RSS36 Year Old Jennifer Seitz Missing Aboard Norwegian Pearl Cruise Ship Near Cancun, Mexico … Reported Fallen Overboard
36 year old Jennifer Seitz was reported missing on Friday, December 26, 2008 
at 5:00 AM EDT. Seitz was aboard the Norwegian Pearl when she reportedly fell from the cruise ship. Search efforts have found no sign of Jennifer Feitz who fell into the sea from the cruise ship east of Isla Mujeres,” an island just off the coast from Cancun. The husband of 36 year old Jennifer Feitz told cruise ship personnel about 3:50 a.m. that he couldn’t find her.
Three Mexican Navy boats and a helicopter were searching the waters off the Caribbean resort of Cancun on Friday for an American woman who reportedly fell from a cruise ship, authorities said.
A U.S. Coast Guard search-and-rescue crew using a Falcon jet halted its efforts to find 36-year-old Jennifer Seitz late Friday, but will resume Saturday morning using a larger C-130 aircraft, said Petty Officer Third Class Nick Ameen.
Feitz’s husband reported her missing from the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship just before 5 a.m. EST Friday. Her hometown was not available.
CNN: Searchers see no sign of missing cruise ship passenger
The search was centered about 15 miles east of Cancun, Mexico, in the Caribbean Sea, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Nick Ameen, a Coast Guard spokesman.
“Initial reports indicate the guest may have gone overboard while the ship was at sea, east of Cancun,” a spokeswoman for the Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line said in a statement.
AnneMarie Mathews said the ship left Miami on Sunday on a seven-day western Caribbean cruise.
To discuss the case more and provide your own insight and opinion, go to Scared Monkeys.net: Missing Persons Forum.
UPDATE I: Missing Cruise Passenger Could Be Alive in Warm Waters of Mexico’s Gulf Coast
UPDATE II: Family of Missing Jennifer Ellis-Seitz Believe she Jumped
The family of missing Jennifer Ellis-Seitz have stated that she suffered from emotional problems in the past. They do not believe that there was foul play, only an unfortunate ending to her life.
Family members on Monday said she previously had suffered from emotional problems.
“The family suspects that Jennifer chose an unfortunate ending to her life,” family members said in a press release e-mailed to FLORIDA TODAY. “She was a beautiful and caring person and will be truly missed by all who love her.”
Family members say that Ellis-Seitz and her husband, Raymond, were celebrating their one-year anniversary on the cruise. They had invited Ellis’ mother along.
“There were no outward signs or indication of anything being wrong or unusual,” both families said in the joint statement. “Jennifer, however, has had previous emotional issues.”
UPDATE III: Missing Cruise Passenger Was Bipolar
UPDATE IV: Missing Cruise Passenger Probe May Take Weeks
Court records show Raymond Seitz was arrested in April after Ellis-Seitz called 911 and told authorities he grabbed her wrist when they were arguing and hit her forehead with his forehead. About two weeks later, she signed a written statement saying she wanted the charges dismissed.
In the written statement, she said “the charges are overblown and that there were underlying aggravations, including my own actions.”
Court records show Seitz completed a domestic violence course and that charges against him were dismissed.
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25 Responses to “36 Year Old Jennifer Seitz Missing Aboard Norwegian Pearl Cruise Ship Near Cancun, Mexico … Reported Fallen Overboard”
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Hmmm. Shades of Jennifer Hagel-Smith? Can’t think of a better place to get rid of spouse than a cruise ship, seeing as how on-ship “investigations” don’t usually delve too deeply into what really happened.
Ridiculous that so many folks go overboard–surely some of them have help “falling” off the ship.
Let’s not forget Amy Bradley … by the way, as I’m sure we all remember, it wasn’t Jennifer Hagel-Smith who disappeared from the cruise ship in the Mediterranean in June 2005 (one month after Natalee went missing in Aruba) …
It was her newlywed husband, George Smith.
As a pure coincidence, which of course means nothing to the case, Jennifer Hagel-Smith, upon her return to the U.S., sabotaged the family’s quest for a full investigation.
She cut herself a separate deal with Royal Caribbean in return for a decent-sized amount of cash, thereby frustrating the family’s wishes to see the case through to the end.
Of course, we aren’t to suspect any impure motive on her part ….
Remember, Nana, the information that you and I see on these cases is filtered through the cruise lines.
No eyewitness to this disappearance … but of course, the cruise line already is steering us in the direction it wants us to take.
Just as it does with all of the outbreaks of disease on board … invariably, it’s brought on by a passenger, or so we’re told.
