Passenger sells house to afford 3-year cruise that got canceled just weeks before sailing
Flights and trips getting canceled at the last minute is every passenger's nightmare, but it's nothing compared to what a would-be passenger on a cruise ship experienced.
In a report by the Sunday Times, former flight attendant Meredith Shay decided to sell her home so she could afford a cabin at Life at Sea Cruises’ ship, which would sail in the ocean for three years.
The voyage was set to cover 130,000 miles, 375 ports, and 135 countries and was originally scheduled to leave from Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 1. However, after it was postponed twice, passengers were informed on Nov. 17 that the cruise was canceled.
This news was especially devastating for Shay, who had reportedly spent $562,000 (P31.2 million) for a cabin located on the seventh floor of the cruise ship. After selling her home and her belongings to afford it, she has since been living with her girlfriend.
"I was desperate to see Namibia for the first time — and the Seychelles. And the coast of India," Shay said.
"I had my own little pity party. I walked around being devastated for about 12 hours," she continued.
As she was heading to a warehouse to pick up the things she was planning to bring on the cruise, she said "A whole wave of sadness came over me again, looking at everything I so meticulously packed — you know, the seasickness pills, summer T-shirts and all the vitamins for three years. It brought it all back, the preparation."