Setbacks Won't Stop the Epic Three-Year Cruise

Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travels weekly newsletter for the latest updates on aviation, culinary delights, accommodations, and other travel trends. Concerns among passengers are growing as they fear the possibility of a never-ending cruise being replaced by one that fails to commence.

Life at Sea cruises is set to launch its three-year, round-the-world cruise next month, commencing its voyage from Istanbul on November 1. However, with only a few weeks remaining, the company has not yet finalized a ship for the journey. Although Life at Sea asserts that the cruise will proceed as planned, certain prospective travelers express apprehension about the organization of their arrangements.

One individual, who has already made a payment exceeding $100,000 to the company, voiced their dissatisfaction to CNN, describing the situation as "ridiculous". Concerns arise regarding the potential cancellation of the cruise, and the person wishes to remain unidentified due to personal embarrassment and shame resulting from having been deceived.

"I should have listened to my gut."

Stormy seas

The cruise promises to circle the globe for three years.

Life at Sea Cruises

Miray Cruises, which owns Life at Sea, had been due to complete the sale on its ship for the three-year cruise, slated to be called the MV Lara, at the end of September.

However, after a week has passed, the boat remains in their possession. A representative from Miray informed CNN that the sale had not been fully confirmed when the team arrived in Germany to collect the vessel. As a result, the crew decided to leave the boat.

The seller found it impractical to continue accommodating the crew onboard without finalizing the transaction. As a result, the team willingly disembarked while they resolved the details. The spokesperson mentioned that the LASC team will be flying back early next week.

While Miray never officially confirmed the ship's name that it intended to purchase, it is widely believed to be the AIDAAura, which is owned by AIDA Cruises. AIDA Cruises is a subsidiary of Carnival and focuses on the German market.

According to AIDA's website, the company was scheduled to bid farewell to the ship in September after two decades and over 800 voyages.

The ship, endorsed by supermodel Heidi Klum as its godmother for AIDA, boasts four restaurants, two lounges, five bars and clubs, and two pools.

AIDA Cruises did not respond to requests for comment on whether the sale had gone through.

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Choppy waters

The path to freedom on the high seas has not gone smoothly for Life at Sea Cruises.

The brand debuted in March with a noteworthy offer: a three-year global cruise that visited 135 countries. This option gained attention due to its affordability compared to other similar options in the market.

With initial prices starting at approximately $30,000 per person per year, the package encompassed accommodation, food, and, importantly for Americans, medical expenses. Considering the escalating costs of rent and living expenses worldwide, this offer appeared enticing.

Three months later, the project faced a setback when approximately half of the launch team resigned to pursue their own round-the-world cruise venture. This division now forms the basis of a lawsuit initiated by Miray.

Despite the turmoil leading to some potential passengers canceling their bookings, others remained committed with Miray assuring them that the cruise would proceed as planned. Furthermore, Miray assured these passengers that they would acquire a larger ship for the voyage.

In September, the company announced it would extend the cruise indefinitely, allowing passengers to stay onboard for life if they so wished.

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Not yet ship-shape

Kendra Holmes, CEO of Miray, told CNN by email categorically that the sailing is "not delayed," despite the ship sale not having been completed.

Holmes previously stated that Life at Sea would acquire the new ship in late September. The vessel would then undergo a two-week dry dock period, while the remaining tasks will be finished during the journey to Istanbul. However, due to the delay in the sale, she now anticipates the ownership transfer of the ship to occur next week.

To ensure the initial sail date is met, they plan to prioritize the refurbishment of the already booked cabins, according to her. However, it seems that passengers may experience onboard noise, as she mentioned that the remaining cabins will be refurbished later.

About fifty percent of the cabins have already been purchased, she mentioned, further stating that, as a team who has worked in the cruise industry for several decades, they always factor in extra time for unforeseen circumstances. It is not uncommon for the closing process to take longer than expected, especially when there are numerous variables and multiple parties involved.

