Utah family stranded in Houston by Harvey

HOUSTON, Texas — Several members of an extended Utah family are stuck in Houston after their cruise was canceled because of Hurricane Harvey.

It was supposed to be Michael Magnusson’s parents’ 50th wedding anniversary celebration.

“They are doing their best to keep their spirits up,” he said in a Skype conversation with KSL on Monday morning.

Magnusson says they knew the hurricane was on the way before they left on Friday, but Royal Caribbean kept telling them everything was going to be fine, so they flew to Houston.

Then their ship docked in Miami instead.

“I think everyone in the family is frustrated that they didn’t give us more advance notice,” Magnusson said.

One night at a hotel has now spread to three.  And the 18 family members from Alpine and Bluffdale are spread throughout Houston in different hotels, and they can’t get to each other through the flooded streets.

The rain keeps pouring down outside their windows, the hotel has started leaking, and the food supplies are running low.

“That’s our biggest concern. They have an employee with a big truck, and they are going to try to go out and get some food and things like that,” said Magnusson.

His four children ages 17 to 7 are getting bored and would rather be in school. But they are trying to stay positive.

“We have hotel rooms with power and with internet. We could be a lot worse off,” he said.

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