nbc's emilie ikeda is in the flood zone for us tonight. >> reporter: tonight, first responders fanning out across the battered northeast, as lingering floodwaters from monday's monstrous storm continue stranding families >> obviously with the water starting to crest now, it's only going to get worse before it gets better. >> reporter: with parts of maine and new jersey under states of emergency. michele called for help when water rose around her home with her sister still inside what was going your mind >> traumatic the water is disgusting and i want her safe. >> reporter: we followed the rescue team to the family's doorstep >> getting through the floodwaters as quick as possible, with minimal time within the water. >> reporter: the 14-year-old climbing to safety before she was met by a warm embrace back on dry ground a stark contrast, a sunny day paired with flooded roadways even without rain, parts of the passaic river could remain in flood stage through at least friday floodwaters blocking fire trucks from reaching this burning home today across the northeast, at least five people d

emilie ikeda has late details. ♪ >> reporter: on the first night of hanukkah, police across new yorkamping up patrols at jewish sites after gunfire caused a major scare at temple israel in albany this afternoon. >> shotgun and a hoodie in the parking lot nearby a report of one shot heard. >> reporter: officials say the suspect is a 28-year-old local who was walking around outside the synagogue and acting very suspicious >> according to witnesses, he fired off a round from a shotgun while making threatening statements >> reporter: law enforcement now investigating the shooting as a hate crime. >> we were told by responding officers that he made a comment, "free palestine. >> reporter: on the synagogue's premises, two dozen preschoolers it was the director of the early childhood center who first heard the shots and called 911, according to officials. the suspect, who has a rap sheet, was apprehended in a neighboring parking lot. >> thankfully, at this time, no one was injured in this incident but the fear that it has wreaked and the fear and the anxiety that it has caused, i know a lot

emilie ikeda, nbc news >>> we've got a lot more to tell you about tonight. coming up, coverage for necessary medical care routinely denied. our investigation of medicare advantage plans, next. >>> we're back now with our nbc news investigation into medicare advantage, those medicare-approved plans offered by private companies millions use them, but we found they routinely reject claims for necessary care as sam brock reports, it's devastating hospitals in rural america. >> reporter: this was once the geriatric psychiatry unit at alliance health care in holly springs, mississippi. now the hallways hollow and beds sitting empty. this operating room only a few years ago was doing five or six procedures a day now zero dr. kenneth williams is the ceo he says the hospital can no longer afford the unit, or any in-patient care, for that matter. all of this used to service people that really needed help and now it's totally empty. >> it's empty. it's gone. and it died the last few years with medicare advantage >> reporter: medicare advantage is a private alternative

but first the latest on the storm from emilie ikeda >> reporter: with whipping winds and torrential rain, a monster storm is leaving behind a mess for millions tonight after barreling up the east coast wind gusts topping 60 miles an hour in at least seven states today, downing trees onto homes and cars and wiping out power to nearly 800,000 at one point. >> it was raining too hard and the wind was blowing and everything was so crazy here. >> reporter: parts of new york and new jersey declaring emergencies after fast-rising floodwaters stranded drivers and caught families by surprise first responders jumping into action. >> you can't even make out the roadway here in bayshore, new york where floodwaters are now creeping toward people's homes >> i didn't think it was going to get this bad. >> reporter: in vermont fire officials evacuated a village inundated by a dangerous combination of rain and snow melt. >> what we are experiencing today is dangerous and there will be damages. >> reporter: it's the same system that sent a car hydroplaning into another, killing two people in durham and sp

one man in maine and another massachusetts emilie ikeda has the latest >> reporter: with whipping winds and torrential rain, a monster storm is leaving behind a mess for millions after barrelling up the east coast wind gusts topping 60 miles per hour in at least seven states, downin downing trees and cars >> it was raining too hard and the wind was blowing, and everything was so crazy here >> reporter: parts of new jersey and new york declaring states of merge. first responders jumping into action you can't even make out the rod way here in bay shore, new york, where floodwaters are now criming creeping towards people's homes. >> reporter: officials evacuated a village inundated by a dangerous combination of rain and snow melt. >> there will be damages >> reporter: it's the statement system that sent a car hydroplaning into another killing two people in durham and spawn add tornado outside of myrtle beach nearby, a 35,000 pound semi-truck flipped >> never had a case where i ever thought i'd flip over. >> reporter: while in the great lakes region, snow squalls led to this mass eive pileu

