A Florida mother who left everything behind for a luxurious three-year round-the-world cruise has been banned by the ship's owners after private messages expressing dissatisfaction with the voyage were leaked and “affected morale in the community.”
Jenny Phoenix, 68, was reportedly upset about problems on board the ship, including a four-month delay in even setting sail, and her complaints were recorded in WhatsApp messages that were eventually passed on to the ship's owners.
“For the last year and a half, I have been liquidating my businesses and assets and looking forward to a new life traveling the world,” Phoenix said. Telegraph last week.
The divorced mother of two has been “living out of a suitcase” since December as she waits to board the Villa Vie Odyssey on its maiden voyage.
The ship first arrived in Southampton, England in May and was due to depart on its multi-year voyage on the 15th, but has instead been moved to Belfast, Ireland, and passengers have been told it would depart on the 30th.
However, further problems were discovered with the Villa Vie Odyssey during dry dock, causing further delays to the voyage.
According to the Telegraph, the ship had been left abandoned for four years during the coronavirus pandemic, causing its certification to lapse, forcing the owners to start again.
Continuing delays meant the Phoenix and other passengers had to wait nearly four months to depart.
Her frustration grew when it became clear the ship had changed its itinerary and would not stop in Miami, where it was due to pick up the rest of its luggage.
Phoenix was also told after the journey began that he would have to use a temporary cabin because the crew was still using a cabin that had been reserved for an adventure three years ago.
The 68-year-old woman took to a WhatsApp group to express her concern over the sudden change to fellow passengers.
Phoenix later received notice from the owners of Villa Vie that his reservation had been cancelled due to “behaviour that impacts the morale of the community.”
“We have received more than 10 formal complaints from residents about your ongoing complaints and negative attitude,” the ship's chief operating officer, Cathy Villalba, told her. “This behavior is having a significant impact on the morale and well-being of other passengers.”
Villalba informed her that due to the “overwhelming feedback” he received, Villa Vie “must 'permanently' terminate our contract with her” in order to “preserve the happiness and satisfaction of our community.”
The mother of two was stunned by the sudden turn of events and wondered how these messages had reached the ship's owners.
“This was a private conversation. I have not posted anything on any social media platform,” Phoenix told The Telegraph.
“Every delay only increased resident frustration. I was proactive in asking important questions, and many of the residents personally thanked me for speaking up on behalf of the entire group.”
Mikael Pettersson, CEO of Villa Vie Residences, told The Telegraph that Phoenix had “violated several contractual terms and signed a non-disclosure agreement.”
This is the second time Phoenix's hopes of living on a cruise ship have been dashed.
She had reserved a seat on the residential ship. Florida-based Life at Sea plans to depart its cruise ship, Life at Sea, on November 17, 2023.It was scheduled to depart on November 30, but was canceled due to failure to purchase the boat.
According to the Telegraph, Life at Sea Cruises has been forced to file for bankruptcy and has yet to pay the $30,000 deposit it paid to a divorced woman.
Phoenix had rented out her Florida condo in January because she was planning to go on a cruise, so she had to share her home with another stranded passenger in Ecuador, she said. The New York Times.
But Phoenix was determined to live on a cruise ship and told The Telegraph he waited until Villa Vie Residences bought the former Fred Olsen-owned ship Braemar – now renamed Villa Vie Odyssey – before securing his own place.
The divorcee purchased the “Endless Horizon” program, which “enables individuals to enjoy unlimited lifetime cruises on luxury cruise ships.” The program starts at $300,000 and requires guests to put down at least half the deposit, according to a company statement. Website.
Since being banned from boarding the cruise ship, she has received a partial refund and is waiting for the remainder of her deposit to be returned.
According to the Telegraph, the Odyssey recently undertook sea trials to undergo recertification but has yet to set sail on its three-year voyage, which is scheduled to visit 425 destinations in 147 countries.
Phoenix has since returned to Florida and said he was exhausted by the ordeal.
“I cannot put into words the emotional and physical toll this has had on me,” she told the outlet. “It's still very difficult to talk about because I had the same dream as everyone else on that ship and they took that dream away from me without a second thought.”
“I need to stay with my daughter until I can make a whole new plan for my life.”
