11/28/2023 12:07 pm (current 11/28/2023 12:07 pm)
The cruise was canceled – many passengers were left with nothing. © Cruises Life At Sea
The expectations were high, the disappointment is greater: a three-year cruise that was supposed to start in Istanbul on November 1st was canceled at the last minute. Many passengers who have already sold or rented their homes now face existential challenges.
The joyful anticipation of a three-year cruise that was supposed to begin in Istanbul on November 1 was suddenly shattered. The cancellation occurred less than two weeks before the scheduled start and many passengers who had already sold or rented their homes are now left with nothing.
Wreck before the start
The original plan was for the “MV Gemini” to make the trip. However, after this ship was classified as unfit to sail, the company tried to acquire the “MV Lara”, the former “AIDAaura”. This agreement also failed and was cancelled.
Financial difficulty and disappointment
With prices equivalent to around 28 thousand euros per year for the cheapest of the 111 cabins already rented, the financial burden on passengers is enormous. One passenger told CNN: “There are a lot of people who can’t go anywhere and some need refunds to go anywhere.” Uncertainty as to whether and when the money will be repaid puts additional pressure on those affected.
Lost Hopes: “I was looking forward to it”
Disappointed passengers not only lament the loss of financial resources, but also the lost opportunity to be part of a special community. One of the passengers emphasized the difference from a normal cruise: “I was looking forward to making friends – that was the difference from a normal cruise. We were all like-minded and had the same goal in mind.”
Uncertain future
Life at Sea Cruises has agreed to issue monthly refunds and cover accommodation costs until December 1st. But uncertainty about whether they would actually get their money back and anger toward the company shape passengers’ moods. As one passenger said: “I’m sad, I’m angry and I feel lost. I planned the next three years of my life to live an extraordinary life and now I have nothing.”