here's emilie ikeda. >> reporter: there's zoe, the sweetest girl, dust bunny, and sherman, the box turtleca was very deeply loved these are the faces of the pet memorial christmas tree the exact location within central park is left unpublished for passers-by to stumble upon with surprise. >> her name is pebbles. >> reporter: others seeking out the 18-foot evergreen to add their own, oftentimes tearful, tribute. >> first holiday without them. >> reporter: brittany vega's family lost two of their dachshunds after 15 years >> it's so nice to have this little moment of just appreciation of them. >> reporter: the tree is decorated during the holidays with the help of volunteers like ann marie rakovic and larry closs. they say the tradition dates back to the 1980s started by two friends who noticed dog toys on the tree and then brought mementos of their own. >> and then each year more and more things accumulate. >> we're on our way to the pet memorial tree. >> reporter: rakovic now leads a walking group to visit this year 80 people showed up. >> to have a place where you can publicly demonstrat

emilie ikeda, nbc news, new york. >>> and that's "nightly news" for this evening.ing, everyone. i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night. >>> a whopper of a storm. freeways flooding, soaked streets and slick roads. it led to a messy commute. good afternoon. welcome to nbc bay area news at 4:30. the brunt of the storm is now moving on, but are chief meteorologist jeff ranieri is tracking what's in store the rest of the night and week into christmas. we are tracking other stories on this wednesday including a mailbox

emilie ikeda, nbc news. >>> we've got a lot more to tell you about tonight.g up, coverage for necessary medical care routinely denied. our investigation of medicare advantage plans, next. in this market, you'll find fisher investments is different than other money managers. (other money manager) different how? aren't we all just looking for the hottest stocks? (fisher investments) nope. we use diversified strategies to position our clients' portfolios for their long-term goals. (other money manager) but you still sell investments that generate high commissions for you, right? (fisher investments) no, we don't sell commission products. we're a fiduciary, obligated to act in our client's best interest. (other money manager) so when do you make more money, only when your clients make more money? (fisher investments) yep. we do better when our clients do better. at fisher investments, we're clearly different. every day, more dog people, and more vets are deciding it's time for a fresh approach to pet food. they're quitting the kibble. and kicking the cans. and fe

emilie ikeda has a closer look. >> reporter: whether up close and personal or from a distance dancingld eagles never ceases to amaze. >> it is amazing to see bald eagles flying over the nation's capital almost every day. >> reporter: decades ago sightings like this were nearly impossible. in the early '60s there were less than 1,000 bald eagles in the lower 48. since then the bird population has soared to more than 300,000, and american bald eagles are no longer considered endangered. >> the iconic whitehead against the dark body. >> reporter: a remarkable comeback mirrored at blackwater national wildlife refuge in maryland. >> does it ever get old? >> no, it never does. i have been working here 13 years and you always have to stop what you are doing and watch. >> reporter: just as we did while touring the refuge that can see up to 20 bald eagles in a single day. >> we can't forget how successful the bald eagle recovery was and we can do it with other species if we put our mind to it. >> reporter: many wildlife biologists attribute it to the banning of an insect side and the passing o

lester >> emilie ikeda, thank you. >>> now to iceland, and the spectacular and potentially dangerous eruption of a volcano that is threatening communities not far from the capital miguel almaguer now with that story. >> reporter: the incredible fountains of fire gushed more than 300 feet into the air, igniting the night sky in iceland, erupting monday, the astonishing display of fire and fury continues to pour across the southwestern end of the country, an hour outside the capital of reykjavik. >> it's a once in a lifetime for us. >> reporter: a 2.5-mile-long fissure is now creating a boiling sea of lava threatening to slowly spread closer to populated regions, but for now, the blanket of fire not yet causing serious damage >> fascinating to see just nature in action. i just -- it's just like something from a movie. >> reporter: as researchers descend closer to the spouts of fire, this is a magical spectacle, even in the country no stranger to eruptions. after weeks of seismic activity, nearby towns were evacuated days before lava even seeped from the earth's flow the flows now slowi

emilie ikeda. >> let's check in with the box office.s to ne new year's is a busy time. this year's is a disappointing one with numbers down pre-pandemic. the "wonka" taking the top spot at the box office as it earned $8 million in the second full week bringing the domestic total to $110 million. the second is "migration." and then third is "aquaman" with $55.2 million in the first week of release. 55% lower than the first "aquaman" film. hollywood will have "inside out" and "dune" and "mean girls" out in 2024. >>> and jeremy renner is back to work after the accident last year. he shared a post on his instagram account. she will be back with her favorite guy next week and lots of physical therapy where renner wrote music about the experience. take a look. ♪ i know that ♪ ♪ i'm complicated ♪ ♪ i don't have a lot ♪ ♪ to say ♪ ♪ maybe little unpredictable ♪ ♪ sometimes ♪♪ >> that was "wait" with renner and his daughter. it will be released one year after his accident. it is a remarkable recovery. look at him. stunning. >> i remember when we

