Princess Cruises delays new ship, cancels 9 cruises

Table Of Content

• Life at Sea Cruises was unable to acquire a vessel for the once-in-a-lifetime journey.
• Year World Cruise Abruptly Canceled 2 Weeks Before It Was Scheduled to Set Sail
• I Spent 7 Days on My First Adults-Only Virgin Voyages Cruise
• MORE: Taylor Swift fans to set sail on a 4-night Bahamas cruise next year
• Life at Sea 3 Year World Cruise Cancelled

The intense fallout is drawing comparisons to infamous debacles such as the Fyre Festival — the "luxury" music festival that was more like a "disaster relief area." When the Life at Sea cruise line failed to purchase the German cruise ship AIDAaura, seen here in 2020, its plans for a worldwide cruise embarking in November began to unravel. Staying in close contact with one’s cruise line in the days and weeks leading up to departure can ensure that guests stay informed about their cruise and any possible changes.

Life at Sea Cruises was unable to acquire a vessel for the once-in-a-lifetime journey.

They also said people who have already paid will have a cabin when they set sail in May 2024. They are also inviting everyone on a separate, shorter cruise free of charge next summer. On Nov. 17, Life at Sea revealed to passengers that the inaugural cruise was canceled, and that it had no ship, CNN reported. In exchange, passengers — or residents, as the company called them — were promised a long list of amenities, including an onboard hospital and doctor.

Year World Cruise Abruptly Canceled 2 Weeks Before It Was Scheduled to Set Sail

In May 2023, a former director at Life at Sea Cruises reported that the ship, capable of carrying up to 1,074 passengers, was deemed ‘unseaworthy’ by an engineer, raising doubts about its ability to complete the three-year journey. Less than two weeks before its maiden voyage, Life at Sea Cruises announced it had canceled its three-year voyage after delays and logistical challenges, leaving passengers who spent tens of thousands of dollars stranded. He said all passengers would be given full refunds in installments between December and February.

I Spent 7 Days on My First Adults-Only Virgin Voyages Cruise

Some passengers reportedly only learned of the cancellation after arriving in Turkey. The 80,439-gross-ton ship is now en route to Nawiliwili for a much shortened visit. Originally, guests were to be able to enjoy the port for a lengthy overnight stay from 8 a.m. Guests aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America are not enjoying the cruise they originally thought they would be sailing this week. "We tried everything to find a solution, but at the end of the day we couldn't get the investors and we couldn't sell enough cabins," Vedat Ugurlu, Miray's owner, told The Times. A couple who sold almost everything they owned to go on the three-year Life at Sea cruise have been living in a hotel room in Istanbul, Turkey for the past month after its operators failed to find a ship.

What was once the trip of a lifetime has become the phantom trip from hell. But it seems that it was the company's focus, not the public's, that was the problem. "Our residents are changing their lives for this opportunity, and we are honored to be a part of their personal journeys," Holmes said in June. Witman says she also shipped boxes to have on the cruise, back in early October. "Having a like-minded community of people that all were interested in travel at the ready was really appealing to me," she said. Witman, who owns a marketing agency named Clever Lucy, was planning to work remotely aboard the ship, using its Starlink internet service.

The three-year cruise is canceled - CNN

The three-year cruise is canceled.

Posted: Fri, 24 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

"Some people read the headlines and think, 'Oh, that was a scam,' but I really did my homework before I put a deposit down," Keri Witman of Cincinnati told NPR. The original itinerary mapped 1,095 days of travel, heading from Istanbul to Europe and then to South America and the Caribbean. Passengers would then pass through the Panama Canal before seeing the U.S. The cheapest cabins cost about $115,500 a person in a double-occupancy cabin for the three-year voyage, rising to nearly $300,000 for a room with a balcony. The price included meals, drinks, entertainment, seminars, and medical consultations, Miray said. "We sold everything we have to make this dream happen," Kara Youssef told The New York Times.

The company’s efforts to acquire an alternative ship were also unsuccessful. Some passengers find themselves without a clear plan, having sold or rented out their homes in anticipation of the cruise. The financial implications are significant, with passengers now seeking refunds for their bookings. The departure was then rescheduled for November 30, again from Amsterdam. However, in an unexpected turn of events, guests received notice on November 17, 2023, that the cruise had been cancelled. The initial departure date for the cruise, set in Istanbul, Turkey, was scheduled for November 1, 2023.

Vedat Ugurlu, CEO of Life at Sea’s parent company Miray Cruises, said the cruise was facing “challenges due to investor withdrawal” in a statement shared with USA TODAY. “We both wanted to see the world, and this seemed like a cheap way to do this,” he said. Prices started at just under $30,000 per year for each guest based on double occupancy when the cruise was announced earlier this year, including meals, drinks, Wi-Fi and more.

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The company had previously said it would offer buyers alternative departure dates or "expedited refunds" if it was unable to sail on December 1, Business Insider previously reported. The Times reported that Miray asked passengers to sign an agreement spreading refund payments out between December and February. As of December 28, the Youssefs had been living in a hotel in Istanbul for a month — paid for by the cruise company — and were still waiting for their $80,000 refund, The Times reported.

The cruise was initially set to launch from Istanbul on Nov. 1, but had since been postponed to Nov. 11 with the start port relocated to Amsterdam and then postponed again to Nov. 30. A technical issue forced the ship to remain in Hilo, Hawaii longer than anticipated, which led to the cancellation of two additional port visits. Guests are being provided with compensation for the dramatic itinerary modifications, including credit for a future cruise. Life at Sea Cruises initially announced the three-year voyage in March and took on additional passengers in June. But after twice delaying the initial Nov. 1 departure date, it cancelled it altogether on Nov. 17, reports CNN. That’s leaving many passengers without a place to call home and some stuck in Istanbul, from where the cruise was set to depart.

However, after a period of uncertainty, Celestyal Cruises announced the purchase of AIDAaura, leading to mounting issues for Life at Sea Cruises. A representative for Life at Sea Cruises did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Travel + Leisure. Representatives for Life at Sea Cruises and Miray Cruises did not immediately respond to CNBC Make It's request for comment. Life at Sea did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. Sister ship Sun Princess was also delayed ahead of its launch earlier this year, with Princess citing “additional technical work” needed at the shipyard. The vessel that was believed to be heading to Life at Sea, the former AIDAuara, was sold in November to Celestyal Cruises. Set to depart on Nov. 1 and then delayed due to investment challenges, the company never acquired a ship.