Cruise passengers kicked off ship and instructed to go dwelling early attributable to ‘technical issue with catering’

A Caribbean cruise run by Tui has been delivered to an abrupt halt – with passengers instructed to go away the ship and fly dwelling early after what the agency says is “a technical issue with our catering facilities”.

David and Maria Hitchcock from Ormskirk have been on a fortnight’s voyage aboard Marella Discovery 2 – comprising a pair of one-week back-to-back cruises – as a part of his sixtieth birthday celebrations.

Six days in, they have been instructed the primary half, “Flavours of the Caribbean,” had been curtailed and was returning to its winter dwelling port of Montego Bay “due to food issues”.

The second half, “Pride of Panama,” has been cancelled altogether.

The couple are at the moment out of communication contact within the Caribbean; they’ve determined to remain in Jamaica till their scheduled flight dwelling on 7 February.

But David’s sister, Melanie Hitchcock, instructed The Independent: “They have been offered roughly a quarter of the total price of the trip back and some vouchers.

“They will never use the vouchers as this was a one-off trip for a special occasion. They prefer to holiday in their caravan with their dogs.”

Some passengers aboard Marella Discovery 2 have complained that the ship seems to be “running out of food”.

Tui rejects this assertion, saying “the ship is currently able to deliver our full food and beverage offering to customers currently on board”.

The ship set sail from Montego Bay in Jamaica final Tuesday, 24 January. She referred to as at Cozumel in Mexico and the Cuban capital, Havana. But the ship is returning early to Montego Bay.

Passengers have been supplied the selection of staying in Jamaica till they have been attributable to come dwelling or flying again on planes despatched to airlift them again to the UK.

They could not have the ability to journey direct to their meant airport, however coach transfers can be organized as obligatory.

The subsequent cruise, visiting Port Royal in Jamaica, Cartagena in Colombia, Colon in Panama and Puerto Limon in Costa Rica has been cancelled.

The firm is providing a “a pro-rata per night refund” and a £300 vacation voucher “as a gesture of goodwill” to those that are on board the ship.

Those who have been attributable to start their cruise on Tuesday, 31 January, will obtain a full refund and a vacation voucher.

A spokesperson for Tui mentioned: “Due to a technical issue with our catering facilities on Marella Discovery 2 we have taken the difficult decision to cancel the upcoming Pride of Panama cruise.

“We understand how disappointing this will be and would like to apologise to our customers who have been impacted, and thank them for their patience and understanding at this time.

“Our customer teams are already in contact with those customers impacted and are supporting them with their future travel plans. All customers impacted have been offered future holiday vouchers as a gesture of goodwill.

“Marella Discovery 2 is currently on day six of the seven-night Flavours of the Caribbean cruise. The Pride of Panama Cruise seven-night cruise, which has been cancelled, was due to commence on Tuesday 31 January.

“The next scheduled cruise on Tuesday 7 February is due to operate as planned.”

Ms Hitchcock instructed The Independent that her brother and sister-in-law “are terribly upset about this and have been put off the whole idea of going abroad”.

She mentioned they’d booked a lodge at a price of £3,000 for the week when they need to have been on the second a part of the cruise.