More people are coming on board cruise ships this summer. This year, 31.5 million people are expected to take a cruise. That would be more than in the last full year before the pandemic.
A three-year trip around the world was canceled less than two weeks before it was scheduled to start.
Life at Sea Cruises’ first three-year cruise was announced in March, promising passengers willing to spend at least $29,999 a year – a unique trip organized by parent company Miray Cruises, based in Turkey, 130,000 miles, 375 ports and 135 countries.
One woman, Kimberly Arizzi, sold her apartment, furniture, clothes and television to pay for her retirement cruise, Business Insider reported.
Passengers on the three-year voyage were informed on November 17 that the cruise was canceled. According to CNN, the flight was scheduled to depart Amsterdam on November 30th.
Coast Guard calls off search for missing Carnival cruise ship passenger
The cruise ship AIDAaura in Haugesund, Norway. (Marit Hommedal/NTB Scanpix/AFP/File/Getty Images)
While the cruise is canceled, some passengers are still in Istanbul, where the ship was originally scheduled to depart on November 1 before the departure point was changed to Amsterdam.
The company said it would issue refunds, but in monthly installments starting in mid-December and continuing through the end of February.
Life at Sea Cruises offered to cover the cost of flights and accommodation for those staying in Istanbul until December 1st.
Some passengers said they had no home to return to as they expected to be on the cruise for three years.
“Right now there are a whole lot of people who have nowhere to go and some need their money to even plan a place – it’s not good right now,” one passenger told CNN.
Some passengers said they had no home to return to as they expected to be on the cruise for three years. (iStock / iStock)
CARNIVAL GLORY CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER DISAPPEARS; COAST GUARD SEARCH IN THE GULF OF MEXICO
The company intended to buy the ship AIDAaura, which was retired by AIDA Cruises, part of Carnival Corp., in the summer. However, the sale took longer than expected and another company, Celestyal Cruises, purchased the ship.
On Nov. 16, former Life at Sea Cruises CEO Kendra Holmes, who said she was not speaking on behalf of Miray Cruises, sent passengers a recorded 15-minute video explaining that the trip had been canceled.
About two days after Holmes sent the video, Vedat Ugurlu, owner of Miray Cruises, admitted that the company could not afford the ship.
A cruise ship in Cairns, Australia. (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images/File/Getty Images)
“Miray is not such a big company that could afford to pay 40 to 50 million.” [dollars] for a ship,” he said, adding that while the company paid a deposit, investors “refused further support due to the unrest in the Middle East.”
Passengers were disappointed with the decision and the lack of notification from the cruise line.
“I feel very sad, angry and lost,” one person said. “I had planned to live an extraordinary life for the next three years of my life, and now [I have] Nothing. I’m having a hard time moving forward.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO by CLICKING HERE
“I was proud and felt brave, now I trust no one or anything. I know it will work out and life will move on, but I’m not sure of the direction,” said another.
“I never thought I would be in this position as a senior.”
Miray Cruises did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.