I thought the Cruise Ships installed 24hr cameras to watch for jumpers or murders? I would not go on these nightmare trips. You get sick from a virus, or you get fed to the fishes.
Thank you, Richard, as I was not clear in my statement about Hagel-Smith. Her reluctance to talk, and her subsequent settlement with the cruise line, made me sick. I cannot imagine the horror the Smith family lives with every day.
Hopefully, for the latest family to have a member go missing, there will be evidence to help figure out what happened. Yes, I was rushing to judgment about the husband, perhaps fueled by the many stories in 2008 of women killed or “disappeared” by their husbands or boyfriends.
Amy’s family, too, must wonder always about their girl, as do the families of other missing people. To never know what happened to their loved one must be its own kind of hell on earth.
Good grief! Sure seems to be problems with people falling overboard on cruise ships weather accidentally or on purpose.
I just thought I wanted to take a cruise for my anniversary. NEVER MIND!
I’ve been on the Norwegian Gem and there is close to one thousand cameras on the ship. I believe they can track her moves aboard or at least narrow down the time to when and where she was last seen.
Exactly. As a frequent traveler on Cruise Ships, trust me, people don’t just “fall” overboard. For a passenger to go overboard, they were 1) doing something really dumb (like sitting or standing on a rail), 2) someone tossing her over, or 3)the person actually jumping off the ship.
That, or in the case of Amy Bradley where she was most likely taken off the ship against her will.
Yes, there can be outbreaks of Noro Virus on cruise ships, but trust me, you can also catch the same thing any any public place if you don’t follow the appropriate precautions. The reason why you hear about it so much on cruise ships is because this group stays together long enough for people to realize where it started.
The virus comes from people who do not wash their hands and then touch things other people touch (hand rails, salt and pepper shakers, doors, etc). This can happen in Restaurants, hotels, casinos (a big one) airports, etc. But usually in these public places people disperse and those that get sick can’t equate it with others who also get sick.
Using the sanitizers, washing your hands frequently and being careful to avoid touching as many common items as possible especially if you are about to eat is very important and a great way to avoid contacting the virus. We’ve probably taken 20 cruises and have been on several ships where there has been an outbreak, but we have been fortunately enough to never contact it. However, we do take a lot of precautions as we do in other public places.
We have also found cruise ships to take great precautions when an outbreak happens, requiring everyone to use the sanitizer when entering the dining areas, putting sanitizers in many places for voluntary use, taking all common items off tables (like salt and pepper and having them served to you instead), shutting down buffets or requiring servers to serve from the buffet, frequently washing down hand rails, putting up informational signs etc.
I should add that unfortunately it is true that when something “bad” happens, cruise lines do go into cover-up mode. IMHO this is bad PR. Unfortunately Passengers need to protect themselves and carefully document what happened, when and how it happened, any witnesses, take pictures, document who you notified and when, if an illness or injury see the ship doctor right away.
We did have a case one time with bedbugs in our room. We watched the cruise staff go into denial mode even when they changed our room. I visited the doctor and he simply could not deny they were bed bug bites and since we’d been at sea for 2 days when it started – it was clear it came from the ship. True, they never admitted it – but changing our room (an upgrade) did the trick.
I think that all cruise ships should publish the guest lists of those who are traveling on a ship where “someone falls off ship into the ocean”.
They should see if the killer likes to travel and is listed on the passenger ship of each ship.
They should also check their staff list of employees to see if the killer might be employeed by the cruise ship.
Until the cruise lines do more to protect their passengers I will never book a cruise with any of them. According to news statements I’ve heard, Americans are not protected when in International waters and you are at the mercy of each respective country’s laws when in their domain~including the oceans. Too many unsolved crimes have happened at sea and the cruise ship’s companies seem unwilling, unable, or indifferent to the plight of these individuals who have fallen prey to a crime or been abused by-God forbid-their own employees. For example, where is George Smith and the most recent passenger, Jennifer Feitz? You can’t tell me someone didn’t see something. The ships seem to have video…apparently, it’s not a good enough taping job to tell anything. There’s something suspicious about the number of people going missing from these ships. Do they even do a thorough background check on the individuals they employ? What about the teenager that went missing years ago from the ship and the poor family still doesn’t know what happened to their daughter. It doesn’t appear that they got much, if any, assistance from the cruise lines.
Our prayers go out to Mrs. Seitz and her family. We hope that she is brought home safely to you all.
Our fight is far from over. We hope to post here one day that George’s perpetrator(s) and those people that have covered up his murder have been arrested. In the meantime, our family continues to fight daily for justice for George. We appreciate all of the support from Red and the Scared Monkeys community.