but first, nbc's emilie ikeda joins us from newark airport. morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you. fortunately we're seeing some improvement from yesterday's thousands of flight disruptions. now that the powerful storm has made its way off the east coast. still, officials are urging people to be patient and cautious when navigating the aftermath of downed trees, power lines, flooding amid a hectic start to the holiday rush. >> this morning, millions of americans still dealing with the impacts of a deadly winter wallop. the risk of flooding high in communities near swollen rivers across the northeast. the region battered by torrential rain monday that stranded drivers and left many in need of rescue. >> i got stranded and the police came and the fire department came. >> reporter: paterson, new jersey, under water and a state of emergency. officials in vermont, where some neighborhoods had to be evacuated, now beginning to survey the damage from extensive flooding. >> stay off the roads, if you can. >> reporter: whipping winds also pa

joining me now is nbc news correspondent emilie ikeda with more. ie, do we have any further information ahead of this press conference? >> joy, still very much and understandably so rapidly-developing situation. we know this is an all hands on deck approach. the fbi, atf, u.s. marshals, local police, campus police all participating in this active investigation into what has claimed the lives of at least three people, according to police. we know another person is in critical condition. and also, the suspect in this active shooter incident playing out earlier today is also deceased. what we've learned from authorities at this hour is they have been going from building to building and continue to do so over this large campus. the university of nevada las vegas, clearing out the buildings and hoping not to come across more victims. and what they have acknowledged the numbers at this point should be considered fluid at this hour. just before noon, officers responded to reports of an active shooter situation near one of the instructional buildings. they

nbc's emilie ikeda reporting there. >>> still ahead, it was a no-win november for one nba team. you who that is. plus we'll have the highlights from thursday night football as the sea hawks and caw boys kicked off week 13. "way too early" will be right back. week 13 "way too early" will be right back who's winning? we are, my friend. we are. new emergen-c crystals pop and fizz when you throw them back. and who doesn't love a good throwback? [sfx: video game] emergen-c crystals. >>> from the left. look towards lamb, shoulder shake. throw, going to be caught by ferguson. touch down. >> okay, let's do this. cowboys quarterback dak prescott his third touch down of the game. the sea hawks qb gino smith also had three touch down passes of them thrown to -- including this opening catch in the third quarter. extending the cowboys winning streak at home to 14 consecutive games. well-done there. staying with the nfl, buffalo bills linebacker von miller turned himself into police in texas yesterday. he's accused of assaulting his girlfriend at their high rise apartment in the dallas area e

nbc correspondent emilie ikeda joins us now. what happened in court today?reporter: as detailed in the court appearance, mufid alkhader, a 28-year-old man, ira fu born, facing one charge of using an unlawful firearm, and possession of a controlled substance. he told them he was impacted by the events happening in middle east. to recap, it happened yesterday afternoon in albany. as you can see on the screen. police say he fired two rounds from a shotgun into the air sending a wave of fear over the area. he was taken into custody a short time later. on the premise at the time were two dozen preschoolers. here's more from governor kathy hochul reacting. take a listen. >> thankfully at this time, no one was injured in this incident. but the fear that it has reeked and the fear and anxiety it has caused, i know a lot of people are feeling shaken right now. >> we need light in darkness. >> that second person you heard from was the rabbi of temple israel, which a few months ago face add bombthreat. this comes at a time when so many jewish communities on edge. you l

nbc's emilie ikeda is with us from the airport. it is almost crunch time for the holiday travel. how are things looking this morning? >> reporter: ana, good to be with you. we're seeing some improvement compared to yesterday when thousands of flights had been disrupted and now just a handful of them have been canceled. as you can see behind me, it is a very busy morning at the start of the holiday rush. still, while the storm has moved off the east coast, officials are urging travelers to be cautious and patient when navigating the aftermath of the monstrous storm that has left behind downed trees, power lines, and a hectic start to the holiday rush. this morning, millions of americans still dealing with the impacts of a deadly winter wallop. the risk of flooding high in communities near swollen rivers across the northeast. the region battered by torrential rain monday that stranded drivers and left many in need of rescue. >> i got stranded and the police came and the fire department came. >> reporter: patterson, new jersey, under water, and a state of emergency. officials in ver

