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This week, Celebrity Cruises—which is actually a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group—nixed four of its own planned trips on the Celebrity Eclipse, spokesperson for the company Susan Lomax confirmed to USA Today. Despite the fact that cruise ships are no longer required to abide by CDC guidelines, the agency has very much warned against the mode of travel in the wake of surging COVID-19 numbers. What was originally slated to be a 120-night world cruise underwent a pretty major itinerary change the night before it was to set sail.
Year World Cruise Abruptly Canceled 2 Weeks Before It Was Scheduled to Set Sail
The Life at Sea guest said he and his wife planned to stay in Istanbul until they get a full refund. “We’re at a complete loss as to what to do or where to go without having our money,” he said. Trade publications reported Miray would be acquiring the 20-year-old AIDAAura — which left Carnival Corporation's fleet in September — for its never-ending cruise. But "confidential clauses" prevented Life at Sea from publicly confirming its vessel of choice, Holmes told Business Insider in August. After this 1,095 days at sea, the vessel would continue its global circumnavigation on a different route every three years. Would-be travelers could pay extra to stay on board — potentially indefinitely.
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But if it's unable to sail on December 1, the company said it will offer buyers "alternative departure dates or expedited refunds." The sailing was originally going to take place on the MV Gemini ship, but Life at Sea later reportedly set its sights on the larger former AIDA Cruises ship AIDAaura. However, Celestyal Cruises announced earlier this month that it had acquired that vessel. The company also informed customers earlier this month that the retired cruise ship they planned to buy and renovate ahead of their departure had been bought by another company.
Major Itinerary Change for Sailing
By now, they were supposed to be well into the first leg of the three-year Life at Sea cruise, sailing from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Punta Arenas in Chilean Patagonia. My social media’s packed with folk seeking to know the title of this year’s Palladium pantomime. Each year, award-winning designer Hugh Durrant, in consultation with Clary, attempts to outdo the previous year’s gloriously outlandish costumes. “There are huge creations being cooked up at the moment, all linked to Sherwood and the forest,” Harrison promised.
The ship was scheduled to set sail on November 30, with the original November 1 departure date having been rescheduled several times. Looking ahead to 2023, MSC Poesia was already scheduled to complete a world voyage. To make up for the missed one in 2022, MSC is adding a second world cruise on MSC Magnifica. According to the line's statement, this will be the first time any cruise brand has offered two world cruises at the same exact time. The nine-month cruise is surprisingly not the longest voyage planned in the world of cruising.
A 3.5-year trip is in the works from Villa Vie Residences, which plans to depart England in May of 2024 and complete its trip in West Palm Beach, Florida, in December 2027. For travelers who were already in Istanbul, from where the ship was previously planned to set sail, Life at Sea will reimburse their hotels until December 1 and "subsequent travel expenses," the statement said. Life at Sea had promised customers a renovated vessel with “world-class” amenities, including a business centre, a library, a 24-hour on-call hospital with free medical visits and education classes for adults. There were also promises of a state-of-the-art wellness centre, multiple dining options and philanthropic initiatives that guests could register for. CNN reports that passengers faced “weeks of silence” from Life at Sea Cruises and at least two postponements since the beginning of the month.
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Passengers said they were told its most recent sail date was Nov. 30, CNN reported last month, though the brand told the outlet at the time that there was not a confirmed departure date or place. Miray CEO Kendra Holmes also left earlier this month, according to Business Insider. To salvage this trip, Life at Sea is still exploring options to buy another ship, the statement said.
Life at Sea's three-year cruise canceled; passengers awaiting refunds - USA TODAY
Life at Sea's three-year cruise canceled; passengers awaiting refunds.
Posted: Fri, 24 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
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.
Given the amount of time and money passengers invest to sail on world cruises, the MSC cancellation is news in itself -- especially because the sailing in question was set to depart in less than three months. Other cruise lines, such as Carnival Corporation brands Holland America, Princess, Seabourn and Cunard, canceled their world voyages months ago. The cruise, which was originally scheduled to depart from Istanbul on Nov. 1 and visit nearly 400 ports, was scrapped earlier this month. One passenger told USA TODAY he and his wife were notified of the cancellation on Nov. 17, after they had already arrived in Istanbul with plans to board the ship on Nov. 11. Life at Sea Cruises had promised passengers of its inaugural three-year voyage the trip of a lifetime — they were supposed to set sail on Nov. 30, travelling to 382 ports across 140 countries over the span of three years.
“While we’re in talks to acquire a similar vessel, if the December 1st sail is jeopardized, we offer alternative departure dates or expedited refunds,” Ugurlu wrote, according to Cruise Industry News. Guests who decide to go forward with the new itinerary will receive a 30 percent refund. They can also opt to do a partial sailing and receive a refund for days not sailed plus 15 percent off. Some would-be cruise passengers were in Istanbul, where the ship was originally scheduled to depart from, when they received news of the cancellation, per CNN. Passengers who signed up for the headline-making voyage — which was originally due to depart from Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 1 and visit seven continents, 135 countries and 375 ports — received news of its cancellation on Nov. 17, CNN reported. In March, Life at Sea Cruises announced it was accepting reservations for its three-year cruise around the world.
Holmes relayed the information in a 15-minute video given to passengers, one of whom provided it to CNN. Life at Sea Cruises also stated in the translated statement that any customers who want a refund will receive it, including money spent on acquiring visas and other travel expenses. They also told ABC News that those who have already paid will have a cabin waiting when the ship is ready. On November 17, passengers were informed by Miray Cruises, Life at Sea's parent company, that the company could not afford to buy a ship after "investors declined to support us further due to the unrest in [the] Middle East," according to ABC News.
Also set to be included were wellness and business centers, Starlink WiFi, and a hospital. But Life at Sea still has yet to acquire a vessel it would use for the around-the-world itinerary that was set to sail next week. And unless it's able to find one that doesn't require extensive refurbishments, this once-in-a-lifetime vacation could soon be called off.
Residents would buy a three-year package for a little over $115,500 per person. This means at least some investors who had offered to help fund the purchase of the vessel likely have backed out. The company responded to a request for comment from BI with a statement that didn't address specific questions. Now, Life at Sea is promising customers repayment for the minimum US$115,500-per-person package, saying that monthly refund instalments would begin mid-December. It has also offered to pay accommodation until Dec. 1 and flights for those who had already made their way to the departure destination in Istanbul ahead of time. The decision was made as "part of our continuous review of our operating plans as we return to service," Lomax told the outlet.
The company also postponed its Vision of the Seas trip until March 7, 2022, and later added its Independence of the Seas sailing, which was due to depart on January 22, 2022, to its growing list of canceled cruises. Due to what Norwegian Cruise Line called “COVID-related circumstances,” the line delayed plans for five of its ships to resume service for the first time since the shutdown. In addition, three of the ships which already had welcomed back guests saw their next sailings axed.
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