Sometimes, in life, things don't work out. And sometimes, they don't work out because someone wanted them not to. The disappointed, now-homeless passengers of the canceled Life at Sea cruise believe the latter applies to their case.
The Life at Sea cruise should have set off on November 30, 2023, after a series of delays, management issues, and increasing rumble that not all was as it should be with the cruising company. It was canceled just days before the scheduled launch, leaving passengers stranded in Istanbul, the port of departure.
Life at Sea Cruises was a relatively new arrival on the market when it announced the inaugural Life at Sea cruise, but backing from parent company Miray Cruises, an established liner from Turkey, gave it credibility. The incredible promises made for this bucket-list lifetime experience did the rest in terms of selling the dream to a couple of hundred wannabe passengers, ready to open up their wallets to reserve a suite.
When the cruise was canceled in late 2023, all passengers were promised full refunds in the quickest time possible. They're yet to receive their money, so they've decided to join forces to call for a criminal investigation into what the company did with their money. They're alleging fraud and failure to fulfill contractual obligations.
Photo: Life at Sea
In a letter signed by 78 of these passengers, some of whom sold their businesses and homes, and depleted their savings accounts to pay for a suite onboard the cruise ship in full, they're asking Markenzy Lapointe, the US attorney for the Southern District of Florida, to launch an investigation into parent company Miray Cruises.
They're saying they paid more than $16 million between themselves to Life at Sea Cruises, with the explicit promise that their money wouldn't be used as downpayment for the acquisition of a vessel. That's exactly what the money was used for, and what's worse, no boat was ever bought, which eventually led to the cancellation. And, despite the repeated promises of refunds, they're yet to get their money back.
Life at Sea promised a unique, highly curated experience for as little as $35,000 a year, which included food, drinks, and some services. The cruise would last three full years, traveling to seven continents, 140 countries, and 382 ports of call and offering the perfect environment for leisure, work, and even education.
Photo: Life at Sea
Leaked internal documents reveal that Life at Sea Cruises never had a ship to begin with, but they did engage in talks to buy two retired cruise vessels that they planned to convert into the MV Lara. On both occasions, talks fell through.
Most of the passengers were Americans, and many of them sold off everything they had, going into their retirement savings to secure a spot on the cruise or even to pay it off in full so they'd get a discount. Some of these people are still stranded in Istanbul, while others have had to return to work so they'd make ends meet until the company paid them back.
In a statement to the NY Times, Miray Cruises' chief operating officer says that the only reason refunds haven't gone through is additional documentation required by the bank to release the funds to the passengers. It should be solved by February 15, 2024, but unsurprisingly, the passengers aren't buying it.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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