nbc news correspondent emilie ikeda has more. >> reporter: the christmas crush at airports is aroundcorner with a record 7.5 million people expected to take flight. travelers hoping to avoid a repeat of last december when bad weather setoff a cascade of problems at southwest airlines, canceling nearly 17,000 flights in a ten-day span, stranding passengers, and creating mountains of lost luggage. >> look at this mess. everybody over here is pissed. >> reporter: the airline ceo bob jordan assuring cnbc this year will be different. >> we've invested in trucks and new pads and staffing and technology. i'm very, very proud of our people. we are ready for winter. >> reporter: and jordan says those changes are already proving successful. >> thanksgiving day there was no 97% on time, zero cancels across our system. >> reporter: major airlines and airports have been preparing for months to meet the holiday's unprecedented demand with measures like new screening machines in atlanta. while the faa tribes to curb close calls on the runway. in video we sped up to show what happened the tail of a

emilie ikeda for us, thank you. >>> north korea sending a disturbing message to the united states and its allies by test firing a ballistic missile capable of firing anywhere in the u.s. the missile which will travel more than 9,000 miles traveled for more than an hour before falling into the sea west of a japanese island. north korea said it was in response to u.s. maneuvers in the area, including sending a nuclear sub to south korea which pyongyang called, quote, a preview of nuclear war. >>> the former president ramping up rhetoric about immigrants not heard on the world stage for nearly 100 years when we're back in just 60 seconds. >>> they're poisoning the blood of our country. that's what they've done. emergen-c crystals. he hits his mark —center stage—and is crushed by a baby grand piano. you're replacing me? customize and save with liberty bibberty. he doesn't even have a mustache. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ i have active psoriatic arthritis. only pay for what you need. but with skyrizi to treat my skin and joints, i'm feeling this mome

how lucky are we so lucky emilie ikeda, nbc news >> and we're lucky to have you watching "early today expected

richest person defended himself and his social media company amid a string of controversies here is emilie ikedareporter: it was back to business for tesla ceo elon musk today, with the highly delayed and anticipated initial delivery of the ev company's other worldly cybertruck >> finally, the future will look like the future >> reporter: it comes less than 24 hours since musk's stunning sit-down with cnbc's andrew ross sorkin. >> if somebody tried to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go [ bleep ] yourself is that clear? i hope it is hey, bob >> reporter: that was the bombshell message from the world's richest person to advertisers, including disney's ceo bob iger and nbc's parent company comcast for pulling ad spending from his social media platform an exodus this month after musk appeared to endorse an anti-semitic post on x. >> i'm sorry for that tweet or post. it was foolish of me >> reporter: musk said he meant to suggest that jewish people shouldn't fund organizations that support groups that want their annihilation overnight, x ceo linda yaccarino posting that the pl

emilie ikeda kicks off our coverage this morning. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: on the first night of hanukkah, policess new york ramping up patrols at jewish sites after gief unfire caused a major scare >> reporter: the suspect is a 28-year-old local who was acting versus spacious. versus spacious. >> we were told by responding officers that he made a comment "free palestine. >> reporter: on the premises, two dozen preschoolers, the director of the early childhood center first heard the shots and called 911 the suspect who has a rap sheet was apprehended in a neighboring park lot >> thankfully no one was injured in this incident, but the fear it has wreaked and the fear and anxiety it has caused, i know a lot of people are feeling really shaken right now >> reporter: security had already been enhanced at synagogues and community centers ahead of the holiday just in september, the same location of the gunfire faced a bomb threat. >> our thanks to emily for that report >>> as humanitarian organizations warn of an acute risk of starvation and epidemics in gaza, president biden told israeli prime ministe

ready for a record season of holiday travel or will it be a repeat of last year's nightmare here's emilie ikeda. >> reporter: the christmas chri at airpo at airports is around the corner travelers hoping to avoid a repeat of last december when bad weather set off a cascade of problems, canceling nearly 17,000 flights and creating mountains of lost luggage. >> look at this mess everybody over here is pissed. >> reporter: they are assuring this year will be different. >> we've invested in trucks and technology, i'm very, very proud of our people. we are ready for winter. >> reporter: and he says those changes are already proving successful >> thanksgiving day, there was snow, 97% on time. zero cancellations across the system >> reporter: they've been preparing for months to might the unpress dintsed demands with measures like new sscreening mas in atlanta >> reporter: a tail of a plane struck the ground. you're driving how long just to avoid flying >> 23 hours. >> reporter: some travelers like tom malaney aren't taking any chances this year. that's how stressful last year's experience was >> why,