Smith family
Now, listen up people, there are thousands of cameras aboard NCL ships, I would like to see some of the last footage of this passenger. I worked on the H/S Pride of Hawaii (NCL ship). Something is not above board with the NCL personnel. That was a real phony video on ABC News. Anyone could take that with their flip camera. Seriously, there are web cams everywhere for staff to look at the pax. My questions is, does NCL not save the footage?
I have also been on many cruises around the world on a few different cruise lines and feel that there is no way that someone could “fall” off, unless they were pushed/drugged/murdered, or committed suicide. There must be film footage of this incident, too, and a full investigation has to be done on the passenger’s/victim’s spouse! I think that accusing the cruise staff of any wrong doing would be a stretch….
Gigi, take a look at the Web site of International Cruise Victims. There are loads of cases where crew members have been implicated … and the cruise lines did nothing about it. Often people are hired with little or no background checks.
Here’s an update … this story says that video was found of her falling, but it doesn’t say whether she was seen jumping, falling, or being pushed or thrown overboard. Nor does it give any other details, such as whether anyone was seen near her.
Seems odd to me.
Dec 29, 2008 7:57 am US/Eastern
Clue To Cruise Ship Passenger’s Disappearance
Passenger Reported Missing From the Norwegian “Pearl”
Coast Guard Searching East Of Cancun, Mexico
MEXICO CITY (CBS4) ? Investigators now have another piece of the puzzle as they look into a woman’s disappearance aboard a Miami-based cruise ship.
The U.S. Coast Guard reports a surveillance video from NCL’s Pearl shows a woman falling overboard at 8:08 p.m. on Friday, December 26th. According to the Coast Guard, the husband of 36-year old Jennifer Seitz reported her missing to cruise ship security personnel hours later. Cruise ship personnel conducted a comprehensive search of the ship. When they didn’t find her, they then contacted the Coast Guard for assistance.
“Initial reports indicate the guest may have gone overboard while the ship was at sea, east of Cancun,” NCL said in a statement.
Three ships from Mexico’s Navy, a helicopter and vessels from the U.S. Coast Guard have resumed their search in the waters off the Caribbean resort of Cancun for a woman who may have fallen from the Miami-based cruise ship Norwegian Pearl.
A U.S. Coast Guard search-and-rescue crew used a Falcon jet to try and find Seitz on Friday and continued the search over the weekend using a larger C-130 aircraft, said Petty Officer Third Class Nick Ameen. Three ships from Mexico’s Navy and a helicopter also participated in the search but were unable to find any trace of Seitz.
The Pearl returned to the Port of Miami on Sunday.
The FBI is now involved in the investigation to determine if any foul play was involved. Special agents searched the Seitz’s cabin when the ship docked in Miami; they’ve also interviewed a number of passengers.
This seems odd to me … according to this story, the cruise line has found video footage of this woman falling from the ship. Yet there is no mention of whether she was (as some people say may be possible) sitting or walking on the railing, or whether she jumped, was pushed, or was thrown.
Nor does it say anything such as whether anyone was seen standing near her on deck. Seems odd.
Dec 29, 2008 7:57 am US/Eastern
Clue To Cruise Ship Passenger’s Disappearance
Passenger Reported Missing From the Norwegian “Pearl”
Coast Guard Searching East Of Cancun, Mexico
MEXICO CITY (CBS4) ? Investigators now have another piece of the puzzle as they look into a woman’s disappearance aboard a Miami-based cruise ship.
The U.S. Coast Guard reports a surveillance video from NCL’s Pearl shows a woman falling overboard at 8:08 p.m. on Friday, December 26th. According to the Coast Guard, the husband of 36-year old Jennifer Seitz reported her missing to cruise ship security personnel hours later. Cruise ship personnel conducted a comprehensive search of the ship. When they didn’t find her, they then contacted the Coast Guard for assistance.
“Initial reports indicate the guest may have gone overboard while the ship was at sea, east of Cancun,” NCL said in a statement.
Three ships from Mexico’s Navy, a helicopter and vessels from the U.S. Coast Guard have resumed their search in the waters off the Caribbean resort of Cancun for a woman who may have fallen from the Miami-based cruise ship Norwegian Pearl.
A U.S. Coast Guard search-and-rescue crew used a Falcon jet to try and find Seitz on Friday and continued the search over the weekend using a larger C-130 aircraft, said Petty Officer Third Class Nick Ameen. Three ships from Mexico’s Navy and a helicopter also participated in the search but were unable to find any trace of Seitz.
The Pearl returned to the Port of Miami on Sunday.
