Aussies fume after inadvertently buying $4,000 cruise tickets to nowhere
The group — made up of neighbours David and Terry and their wives, Sandra and Laree — live in Brisbane, which is exactly where they're headed.
A group of avid cruisers hoping to enjoy a relaxing vacation island hopping around the Pacific have been left disappointed and out of pocket $4,000 after finding out their destination was in fact Brisbane — their home city.
The group — made up of neighbours David and Terry and their wives, Sandra and Laree — live in the city's north. They'll fly down to Sydney next month to board the Carnival Luminosa, then travel back up to the Port of Brisbane as part of their itinerary.
The original plan for the voyage had to be changed due to onging unrest in the Pacific, leading to an exceptionally underwhelming outcome for certain passengers.
"The cruise will make stop in Brisbane, Australia, and guests will also enjoy a scenic cruise around Willis Island," the company Choose Your Cruise states online. The group will then travel back down to Sydney on board the vessel, just to have to fly back — again — to Brisbane.
"Maybe we'll come home, catch a taxi, and do the washing, and go back to the port in the afternoon," Terry sarcastically told A Current Affair. "We're flying to Sydney to go up the coast of Queensland, back to Brisbane and then back to Sydney. No one would book a trip from Brisbane to do that."
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Choose Your Cruise advertised its "Flashback" package as a tropical island getaway which includes musical acts such as Human Nature and Marcia Hines who are set to sing hits from the '80s and '90s.
The plan was originally to depart Sydney for an eight-night journey with stops at three ports in New Caledonia, but "due to current conflicts and civil unrest in New Caledonia", they'll now sail to pretty much nowhere.
"I booked a cruise to go to three South Sea Islands … and we're not going to any South Sea Islands … we're not getting to see any white sandy beaches, nothing that they advertised," David said of the $4,000 per couple trip, which doesn't include flights.
No refunds but cruise company 'disappointed'
Choose Your Cruise said it won't offer refunds or credits but it was ramping up entertainment packages to cushion the blow for disappointed passengers.
"These changes were out of our control due to the civil unrest in New Caledonia," a spokesperson told Yahoo News. "Due to the limited availability of ports in the South Pacific and because we have a jam-packed entertainment schedule featuring 40 music acts – some requiring access to an airport – Brisbane was the only viable port option for this voyage, to ensure the integrity of the entertainment program.
"We understand how much our guests were looking forward to the South Pacific itinerary and we share their disappointment that New Caledonia remains off limits for now. We desperately hoped for a different outcome, but sadly it wasn’t to be, and guests were informed as soon as possible."
The South Australian based company says it has now organised even more entertainment than originally scheduled and all customers will be given a $50 voucher to spend on board.
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