Dream Cruise Turns Into Nightmare for US Woman Who Sells Home to Fund It, Only for It to Be Cancelled Days Before Departure

A woman in the US who had sold her house to fund a three-year luxury cruise has been left homeless after the trip was canceled just days before its departure. Keri Witman, the head of a marketing agency called Clever Lucy, had paid $32,000 for the trip with Life at Sea Cruises. The cruise was initially scheduled to depart from Istanbul on November 1 but was repeatedly postponed to November 11 and then November 30.

The company had promised a luxurious journey to 148 countries, visiting hundreds of ports across all seven continents. Passengers would also have the opportunity to work remotely, receive medical care, and have friends and family visit them during the trip. Ms. Witman had booked the trip in April 2022 and paid the first installment and deposit of $32,000. She even sold her four-bedroom house and got rid of many of her possessions in preparation for the cruise.

Despite consulting with her financial investment advisors, who surprisingly supported her decision, the company ultimately canceled the trip last month, citing the inability to secure a ship for the voyage. The cancellation was reportedly prompted by investor concerns over the unrest in the Middle East. The company has stated that they are actively working on alternative plans for the future.

Ms. Witman expressed her disappointment, stating, “I’ve been working over the last eight months to get everything in line, my life organized, so that I can make it happen. It was disappointing to find out it wasn’t going to pan out.” She is currently living in a rented apartment and her possessions that were meant to be on the cruise are now in storage.

Unfortunately, Ms. Witman is not the only passenger who has found themselves in this predicament. Many other passengers had also sold their homes and belongings to embark on this supposed “once-in-a-lifetime experience”. Now, they find themselves without a home to return to since they were expecting to be on the cruise for three years.

One affected passenger shared, “There’s a whole lot of people right now with nowhere to go, and some need their refund to even plan a place to go – it’s not good right now.” Ms. Witman has been in contact with fellow passengers as they collaborate on their alternative plans.