Homeless and jobless

Residents are crossing their fingers that the cruise will depart on time.

Life at Sea Cruises

With less than a month to go, some passengers are getting anxious at the lack of communications from the company.

CNN has interviewed a number of individuals, referred to as "residents" or passengers, who express concerns about the cruise's progress. Their identities remain confidential.

According to all of them, the company has failed to address their inquiries for an entire month and has blatantly disregarded their requests to cancel their trips.

Holmes informed CNN that they had recently provided an update to their residents and have been actively engaging with them online. However, some residents hold a different viewpoint.

According to them, there has been a lack of communication since September 8, when the team issued a spa menu, until October 2, when Holmes addressed concerns about the delay in the ship sale. Holmes confirmed that the closing had been postponed and although there was no specific timeframe, they assured residents that there was enough leeway in the schedule to ensure a punctual launch. Since then, no official communication has been received.

"I understand that they may be extremely busy, but it would be appreciated if they could show some courtesy and simply respond to the inquiries," expressed a resident.

"We have no knowledge regarding shore excursions or information about luggage. Furthermore, the required form for us to complete, enabling them to be prepared with prescriptions for everyone, is not even available. There is a complete lack of essential provisions."

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With the clock ticking, not everyone is convinced that the ship will depart Istanbul on November 1.

"I feel stuck in a state of uncertainty - I have no clue what tomorrow holds," expressed an individual.

"If the plan proceeds, it presents an exceptional opportunity that we won't encounter again at the price we agreed upon. I couldn't bear to let go of such a valuable chance."

Their communication skills have always been subpar, however, I've had an intuition for the past month that there have been undisclosed activities occurring behind the scenes.

Given that running cruise ships is their area of expertise, I anticipate them to possess sufficient knowledge and competence. Nevertheless, attending a ship closure meeting without any preparation is quite baffling. Despite their utmost efforts to accommodate us, we remain clueless about the financial situation at hand.

"The cruise is priced at half of what other world cruises charge, but unfortunately, there are major issues with its organization. Several residents, who have been interviewed by CNN, express concern that they will be left homeless if the cruise is cancelled. These individuals went to extreme measures, such as selling their houses, cars, and personal belongings, in order to commit to the cruise."

One passenger has arranged to sell their business at the end of the month.

"Im completely homeless and jobless come November 1," they said.

"I need to wait until October 12th when Miray mentioned that the sale will likely be completed. However, I'm already formulating a plan B in my mind and looking for an alternative place to stay temporarily."

"Several passengers have seized the opportunity to save money by making upfront payments for the cruise. Numerous individuals have already invested significant amounts, totaling tens of thousands of dollars, into the project."

"I regret allowing my enthusiasm for this journey to overshadow my typically sound decision-making," remarked a passenger.

In a communication addressed to residents and obtained by CNN, Miray has specified that individuals desiring to withdraw their participation at this point will receive a mere 10% refund of their initial contribution.

I hope they dont cancel

While Holmes did not provide an official date for the transfer of the ship to CNN, locals have unofficially mentioned that Miray will assume ownership on October 12.

One passenger CNN spoke with expressed doubt, stating, "I anticipate a delay in the cruise, even if they acquire possession on November 1st," despite Holmes' insistence on the scheduled launch.

The passenger CNN interviewed has decided to delay their embarkation due to anticipated confusion at the beginning.

"I decided to give them a couple of weeks to resolve any issues before they came to get me - I'm relieved that I won't have to tolerate any potential renovations during the transatlantic journey," they mentioned.

Holmes assured CNN, "There is no cause for concern among people. We don't sense any anxiety among the residents. We have been prompt in addressing all their inquiries and have received plenty of encouraging feedback from them."

One resident expressed that despite their fears, they hope the cruise will proceed as planned. "Several individuals have evacuated their residences, stored their belongings in a warehouse, made vacation reservations en route to Istanbul, and are already on their way," they stated.

"If it happens on November 1, Ill be shocked. I just really, really hope they dont cancel."