't have been able to stay alive overnight.

This or foul play.

Probably a boulder.

She fell off a cliff. The excursion was listed as “a very difficult hike requiring a high level of fitness and good balance.” It was an organized hike, including staff members from the cruise ship. At 80, she was still healthy, active and hiked often. Not frail. But she was not feeling well, and they left her.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like she turned around as the trail was too difficult and everyone thought she would head back down the trail to the ship but for some unknown reason she went off trail and didn't go back down to the ship. Either she got lost or was disoriented or was already suffering a medical event. I don't think the hikers did anything wrong. I am sure it isn't uncommon for people to turn back on hikes and go back to the ship - by parents did that twice on excursions on their cruise.

They were wrong for not doing a count and realizing she was missing. We don't know when or why she died so it isn't clear if she could have lived if they had found her before sailing or not.

She very likely died immediately, probably a stroke or something of the sort. There's no other good explanation why she wouldn't have been able to stay alive overnight.

This or foul play.

Tragically there has been a catastrophic failure of all passenger safety and security systems on this cruise A wide ranging and stringent investigation is needed heads must roll Very sadly not the first time this type of incident has happened on a Great Barrier cruise
OBVIOUSLY SOME IMPORTANT SYSTEMS NOT WORKING SEE BELOW
Incidents like this are rare, and cruise ships have systems to record which passengers are embarking or disembarking
Cruise lines take these procedures very seriously and have "clever tech in place to prevent such incidents from happening. This is most likely a shocking - and tragic - one-off" Harriet Mallison, cruise editor of travel website Sailawaze

The Australian headlines report that according to Queensland police the Captain refused to speak to search and rescue. Paywall so can't read article.

The 60 day cruise is now cancelled due to Suzanne Rees' death "and mechanical issues" whatever those were. I hope police and marine agencies get their act together and interview passengers before Coral flies them home.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15248253/Cruise-left-80-year-old-woman-island-die-finally-cancelled.html

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like she turned around as the trail was too difficult and everyone thought she would head back down the trail to the ship but for some unknown reason she went off trail and didn't go back down to the ship. Either she got lost or was disoriented or was already suffering a medical event. I don't think the hikers did anything wrong. I am sure it isn't uncommon for people to turn back on hikes and go back to the ship - by parents did that twice on excursions on their cruise.

They were wrong for not doing a count and realizing she was missing. We don't know when or why she died so it isn't clear if she could have lived if they had found her before sailing or not.

She very likely died immediately, probably a stroke or something of the sort. There's no other good explanation why she wouldn't have been able to stay alive overnight.

Anonymous wrote:Call me crazy, but I usually try to avoid places called Lizard Island.

I've stayed there. You are crazy.

Call me crazy, but I usually try to avoid places called Lizard Island.

The excursion company should have had enough staff so that someone stayed with her.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t read all the responses but, as someone who cruises often, the ship will leave you if you don’t show up on time. What’s different about this?

What's different is she told people she was feeling tired, she was 80. Tired could mean heart problems. That's just common sense to take care of old people not feeling well.

Playing devils advocate, I can understand why another passenger wouldn’t want to stay with her. They paid all this money and want to fully enjoy the hike and excursion.

I’m assuming the company didn’t assign enough staff so that someone could stay behind with a passenger who didn’t feel well. The company is responsible for that.

Nah - I was raised right. Would never leave an old person behind.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t read all the responses but, as someone who cruises often, the ship will leave you if you don’t show up on time. What’s different about this?

What's different is she told people she was feeling tired, she was 80. Tired could mean heart problems. That's just common sense to take care of old people not feeling well.

Playing devils advocate, I can understand why another passenger wouldn’t want to stay with her. They paid all this money and want to fully enjoy the hike and excursion.

I’m assuming the company didn’t assign enough staff so that someone could stay behind with a passenger who didn’t feel well. The company is responsible for that.

Here's an excellent video summary based on interviews with former crew, passengers, insiders. 5:30 or so he makes the point it's NOT like a cruise where if you miss the boat it is on you. It's an expedition cruise with 40+ off ship explorations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rXOvhWbGB4

There is a resort. But see above it takes effort to get to. If they had looked for her before leaving and she was still alive, resort can call seaplane and has some medical supplies including those at a research station other side of island. (I have stayed at Lizard as well as gone on that ship, different times).

I saw a news article that said it was about 86F not bad sounding but the sun intensity is much greater that close to the equator. Suzanne Rees came from Sydney, where spring is under way, so she would have noticed heat. It was first excursion of the voyage.

On the Indonesia trip I took on that boat, it was so hot I honestly thought I would drop crossing the tarmac from the plane to terminal. We had come from DC in December.