They had eagerly embraced the prospect of a lifetime adventure: a three-year journey circumnavigating the globe aboard a cruise ship, all at prices comparable to regular living expenses. However, the dream has come crashing down for those who had committed to Life at Sea Cruises’ inaugural three-year expedition. After weeks of unsettling silence, the company has finally communicated to passengers that it lacks a vessel and, as a result, has canceled the departure. In a commitment to make amends, the company has pledged to refund individuals who had invested in cruises that ranged in cost up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The cruise was originally due to depart Istanbul, Turkey, on November 1, but shortly before that date, departure was postponed to November 11 and relocated to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and then to November 30, again from Amsterdam. But on November 17 – less than two weeks before the third departure date – passengers were informed the cruise was off.
Several passengers who secured reservations for the 111 cabins are currently stranded in Istanbul, having arrived in anticipation of the original departure date. For some, the situation is further complicated as they have liquidated their homes or rented them out in preparation for the extensive round-the-world voyage, coupled with parting with many of their belongings. They had eagerly
These travelers, who invested substantial sums—often tens of thousands of dollars—for what was envisioned as a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, now find themselves confronting a wait of several months to recoup their funds. The company has outlined a repayment plan, with reimbursements set to commence in mid-December and conclude by late February, disbursed in monthly installments. Additionally, Life at Sea Cruises has offered to cover accommodation expenses until December 1 and arrange flights back home for those stranded in Istanbul. However, some passengers, left without homes to return to, express the challenging predicament of needing their refund to even plan for a place to stay.
A passenger, opting to remain anonymous until the promised refund is received, lamented, “There’s a whole lot of people right now with nowhere to go, and some need their refund to even plan a place to go – it’s not good right now.”