Life at Sea Cruises has canceled its three-year sailing around the world, as reported by USA TODAY. Originally planned to set sail from Istanbul, Turkey, on November 1 and visit almost 400 ports, the cruise was called off earlier this month. A passenger who had already arrived in Istanbul with plans to board the ship on November 11 shared that he was notified of the cancellation on November 17.
According to the same source, the cost of the cruise ranged from just under $30,000 per year for each guest based on double occupancy and included meals, drinks, and Wi-Fi. One couple reportedly spent around $85,000 on the cruise and sold their Florida home at a nearly $40,000 loss to go on this adventure.
Originally scheduled to take place on the MV Gemini ship, Life at Sea later aimed for the larger former AIDA Cruises ship AIDAaura. However, Celestyal Cruises announced early this month that they had acquired the latter vessel. Miray Cruises, the parent company of Life at Sea, stated that the cancellation was due to challenges derived from investor withdrawal, assuring that they were in talks to acquire a similar vessel or expedite refunds if the December 1st sail was jeopardized.
Life at Sea passengers shared screenshots of notes they received from the company, confirming the cancellation and promising full refunds in installments between December and February. They were also informed that hotel accommodations in Istanbul would be covered until Dec. 1 and that subsequent travel expenses would be reimbursed. Passengers expressed frustration and concern about what their next steps should be given the circumstances and the significant financial commitment they made to the cruise.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY titled “Three-year Life at Sea cruise canceled following delays.”