The FBI is now involved in the investigation to determine if any foul play was involved. Special agents searched the Seitz’s cabin when the ship docked in Miami; they’ve also interviewed a number of passengers.
I’ve tried twice to post the latest update, but for some reason it won’t take.
Anyway, the cruise line says that it has found video of the woman falling from the ship. This apparently took place hours before her husband reported her missing.
But it doesn’t say anything else: whether, for example, she was sitting or walking on the railing. Or whether she jumped, was pushed, or was thrown from the ship. Or whether anyone was with her or near her on deck. Seems odd.
Hmmmm, look at the time her husband reported her missing versus when she “fell” overboard and you have your answer, IMHO.
Again, people do not “fall” off cruise ships unaided.
I don’t think it is fair to blame the cruiseline. I personally just went on this cruise on 12/7 -12/14 and was honored to meet the captain of the Pearl. He is a good man and I am sure he is devistated that this happened on his ship. You can put all sorts of precautions in place but people will be people and you can’t control their actions no matter what you do. These are not random acts of violence. It is premeditated murder. Cruises are safe.
According to this article, which came out about two hours ago, members of the family believe … or SAY they believe … that she chose to end her life.
But then the information that they give about her being happy, etc., seems to contradict this.
Maybe we’ll learn more.
Family of missing cruise woman believes she jumped
12/29/2008
MIAMI – The family of a missing cruise ship passenger said Monday that they suspect the woman “chose an unfortunate ending to her life” and jumped from a cruise ship balcony into the waters off Mexico’s coast on Christmas night.
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Monday for Jennifer Ellis Seitz, a Florida journalist, after combing more than 4,200 square miles off the coast of the popular resort area of Cancun, where the ship had just visited. Mexican authorities said they would continue their search for another 48 hours.
Seitz had “previous emotional issues,” yet there were no outward signs of distress while on the seven-night cruise from Miami, her family said in a statement given to one of her former employers, The News Chief in Winter Haven. Seitz’s mother joined her daughter and son-in-law on the cruise.
“Jennifer was in a very happy and uplifted mood both before and during the cruise,” the Ellis family said in the statement. “She was excited about starting a new job and her future career with a local newspaper. She and her husband had been talking about starting their family. The family suspects that Jennifer chose an unfortunate ending to her life. She was a beautiful and caring person and will be truly missed by all who love her.”
Seitz and her husband, Raymond, were celebrating their one-year anniversary on the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship.
A surveillance camera showed someone falling overboard at 8 p.m. Christmas night, authorities said. About eight hours later, Raymond Seitz reported his wife missing.
FBI spokesman Mike Leverock says agents met the ship at the dock in Miami on Sunday, collected materials and “are still trying to determine if a crime occurred.”
Norwegian Cruise Line said it is “cooperating fully” with the FBI.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the guest during this difficult time,” the company said in a news release.
Raymond Seitz has not been charged with any crime, authorities said Monday. A message left seeking comment at the couple’s house wasn’t immediately returned, and a call to the paving company that employs him rang unanswered.
The couple met in a weight loss support group; both had undergone bariatric surgery. She chronicled her weight loss journey for an Orlando TV station.
She was also a freelance writer, having written articles for The Tampa Tribune, The Ledger in Lakeland, and an online article titled, “Battling the Bulge Onboard,” about how not to gain weight while aboard a ship.
On her Web site, Seitz described herself as an “avid traveler and an amateur chef.” She was previously a reporter for Florida Today, a newspaper in Melbourne.
Raymond Seitz was arrested in April on a charge of domestic violence-battery after being accused of head-butting his wife. The charge was dropped after he entered a pretrial diversion program. Records show that she asked the prosecutor not to pursue the case.
A fellow passenger on the ship, Jim Nestor, told NBC’s Today show that Seitz and her new husband stood out on the ship with “large and raw personalities.”
Many of the passengers saw them as contestants on an on-board game called “The Not-So-Newlywed Game,” modeled after a 1960s TV quiz show. The game was also carried on the ship’s closed-circuit TV channel.
“They stood out a lot more than other people,” Nestor, a retired police officer, told NBC.
Nestor, who appeared on the game show with his own wife, said he ran into Raymond Seitz day after his wife was reported missing.
“I had given him my condolences, and he had a plastic bag filled with quarters, and he said to me that he was going to the casino to see if he could change his luck,” Nestor said.
(end of article)
Judging on what the family say, this woman sounds like anything except a suicide.
Maybe the family wants to say “suicide” to prevent the loser husband form collecting on her insurance policy? Ever think of that angle???
They still haven’t found the film?!?!?!!
Dont they pay out insurance when suicide involved, they do in UK.
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