There was chaos on a Carnival cruise ship after angry passengers were told they wouldn't be able to sail to an expected Caribbean destination because of engine problems – while they screamed for their money back and pleaded to be let off the ship.
Guests aboard the Carnival Vista had booked an eight-night Southern Caribbean cruise departing from Port Canaveral, Florida on August 10, with stops in Aruba, Curacao and Turks and Caicos.
As the boarding process was underway and some passengers had already boarded the ship, the cruise line sent out a notification informing of the change in plans.
The cruise line told the Post that Carnival crew members had detected “a technical issue affecting the ship’s speed,” which forced the cruise line to make changes to the itinerary.
Vista will instead travel to the Bahamas, stopping in Nassau, Princess Cayes, Freeport and Half Moon Cay. According to Inside Edition.
Some passengers were not happy with the last minute change and started demanding a refund when cruise staff tried to explain the situation to them.
Many guests on the ship began shouting, “Give us our money,” on Aug. 28, according to Instagram user Only In Florida,
One man claimed he spent $6,000 just to board the cruise.
According to video obtained by Inside Edition, a cruise employee explained to passengers, “Ladies and gentlemen, the way you are acting with all the noise and chaos is not going to solve any problems.”
The average fare for an 8-day trip on Vista is $779 per person.
When the cruise line found it necessary to change itineraries, passengers were given several options.
“We communicated directly with guests onboard the ship about their travel options,” Carnival said.
“Those who went on the voyage were given onboard credit as well as a future cruise credit for another cruise to compensate for the unexpected change, and those who did not want to go on the voyage were offered a 100 per cent refund.”
Despite choosing not to travel to the Bahamas, travelers were disappointed by Carnival's last-minute announcement.
“They knew about the problem before we even got on the ship,” Ashley Ball told the outlet. “They didn't tell us anything until we got on the ship, and, you know, went through customs and lines and security and all of that, and then decided to display that information.”
The Vista has gone on multiple voyages since setting sail on Aug. 10, but its Sept. 7 departure from Port Canaveral has been canceled, Inside Edition reports.
In the month of June, The Brooklyn Family After a delayed flight from John F. Kennedy Airport, he stood on the dock at Port Canaveral watching his ship depart.
Tisha Lassen says she was working hard at her post office job to save up the $8,500 needed to take her mother, twins and eldest son on an eight-day cruise on June 30.
The trip was meant to be a celebration of Lassen’s 50th birthday and for his son, who was about to start his junior year in college, but their Delta flight was delayed by about two hours due to a “crew issue,” and they missed boarding their cruise.
