My guess is they just sailed into the system unawares.
Because they did not expect a TC in that area they were not monitoring the SAT-C. Unlike the El Faro they would not have access to the Weather Channel or the sat FM radio for weather information. However like the El Faro they did not understand the meaning of local weather signs.
That would have seemed implausible before the El Faro sailed into the eye wall of Joaquin but not now.