but first, nbc's emily ikeda is at jones beach on new york's long island. see and hear how powerful these winds are that has been whipping up a dangerous surf and toppling trees and power lines. power outages have rapidly climbed throughout the morning into the tens of thousands, people waking up in the dark in the northeast region flooding is also a major concern. it's all part of a storm system that has already wreaked havoc for millions of people down the east coast roadways turned into waterways in the carolinas, georgia, and florida. we saw passengers and drivers stranded there were water rescues in the south, as well, a possible tornado tearing through one neighborhood outside of myrtle beach. you think about the timing of this storm system, guys, and it's coming when so many people are trying to get a head start on their holiday travel. several hundred flights are canceled this morning. so, a rough start to a week that could be unprecedented for air travel, savannah >> hey, al >> 50 million people from maine all the way down to the delmarva peninsula

emilie ikeda has the latest. >> reporter: with whipping winds and torrential rains, a monster storm is leaving behind a mess for millions after barrelling up the east coast wind gusts topping 60 miles per hour in at least search states, downing trees onto homes and cars and wiping out power to nearly 800,000 at one point. >> it was raining too hard, and the winds with blowing and everything was so crazy here >> reporter: parts of new york and new jersey declaring emergencies after fast-rising floodwaters stranded drivers and caught families by surprise. first responders jumping into action you can't even make out the rod way here in bay shore, new york, where floodwaters are now creeping towards people's homes. >> i didn't think it was going to get this bad. >> reporter: in vermont, officials evacuated a village inundated by a dangerous combination of rain and snow melt >> there will be damages >> reporter: it's the same system that sent a car hydroplaning into another killing two people in durham and spawned a tornado outside myrtle beach. nearby, a 35,000 pound semi-truck flipped whi

. >>> we're back with "pop start," and emily ikeda is here with that. >> a lot to break down.of motion pictures, arts, and sciences has announced a short list for the upcoming awards ceremony, short films, best original song and score, and crafts like hair and makeup, visual effects, and sound. "barbie" leads the pack with five mentions, three in the original song category, one original score and one for sound. others include "killers of the flower moon" and "society of the snow." both have four mentions. the final list of nominations comes out in january. >>> up next, more awards show news. immediate comedian jo koy will host the golden globes. he's broken box office records at venues around the world and has starred in specials on cam di central and been in movie. s. this is his first-ever hosting role for a major awards show. he called the globe stage extra special and looks forward to making his filipino family proud. we love that. >>> and ina garten and her husband, jeffrey, are celebrating 55 years of marriage and posted an adorable video where they played the not the ne

emilie ikeda is here hey, em. >> good morning.uggles, but she's shifted her view on weight-loss drugs, calling them a gift andmh looking fit and fabulous on the cover of "people," admitting she uses a weight-loss medication, telling people, "i now feel as though i need it to manage not yo-yo-ing." >> relief. need it to manage not yo-yoing >> she talked about her journey that's really spanned decades and how she has been blamed and shamed about her weight. >> reporter: oprah saying the fact there's a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier in my lifetime feels like relief, redemption, a gift. i'm absolutely done with shaming from other people and particularly myself. while not naming the specific drug she takes, oprah opening up about the pain she's endured in her weight-loss struggles. it was public sport to make fun of me for 25 years she says her change of heart about weight loss drugs came this summer when she hosted a special about slimming down and made these comments. >> when i first started

. >> reporter: emily ikeda, nbc news. >> love that story. >>> speaking of love, we could all use puppy love every now and then. right? one teacher believes in the power of man's best friend so much she's bringing them sbool her classroom. peter alexander found out it's having a positive impact on her students. [ laughter ] >> reporter: it's not exactly your normal school greeting but at this elementary school in delaware it's just the way brooke has for first graders lives. after fostering several puppies during the pandemic a light bulb went off. >> what did you school say when you said, i have an idea. i want to bring puppies to the classroom? >> right. a lot of questions, but they said, after i kept telling them all the research, how puppies and dogs can increase productivity and mental health, they said, all right. one day. >> reporter: that one day turned into the rest of the school year. the beginning of foster-tailed puppy therapy. a program hughes created she says has changed how her students learn. >> we've seen a benefit in reading

