They sold their homes to go on a cruise around the world, the trip was canceled and they have nowhere to live

The trip of a lifetime designed by someone who paid for a cabin on a three-year round-the-world cruise ended abruptly after Miray Cruises acknowledged it did not have a ship and cancel the departure, industry media reported.

Life at Sea, a new brand from the Miray Cruises group, promised the experience of a lifetime on a cruise that was supposed to set sail from Istanbul (Turkey) on November 1st, but the departure date was postponed to the 11th of this month , a postponement that could not be respected.

The last date set for departure was November 30th, from Amsterdam (Netherlands), but, less than two weeks before departure, The company informed passengers that the cruise had been cancelled.

“Miray Cruises has officially canceled the three-year ‘Life at Sea’ world cruise,” Cruise Industry News magazine reported today, noting that it appears The ship involved in Life at Sea, the former ‘AIDAaura’, was sold in November to another company, Celestyal Cruises.

Several passengers who booked some of the 111 cabins sold are still in Istanbul, having arrived before their original departure date.

And others say they have nowhere to return since “they sold or rented their homes before the round-the-world trip, as well as getting rid of their possessions,” filmed by the CNN television channel.

The vast majority of travelers have not only spent tens of thousands of dollars to realize their lifelong dream, but Now they have to wait several months to get their money back.

The company has indicated, according to the aforementioned media, that it will pay the payments in monthly installments starting from mid-December. He also offered to take care of accommodation until December 1, as well as return flights for anyone stuck in Istanbul, but “Some say they have no home to return to.”

“Life at Sea” CEO Kendra Holmes resigned from the company in November and recorded a video for passengers in which she admitted the cruise would not sail, according to CNN.

Last March, when this long-term cruise proposal was launched, “bookings got off to a spectacular start, with more than 1,300 requests in the first 24 hours”, said Mikael Petterson, CEO of the new company and of which they dissolved last May.

‘Life at Sea’ promised a journey of 130,000 nautical miles, equivalent to 240,000 kilometres, on a journey that touched 140 countries and 7 continents, with stops in 382 ports and access to 13 places declared wonders of the world.

Barcelona, ​​Miami, Rio de Janeiro, Antarctica and Seoul were some of the places he would visit.

The Life at Sea website remains operational, with the possibility of booking the cabin open and the counter active with the countdown to the departure of the cruise on November 30th.

So a cabin on deck 6 costs per person per year $81,639, with a reserve deposit of $124,908.

Some passengers expressed to CNN their “surprise and dismay at the cancellation” of the cruise, as they had even sold their homes or closed businesses to embark on this adventure.

Passengers were promised meals, entertainment and recreational activities, as well as “connectivity” and comfort and functionality to be able to work on board.

The ship included a 24-hour on-call hospital with free medical visits, learning and enrichment classes, and the opportunity to make a positive impact through volunteer and philanthropic initiatives.

Source: EFE