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<\/p>\nA woman who sold her home to sail on a three-year round the world cruise was left in shock when the cruise line announced the ship would not set sail. The unfortunate traveller had paid thousands to stay on the cruise in one of the most luxurious cabins as she sailed across all seven continents \u2013 but will no longer set off on her adventure this year as expected.<\/p>\n
The three-year cruise was due to see over 1,000 passengers sailing across all seven continents and 135 countries, stopping at 375 destinations and taking in 13 world wonders. However, Life at Seas told passengers that the cruise did not yet have a ship and so the November 1 2023 departure was being delayed.<\/p>\n
Meredith Shay had sold her home to prepare to embark on the cruise. It was originally due to depart Istanbul, Turkey, on November 1, only for that to be pushed back to November 11, then November 30. A fortnight before the departure date, passengers were told that the sailing was cancelled, reports the Mirror.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Inside the lavish \u00a382k cabins on epic world cruise sailing to 147 countries<\/b><\/p>\n
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Vedat Ugurlu, the owner of Miray Cruises which owns Life at Sea, reportedly sent a video message to passengers declaring himself "extremely sorry for the inconvenience". Unrest in the Middle East was listed as a main reason for investors backing out, CNN reported.<\/p>\n
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Meredith, a Floridian retiree, used half the money from the sale of her home on the cruise, which costs $29,999 (\u00a324,700) a year for the cheapest cabins. Although she didn't say exactly how much she spent, she believes that she is the only one to have signed up to the most luxurious seventh floor suites. Some rooms are understood to stretch well into the hundreds of thousands of pounds for the whole sailing.<\/p>\n
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Considering the cheapest option would mean spending \u00a374,100 on the three year journey we're talking big numbers. Now, Meredith needs to find somewhere else to live until the cruise sets sail.<\/p>\n
"I did sell my house. I put everything into storage, moved out of my apartment. I was about to sell my car. But I am not a 'woe is me person'. There is a song over here, dust yourself off and try again'. That is what I've done," she told the Mirror. "I had a 12 hour pity party, then said 'okay you're free. do something'. No encumberments at all."<\/p>\n
While Meredith says she's confident a refund will be issued to her the former flight attendant isn't waiting around, and is instead heading to Peru to join an Oceania Cruise in December, with ports of call including Antarctica, Patagonia and parts of Argentina.<\/p>\n
Meredith said she "really trusts" the people behind Life at Sea Cruises, and believes they will refund not just the money spent on rooms but on extras such as vaccination and visas. She claimed that the owners had offered to pay for around 200 of the guests to join a week-long cruise in the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n
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"I think this will be an incredible catalyst for many people to really decide what they want to do in their life. Lots of people did sell their homes, did quit their jobs. So this is a huge poll vault for them," Meredith added.<\/p>\n
Passengers on the once-in-a-lifetime holiday were meant to witness the majesty of glaciers and ice formations in the Antarctic and South America, douse themselves in warm sunshine and the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, visit dozens of bustling cities in North America before heading across the Pacific to Tokyo and Seoul, the stunning beaches of Jeju Island, and the towering skyscrapers of Shanghai.<\/p>\n
The ship was to spend an incredible 206 days stopping at more than 70 locations in the South Pacific and Australia, taking in Australia's big cities, the pristine beaches of the island nations and the stunning mountains of New Zealand. All of this without the need to take a single flight or traipse through one airport, before the ship has even got to North Asia or Europe.<\/p>\n
On November 28 one guest told the Mirror that Life at Seas has announced it is now aiming for a 2024 sailing start date.<\/p>\n