"Unraveling the Downfall of the Three-Year Cruise: A Comprehensive Analysis"

The Three-Year Cruise That Never Set Sail: An Unraveling Tale A promised three-year cruise, embarked to circumnavigate the globe at affordable prices, never managed to depart. What went wrong? In April of 2023, George Fox was gearing up for the voyage of a lifetime – a three-year cruise journey around the world. His departure was lined up with the maiden cruise of Life at Sea, scheduled to cast off from Istanbul on November 1st. However, one obstacle impeded his journey: his bank declined the transfer of his payment. “Informed my bank about the need for an international bank transfer and its purpose,” recounts Fox. “My bank denied it, saying, 'It's high-risk.' This was utterly surprising. "I argued that it's my money, to which they retorted, 'It originates from our bank. We act on your behalf.'” A resolution was eventually reached. Fox’s bank insisted on probing Miray Cruises, the Turkey-based company initiating the Life at Sea project after 30-plus years of Mediterranean cruising. "It took a week or two; I had to discover the owners' identities and dig deeper, but they finally gave the go-ahead,” he adds. Currently, Fox is among the 100-plus potential passengers awaiting a refund from Miray, following the cancellation of the cruise barely two weeks before the delayed exit date. Overall, he claims he shelled out $70,000 of the total $230,000 sum for three years in an outside cabin. Others state they spent even more. A possible passenger CNN communicated with contributed an upfront payment exceeding $300,000. On cancellation, Life at Sea pledged to refund passengers their total amounts. Payments were to be made in three monthly installments, with the first completed by December 22, as per company emails reviewed by CNN. But now, after two out of three payments should have dropped, passengers maintain that just a few have seen the money, and none have received their expected amount. The company does not deny the payment problems, firmly assuring that customers will receive full refunds before February 15. The majority, including Fox, have not even seen a single dollar, passengers tell CNN. The great expectations and subsequent failure of the Life at Sea cruise hosts some similarities to a Greek tragedy. Over the past 10 months, as it shifted from dream to nightmare, CNN has been in touch with about 20 potential passengers. Some express that they always feared the cruise would be canceled but signed up regardless – the idea was just too enticing. Some deem it a scam; others believe the company simply couldn't afford the ship. Some remain hopeful to recoup their money. Listening to their stories, two months after the abrupt cancellation of the cruise, shines a light on why so many people booked; some even offloading their homes and properties to do so. So, what exactly transpired? “Didn't Hesitate for a Single Moment” In March of 2023, Miray launched its Life at Sea concept: 1095 days sailing around the world on a floating apartment block. The idea of a long-term world cruise wasn't new, but Life at Sea’s relative affordability (rates began at $30,000 per person per year, inclusive of accommodation, food, beverages, laundry, and even medical care) garnered attention. For many, the prospect of dwelling in a tiny cabin would be a nightmare. But prospects signed up to fill the 111 cabins of Life at Sea’s ship found the idea perfect. Some were experienced cruise travelers. Others, like Meredith Shay, never stepped on a ship before. Shay made headlines as the first person to sign up. As a retired flight attendant, travel is in her blood and cruising around the world seemed far more relaxing (and affordable) than flying. "The idea of being in a room and not having to hop on a plane was very enticing," she notes. Shay had already been contemplating long-term cruises when Life at Sea was initially announced. Although Miray wasn't the first company making the offering, other options tend to cost at least double. Various startups in this field had previously delayed their launches or failed to acquire ships. "But then this came along: it was setting sail soon, they were doing it just for three years, and the itinerary was almost perfect," asserts Shay, who lives in Florida. "I decided to take the plunge." Within 12 hours of reading about Life at Sea, she had booked a cabin. She wasn’t the only one who moved quickly. Also in Florida, Jenny Phenix had been pondering the idea for several years. "When a residential cruise was described to me at a price I could truly afford, it was a no-brainer to me," she shares. “All my working life, I planned to travel the world once I retired. All would depend on what I could afford, and I thought I’d do it in little portions, as much as I could before the end of my life. No other cruise was even affordable for me, so when I saw this, it was a game-changer. I didn't hesitate a second.”