Less than two weeks before the three-year Life at Sea Cruises was set to depart on its maiden voyage, it was canceled, leaving passengers who spent tens of thousands of dollars stranded.
The cruise has suffered several delays and logistical challenges in recent years but was finally due to set sail on Nov. 30 from Amsterdam after delaying its initial Nov. 1 departure from Istanbul.
Now, passengers are being left on land as the trip has been canceled, crushing the dream of sea life for those who have already paid.
Life at Sea Cruises said it will begin making repayments in monthly installments to passengers starting in mid-December.
In the weeks leading up to the cancellation, the cruise line had been updating passengers with new information via webinars.
Kendra Holmes, the former CEO of Life at Sea Cruises, spoke to passengers during a webinar on Sept. 6, 2023, discussing sales for the journey.
“What percent of cabins have been sold? We’re right around 50% right now, so we’re making good pace for where we want to be at this point in time,” Holmes said at the time, according to a report from ABC News.
Holmes resigned from her position last week, according to CNN.
As for the projections from the former CEO, it appears she may have been juicing the numbers, as ABC News reports that Miray Cruises’ owner said only 150 passengers had signed up to fill the vessel with over 600 cabins.
As for those who did sign up, they say that they’ve been preparing for this for some time, only to have it canceled at the last minute.
Meredith Shay spoke with “Good Morning America” about the cancellation, telling the show she has been paying $35,000 a month for one of the ship’s biggest rooms.
“How did I feel about it? Devastated, disappointed, sad. I packed up my belongings, put them in storage, sent four boxes to Miray Cruises,” Shay, a retired flight attendant, shared.