we have emilie ikeda here to explain the game. classic over the next couple of minutes. it's synonymous with the holiday season, and it's almost impossible to get out of your head ♪ ♪ last christmas, i gave you my heart ♪ ♪ >> iconic pop duo wham's 1984 hit "last christmas". it's that classic classic some are trying to dodge this season. in the viral survival game known as whamageddon. it has more than 11 million views on tiktok. >> we have reached a 10. how do you fair in this contest? >> do you know how tough this has been on me over the past three days >> reporter: the challenge runs from december 1st through the end of christmas eve and you're out if you hear and tears ♪♪ i give it to >> reporter: and amelia clark' recognize the original song, which means covers -- ♪ this year to save me from tears ♪ i give it to someone special. >> reporter: -- and the wham-inspired film "last christmas" are a go. even off key singing in new york city streets is approved, too ♪ ♪ i'll give it to someone special ♪ >> reporter: oh, thank you, l

if we say the words taylor swift, that means emilie ikeda has to, wherever she is, get on some makeup world tour and opens up about motherhood. she even had a special surprise in store. ♪♪ >> reporter: overnight the beehive swarming to theaters for the first public screenings of "renaissance," a film by beyoncÉ. the superstar surprising fans with a brand-new song played during the movie's end credits. ♪♪ >> it all dropped just hours after the star studded international premier for the concert film in london. >> thank you for coming. >> reporter: where pop royalty reunited. appearance on the silver carpet. a show of support for queen b who attended her premier in october. together the divas dominated the summer their tours collectively earned more than $1.5 billion now their sights are set on the box office according to data, beyoncÉ is projected to rake in $20 to $25 million at u.s. theaters this weekend alone. while swift is nearing $250 million in earnings worldwide. >> i have nothing to prove to anyone at this point. >> reporter: the "remember vance" movie showcases multiple stays

. >> we sent nbc's emilie ikeda for a wildlife refugee for a closer look at its impacts emilie, goodanted. just decades ago, the national symbol nearly went extinct, but conservation efforts like the endangered species act helped the population soar. we visited one of the most popular places for bald eagles, and let me tell you, they did not disappoint whether up close and personal -- or from a dist across the sunrise, a glimpse of bald eagles never ceases to amaze, especially this presidential pair with an irresistible love story. >> it's amazing to see bald eagles flying over the nation's capital almost every day. >> tucked inside our nation's capital, the aptly named mr. president and lotus, ladies of the united states, camouflage among the trees. wildlife biologist dan routes says lotus even laid an egg on valentine's day last year. >> they fly together, they hunt together, and hopefully they'll raise some more chicks together here. >> reporter: but decades ago, sightings like this were nearly impossible. in the early '60s, there were less than 1,000 bald eagles in the lower 48.

. >> this morning, our own emilie ikeda is in the holiday spirit at play house in essex, connecticut.ughout the area. i'm not exaggerating when i say this let me tell you, we got some esteemed guests in the crowd from our more than 100 kids and guests local to the town, even the governor here. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> we also have the first select man norm needleman how cool is this >> this is amazing and thank you so much for selecting us today kids are here. everybody is here. all the spirit is here we love the fact that you picked us. >> reporter: you know, i know this quaint corner of connecticut is special all year round, but what makes it really come to life around the holiday season >> i have to say that it's about the people that volunteer in this town and all the work that they do. i mean, we have some wonderful attractions in this town we're standing in front of one right now. but the people that put this together, that do all the work in all the areas of the town are just spectacular so it's about spirit it's about the people. >> i love that and it really is

but they ended up in chilly new england and canada emilie ikeda joins us to explain what happened. >> degrees in the bahamas. and 29 in boston a lot of these passengers were not too thrilled about the last-minute change-up. the unsafe weather forced them to point out they gave passengers the option to take a future cruise credit while some took advantage, others are taking this vacation 180 in stride. this morning passengers onboard what was supposed to be a bahamas cruise ship are trying to make the most out of a not so sunny vacation destination. >> instead of the bahamas, we are now staying in boston for three days, portland, maine and canada. >> reporter: over the weekend, just one day before they were set to depart from new york, they alerted passengers to the last-minute itinerary change saying unseasonable and rapidly worsening weather forced the unexpected u-turn, adding the only alternative would have been to take the most extreme step of canceling the cruise and thousands of people's vacations outright according to its website the ship can accommodate over 5,000 passengers a